2 short workout sessions a week can keep you fit: Study | India News
New Delhi: You don’t need a gym, fancy equipment or long hours to stay fit. Just two sessions of basic strength exercise per week can make a real difference to your health, a major global review of research has found.The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, looked at data from 30,000 adults and showed that simple resistance exercises — such as squats, push-ups, lifting household weights or using resistance bands — can improve muscle strength, balance, walking speed and overall fitness.These aren’t just fitness gains—they directly affect how easily a person can climb stairs, carry groceries, or avoid falling as they age.The biggest takeaway is how little effort is required to start seeing results. Two short sessions a week, working the major muscle groups with moderate effort is enough – you don’t need to push your body to exhaustion or follow a complex routine. What is more important is consistency and gradually increasing difficulty over time.“Two days a week is a start, but for real gains in strength and overall health, I advise patients to aim for at least four days. Even simple, no-equipment routines or yoga can be effective – just 20-25 minutes covering major muscle groups like the back, knees and hips is enough to make a difference,” says Dr Deepak Joshi, director, Sajung Hospital’s Centre, Sports Inn.The findings are particularly important at a time when many people are sitting for long periods of time and physical activity is decreasing.Weak muscles and poor balance increase the risk of falls, joint problems and loss of independence later in life. In routine practice, many patients who walk regularly still show poor muscle strength, loss of balance and early joint overload, said Dr. Naman Wahal, Senior Consultant Orthopedics, Fortis Escorts, Delhi. Walking alone does not address age-related muscle wasting and loss of strength contributes to instability, falls and delayed recovery even in their 540s.Experts say resistance exercise works in almost any form, but it’s how it’s done that matters.Professor Mandeep Dhillon, director of orthopedics and sports medicine at Fortis Chandigarh, says low-grade weight training helps maintain muscle tone and improve bone mass, especially with age. He cautions that beginners, especially the elderly, should avoid jumping into exercises like push-ups or squats without prior conditioning and should ideally start in supervised, structured or group settings, while strength work should be combined with walking as an aerobic activity.Despite the obvious benefits, few people still incorporate strength training into their routine. Research highlights this gap as a missed public health opportunity, with evidence showing that 30–60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week can significantly reduce overall mortality risk, with greater benefits when combined with aerobic exercise.
