Study Links Regular Strength Training to Lower Heart Disease Risk in Women

For decades, traditional advice to improve heart health has focused on aerobic exercises and increasing daily movement, such as walking sufficient steps and avoiding prolonged sitting. While these recommendations remain valid, a recent study highlights an additional crucial factor in enhancing cardiovascular health.

The study revealed that women who regularly perform strength training, also referred to as resistance exercises, have a reduced risk of serious cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart attacks. Specifically, women engaging in resistance training for two or more hours per week experienced a 20% lower risk of major cardiovascular events and a 44% decrease in heart attack risk compared to those who did not perform such exercises at all.

To help women benefit from the cardiovascular advantages of strength training, Dana Santas—known as the "Flexibility Maker," a certified strength and conditioning specialist, mind-body sports coach, and author of "Practical Solutions for Back Pain"—developed a straightforward and easy-to-follow program based on the study’s findings.

Combining Exercise Types for Heart Health

The study’s key finding was not only that strength training is beneficial but also that women with the lowest cardiovascular risk combined three fundamental fitness habits. These participants adhered to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ guidelines recommending at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, alongside regular resistance training.

Additionally, these women spent less than two hours daily watching television, a measure the study used to assess sedentary behavior or low physical activity. The results support the concept that heart health is built not by a single exercise type but through maintaining movement throughout the day and following a balanced fitness regimen that includes resistance exercises.

Many still view exercise as a way to compensate for an otherwise inactive lifestyle, but the body responds best to consistent and varied physical activity.

The Role of Strength Training in Cardiovascular Health

Unlike aerobic exercises that primarily challenge the cardiovascular system, strength training places greater demand on the muscular system. Resistance exercises—using body weight, resistance bands, or weights—help build and preserve muscle mass. They also contribute to regulating blood sugar levels and improving metabolic health.

According to researchers publishing their study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on June 17, these physiological changes may play a role in reducing cardiovascular risk factors. The researchers noted that strength training might influence specific pathways related to coronary artery disease by enhancing blood flow, improving lipid metabolism, and stabilizing plaque buildup in arteries, which significantly lowers the risk of heart attacks.

The study tracked over 117,000 women for an average of 14.5 years but did not find a similar association between strength training and stroke risk, suggesting different mechanisms underlie stroke development and that resistance exercises may have less impact on stroke prevention.

Further research is needed to better understand the various factors involved in comprehensive cardiovascular disease prevention, but current data confirm that strength training is an important component of heart health maintenance.

Strength Training Within a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle

While the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends strength training at least two days per week, the study found the greatest reduction in heart attack risk among women who consistently performed resistance exercises for two or more hours weekly. Researchers also observed that training both the upper and lower body together provided greater cardiovascular benefits than focusing on a single body area.

Based on these findings, Dana Santas created a practical 30-minute full-body workout designed to be performed four days a week, achieving the weekly two-hour target linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.

One exercise involves a forward lunge with trunk rotation while walking. Santas explained that this requires stepping forward into a lunge position, touching the ground with fingertips beside the front foot, keeping the back leg straight or lowering the knee for stability. Inhale while extending the arm opposite the front foot upward, rotating the chest, shoulder, and mid-back outward, then exhale while returning the hand down, stepping the back foot forward to stand, and repeating on the other side 8 to 12 times.

This movement prepares the hips, spine, and shoulders for motion, strengthens the lower body, and enhances thoracic spine rotation, which is twisting from the mid-back area.

Santas also highlighted variations of the push-up exercise. These include full or modified plank positions with feet hip-width apart and hands under the shoulders. Modifications can involve using a wall or elevated surface such as a table. The key is to maintain core strength and spinal alignment throughout the pushing motion. Inhaling while bending the elbows to lower the body without arching the back, then exhaling while pushing back up, the push-up develops upper body strength and stabilizes core muscles.

Another recommended exercise is the one-arm row with support. Santas described placing one hand on a bench, chair, or stable surface, bending the knees, and engaging core muscles to keep the back straight. Holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand, exhale while pulling the weight toward the chest and inhale while lowering it slowly. Rowing movements build upper body pulling strength and balance the pushing and pulling demands encountered in daily activities.

The Romanian deadlift on one leg is also emphasized. This involves standing while shifting weight onto one leg, holding a dumbbell in the hand opposite the supporting leg, bending at the hips until the back is parallel to the ground, extending the other leg backward, exhaling, and returning to standing on both legs. If balance is difficult, placing the other hand on a wall for support or performing the exercise without a dumbbell are options. This movement strengthens the gluteal muscles and hamstrings while challenging balance and core stability.

Side lunges are performed by stepping sideways into a lunge position, pushing the hips backward, bending the knee aligned with the ankle, keeping the other leg straight, then pushing the body back to standing. The exercise can be modified by reducing the side step distance. Side lunges strengthen the body in the lateral movement plane, often neglected, and improve hip flexibility and lower body strength.

Finally, the farmer’s carry with uneven weight involves holding a dumbbell in one hand while walking with a straight posture, resisting the urge to lean toward the weight, and taking balanced, steady steps for 30 to 60 seconds per side. This challenges core stability, grip strength, and body control while engaging muscles throughout the body.