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Strength training: what the new 2026 recommendations really change
Article updated on 6 September 2026.
Do you need to go to the gym five days a week, use only free weights and push each set to failure? The latest recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine put these questions into perspective: for a healthy adult, simply getting started and exercising regularly is what counts.
Published in March 2026
On 17 March 2026, the ACSM presented a synthesis of 137 systematic reviews involving over 30000 participants. It concerns strength, muscle mass, power and physical function in healthy adults. It does not constitute a rehabilitation prescription for an injury. Source: official presentation by the ACSM.
Key information to be aware of
| Question | Summary guide |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Work out the major muscle groups at least twice a week. |
| Maximum strength | Heavy loads, around 80 per cent of one-rep maximum, and 2 to 3 sets per exercise are benchmarks for optimisation. |
| Muscle building | A higher weekly volume, around 10 sets per muscle group, may be beneficial. |
| Machines or free weights | There is no need to choose just one piece of equipment; resistance bands and bodyweight exercises can also be effective. |
| Failure and complex programmes | They are not always necessary to achieve progress in the average adult. |
These figures guide a programme according to its objective. They do not mean that a beginner should test their maximum load from their very first session or immediately achieve all the volumes mentioned.
Getting started: making the session easy to repeat
In practice, choosing a few movements that you understand is a good place to start: sitting down and standing up, pushing, pulling, mobilising the hips and stabilising the core. Guidance from a trainer can help you learn the correct form and adjust the machines. Sticking to the same exercises for several weeks then allows you to make a meaningful comparison between sessions.
For example, someone with two slots available can do a full-body workout each time. Someone who prefers three sessions can spread the same workout across shorter sessions. The schedule is most useful when it fits in with a normal week, including work and travel.
Making progress: change just one thing at a time
Recording the load, the number of repetitions completed and the perceived difficulty provides more useful information than the aches and pains felt the following day. When the planned repetitions become easy to perform with a stable movement, you can slightly increase the difficulty. Adding weight, sets and a session all at once makes it much harder to pinpoint the cause of fatigue.
For an experienced exerciser, the training programme can be more precise: breaking down training volumes by muscle group, managing strenuous exercises and setting aside time for a specific sporting goal. These details are meaningful when they address an identified need, not simply because a complicated programme appears more serious.
An example for next week
- Book two or three realistic time slots.
- Choose a few exercises suited to the equipment available.
- Start with a weight that allows you to control the movement.
- Record your results and ensure you allow sufficient time for recovery.
- Re-evaluate after several sessions, without expecting immediate physical changes.
Any sharp joint pain, feeling unwell or unusual discomfort is a reason to stop and seek advice. In the event of illness, pregnancy or returning to exercise after an injury, the programme must be adapted to the situation.
To put this into practice, find our 8-week programme, then Workout plans combining cardio and strength training. Recovery and meals are part of the routine and do not require any specific supplements.
Original illustration generated by AI.
