Main roads
-
Strength training can improve heart health in women
-
If women lifted two or more weights per week, they were less likely to have a heart attack or heart disease
-
The more they lift, the lower their heart risk
THURSDAY, June 18, 2026 (NewsDay News) – When one thinks of ways to reduce the risk of heart disease through physical activity, aerobic exercise immediately comes to mind.
But a new study suggests that women can reduce their risk of heart disease by consistently exercising.
Women who lift weights have a lower risk of heart problems, especially if they also do aerobics, researchers reported June 17. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The researchers found that if women did two or more hours of vigorous exercise per week, their risk of heart attack was 44% lower and their risk of heart disease was 20% lower.
And the more they lifted, the more their heart risk dropped, the results showed.
“Despite its established health benefits, resistance training is often overlooked as a cardiovascular disease prevention strategy, and its effect on cardiovascular disease risk, particularly in middle-aged and older women, remains understudied.” Dr. Tianyue ZhangTN Chan, a visiting scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition in Boston, said in a news release.
Current U.S. guidelines recommend at least two days of resistance training each week, along with 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise, the experts said in a background note.
For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 117,000 women participating in a long-term health study. In the study, the physical activity, resistance training and sedentary behavior of the women were observed for an average of about 15 years.
Each additional hour of resistance training per week was associated with a 14% lower risk of heart attack and a 5% lower risk of heart disease.
If women did the recommended levels of both strength training and aerobic exercise, their risk of heart attack was about 45% lower than those who did not exercise.
“These findings suggest that within an already active population, resistance training is associated with an additional reduction in cardiovascular disease risk above and beyond general aerobic activity,” Zhang said. “Along with aerobic activity and reduction of sedentary behavior, resistance training may be an important component of public health strategies for cardiovascular prevention in women.”
Dr. Harlan Krumholzthe editor-in-chief of the newspaper JACC, said that resistance training has long been encouraged, and this study provides “strong evidence” to support it.
“It should be included in a comprehensive health regimen to support function and longevity,” Krumholz, who was not involved in the study, added in a news release.
More information
The University of Colorado has more information resistance training for women.
Sources: American College of Cardiology, news release, June 17, 2026; Journal of the American College of CardiologyJune 17, 2026
What does this mean for you?
Weight lifting can improve heart health in women and possibly men.
