EvidenceBModerateGood evidence in people with one real weakness. New studies could change the answer.
Yes. People who lift weights or do other strength training have about 15% to 20% lower risk of death than people who don't. The best gains come at about an hour a week.
Who it's for
Healthy adults; not shown to lower death risk after a stroke.
What to expect
About 15% lower death risk, with most benefit near 60 minutes weekly.
Watch out for
These studies can't prove strength training itself causes the lower risk.
Strength training goes with a lower risk of death
Each dot is a result from a pooled analysis of studies, with a line showing the range it could plausibly fall in.
← BetterWorse →
No difference
Any cause, strength training alone0.79 (0.69 to 0.91)Clear improvement
Any cause, with aerobic exercise0.6 (0.49 to 0.72)Clear improvement
Heart disease death0.83 (0.67 to 1.03)No clear difference
Figure 2. Two-group meta-analysis of the associations between no versus any muscle-strengthening activities and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), total cancer and diabetes.
Figure 3. Linear dose–response meta-analysis of the associations between muscle-strengthening activities (per 10 min/week increase) and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD),…
The WHO guidelines recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week1Meta-analysis · 2022Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Muscle-strengthening activities were inversely associated with the risk of all-cause mortality and major non-communicable diseases including CVD, total cancer, diabetes and lung cancer; however, the influence of a higher volume of muscle-strengthening activities on all-cause mortality, CVD and total cancer is unclear…Br J Sports Med.
What the studies show
A review that pooled 10 studies of adults found that any resistance training was linked to a 15% lower risk of death from any cause than no training. Heart disease death was 19% lower and cancer death 14% lower2Meta-analysis · 2022Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.DISCUSSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis provides the strongest evidence to date that resistance training is associated with reduced risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer-specific mortality. More research is needed to determine whether any potential mortality benefits gained from resistance…Am J Prev Med. The heart disease result is borderline and could be down to chance2Meta-analysis · 2022Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.DISCUSSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis provides the strongest evidence to date that resistance training is associated with reduced risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer-specific mortality. More research is needed to determine whether any potential mortality benefits gained from resistance…Am J Prev Med.
The same review found the biggest drop, 27%, at about 60 minutes a week. Benefits shrank at higher amounts2Meta-analysis · 2022Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.DISCUSSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis provides the strongest evidence to date that resistance training is associated with reduced risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer-specific mortality. More research is needed to determine whether any potential mortality benefits gained from resistance…Am J Prev Med.
A review of 16 studies of healthy adults found a 10% to 17% lower risk of death from any cause, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The most benefit, about 10% to 20%, came at 30 to 60 minutes a week. Whether more time adds benefit is unclear1Meta-analysis · 2022Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Muscle-strengthening activities were inversely associated with the risk of all-cause mortality and major non-communicable diseases including CVD, total cancer, diabetes and lung cancer; however, the influence of a higher volume of muscle-strengthening activities on all-cause mortality, CVD and total cancer is unclear…Br J Sports Med.
A review of 11 studies (10 followed people, 1 was a trial) covering 370,256 people for about 9 years found a 21% lower risk of death with resistance training alone. Combined with aerobic exercise it was 40% lower. No clear link to cancer death was seen3Meta-analysis · 2019 · 370,256 peopleThe association of resistance training with mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Resistance training is associated with lower mortality and appears to have an additive effect when combined with aerobic exercise. There are insufficient data to determine the potential beneficial effect of resistance training on non-fatal events or the effect of substituting aerobic exercise with resistance training.Eur J Prev Cardiol.
These figures compare groups of people. How much one person gains depends on how high their risk was to begin with.
A review of 27 trials in 1,004 stroke survivors found strength training neither raised nor lowered deaths. Trials were short, and the certainty was high5Meta-analysis · 2025 · 1,004 peopleResistance training for people with stroke.Resistance training does not affect mortality at the end of intervention or after follow-up. We could not draw conclusions about resistance training effects on disability, secondary prevention of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events or the risk of these because the data were inadequate. Resistance training…Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
A trial of 124 people after hip fracture tested 12 months of heavy weight lifting plus a broad care program. Deaths were 4 versus 8, with an 81% lower relative risk How much more or less likely something is in one group than another, as a ratio. A big relative change can still be a small change for any one person.. Numbers were tiny and the result can't be credited to lifting alone4Randomized trial · 2012 · 124 peopleEffects of high-intensity progressive resistance training and targeted multidisciplinary treatment of frailty on mortality and nursing home admissions after hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial.The HIPFIT intervention reduced mortality, nursing home admissions, and ADL dependency compared with usual care.J Am Med Dir Assoc.
Key studies
Study
Who
What it found
Review of 10 studies, 20222Meta-analysis · 2022Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.DISCUSSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis provides the strongest evidence to date that resistance training is associated with reduced risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer-specific mortality. More research is needed to determine whether any potential mortality benefits gained from resistance…Am J Prev Med
Healthy adults
15% lower death risk; 27% at about 60 minutes weekly
Review of 16 studies, 20221Meta-analysis · 2022Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Muscle-strengthening activities were inversely associated with the risk of all-cause mortality and major non-communicable diseases including CVD, total cancer, diabetes and lung cancer; however, the influence of a higher volume of muscle-strengthening activities on all-cause mortality, CVD and total cancer is unclear…Br J Sports Med
Healthy adults
10% to 17% lower risk of death from any cause
Review of 11 studies, 20193Meta-analysis · 2019 · 370,256 peopleThe association of resistance training with mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Resistance training is associated with lower mortality and appears to have an additive effect when combined with aerobic exercise. There are insufficient data to determine the potential beneficial effect of resistance training on non-fatal events or the effect of substituting aerobic exercise with resistance training.Eur J Prev Cardiol
370,256 adults
21% lower risk; 40% with aerobic exercise
Review of 27 trials, 20255Meta-analysis · 2025 · 1,004 peopleResistance training for people with stroke.Resistance training does not affect mortality at the end of intervention or after follow-up. We could not draw conclusions about resistance training effects on disability, secondary prevention of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events or the risk of these because the data were inadequate. Resistance training…Cochrane Database Syst Rev
1,004 stroke survivors
No change in deaths
Trial, 20124Randomized trial · 2012 · 124 peopleEffects of high-intensity progressive resistance training and targeted multidisciplinary treatment of frailty on mortality and nursing home admissions after hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial.The HIPFIT intervention reduced mortality, nursing home admissions, and ADL dependency compared with usual care.J Am Med Dir Assoc
124 after hip fracture
Fewer deaths, but very small numbers
Safety
In stroke survivors, resistance training caused no serious side effects, though it may not suit everyone5Meta-analysis · 2025 · 1,004 peopleResistance training for people with stroke.Resistance training does not affect mortality at the end of intervention or after follow-up. We could not draw conclusions about resistance training effects on disability, secondary prevention of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events or the risk of these because the data were inadequate. Resistance training…Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
What we don't know
Whether strength training itself lowers death risk, since people who lift may differ in other healthy habits.
Whether more than about an hour a week adds benefit or fades.
Written by AI from the studies listed, without review by a clinician, and graded with the GRADE method. It can be wrong, so check the studies it cites. Education, not medical advice.