Strength training shown to boost muscle growth and lower mortality risk

Research and fitness experts highlight that strength training not only promotes muscle growth, especially after age 40, but also contributes to lower overall mortality. Skipping workouts occasionally can aid muscle development by allowing recovery periods when the body builds new proteins and repairs muscle fibers.

A large analysis of three American cohort studies involving 147,374 adults, followed for up to three decades, found that two to three hours of strength training per week was associated with a 13% reduction in all‑cause mortality compared with no strength training. The benefit was strongest for 90‑119 minutes per week, which also correlated with a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular death and a 27% lower risk of death from neurological diseases. Combining strength training with recommended aerobic activity further amplified survival advantages.