New Strength Training Guidelines Are Here—And the Takeaway Is Simpler Than You Think

Jun 17

Using Pilates springs for resistance strength training

For the first time since 2011, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has updated its strength training guidelines—and the takeaway is refreshingly simple:

Don't overcomplicate strength training.

The new recommendations emphasize several factors that matter most:

Train through a full range of motion
Progressively increase the challenge over time
Train all major muscle groups at least twice per week
Perform 2–3 sets per exercise
Use resistance that feels challenging and creates fatigue

Interestingly, researchers found that several commonly debated variables had little impact on strength gains, including:

Training to failure (working until you literally cannot perform another repetition)
Unstable surface training
Rest periods between sets
Specific muscle contraction types

One area receiving increased attention is power training—the ability to generate force quickly. Power declines faster than strength as we age and plays an important role in preventing falls and helping us react when we trip.

The good news? Power can be trained with faster, controlled movements—not necessarily heavier weights.

Why This Matters for Pilates

One of the things we love about these new guidelines is that they reinforce principles Pilates has emphasized for decades.

Ask any long-time Pilates student if they are stronger than when they started, and the answer is usually a quick "yes."

They may not be bench pressing, but they are often carrying groceries more easily, hiking longer distances, improving their balance, getting up from the floor with greater ease, and moving through daily life with more confidence.

Many people assume that strength requires pushing weights until they are exhausted. But the new guidelines suggest that strength improvements occur when you:

Work through a full range of motion
Use meaningful resistance
Progress the challenge over time
Train consistently

You don't necessarily need:

Complete exhaustion
Muscle failure every workout
Maximal weights

A well-designed Pilates program can absolutely incorporate progressive overload by increasing spring tension, adding complexity, increasing repetitions, reducing support, increasing frequency, or progressing exercises over time.

At Posture Studio, we often talk about building resilience, not just building muscle. Resilience is the ability to continue doing the things you love—to hike, travel, garden, play sports, lift grandchildren, recover from setbacks, and maintain your independence as you age.

Strength is one important ingredient of that resilience.

In other words, getting stronger is less about crushing yourself every workout and more about consistently challenging yourself a little more over time.

Strength Training Benefits More Than Muscles

Strength training has been shown to help: