The widespread belief that strength training requires long sessions and an unsustainable level of dedication has led many people to give up and fall back to zero. Accumulating research, however, shows that it is possible to improve strength with low training volumes when the load is applied correctly. James Nuzzo, an exercise-science researcher specializing in muscle and neuromuscular health, formerly at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, offers an evidence-based perspective that redefines training efficiency.
Nuzzo delves into the concept of minimal-dose training with strategies to gain meaningful strength via cost-effective time investment. These include:
full-body sessions performed once per week;
routines structured around a single set per exercise spread across different days;
strength “snacks” lasting only a few minutes;
and occasional strength tests that enhance neuromuscular efficiency.
Nuzzo also advocates eccentric exercises. These provide a high stimulus in the same amount of time one might devote to isometric or conventional concentric exercises.
The central idea is that a low-volume but strategically designed approach can generate measurable progress, especially for individuals without a solid training background or a perceived lack of time.
These alternatives are not intended to replace advanced programs. Rather, they offer a realistic, sustainable, and scientifically supported entry point for developing strength without relying on long or complex sessions.
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Read the article: “Minimal Dose Resistance Exercise.”
