Effects of a daily, home-based, 5-minute eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and health in sedentary individuals

Benjamin J. C. Kirk; Georgios Mavropalias; Anthony J. Blazevich; Jodie L. Cochrane-Wilkie; Aus Molan; Kazunori Nosaka

doi:10.1007/s00421-025-05757-7

Effects of a daily, home-based, 5-minute eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and health in sedentary individuals

Benjamin J. C. Kirk, Georgios Mavropalias, Anthony J. Blazevich, Jodie L. Cochrane-Wilkie, Aus Molan, Kazunori Nosaka

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

31 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 4-week home-based bodyweight eccentric exercise program, requiring just 5 min daily, on physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and mental health in sedentary individuals.

Methods: Twenty-two sedentary but healthy individuals (4 men, 18 women; 32–69 years) completed a two-week control period followed by a 4-week intervention. The intervention involved daily exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops, including progressions if necessary. Assessments included isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), handgrip (HG) strength, push-up and sit-up endurance, sit-and-reach (S&R) flexibility, 3-min step test (3ST), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), body composition (via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), physical health markers (blood based), and mental wellbeing (SF-36 survey and subjective vitality scale [SVS]). Measurements were taken before (PRE-1), after the control period (PRE-2), and after the 4-week training period (POST).

Results: Adherence to the program was 91±12% (18–28 sessions over 28 days). Intraclass correlation coefficients presented moderate-to-excellent reliability within the control period. No significant changes were observed in body composition, resting heart rate, blood pressure, HG, SJ, CMJ, or blood markers after training. However, significant improvements (p < 0.05) were noted in IMTP (13.0±18.5%), push-up (66.1±86.5%), sit-up (51.1±78.7%), S&R (9.1±20.0%), and 3ST heart rate (4.8±7.1% decrease). Mental health scores improved significantly (SF-36 by 16±29% and SVS by 20±3%, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The 5-minute daily eccentric exercise routine over 4 weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals, suggesting even a small dose of daily exercise can be beneficial.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2241-2255
Number of pages	15
Journal	European Journal of Applied Physiology
Volume	125
Issue number	8
Early online date	25 Mar 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-025-05757-7
Publication status	Published - Aug 2025
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

Isometric mid-thigh pull
Push-up
Sit-up
Sit-and-reach
3-Min step test
36-Item short form survey (SF-36)

Access to Document

10.1007/s00421-025-05757-7Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 679 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{1467d9639203468dab72e3bcd96d2744,

title = "Effects of a daily, home-based, 5-minute eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and health in sedentary individuals",

abstract = "Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 4-week home-based bodyweight eccentric exercise program, requiring just 5 min daily, on physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and mental health in sedentary individuals. Methods: Twenty-two sedentary but healthy individuals (4 men, 18 women; 32–69 years) completed a two-week control period followed by a 4-week intervention. The intervention involved daily exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops, including progressions if necessary. Assessments included isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), handgrip (HG) strength, push-up and sit-up endurance, sit-and-reach (S\&R) flexibility, 3-min step test (3ST), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), body composition (via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), physical health markers (blood based), and mental wellbeing (SF-36 survey and subjective vitality scale [SVS]). Measurements were taken before (PRE-1), after the control period (PRE-2), and after the 4-week training period (POST). Results: Adherence to the program was 91±12\% (18–28 sessions over 28 days). Intraclass correlation coefficients presented moderate-to-excellent reliability within the control period. No significant changes were observed in body composition, resting heart rate, blood pressure, HG, SJ, CMJ, or blood markers after training. However, significant improvements (p < 0.05) were noted in IMTP (13.0±18.5\%), push-up (66.1±86.5\%), sit-up (51.1±78.7\%), S\&R (9.1±20.0\%), and 3ST heart rate (4.8±7.1\% decrease). Mental health scores improved significantly (SF-36 by 16±29\% and SVS by 20±3\%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The 5-minute daily eccentric exercise routine over 4 weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals, suggesting even a small dose of daily exercise can be beneficial.",

keywords = "Isometric mid-thigh pull, Push-up, Sit-up, Sit-and-reach, 3-Min step test, 36-Item short form survey (SF-36)",

author = "Kirk, \{Benjamin J. C.\} and Georgios Mavropalias and Blazevich, \{Anthony J.\} and Cochrane-Wilkie, \{Jodie L.\} and Aus Molan and Kazunori Nosaka",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1007/s00421-025-05757-7",

language = "English",

volume = "125",

pages = "2241--2255",

journal = "European Journal of Applied Physiology",

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publisher = "Springer, Springer Nature",

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Effects of a daily, home-based, 5-minute eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and health in sedentary individuals. / Kirk, Benjamin J. C.; Mavropalias, Georgios; Blazevich, Anthony J. et al.
In: European Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol. 125, No. 8, 08.2025, p. 2241-2255.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of a daily, home-based, 5-minute eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and health in sedentary individuals

AU - Kirk, Benjamin J. C.

AU - Mavropalias, Georgios

AU - Blazevich, Anthony J.

AU - Cochrane-Wilkie, Jodie L.

AU - Molan, Aus

AU - Nosaka, Kazunori

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 4-week home-based bodyweight eccentric exercise program, requiring just 5 min daily, on physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and mental health in sedentary individuals. Methods: Twenty-two sedentary but healthy individuals (4 men, 18 women; 32–69 years) completed a two-week control period followed by a 4-week intervention. The intervention involved daily exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops, including progressions if necessary. Assessments included isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), handgrip (HG) strength, push-up and sit-up endurance, sit-and-reach (S&R) flexibility, 3-min step test (3ST), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), body composition (via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), physical health markers (blood based), and mental wellbeing (SF-36 survey and subjective vitality scale [SVS]). Measurements were taken before (PRE-1), after the control period (PRE-2), and after the 4-week training period (POST). Results: Adherence to the program was 91±12% (18–28 sessions over 28 days). Intraclass correlation coefficients presented moderate-to-excellent reliability within the control period. No significant changes were observed in body composition, resting heart rate, blood pressure, HG, SJ, CMJ, or blood markers after training. However, significant improvements (p < 0.05) were noted in IMTP (13.0±18.5%), push-up (66.1±86.5%), sit-up (51.1±78.7%), S&R (9.1±20.0%), and 3ST heart rate (4.8±7.1% decrease). Mental health scores improved significantly (SF-36 by 16±29% and SVS by 20±3%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The 5-minute daily eccentric exercise routine over 4 weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals, suggesting even a small dose of daily exercise can be beneficial.

AB - Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 4-week home-based bodyweight eccentric exercise program, requiring just 5 min daily, on physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and mental health in sedentary individuals. Methods: Twenty-two sedentary but healthy individuals (4 men, 18 women; 32–69 years) completed a two-week control period followed by a 4-week intervention. The intervention involved daily exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops, including progressions if necessary. Assessments included isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), handgrip (HG) strength, push-up and sit-up endurance, sit-and-reach (S&R) flexibility, 3-min step test (3ST), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), body composition (via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), physical health markers (blood based), and mental wellbeing (SF-36 survey and subjective vitality scale [SVS]). Measurements were taken before (PRE-1), after the control period (PRE-2), and after the 4-week training period (POST). Results: Adherence to the program was 91±12% (18–28 sessions over 28 days). Intraclass correlation coefficients presented moderate-to-excellent reliability within the control period. No significant changes were observed in body composition, resting heart rate, blood pressure, HG, SJ, CMJ, or blood markers after training. However, significant improvements (p < 0.05) were noted in IMTP (13.0±18.5%), push-up (66.1±86.5%), sit-up (51.1±78.7%), S&R (9.1±20.0%), and 3ST heart rate (4.8±7.1% decrease). Mental health scores improved significantly (SF-36 by 16±29% and SVS by 20±3%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The 5-minute daily eccentric exercise routine over 4 weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals, suggesting even a small dose of daily exercise can be beneficial.

KW - Isometric mid-thigh pull

KW - Push-up

KW - Sit-up

KW - Sit-and-reach

KW - 3-Min step test

KW - 36-Item short form survey (SF-36)

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105001144464

U2 - 10.1007/s00421-025-05757-7

DO - 10.1007/s00421-025-05757-7

M3 - Article

C2 - 40131475

SN - 1439-6319

VL - 125

SP - 2241

EP - 2255

JO - European Journal of Applied Physiology

JF - European Journal of Applied Physiology

IS - 8

ER -

Effects of a daily, home-based, 5-minute eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and health in sedentary individuals

Abstract

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