Categories / Strength & resistance
Featured in: Exercise for menopause, Exercise for busy people, 15 and 20-minute workouts, Getting fit after 40
Minimum Effective Dose
One or two short whole-body sessions per week.
How to start
Pick three to five compound exercises, such as a squat or leg press, a push, a pull and a hinge. Do 1 to 2 hard sets of each once or twice a week.
How to progress
Add a little weight or a rep when a set feels easy. Keep sessions short, about 20 to 30 minutes.
What the evidence says
Evidence: moderate
Muscle-strengthening activities were linked to 10% to 17% lower risk of death from any cause, heart disease, cancer and diabetes in a 2022 pooled analysis of 16 cohort studies. The biggest drop (about 10% to 20%) came at roughly 30 to 60 minutes a week, and more did not clearly add more benefit. These are observational studies. A small 2024 trial in 26 menopausal women found that a minimal-dose routine of twice-weekly resistance training (two sets of three dynamic exercises plus planks) for four weeks improved strength, although the sample was small.
Take care: Use a weight you can control and do not train to failure with poor form. Check with a GP if you have heart or blood pressure problems.
Sources
12-week starter plan
One or two short whole-body sessions a week. Make each set count with good form.
Tick each week as you finish it; your ticks are saved on this device only. Repeat a week if it felt hard. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 hold steady so you can settle. This is a general plan, not medical advice.
Add reminders to your calendar
Pick your days and time. You will download a calendar file that adds 12 weeks of reminders to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar.
Calories and weekly minutes
Enter your details for a rough estimate. Based on about 4.5 METs (Short, hard resistance sessions (estimated)). Real figures vary by 20% or more between people.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Choose exercises that work several muscles at once.
- Stop a rep or two short of failure.
- Be consistent: a short session every week beats a long one once a month.
Common mistakes
- Skipping sessions because they are short.
- Using a weight that is too light.
- Training to failure with bad form.
Kit and cost
Low to moderate Approximate UK prices.
- Dumbbells or a gym membership
- Resistance bands
- A notebook to track weights
Frequently asked questions
Is one session a week enough?
It is a good start. The 2022 pooled analysis found most of the benefit at about 30 to 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening a week.
Can I get stronger with so little?
Beginners often do. A small trial found strength gains with twice-weekly short sessions.
What should I do first?
Squat or leg press, a push, a pull and a hinge cover most of the body.
Good for: Strength Muscle size
Compare with similar options
| Minimum Effective Dose | Bodyweight Calisthenics | 100 Push-Ups Plan | Pull-Up Progression | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical session | 25 min × 2/wk | 40 min × 3/wk | 20 min × 3/wk | 20 min × 3/wk |
| Effort | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ |
| Cost | Low cost | Free | Free | Low cost |
| Equipment | Basic kit | No equipment | No equipment | Basic kit |
| Impact | Low impact | Low impact | Low impact | Low impact |
| Fitness needed | Any level | Any level | Any level | Some fitness |
| Evidence | moderate | moderate | limited | limited |