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Strength training: the hour a week that pays off

You don’t need to live at the gym. Research suggests 30 to 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening a week brings most of the benefit, and it works at any age.

By Bernard Aoun, MDUpdated September 2026
An older adult doing a controlled dumbbell exercise at home

Muscle does far more than move us around. It helps control blood sugar, protects joints, keeps us steady on our feet and makes everyday tasks easier. From midlife on, we slowly lose muscle unless we use it. The encouraging news from recent research is that the amount of strength work needed to make a difference is modest.

How much is enough?

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A 2022 review pooled 16 studies of adults without major illness. People who did muscle-strengthening activities had 10% to 17% lower risk of dying during follow-up, and of developing heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. The largest benefit showed up at about 30 to 60 minutes a week. Beyond an hour, there was no clear extra benefit for most outcomes, though the data at high amounts were limited.

The strength-training sweet spot

Minutes of muscle-strengthening per week, and lower risk of dying, heart disease and cancer

NoneUnder 30 min30–60 minBiggest benefit: about 10–20% lower riskOver 60 minNo clear extra benefit
Pooled from 16 studies of adults without major illness (Momma et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022). Links seen in the data, not proof of cause. Strength work helped on top of, not instead of, aerobic activity.

Strength training worked best alongside aerobic activity such as walking. People who did both had the lowest risk of all.

It is never too late

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In a famous 1990 study, frail nursing-home residents with an average age of about 90 did eight weeks of high-intensity leg-strength training. Their strength rose by 174% on average, and their walking speed improved by nearly half. More recently, a trial in older adults found that a three-month home program of simple strength exercises, plus a little extra protein, improved grip strength and made them less likely to become frail.

What counts

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Anything that makes your muscles work hard against resistance: lifting weights, resistance bands, and body-weight moves like squats, sit-to-stands and push-ups against a wall or counter.

  1. Aim for two sessions a week, working the legs, hips, back, chest, shoulders and arms.
  2. Choose a weight or move you can do 8 to 12 times before your muscles feel tired.
  3. When it gets easy, add a little weight or a few more repetitions.
  4. Eat some protein with your meals to help muscles respond, especially after 65.

Try it yourself. Check your leg strength with the chair stand test

This article is for general education and is not medical advice for any individual.

References
  1. Momma H, et al. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Br J Sports Med. 2022;56(13):755–763.
  2. Fiatarone MA, et al. High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians: effects on skeletal muscle. JAMA. 1990;263(22):3029–3034.
  3. Travers J, et al. Building resilience and reversing frailty: a randomised controlled trial of a primary care intervention for older adults. Age Ageing. 2023;52(2):afad012.
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Bernard Aoun, MD. Strength training: the hour a week that pays off. Tortoise Time. Updated September 2026. https://www.tortoisetime.com/learn/strength-training-sweet-spot

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Keep the testing method, population and limitations with any quoted finding. A page update is not evidence of an independent medical review.