Is 30 Minutes of Strength Training Enough?
Is 30 minutes of strength training enough.
By Coach Hunter Bennett
When it comes to exercise, many of us are pressed for time. But did you know short sessions can still deliver results?
One of the most common questions is whether 30 minutes of strength training is enough. The good news is it can be — when done right.
How Much Strength Training for Health?
Despite what you may have heard, you don’t need to do that much strength training to improve your health.
In fact, there is a large body of evidence demonstrating that 30-60 minutes of strength training per week has can cause significant reductions in your risk of all-cause mortality, heart disease, and several cancers.
Importantly, making sure you hit this upper range of 60 minutes per week can also markedly reduce your risk of developing diabetes.
If your goal is to maximise the health benefits that come with strength training, as little as two 30-minute sessions per week will do the trick.
What is the minimum amount of strength training for muscle and strength gains?
Like health, if your goal is to build muscle and strength, you might need less than you think.
While muscle growth increases with training volume, you can still see significant increases in muscle size with less than five sets per muscle group per week.
This means if you opted to perform 2-3 sets of compound movements (squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows) in a 30-minute window twice per week, you would be doing more than enough to trigger muscle growth.
When it comes to strength development, volume should be considered on a per exercise basis.
Research has shown that between 5 and 12 sets per exercise per week is often enough to maximise strength gains – however, you can get away with less than that.
Some research in trained powerlifters has shown performing as little as 1-3 sets per movement per week is enough to cause meaningful increases in strength.
Even for experienced lifters, you can make serious progress in 2-3 short sessions per week if you implement some smart training strategies.
Is 30 Minutes of Strength Training Enough? Time-Saving Training Strategies
If you want to maximise 30-minute strength training sessions, incorporating time-efficient strategies is a must.
Here are some methods that can help maximize your efforts:
- Supersets: A superset involves performing two exercises back-to-back with minimal rest in between. This can save time and increase workout intensity. For example, pairing exercises that target opposing muscle groups (e.g., bench press for the chest and rows for the back) allows one muscle group to rest while the other works, increasing efficiency. You can also do this with completely opposite parts of the body (i.e., chest and calves).
- Drop Sets: Drop sets involve completing a set to failure and then immediately reducing the weight and continuing the exercise. This allows for increased volume in a short time, stimulating muscle growth. This is the perfect option for isolation exercises at the end of your workout.
- Myo-Reps: Myo-reps involve performing a set of an exercise to failure for 15-20 reps. Then you rest for 15-30s and perform another set to failure using the same weight (often 8-12 reps). You repeat this 3-4 times and move on.
Is 30 Minutes of Strength Training Enough? Example Program
The following 2-day per week program shows how you can design a session in a time efficient manner if you only have around 30-minutes available to train.
Day one:
Exercise | Sets and Reps |
1A: Back Squat | 2-3 x 3-5 |
1B: Chin Ups | 2-3 x 6-8 |
2A: RDL | 2-3 x 6-8 |
2B: DB Bench Press | 2-3 x 10-12 |
3A: Tricep extension drop set | 3 x 12, 12, 12 |
3B: Bicep Curl Drop Set | 3 x 12, 12, 12 |
Day two:
Exercise | Sets and Reps |
1A: Deadlift | 2-3 x 3-5 |
1B: Weighted Push Ups | 2-3 x 6-8 |
2A: Walking Lunge | 2-3 x 6-8 |
2B: Seated Row | 2-3 x 10-12 |
3A: Lateral Raise Myo-rep | 3 x 20, MAX, MAX |
3B: Lat Pull Down Myo-rep | 3 x 20, MAX, MAX |
Now obviously this can be tailored to your individual goals, but it should provide a nice example of how you can organise a time efficient training session to make great progress.
Is 30 Minutes of Strength Training Enough? Take Home Message
For most people, 30 minutes of strength training a couple of times a week is more than enough to boost health and make gains – you just have to structure your program appropriately.
If you are not sure where to start and want to try a less serious training plan, check out some of our programs or feel free to contact us for more information.