How to lift weights for best results
American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Many popular training methods don't add extra benefits
Contradicts common gym advice that things like time under tension, blood flow restriction, or periodization are crucial.
Practical Takeaways
Do strength exercises first in workouts with heavy weights (≥80% max) for 2–3 sets, 2+ times weekly.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Many popular training methods don't add extra benefits
Contradicts common gym advice that things like time under tension, blood flow restriction, or periodization are crucial.
Practical Takeaways
Do strength exercises first in workouts with heavy weights (≥80% max) for 2–3 sets, 2+ times weekly.
Publication
Journal
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Year
2026
Authors
Brad S. Currier, Alysha C D'Souza, M. F. Singh, Caroline Lowisz, Eric S. Rawson, B. Schoenfeld, A. Smith‐Ryan, Jeremy P. Steen, Gwendolyn A Thomas, N. Triplett, T. Washington, Timothy J. Werner, Stuart M. Phillips
Related Content
Claims (6)
How many times you lift a weight affects what your body gets better at: lifting heavy weights a few times builds strength, lifting lighter weights many times builds endurance, and doing a middle amount builds muscle size.
Lifting heavy weights at least twice a week, doing full movements for a few sets each time, and doing it early in your workout can help healthy adults get stronger compared to not exercising or doing other types of training.
When healthy adults lift weights, doing more sets each week and focusing on slowly lowering the weight helps build bigger muscles.
For healthy adults, certain types of weight training—like lifting moderate weights quickly or doing Olympic lifts—can help improve how fast and powerful your muscles work, according to research reviews.
Lifting weights or doing strength exercises helps healthy adults walk faster, stay balanced, get up from a chair more easily, and move around better compared to not exercising at all.