Can One Workout a Week Really Make You Stronger? Research Says Yes
I’m a firm believer that when it comes to fitness, doing something – no matter how small – always trumps doing nothing. So, while training once a week won’t offer the same gains as hitting the gym three to four times weekly, you’ll still reap significant health benefits. Don't believe us? Numerous studies link lifting weights to everything from reducing your risk of disease and illness to literally helping you live longer.
Yes, you can build significant strength by training just once per week. And this isn’t just motivation – it’s backed by solid science. A recent multi-year study with nearly 15,000 participants found that a minimalist approach to strength training can yield promising results. The study analysed data from the Dutch personal training company Fit20, which specialises in 20-minute workouts done once a week. The results, taken from 14,690 clients who trained for nearly seven years, showed rapid gains within the first year, followed by more gradual improvements in later years. Chest press strength typically increased by about 30% after one year and approximately 50% after seven years. Similar patterns emerged in other exercises, though to varying extents; for instance, leg-press strength increased by nearly 70% over the seven-year period.
So, effectively, even if you only train once per week (even for just 20 minutes), you can expect to continue seeing gradual increases in strength for the best part of a decade. Even once those strength gains plateau, it’s reasonable to assume that you’ll at least be able to maintain that strength.
Stay Patient
Steadily gaining a bit of strength may not sound particularly exciting, and training in such a minimalist way might not be as effective as more frequent, higher-volume routines, especially for bodybuilding or powerlifting goals. However, building strength and muscle mass is essential for counteracting ageing and reducing mortality risks. Research* shows that higher strength levels are associated with a 31% lower risk of death. Consistently gaining strength over time is a major win for your long-term health – and that should be motivation enough to get you in the squat rack once a week.
On a personal note, over the past few months, my own training volume has severely diminished due to work demands and injury. Embracing my own philosophy of something trumps nothing – I’ve accepted that I can manage, at most, two good lifting sessions a week.
But my strength is on the up and up: I’m doing far more than maintaining, I’m edging towards the strongest I’ve ever been. I’ve several fitness and strongman competitions coming up, and recently hit a milestone of lifting over four times my body weight. So, if the research-backed idea of living a longer, healthier life doesn’t do it for you, hopefully my experience is enough to convince you that it is possible to achieve impressive feats of strength by training ‘just’ once a week.
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