How Much Strength Training Is Actually Enough for Good Health?

Strength training is often associated with performance, muscle growth, and gym-based workouts. At the same time, a growing body of research shows that relatively small amounts of strength training can provide substantial health benefits—even for people without goals related to muscle size or athletic performance. For many, the key question is therefore not whether strength training is beneficial, but how much is actually needed to achieve meaningful health effects.

Strength training and health – more than just muscles

Strength training influences far more than muscle strength alone. Research consistently links regular resistance training to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and premature mortality. In addition, strength training plays a crucial role in preserving physical function, bone density, and independence across the lifespan.

Muscle strength is also closely tied to everyday function. Tasks such as rising from a chair, climbing stairs, carrying groceries, and maintaining balance rely heavily on adequate strength, particularly in the lower extremities and trunk.

What do the guidelines say?

International physical activity guidelines recommend strength training for all major muscle groups at least two days per week. This applies to healthy adults, older individuals, and people living with chronic conditions. Importantly, these recommendations represent a minimum threshold for health benefits—not an optimal dose for maximal performance.

Notably, the guidelines do not require advanced equipment or long training sessions. Simple exercises using body weight, resistance bands, or free weights can be sufficient, as long as the load is challenging enough to stimulate the muscles.

Dose–response: small doses can go a long way

Several large observational studies indicate that even one to two strength-training sessions per week are associated with measurable health benefits. The relationship between resistance training and reduced mortality appears to plateau at relatively low training volumes, suggesting that “some is far better than none.”

This is an important message for individuals with low baseline fitness, chronic pain, or limited capacity. Strength training does not need to be all-or-nothing. Gradual progression, realistic expectations, and a low threshold for starting are key factors for long-term adherence.

Strength training from a physiotherapy perspective

In clinical practice, strength training is used both as treatment and prevention. For patients with musculoskeletal conditions, the primary goals are often improved function and symptom management rather than maximal strength gains. Individualization is therefore essential.

Physiotherapists consider factors such as pain response, load tolerance, and functional demands when prescribing exercise. For many patients, two short sessions per week are sufficient to achieve meaningful improvements, especially when training is combined with proper guidance and progressive adjustment over time.

Summary

You do not need to train a lot to gain a lot. Regular strength training, even in moderate amounts, provides well-documented health benefits and improves physical function. For most people, consistency matters more than volume, and a low barrier to starting may be the most important factor for long-term success.

Sources

• American College of Sports Medicine. (2021). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

• Franchi, M. V., Reeves, N. D., & Narici, M. V. (2017). Skeletal muscle remodeling in response to eccentric vs. concentric loading. Frontiers in Physiology, 8, 447. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00447

• Saeterbakken, A. H., & Fimland, M. S. (2013). Muscle force output and electromyographic activity in squats with various unstable surfaces. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 27(1), 130–136. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182541d43

• Westcott, W. L. (2012). Resistance training is medicine. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 11(4), 209–216. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8

• World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. WHO.