Want to Build Strength Fast? This Science-Backed Shortcut Might Shock You
Here's your sign to stop overcomplicating your workouts.
In the world of fitness, opinions vary wildly on what it takes to get healthy. Some swear by daily two-hour bodybuilding sessions for sculpted abs, while others champion quick, full-body workouts that improve everyday movement. But it turns out you may not need nearly as much time as you think to get fit—a new study found that just an hour a week can make a real difference in your health.
In the study, originally published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers followed 42 healthy adult men and women for eight weeks as they did two resistance training workouts per week lasting 30 minutes each. The participants were broken up into two groups: a group that trained to failure on all exercises (FAIL) or a submaximal effort group (2-RIR) that trained with two repetitions in reserve for the same exercises.
During each workout session, participants completed just one set of nine common gym exercises that targeted both the upper and lower body. For each movement, they performed between eight and ten repetitions, focusing on proper form and controlled effort.
Related: The Science-Backed Benefits of Running on Empty
To measure the impact, researchers tracked changes in muscle thickness in the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and quadriceps femoris before and after the study. They also assessed improvements in muscular strength, power, endurance, and the participants’ ability to gauge how many reps they had left (RIR) in both the bench press and squat.
The results showed that both kinds of exercise—going to failure and submaximal effort—had positive impacts on overall fitness markers. Muscle growth was slightly higher in the group that trained to failure, but the overall differences between the two methods were minuscule. Those who trained to failure also saw a slight improvement in their vertical jumps, but again, it wasn't anything to write home about.
It’s worth noting that the participants in this study were already healthy, and the workouts they followed targeted most major muscle groups. The study was also relatively short, lasting just eight weeks. While many experts agree it takes about 6 to 8 weeks to start seeing initial muscle growth, more noticeable gains typically show up around the three-month mark.
The takeaway? No matter what kind of resistance training you choose, just 60 minutes of full-body exercise a week is enough to build muscle. Even with school drop-offs, packed workdays, and everything else life throws your way, real gains are still within reach.
