How Often Should You Lift?
You know you should be incorporating strength training into your routine. How often is needed to maintain current strength and muscle mass versus to build? Let’s review the benefits of strength training and why it’s critical to include in your weekly routine first:
🏋️♂️ Benefits of Strength Training
Engaging in regular strength training can lead to:
Enhanced Muscle Mass and Strength: Vital for daily activities and overall physical performance.
Improved Bone Density: Strength training stresses bones, stimulating growth and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Metabolic Health: Increases resting metabolic rate, aiding in weight management.
Chronic Disease Management: Helps in controlling conditions like arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression, and diabetes.
Cognitive Benefits: May enhance memory and alleviate depressive symptoms, particularly in older adults.
Reduced Mortality Risk: Engaging in strength training can lower the risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Improved Functional Mobility: Enhances balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls in older adults.
Extended Healthspan: Contributes to a longer period of life spent in good health.
🕒 Training Frequency for Maintenance
To maintain muscle mass and bone density, health organizations recommend once weekly sessions for younger populations and twice weekly sessions for older populations. For both age groups, once or twice weekly sessions should engage all muscle groups.
This frequency helps in preserving muscle strength and bone health, especially important as one ages.
💪 Training Frequency for Gains
For those aiming to build muscle mass and increase strength, twice or more weekly sessions are recommended for younger populations, with three or more weekly sessions recommended for older populations. Short sessions are effective—even 30-minute sessions at least twice per week have been shown to increase muscle mass.
You also need to prioritize rest time. Allow at least one day rest between working out the same muscle groups. Your muscles recover and build during that rest period.
Consistency and progressive overload—gradually increasing the weight or resistance—are key factors in achieving muscle growth.
📝 Final Thoughts
Incorporating strength training into your weekly routine offers a multitude of health benefits. Remember, consistency and proper technique are essential for maximizing benefits and minimizing injury risk. If you want support in putting together a strength training routine for yourself, reach out and let me help!
