Trainers say this is the least amount of strength training you need to do to see results
Right up there with a balanced diet, strength training is the OG biohack for longevity, and the key to a strong, healthy body. But whether you’re a beginner or seasoned athlete, that begs the question: How much strength training do you actually need to see results?
If you look to the NHS for answers, they say that adults need at least two days of 'muscle-strengthening activity' per week for their overall health. But, resistance training even once a week was enough to make progress for beginners, per a recent study in BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation.
'While it may seem the small amount of volume would be insignificant, this study demonstrates that some exercise is better than no exercise,' says certified personal trainer Natalya Vasquez. But as your skill level progresses, you’ll need to increase the intensity and volume of your workouts to elicit more muscle growth.
Below, experts explain exactly how much strength training is enough based on your fitness level and goals.
Meet the experts: Tina Tang, CPT, is a certified personal trainer, strength coach, and founder of Iron Strong Fitness. Natalya Vasquez, CPT, is a certified personal trainer, health coach, and founder of On Your Terms Coaching.
What is the minimum amount of strength training I need to do?
The following cheat sheet will give you an idea of how many days a week you should strength train.
You’re a beginner with a goal of building muscle and strength
While once a week was enough for the folks in the aforementioned study to make progress, they only looked at a single exercise: the leg press. Vasquez says that ideally, beginners looking to build total-body muscle and strength should start with two, or even three, nonconsecutive strength training sessions per week.
This frequency helps build a habit (key for those just starting out) and provides your body with the necessary stimulus for initial muscle growth, while also allowing for plenty of time to recover. But, your sessions don't have to be long: initially, each session can be as short as 15 to 20 minutes, and you can gradually increase to 45- to 60-minute workouts as you build endurance, says certified personal trainer Tina Tang, CPT.
As for how you structure your workouts, Vasquez says you can either do two to three full-body workouts, or a three-day workout split, like a push/pull/legs workout, where your training is organized by muscle group.
For a full-body routine, Vasquez suggests completing one exercise per muscle group for three to five sets of five to eight reps per workout. For a three-day split, complete three to four exercises for the same muscle group for two to three sets of five to eight reps.
Vasquez likes the five to eight rep range because she says this helps develop functional hypertrophy: 'We don’t just want to gain muscle, we want to have actual strength where this muscle growth is functional,' she says.
'You don’t need complicated gym equipment to get results,' says Vasquez. 'Dumbbells and resistance bands are affordable, convenient, and versatile options for exercising at home, and as your strength increases, gym access may be beneficial since it’ll give you additional equipment and a wider selection of weights.'
You already lift and want to keep progressing.
In this case, the trainers suggest strength training three times a week, and depending on the intensity and volume of the workout, each session should range between 30 to 60 minutes, Tang says. 'This frequency is effective for preserving muscle mass and strength while ensuring adequate recovery and adaptation.'
However, overall volume may be more important than days per week, according to a 2021 review in Sports Medicine. The researchers conclude that it's possible to see gains by training anywhere from one to four days per week so long as you're getting in at least four sets of six to 15 reps per muscle group per week.
The key here will be to follow the principle of progressive overload. Gradually increasing the weight, sets and or reps, over time will continually challenge the muscles, stimulate growth, and improve bone density, says Tang. 'The body craves movement, and once it's accustomed to a certain level of activity, it needs more of a challenge to keep making gains.'
You already lift and want to maintain.
Good news: The longer you’ve been strength training, the less work you’ll need to maintain your gains since your muscles are composed of more fibers, says Vasquez. 'So if you’ve been strength training five times per week for a decade and then something happens in your life that doesn’t allow you to work out as much, you’ll still be able to maintain your muscle with one full-body workout per week,' she says. However, this would be the bare minimum, and resistance training two to three times a week is still the ideal sweet spot.
In terms of the type of training, Tang also recommends full-body workouts to maintain balanced muscle development and overall strength. Look to hit all the major movement patterns for best results. For each exercise, Vasquez says to aim to complete three to five sets of five to eight reps.
You’re a runner and want to ward off injury—without sacrificing endurance.
Aside from logging miles, strength training at least twice a week is a crucial part of every running regimen, says Tang. 'Ideally, one session can focus on bilateral, foundational movements, while a second session allows for a more specialised approach, targeting unilateral exercises, core stability, and hip strength,' she explains. 'This balance ensures you're not only building overall strength but also addressing the specific needs that support running performance and injury prevention.'
Indeed, the addition of two to four strength training sessions a week helped mid- to long-distance runners prevent injury and run faster, according to a 2024 meta-analysis in the journal Sports Medicine.
Workouts should range between 30 to 60 minutes and rep ranges can vary from five to eight (with heavier weight and for more advanced strength trainers) to 12 to 20 reps (for runners newer to strength training and using lighter weights), Vasquez says.
FWIW, the meta-analysis notes that plyometric training and "high load" strength training (using weights at 80% of your one rep max or heavier), specifically, improved running economy.
You want to do the bare minimum to protect your bones and joints.
For this goal, Tang says to strength train at least twice a week. Doing so 'helps build and maintain muscle mass and bone density, which is crucial for protecting bones and joints as we age, and this frequency provides a balance between stimulating the muscles and allowing for adequate recovery,' she says.
Plus, regular resistance training helps strengthen tendons and ligaments, in turn, supporting joint stability and overall musculoskeletal health, she adds.
Full-body workouts and compound exercises like deadlifts, overhead presses, and squats are ideal since they involve multiple joints and mimic how your body moves in real life, says Vasquez. Depending on your experience, this could look like choosing two to three exercises and doing three to five sets for five to eight reps (to focus on building functional strength) per workout.
Why you need to strength train regularly
No matter your goals, strength training is certainly worth your time. Aside from supporting your overall wellbeing, picking up weights can prevent injury, improve metabolic health, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and support bone density, especially in women, says Vasquez.
In fact, approximately one in five women over age 50 have osteoporosis (a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle), but strength training can help enhance bone density and reduce the risk of fractures, says Tang.
Sarcopenia, an age-related progressive loss of muscle mass strength, is another common condition among women, and after age 30, you can gradually begin losing muscle mass each decade. Fortunately, strength training can again help combat the effects and reverse muscle loss, says Tang.
Finally, regular weight training supports balance, mobility, and functional strength which are crucial for performing daily activities and living independently, Tang says. 'Strength training acts as an investment in our future health, ensuring that we maintain physical strength and resilience for the long term.'
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