Strength training and health – what does the research say?

Many people treat strength training as an add-on to “real” health work, i.e. cardio. Yet current guidelines and large studies show that muscle is one of the pillars of lifelong health.

What do experts recommend?

The World Health Organization (WHO) 2020 guidelines recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity involving all major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week – alongside 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity.

Lower risk – from 30–60 minutes a week

A systematic review and meta-analysis by Momma et al. (2022, British Journal of Sports Medicine) pooled cohort studies with several hundred thousand participants. Muscle-strengthening activity of 30–60 minutes per week was associated with roughly 10–20% lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The greatest benefit came from combining strength and aerobic training.

Note: these are observational studies – they show a strong association, not direct causation. Still, the direction is consistent with many other findings.

What else does strength give you?

• Muscle mass, which we naturally lose with age – training is the most effective way to keep it.
• Stronger bones – mechanical loading stimulates them to adapt.
• Better glucose control – working muscle is the body's largest “storage” for sugar.
• Everyday capability – carrying shopping, climbing stairs, fewer injuries.

How to put it into practice

Start with 2 sessions a week of 30–45 minutes: a leg exercise (e.g. squat), a pull (pull-ups, rows) and a push (push-ups, dips, presses). Choose a weight that leaves 1–3 reps in reserve and increase it gradually.

Not sure where to start? Message me – we'll build a plan around your time and abilities.