Regular Resistance Training Reduces Long-Term CV Risk in Women, Suggests Study
USA: A large cohort study has found that women who regularly participated in resistance training experienced significantly better long-term cardiovascular health. Women performing at least 2 hours of resistance training per week had a 20% lower risk of developing major cardiovascular disease (CVD) over nearly 15 years of follow-up.
The protective effect remained evident even among those who also engaged in aerobic exercise and minimized sedentary behavior. Additionally, women who consistently performed at least 1 hour of resistance training per week over time also showed a reduced risk of major CVD. These findings highlight the important role of regular resistance training in promoting cardiovascular health and preventing heart disease in women.
The study, published in JACC, was led by Tianyue Zhang and colleagues from the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
To examine the long-term relationship between resistance training and cardiovascular health, researchers analyzed data from 117,025 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II. Participants were followed for an average of 14.5 years, with repeated assessments of physical activity, including resistance training, conducted throughout the study.
The primary outcome was major cardiovascular disease, defined as fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous coronary intervention. During more than 1.63 million person-years of follow-up, 5,459 major cardiovascular events were recorded.
Key findings from the study include:
- Women performing at least 2 hours of resistance training per week had a 20% lower risk of major CVD compared with those who performed no resistance training.
- Each additional hour of weekly resistance training was associated with a 5% reduction in major cardiovascular disease risk.
- The protective association was particularly strong for myocardial infarction, with women performing at least 2 hours of resistance training weekly experiencing a 44% lower risk compared with non-participants.
- No significant association was observed between resistance training and stroke risk.
- Women who met recommendations for aerobic activity, engaged in at least 1 hour of resistance training per week, and limited television viewing to less than 2 hours daily had a 40% lower risk of major CVD compared with women who did not meet these combined lifestyle targets.
- Women who consistently maintained resistance training throughout at least 75% of the follow-up period experienced greater cardiovascular benefits.
- Training programs that incorporated both upper- and lower-body exercises were associated with stronger reductions in cardiovascular risk.
The researchers concluded that regular resistance training was independently associated with a lower risk of major cardiovascular disease in women, particularly myocardial infarction. The greatest benefits were observed among women who combined resistance exercise with recommended levels of aerobic activity and low sedentary television viewing.
The findings highlight the value of incorporating strength training into routine physical activity recommendations for women and suggest that maintaining these habits consistently over time may provide substantial cardiovascular protection.
Reference: https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.04.036
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