How much resistance training is linked with lower mortality?

News summary

ScienceDaily framed the story around a simple practical message: strength training does not have to take hours in the gym to be linked with meaningful health benefits. In nearly 150,000 people followed for up to 30 years, about 90–120 minutes of resistance training per week was associated with a 13% lower risk of death from any cause, and combining strength and aerobic exercise was linked with the lowest mortality risk. The news takeaway was that a few regular strength sessions each week, alongside aerobic activity, may support long-term health.

Compared with no resistance training, 90–119 minutes per week was associated with 13% lower all-cause mortality, 19% lower cardiovascular mortality, and 27% lower neurological-disease mortality. No additional mortality benefit was observed above about 120 minutes per week. Combining resistance training with sufficient aerobic activity was associated with the lowest mortality risk.

The study supports regular resistance training alongside aerobic activity, but 90–120 minutes should not be treated as a precise prescription for everyone. The finding shows an association between sustained moderate resistance training and better outcomes; it does not prove that this duration itself causes longer life.

This was an observational study, so it cannot establish causation. Exercise was self-reported, and details such as training intensity, exercise selection, and session quality were not fully captured. Participants were largely US health professionals, which may limit generalizability.