Australian physical activity guidelines recommend adults aim for regular aerobic activity plus muscle-strengthening exercise each week. Many people focus on the cardio part like walking, running, cycling, swimming or anything that gets the heart rate up. Strength training is the part that often gets pushed aside.
New research adds another reason not to skip it.
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analysed data from more than 147,000 adults across three long-term studies. Participants reported their weekly aerobic exercise and strength-training habits every two years for up to 30 years.
After reviewing the data, researchers found that people who did strength training for 90 to 120 minutes a week had a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause during the study period. They also had a 19% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27% lower risk of dying from neurological disease. Doing more than 120 minutes a week did not appear to add extra benefit.
The lowest mortality risk showed up in people whose weekly routines included both aerobic activity and 60 to 119 minutes of resistance training.
“The biggest takeaway is that this study supports something we’ve been recommending for years: Adults should do both aerobic exercise and resistance training,” says orthopaedic surgeon Dr Caitlyn Mooney.
Below, experts explain why combining cardio and strength work may support a longer, healthier life.
What’s behind the link?
The study did not prove that combining resistance training with cardio directly helps people live longer. It found an association. Still, experts say the link makes sense because the two types of movement support the body in different ways.
“Resistance training may support longevity through several pathways,” says lead study author and postdoctoral researcher Yiwen Zhang. Beyond building strength, resistance training can help lower body fat, improve how the body uses blood sugar and support physical function. It may also help protect independence as people age.
“It may also help preserve independence, reduce frailty, and improve mental health and quality of life, especially in older adults,” Zhang says.
That real-life function matters. Strength training is not only about muscle definition or gym performance. It supports the movements people rely on every day: climbing stairs, carrying groceries, getting up from a chair, lifting luggage and recovering balance after a stumble.
“As a physical therapist, I see the real-world impact every day,” says physical therapist Lori Diamos. “Muscle isn’t just about looking toned. Muscle gives us strength, stability, control, balance, and power.”
Strength training may also deliver benefits that people do not always associate with weights or resistance work. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Christopher V. Wilhelm points to improved sleep quality and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety as possible upsides. He is also interested in the study’s link between strength training and a lower risk of death from neurological disease.
One possible explanation involves myokines, signalling molecules released when muscles contract. “[Myokines] appear to cross into the brain and protect nerve cells, though that area of research is still developing,” Dr Wilhelm says.
Aerobic exercise brings its own set of protective effects. It supports heart and lung fitness, improves circulation, helps regulate blood pressure and supports metabolic health. That is why experts do not frame the choice as cardio or weights. The bigger benefit appears to come from doing both.
“Physical activity is not one single behavior,” says study co-author and professor Dr Edward Giovannucci. “Aerobic activity and resistance training may benefit health through different pathways, so it is important to study them separately and together,” he says.
Walking, cycling or swimming can support the cardiovascular system, while resistance training helps protect muscle, bone, balance and function. Together, they create a broader foundation for healthy ageing than either one alone.
How to incorporate strength training into your workout routine
If strength training is not part of your routine yet, start small. Many people miss the strength-training piece, even if they walk, cycle or do other cardio regularly. The good news is you do not need long sessions or a gym to begin.
Registered dietitian and strength and conditioning specialist Albert Matheny suggests aiming for 20 to 30 minutes of strength training on non-consecutive days. “Then, you can get to those [target] numbers pretty easily,” he says.
A simple starting point is bodyweight exercise. Primary care sports medicine specialist Dr Clarinda Hougen recommends moves like squats, step-ups, modified push-ups and planks. These exercises train major muscle groups and carry over well into everyday movement.
As you get stronger, you can add light dumbbells, kettlebells or resistance bands to increase the challenge. The key is gradual progression, not jumping straight into heavy loads.
“You can use a variety of equipment; a gym isn’t necessary,” says physiotherapist Dennis Colón. “Slowly increase your sets and reps over time. The amount needed to see important benefits is lower than many think.”
Experts stress that strength training is doable for most
Dr Wilhelm notes that the study found the benefits of resistance training appeared to plateau after 120 minutes a week. “There’s a clear sweet spot, and it’s more achievable than people might expect,” he says.
Dr Mooney agrees. “The headline isn’t that everyone needs to become a powerlifter,” she says. “It’s that two reasonably structured strength-training sessions per week, combined with regular aerobic exercise, may provide meaningful long-term health benefits.”
Colón echoes that point, with an important reminder. While 90 to 120 minutes a week may be ideal, “any amount is better than none.”
A realistic week might look like two 25-minute strength sessions, plus regular brisk walks. One session could focus on lower body moves like squats, step-ups and glute bridges. The other could focus on upper body and core moves like modified push-ups, rows with a resistance band and planks. Keep rest days between strength sessions at first so muscles have time to recover.
If you have joint pain, balance issues or a chronic condition, check in with a GP, physiotherapist or accredited exercise professional before starting. Strength training should feel challenging, but it should not cause sharp pain. Start where your body is today, then build.
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