Updated Strength Training Guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine
By Dr. Molly Ruffner PT, DPT
Strength training recommendations can feel overwhelming with all the conflicting information online. The good news? The newest guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) reinforce something fairly simple: resistance training is one of the most effective ways to improve strength, muscle mass, physical function, and overall health.
The ACSM recently published its first major update to resistance training recommendations since 2009. The updated review, published in April 2026, analyzed findings from 137 systematic reviews representing more than 30,000 participants.
The findings showed that resistance training significantly improves:
Muscle strength
Muscle size (hypertrophy)
Power
Muscular endurance
Balance and gait speed
Overall physical function
How to translate these findings into your training goals:
Based on what matches your specific goal, the following resistance training guidelines were found to be most effective in building strength, hypertrophy, or power.
Strength Training Recommendations:
≥80% of 1 repetition-maximum (1 RM) through a full range of motion
2-3 sets per exercise
2 sessions per week
Key lifts early in session
Strength can still improve with other loads but 80% produces largest improvement
Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth) Recommendations:
≥ 10 sets per week
30-100% 1 RM
Train near failure
≥ 2 sessions per week
Enhanced by higher volume and eccentric emphasis, but not affected by load when effort was sufficient
Power Training Recommendations:
30-70% 1 RM
≤ 24 reps per exercise
Be explosive (fast concentric emphasis)
Various exercise types
The Clear Message: Why Resistance Training is Non-Negotiable!
Healthy adults should perform high effort, progressive resistance training due to its broad-reaching benefits on muscular health including muscle strength, hypertrophy, power, as well as bone health and physical function.
Consistency beats complexity.
The best program is one you will stick to and keep consistent with.
Training all major muscle groups at least twice a week will get you results gradually over time.
Evidence supports that you can build strength effectively and improve function not only in the gym, but also with home-based training such as resistance bands and bodyweight exercises.
Complex periodization, specific equipment type, exercise complexity, and training to momentary muscle failure principles did not consistently change results for the average adult.
Of note: progressive overload and variation of training variables is likely a requirement for those seeking continued long-term progress, such as the athlete population.
The Unfortunate Truth:
Current estimates report that only approximately 30% of American adults meet the guidelines for resistance training two days a week, and nearly 60% complete no muscle-strengthening exercises at all. There are common misconceptions about safety and injury risks with resistance training, but this study showed exercise did not increase the risk of serious adverse events, even in older adults.
How Physical Therapy Can Help
If there is an injury or preexisting condition, any nonserious adverse events can be resolved by adjusting intensity or modifying the exercise. So, if you need some guidance on how to begin your life long resistance training journey, your PT can help you understand how to meet these guidelines, and individualize a program to specifically meet your goals.
Resource:
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise