Reviewed by the HyaluFlow Health Editorial Team | Published: July 9, 2026 | Last Updated: August 26, 2026
Quick Answer: A 2026 study of 117,025 U.S. women found that those doing at least two hours of resistance training weekly had a 20% lower risk of major cardiovascular disease and a 44% lower risk of heart attack than women doing none. The study was observational, so it shows an association, not proof that lifting weights directly caused the lower risk.
Key Takeaways: Strength training was linked with lower cardiovascular risk, especially heart attack risk. The strongest pattern appeared when resistance exercise was combined with aerobic activity and less sedentary time.
What the 2026 Study Found
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, analyzed 117,025 women from the Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II over a mean 14.5-year follow-up.
“Resistance Training, Aerobic Activity, Television Viewing, and Risk of Major Cardiovascular Events in U.S. Women” reported 5,459 major cardiovascular events. Compared with no resistance training, at least two hours weekly was associated with a 20% lower risk of major cardiovascular disease and a 44% lower risk of myocardial infarction.
Strength Training vs. Heart Attack Risk
| Resistance training | Associated finding |
|---|---|
| None | Reference group |
| ≥2 hours/week | 20% lower major CVD risk |
| ≥2 hours/week | 44% lower heart attack risk |
Each additional hour of resistance training per week was associated with a further 5% lower risk of major cardiovascular disease and 14% lower risk of heart attack. However, these are relative risk estimates, not guarantees for an individual.
What the Science Says
The findings fit established physical-activity guidance. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, published in JAMA, recommend muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days each week alongside aerobic activity.
The 2026 JACC study adds important evidence in women because it examined long-term resistance-training patterns together with aerobic activity and sedentary behavior. Women who combined resistance training with recommended aerobic activity showed an especially favorable association with heart attack risk.
Why Combining Cardio and Strength Matters
Strength training should not replace walking, cycling, swimming, running, or other aerobic exercise. Combining movement types was associated with the lowest risk.
In the study's joint analysis, women meeting recommendations for aerobic activity, resistance training, and lower television-viewing time had a lower risk of major cardiovascular disease than women meeting only some of those behaviors.
How Much Strength Training Is Enough?
Two or more hours per week was the level associated with the headline findings. That time can be divided across multiple sessions.
Beginners can start with bodyweight movements, resistance bands, machines, or free weights and build gradually. Technique and consistency matter more than chasing heavy weights.
Current U.S. guidance supports muscle-strengthening activity involving all major muscle groups on at least two days per week, alongside 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity weekly.
Common Myths
Myth: Women need to lift very heavy weights to protect the heart.
False. The study examined resistance-training time, not a bodybuilding-style requirement for maximal loads.
Myth: Strength training replaces cardio.
False. The strongest overall pattern involved resistance training combined with aerobic activity.
Myth: A 44% lower risk means a 44% personal guarantee.
False. The result is an association observed across a population and cannot predict an individual's exact benefit.
Who Should Pay Attention?
Women who do little or no resistance exercise may have an opportunity to add strength work to a walking or cardio routine. People with heart disease or symptoms such as chest pain or unexplained shortness of breath should discuss exercise plans with a clinician.
Evidence Strength Summary
Evidence strength: Moderate. The study was large, prospective, and had long follow-up, which strengthens the evidence. But it was observational, relied on self-reported activity, and cannot establish cause and effect.
The study also found no significant association between resistance training and stroke risk. That distinction matters: the strongest finding was for myocardial infarction, not every cardiovascular outcome.
Bottom Line
Strength training is not just about muscle. In this 2026 cohort study, women who performed at least two hours of resistance exercise per week had substantially lower risks of major cardiovascular disease and heart attack than those doing none.
The smart takeaway is not “lift weights and prevent a heart attack.” It is simpler: make resistance training part of a broader routine that includes aerobic activity and less sedentary time. The evidence supports the habit, while recognizing that this study cannot prove causation.
