Lift big rock, sad voice go away. It has been the mantra of many a gym bro for quite some time, but new evidence shows it may be more than just an internet meme. Lifting weights for around 90 minutes to two hours per week could have seriously beneficial effects, according to data gathered from studies taking place over decades.
Published on the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the paper "Long-term resistance training with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: assessing dose-response and joint associations with aerobic physical activity," can be read for free, and highlights the relationship between lifting weights and health benefits. It's believed weightlifting can drastically lower the chances of early death, from things like heart disease, stroke, and even death from neurological diseases.
The paper followed 115,834 women and 31,540 men over the course of up to 30 years. 35,798 deaths were documented during this period, and those with no resistance training compared to those with 90/120 mins of training per week had a 13% higher risk of all-cause mortality.
If you're someone who already spends hours and hours in the gym, it was noted that there's no additional benefit to weightlifting for more than 120 minutes per week. Unless you want the aesthetics and strength, that is. Reduced cancer mortality was only observed by those with a lower level of resistance training, but elsewhere the benefits of greater training are clear.