The following are key points to remember from an updated American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement on resistance exercise training in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease (CVD):

1. Resistance training (RT) not only can improve or maintain muscle mass and strength, but also has favorable physiological and clinical effects on CVD and risk factors.
2. Accumulating evidence suggests resistance training is a safe and effective approach for improving cardiovascular (CV) health in adults with and without CVD.
3. This scientific statement summarizes the benefits of RT alone or in combination with aerobic training for improving traditional and nontraditional CVD risk factors.
4. RT benefits CV health through avenues such as lowering blood pressure (BP), improving cholesterol, and improving insulin sensitivity. Controlling traditional and nontraditional risk factors decreases the risk of CVD and overall mortality.
5. The greatest reduction in risk occurs between those performing no RT versus modest amounts of RT, the maximal benefit occurs at 30-60 minutes per week, and a lower risk compared with no RT remains until 130-140 minutes per day. The evidence on higher levels is sparse and limits conclusions on the benefits or risks of high volumes of RT.
6. In general, a single set of 8-12 repetitions to volitional fatigue, using moderate weight loads of 40%-60% of 1-repetition maximum, for 8-10 different exercises involving major muscle groups, performed twice per week, are highly effective.
7. There are disparities in RT participation across demographic groups. Populations of older age, female sex, non-White race and ethnicity, and lower socioeconomic status are significantly less likely to participate in RT. RT promotion should be appropriately tailored to specific populations and should consider a wide range of factors influencing RT participation.
8. To address the low rates of RT and disparities in RT participation, it is vital to pursue implementation science, identify the intrapersonal (e.g., intentions, self-efficacy), interpersonal (e.g., social norms, social support), and environmental factors (e.g., recreational facilities and access, neighborhood design), and to create feasible programs that can support the adoption and maintenance of RT.
9. Well-designed randomized controlled trials with long-term (≥6 months) interventions incorporating evidence-based behavior change and maintenance techniques are warranted and likely to reveal strategies for improved implementation of RT in clinical and nonclinical settings.
10. Finally, recent evidence clearly demonstrates that RT is a safe, effective, and essential component of the overall physical activity regimen for CVD risk reduction.

Clinical Topics: Cardiovascular Care Team, Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disease, Prevention, Sports and Exercise Cardiology, Exercise

Keywords: Exercise, Heart Disease Risk Factors, Resistance Training

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