How Many Minutes of Strength Training Do You Actually Need?(1)

Why You Need Strength Training

If your goal is to build bigger, stronger muscles, strength training (also known as resistance training) should be a key part of your workout routine.

Resistance training includes exercises like weightlifting or bodyweight workouts, which place stress on your muscle fibers. This stress leads to microscopic damage, often called “microtears,” in the muscle tissue. When combined with proper nutrition and plenty of protein, your body repairs these tears, resulting in muscles that grow back thicker and stronger—a process known as muscle hypertrophy.

But strength training isn’t just about improving muscle size or strength. It has a range of benefits for your overall health. For instance, it can enhance balance, posture, and even your cardiometabolic health. Maintaining or increasing lean muscle mass through strength training can help boost your metabolism, which may reduce risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

So, how much strength training is needed to see results? The answer depends on the specific goals you have in mind.

How Much Strength Training Do You Need to Gain Muscle?

Building muscle mass is one of the most common reasons people start strength training. But how should you approach it for optimal results?

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of several studies concluded that to maximize muscle growth, you should target your major muscle groups at least twice a week.

What should these training sessions look like? Recommendations vary. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests doing higher-volume programs with multiple sets of exercises, each set including several reps. Essentially, this means doing several sets of a lifting exercise to achieve muscle hypertrophy.

On the other hand, some research indicates that even low-load training can lead to similar muscle growth if you push yourself to the point of failure—meaning you work until you physically can’t complete another rep.

In both cases, the key is intensity. You need to push your muscles to their limits to create the stress required for growth.

Training Volume and Muscle Groups

Interestingly, the amount of sets you do may impact different muscle groups in various ways. A 2022 review found that training with moderate volume (12-20 sets per week) and high volume (more than 20 sets per week) yielded similar results for building the quadriceps and biceps. However, high-volume training seemed to be more beneficial for triceps development.

Your current fitness level can also influence how much training you need. Research suggests that beginners (those with little to no weight-lifting experience) experience more muscle growth compared to those who are already trained. However, experienced lifters can still make rapid gains by simply increasing the number of training sessions.

Conclusion

In summary, strength training is essential for building muscle and improving overall health. The amount and intensity of your workouts will vary based on your experience level and goals, but with consistency and proper technique, you can achieve meaningful muscle growth and health benefits.