Faculty Study Results May Be Key to Optimizing Weight Loss

SALISBURY, MD---Could explosive concentric muscle contractions be the key to optimizing the capacity for weight loss through resistance training?

According to findings recently published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise by Dr. Scott Mazzetti, Health, Physical Education and Human Performance faculty at Salisbury University, it could.

The article, co-authored with faculty from Anderson and Ball State Universities, explored the effects of explosive verses slow contractions and exercise intensity on energy expenditure.

Mazzetti’s study provided evidence that explosive-or more rapid-muscle contractions used more energy than slow contractions, even when the amount of weight lifted was identical, increasing the benefits of the exercise for weight loss. It also found that explosive contractions were more effective in increasing energy expenditure when using moderate weight loads instead of heavy loads.

The article is available online at www.acsm-msse.org. For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.