Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Brief, Regular Strength Training Can Deliver Significant Benefits
You may not need to spend hours at the gym to benefit from strength training.
Fitness coach Shivohaam says short weight-training sessions can help when done four or five times a week.
Dr Gazanfar Patel says sessions of 15 to 20 minutes can be enough for many people.
He says the workouts should be planned and done regularly.
Their difficulty should increase gradually.
Patel says this kind of training can help muscles, bones and joints, as well as general fitness.
The article also says to speak with a health practitioner before starting a new routine.
Fitness coach Shivohaam says 20 minutes of weight training four to five times weekly can provide benefits.
Shivohaam describes muscle as metabolically active and says having more muscle affects how much energy the body uses.
Dr Gazanfar Patel says 15 to 20 minutes can be sufficient for most people when training is organised and consistent.
Patel says brief, regular strength sessions can improve muscle strength, bone health, joint stability, metabolism and functional fitness.
Patel recommends gradually increasing exercise intensity; the article advises readers to consult a health practitioner before starting.
- Who
- Fitness coach Shivohaam and Dr Gazanfar Patel, a senior consultant at Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai Central.
- What
- They discuss potential benefits of short, regular strength-training sessions.
- When
- The suggested routine is 20 minutes, four to five times a week; Patel also refers to 15-to-20-minute sessions.
- Where
- The article identifies Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai Central as Dr Patel's workplace.
- Why
- Regular strength training may improve muscle strength, bone health, joint stability, metabolism and functional fitness.
Short sessions can be sufficient
Conditions and individual needs matter
How much training is needed
Short sessions can be sufficient
Shivohaam says 20 minutes of weight training four to five times a week can provide the benefits.
Conditions and individual needs matter
Patel says 15 to 20 minutes can be sufficient for the majority of people if sessions are organised, regular and progressively intensified.
Whether long gym sessions are necessary
Short sessions can be sufficient
Patel says brief, concentrated sessions can produce significant improvements, countering the belief that people must spend hours at the gym.
Conditions and individual needs matter
The article does not claim that the same routine is appropriate for everyone and advises consulting a health practitioner before starting.
- Suggested duration
- About 20 minutes per session; Patel says 15 to 20 minutes can be sufficient for most people.
- Suggested frequency
- Four to five times a week, according to Shivohaam.
- Training approach
- Sessions should be organised, regular and gradually increased in intensity.
- Benefits cited by Patel
- Muscle strength, bone health, joint stability, metabolism and general functional fitness.
- Health advice
- Consult a health practitioner before starting a routine.