Many people know that regular exercise is good for their health, but a common question remains: how much exercise is enough to make a real difference?
A major new study suggests that when it comes to strength training, there may be a sweet spot that offers the greatest health benefits without requiring hours in the gym every week.
The research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, followed more than 147,000 adults for up to 30 years.
The findings suggest that spending about 90 to 120 minutes each week on strength training may be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of dying from several major diseases. The benefits were even greater when strength training was combined with regular aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming.
Strength training includes activities that make muscles work against resistance. This can involve lifting weights, using resistance bands, or performing body-weight exercises such as squats, lunges, and push-ups. While many people focus on aerobic activities for heart health, strength training has often received less attention despite its growing popularity.
To better understand its long-term impact, researchers analyzed data from three large and well-known health studies in the United States.
The participants included health professionals and nurses who regularly reported their exercise habits every two years. The study included more than 31,000 men and 115,000 women, with an average starting age of 54 years.
Over the course of the study, researchers recorded nearly 36,000 deaths. They compared exercise habits with health outcomes and found a clear pattern. People who regularly performed strength training had lower risks of death compared with those who did none.
The strongest benefits appeared among people who completed between 90 and 119 minutes of strength training each week. Individuals in this group had a 13 percent lower risk of dying from any cause compared with those who did not perform strength training. Interestingly, doing more than 120 minutes each week did not appear to provide additional benefits.
The study also found important links with specific diseases. The 90-to-119-minute range was associated with a 19 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, which includes conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. It was also associated with a 27 percent lower risk of death from neurological diseases that affect the brain and nervous system.
The relationship with cancer was slightly different. The researchers found that lower amounts of strength training, ranging from one minute to 59 minutes per week, were linked to a reduced risk of cancer-related death. The reason for this pattern is not yet fully understood and may require further investigation.
The study also highlighted the importance of combining different types of exercise. People who performed both aerobic exercise and strength training experienced the greatest reductions in mortality risk. The lowest risk was seen among those who achieved high levels of aerobic activity while also incorporating regular strength training into their weekly routine.
These findings support current public health recommendations that encourage adults to include both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities in their lifestyle. Aerobic exercise helps improve heart and lung function, while strength training preserves muscle mass, strengthens bones, improves balance, and supports healthy aging.
As people grow older, maintaining muscle strength becomes increasingly important. Muscle loss naturally occurs with age and can contribute to falls, frailty, and loss of independence. Strength training can help slow or even reverse some of these changes, allowing people to remain active and healthy for longer.
At the end of the study, the researchers emphasized that this was an observational study. This means the findings can identify associations but cannot prove that strength training directly caused the lower risk of death.
Other factors may have contributed to the results. For example, people who exercise regularly often have healthier diets, better access to healthcare, and other beneficial lifestyle habits.
The study also relied on participants reporting their own exercise habits, which may not always be perfectly accurate. In addition, the researchers did not collect detailed information about exercise intensity or include all forms of strength-based activities such as Pilates and some body-conditioning programs.
Despite these limitations, the study provides strong evidence that regular strength training is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The findings suggest that a relatively modest amount of resistance exercise, around 90 to 120 minutes each week, may provide substantial health benefits, especially when combined with regular aerobic activity.
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Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
