If you’ve been telling yourself that you don’t have enough time to exercise, a new study may change your mind. According to researchers, spending just 90 minutes to two hours on strength training each week could significantly reduce your risk of dying early.
That works out to roughly 20 minutes a day for five days or two to three short gym sessions a week.
The findings come from a large study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which looked at how strength training and aerobic exercise affect long-term health.
A small weekly commitment could make a big difference
The researchers followed 147,374 people for more than 30 years. Over this time, participants reported their frequency of participation in aerobic activities, including walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, tennis, squash, climbing stairs and heavy outdoor work.
They also reported on their frequency of strength training activities such as lifting weights, using resistance bands or doing body weight exercises like push-ups, squats, and lunges.
The researchers then analysed the information and discovered that the individuals who performed resistance training at least two times a week were 13% less prone to die early from any cause than those who did not do any strength training.
This might not sound dramatic, but, over a large population, it is a significant decrease in the risk of premature death.
Your heart and brain could benefit too
The study revealed that besides muscle building, strength training also has positive effects on other metabolic pathways. It can also help to keep some of the body’s most critical organs safe.
Those who used to do resistance training were 19% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease like heart attacks and strokes.
The advantages were twice as high for the brain. The scientists discovered that there was a 27% reduced risk of death related to neurological problems, such as dementia.
The results contribute to the mounting body of evidence that physical activity is beneficial for both physical and mental well being for older people.
The best results came from combining two types of exercise
Strength training alone was beneficial, but the highest gains were realized by those who did strength training and also engaged in regular aerobic activities.
Aerobic exercise includes activities that increase your heart rate, such as brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, or dancing.
Those who regularly performed strength training and aerobic activities had up to a 58% reduced risk of death.
This means that there is no need to pick one or the other, weight lifting or walking. This combination seems to provide the best likely long-term health benefits.
Even a little exercise is better than none
One of the most promising results of the study is that spending hours at the gym each week isn’t necessary to gain benefits.
They were surprised to discover that strength training can already lower the risk of cancer-related death in just one or up to 59 minutes of training per week.
It’s a good thing if you’re just starting out on your fitness routine or if you’re finding difficulty to squeeze workouts into your packed schedule.
Any session is beneficial, no matter how brief.
More isn’t always better
People think that the more they spend time in the gym, the more healthy they will become. However, this study suggests that’s not necessarily the case.
There was no extra reduction in the risk of early death for those who performed more than 2 hours per week of strength training.
This doesn’t mean that longer workouts are not useful. They can still aid in promoting strength, endurance, and athletic performance. However, for reducing the danger of early death, about 90 minutes to 2 hours per week seems to be optimal.
The bottom line
It is not necessary to have a costly gym membership or a ton of spare time to enhance your wellness.
A few strength-training sessions per week, combined with other activities such as walking, jogging, or cycling, may help keep your heart healthy, improve your brain health, and reduce your risk of dying early.
In case you were hoping for the ideal moment to get underway on your fitness journey, then this research is a straightforward reminder: little regular efforts can make an extended impact on your health.
