One-day-a-week gym routine: does it work? What to expect and how to do it
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30 to 60 minutes of strength training a week is linked to the biggest drop in the risk of death, according to a 2022 meta-analysis. That fits in a single session. What you can gain by training one day a week, how much of your progress you keep and how to build that session.
In 2022, Momma and colleagues pooled 16 cohort studies on strength training and health. People who did strength training had a 10-17% lower risk of dying from any cause, and of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. The biggest benefit appeared at around 30-60 minutes a week.
In other words, what fits in a single session. The World Health Organization recommends at least two days of strength training a week (Bull and colleagues, 2020), and two days do more than one. But if your week only allows one, training it well works, and far better than not training at all.
Does training one day a week work?
For getting stronger, yes. The review by Androulakis-Korakakis and colleagues (2020) found that a single set per exercise, done once a week or more, already raised the squat and bench press max. The meta-analysis by Grgic and colleagues (2018) shows that strength grows at any frequency, though more with more days: the effect size was 0.74 with one day and 1.08 with four or more.
For building muscle, frequency matters less than it seems. According to Schoenfeld, Grgic and Krieger (2019), with the same weekly volume, growth is similar whether you train a muscle once or several times. The limit of a single day is different: how many quality sets fit into one session before fatigue spoils them.
| Days per week | Strength | Muscle | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Goes up, especially when starting out | Grows, but with little weekly volume | Within the range of greatest benefit (30-60 min) |
| 2 days | Goes up more | Enough volume for most people | Meets the WHO recommendation |
| 3 or more days | The biggest gains | Allows more volume without endless sessions | Meets the WHO recommendation |
One day is enough to keep what you have gained
Here the evidence is especially useful for busy periods. In the study by Bickel and colleagues (2011), 70 adults trained three days a week for 16 weeks. Then, for 32 weeks, some stopped and others dropped to one day a week. In the young adults (20-35 years), a third of the previous volume kept all the muscle they had gained; the older adults (60-75 years) needed more. Strength, meanwhile, held up quite well even in those who stopped.
If you used to train more days and now you cannot, one day a week is the cheapest way not to lose what you gained. What happens if you stop completely is covered in how much muscle you lose when you stop training.
The one-day routine: full body
The review by Iversen and colleagues (2021) on training with little time recommends prioritising multi-joint exercises and doing, at the very least, a leg press movement, a pull and an upper-body push, with at least 4 weekly sets per muscle group. With a single day, those 4 sets all go into the same session:
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Squat (or leg press) | 4 × 6-10 | 2-3 min |
| Bench press (or dumbbell press) | 4 × 6-10 | 2 min |
| Barbell or machine row | 4 × 8-12 | 2 min |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8-10 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell overhead press | 2 × 8-12 | 90 s |
| Pull-ups or lat pulldown | 3 × 8-12 | 90 s |
| Optional: plank and biceps curl | 2 sets each | 60 s |
If you are short on time, pair the overhead press with the pulldown, and the row with the bench press, as supersets: one exercise and then, without rest, the other. Iversen (2021) estimates these techniques cut training time almost in half without losing volume. More ideas for the session in the full-body routine guide.
How to get the most out of a single day
- Get close to failure: with so few sets, each one has to count. Leave 1-3 reps in reserve.
- Progress every week: one more rep or a little more weight on the main lifts.
- Warm up only as much as you need: two or three ramp-up sets on the first exercise for each area.
- Move the rest of the week: walking and taking the stairs do not replace strength work, but they add to your health.
If you can add another day later, the jump is worth it: the next step is the 2-day gym routine. And if strength is your main goal, see the beginner strength training program.
Common mistakes
- Trying to fit a whole week into one session: beyond 15-20 quality sets, fatigue waters down the last ones.
- Doing only isolation machines: multi-joint exercises work more muscle per minute.
- Skipping the session: with one day, missing it means losing the week. A short session beats none.
- Chasing soreness: hammering yourself to "make the most" of your only day does not pay off and makes coming back next week harder.
The Progrevia generator supports one-day routines: it spreads full-body exercises according to your minutes and your equipment, and schedules your progression week by week.
- Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, Sawada SS. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2022;56(13):755-763.
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, Borodulin K, Buman MP, Cardon G, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020;54(24):1451-1462.
- Androulakis-Korakakis P, Fisher JP, Steele J. The minimum effective training dose required to increase 1RM strength in resistance-trained men: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2020;50(4):751-765.
- Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Davies TB, Lazinica B, Krieger JW, Pedisic Z. Effect of resistance training frequency on gains in muscular strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2018;48(5):1207-1220.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Krieger J. How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2019;37(11):1286-1295.
- Bickel CS, Cross JM, Bamman MM. Exercise dosing to retain resistance training adaptations in young and older adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2011;43(7):1177-1187.
- Iversen VM, Norum M, Schoenfeld BJ, Fimland MS. No time to lift? Designing time-efficient training programs for strength and hypertrophy: a narrative review. Sports Medicine. 2021;51(10):2079-2095.
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Frequently asked questions
Is going to the gym once a week worth it?
Yes. A single weekly session increases strength (Androulakis-Korakakis, 2020; Grgic, 2018), and 30-60 minutes of strength training a week is linked to the biggest drop in the risk of death (Momma, 2022). Two days do more, but one is far better than none.
Can you build muscle training once a week?
Yes, especially when starting out. With the same weekly volume, muscle grows similarly with one or several sessions (Schoenfeld, 2019). The limit of one day is how many quality sets fit into one session.
Is one day a week enough not to lose muscle?
In young adults, yes. In the study by Bickel (2011), dropping to one day a week kept the muscle gained for 32 weeks; people over 60 needed somewhat more volume.
What routine should I do if I can only go once a week?
A full-body one with multi-joint exercises: squat, bench press, row, Romanian deadlift, overhead press and pull-ups or pulldowns, with 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps close to failure.
How long should the session be if I only train once a week?
Between 60 and 75 minutes is reasonable. If you are short on time, supersets of exercises that do not compete with each other cut the time almost in half without losing volume (Iversen, 2021).
Informational content based on the available scientific evidence: it does not replace advice from a healthcare professional. If you have an injury or a medical condition, or are pregnant, check with one before changing your training or diet.
