How much strength training is actually needed to make a difference for your health?
A large study with nearly 150,000 participants followed over several decades showed that people who did 90 to 120 minutes of strength training per week had:
- 13% lower risk of dying prematurely from all causes
- 19% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease
- 27% lower risk of dying from neurological diseases, the majority of which were dementia-related
Two comments:
1. Cardio plus strength appears to be the best combination
The greatest health benefit was seen in people who combined strength training with cardiovascular exercise. They had up to 45% lower risk of dying prematurely compared with people who neither strength trained nor exercised regularly.
2. More is not necessarily better
Perhaps the most interesting observation was that the effect appeared to plateau after about two hours of strength training per week. More hours in the gym did not produce any further clear reduction in mortality.
The message is encouraging: you can now be in the gym four whole days a week (30-minute sessions) and blame Harvard if anyone complains that you train too much.
At Executive Health, we see regular strength training as one of the more powerful investments you can make for a longer and healthier life.
