Written by Tim Rigby
This is a discovery that may surprise you as it seems counter-intuitive. It’s based on the idea that an injured arm, which is unable to exercise, can actually be rehabilitated by training the other arm. Scientists at Edith Cowan University (Joondalup, Australia) decided to study the results of training one arm to the end of increasing strength and preventing muscle loss. At the conclusion of the study, the team had arrived at the conclusion of which they were hoping: without even moving an arm, it can be strengthened by training the other arm with an emphasis on eccentric repetitions. Using such a technique, an individual slowly lowers a weight during the “negative” portion of the rep; that is, the return of the weight to its start position from the peak position. We certainly hope you never have either of your upper limbs immobilised for any reason, but it’s interesting how this process has proven successful.
