17Evidence A

Doing 30–60 minutes of strength training per week

People who perform 30–60 minutes of strength training each week have a 10–20% lower risk of dying during that period compared to those who don’t train. Training beyond this amount won’t bring any extra benefit. Combining strength and aerobic exercise yields the best results.

Cost

Bodyweight squats and push-ups cost nothing. Aim for 1–2 s…

Benefit

When multiple longitudinal studies are pooled together (without subgroup analysis), individuals who engage in…

Cost

Bodyweight squats and push-ups cost nothing. Aim for 1–2 sessions per week, each lasting 20–30 minutes. The real challenge is fitting this into your weekly schedule.

Benefit

When multiple longitudinal studies are pooled together (without subgroup analysis), individuals who engage in strength training show a 10%–17% reduction in mortality risk relative to non‑trainers. The greatest drop — roughly 10%–20% — occurs at around 30–60 minutes of weekly training; more time does not further lower risk. Those who also do aerobic exercise enjoy an even lower mortality rate than those who do neither type of activity.

Original sources

Momma H 等 (2022). Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-105061

Open source link
Book note

These studies merely track participants over time, and the reported exercise amounts are self‑reported. The evidence supporting the claim that “excessive training can be detrimental” is very weak, so there’s no need to cap training volume for that reason. For older adults, strength training also helps prevent falls and preserve muscle mass; those benefits are discussed in Section 1.

My note