New Study Says Just 30 Minutes of Lifting is Enough to Make Big Gains
We know CrossFit works. We understand that we can build strength without training like a bodybuilder who spends hours in the gym every day and follows complicated supplementation routines.
- We have learned that doing five sets of five back squats, coupled with a short metcon, can be a practical and sufficient strength session.
And now a small study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise confirms what CrossFit enthusiasts have known for a while: Just 30 minutes of strength training twice a week results in muscle gains.
The Details
To find their results, researchers enrolled 42 healthy individuals in a strength training program, twice a week for eight weeks, with each session lasting 30 minutes.
- The participants completed just one set of eight to 10 repetitions for nine different movements targeting major muscle groups. They were instructed to either push themselves until they couldn’t do any more reps or to leave reps in reserve.
At the end of the eight weeks, researchers re-tested the participants’ strength, power, and endurance, and checked for changes in muscle thickness.
The result: All participants improved their strength and experienced muscle growth. Additionally, the changes were similar for those who pushed to failure and those who trained while leaving reps in the tank.
- Worth noting: The participants were not sedentary. They were already engaging in some strength training before participating in the research, suggesting that even those who are already fit can continue to see gains through 30 minutes of strength training twice a week.
The Big Picture
Although this study was small, it helps dispel the misconception that many people have that strength gains require daily protein shakes, creatine supplementation, and spending hours at the gym each week.
As CrossFit athletes, we’ve learned that consistently showing up three or four times a week for an hour, performing a few solid lifting sets each session, along with some conditioning and accessory work, is enough to build strength and fitness beyond what we ever thought possible.
And now there’s yet another nugget of research to back this up.
Featured image: Scott Freymond
