Resting between workouts can be more beneficial than one continuous workout, according to a study by researchers at the University of Tokyo.

With a break in the middle of a workout, there is an increase in lipolysis, or fat breakdown. Results also show that a greater amount of free fatty acids and glycerol were released when there was a rest in between.

The increased lipolysis may be due to a higher level of epinephrine and lower level of insulin that occurred in those who rested, the study said.

The study compared two methods of exercise: one 60-minute session versus two 30-minute sessions. Seven men performed each method in three trials.

In the first trial, the men used a cycling machine for an uninterrupted period of 60 minutes, followed by a 60-minute rest.

The next trial had the men undergoing 30 minutes of the same exercise followed by a 20-minute rest. The men then cycled for an additional 30 minutes, and completed the trial with a 60-minute recovery, according to the study.

While the American College of Sports Medicine recommends an exercise period of 45 to 60 minutes, the study results found that dividing the session into smaller ones burn more fat.

"These findings will be informative about the design of [future] exercise regimens," said lead researcher Kazushige Goto, Ph.D of the University of Tokyo.

The study was published in the Journal of Physiology by the American Physiological Society.

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