A major new study has found that women who regularly do strength training have a significantly lower risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease, even on top of the benefits already gained from aerobic exercise. Here is what the research found, and what it means for your health.
Why Heart Disease in Women Deserves More Attention
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, affecting both men and women. Yet women are often underrepresented in heart health research, and the role of different types of exercise in reducing their risk has not always been well understood.
Most people know that aerobic exercise (brisk walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming) is good for the heart. But what about strength training? Could lifting weights, using resistance bands, or doing bodyweight exercises offer additional protection?
A large-scale study published in June 2026 in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, set out to answer exactly that question.
What the Study Found
Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analysed data from over 117,000 women enrolled in the long-running Nurses' Health Study. Participants' exercise habits, including resistance training and aerobic activity, were tracked over many years alongside their rates of major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.
The key findings were striking:
- Women who did two or more hours of resistance training per week had a 20% lower risk of major cardiovascular disease compared with women who did none.
- The risk of heart attack specifically was 44% lower in women doing two or more hours of resistance training per week.
- Each additional hour of resistance training per week was associated with a 5% further reduction in cardiovascular disease risk and a 14% further reduction in heart attack risk.
- Women who combined resistance training with at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week and limited their TV viewing time had the lowest overall risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Importantly, these benefits held up even after the researchers accounted for factors such as BMI, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol: conditions that often influence cardiovascular risk.
Resistance Training on Top of Aerobic Exercise, Not Instead of It
One of the most important takeaways from this research is that resistance training appeared to offer additional protection on top of aerobic exercise, not just an alternative to it.
Women who were already meeting aerobic activity guidelines (150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous exercise) and also did two or more hours of resistance training per week had a 45% lower risk of heart attack than women who did no physical activity at all.
The lead researcher, Dr Tianyue Zhang from Harvard, summarised it clearly: "Within an already active population, resistance training is associated with additional reductions in cardiovascular risk above and beyond aerobic activity alone."
This suggests the two types of exercise work together, and that building both into your weekly routine offers greater protection than either alone.
What Counts as Resistance Training?
Resistance training, sometimes called strength training or weight training, is any exercise that makes your muscles work against a force. You do not need a gym membership or heavy equipment to benefit. It includes:
- Free weights (dumbbells, barbells)
- Weight machines at a gym
- Resistance bands
- Bodyweight exercises such as press-ups, squats, and lunges
- Pilates-style resistance work
Current UK and US guidelines recommend at least two sessions of resistance training per week, alongside 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity. This study provides strong new evidence that meeting those targets could make a meaningful difference to your long-term heart health.
Sedentary Time Also Matters
The research also reinforced an increasingly important finding in cardiovascular science: prolonged sedentary time, particularly TV watching, is an independent risk factor for heart disease, separate from how much exercise you do.
Women who combined regular resistance training and aerobic exercise with reduced sedentary time had the best outcomes of all. So while adding strength training is beneficial, it works best as part of an overall active lifestyle rather than a counter-balance to hours of sitting.
Know Your Cardiovascular Risk Markers
Exercise is one powerful tool for heart health, but knowing your numbers is equally important. Conditions such as high cholesterol, elevated blood glucose (a marker for diabetes risk), and high blood pressure can all quietly increase your cardiovascular risk without obvious symptoms.
At London Health Company, our Heart Health blood tests let you check key markers from home, including lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides), HbA1c (average blood glucose), and more, with results reviewed by our clinical team.
Understanding your baseline means you can track whether lifestyle changes, including adding resistance training, are moving your markers in the right direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much resistance training do women need to reduce heart disease risk?
According to this research, women who did two or more hours of resistance training per week saw a 20% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 44% lower risk of heart attack compared with those who did none. Benefits were also seen with smaller amounts: each additional hour per week was associated with further reductions in risk.
Does resistance training replace aerobic exercise for heart health?
No. Resistance training works best alongside aerobic exercise, not instead of it. The study found that women who did both had the greatest reductions in heart attack risk. Current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and two or more resistance training sessions per week.
Does resistance training reduce the risk of stroke as well as heart attack?
The study found clear benefits for heart attack risk, but the association with stroke was not statistically significant when resistance training was looked at alone. However, women who combined resistance training, aerobic activity, and reduced sedentary time did show lower stroke risk overall.
Does watching TV really increase heart disease risk?
Yes. Prolonged sedentary behaviour, including TV watching, has been identified as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, separate from exercise levels. Reducing the amount of time you spend sitting each day forms part of a complete approach to heart health alongside physical activity.
How can I check my heart health at home?
A home blood test is a simple way to check key cardiovascular markers including cholesterol levels, triglycerides, blood glucose, and more. London Health Company offers a range of heart health blood test kits that can be completed at home and returned by post, with results reviewed by our clinical team.
