One in three UK adults do no activity to strengthen their muscles at all / Shutterstock.com / BAZA Production

Nearly half of UK adults (43 per cent) are failing to meet the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) strength guidelines and one in three (32 per cent) do no activity to strengthen their muscles at all, according to a new report from ukactive and Les Mills.

National guidelines* from the CMO state that all adults should do muscle-strengthening activities for all major muscle groups at least two days a week – from strength or resistance training to everyday activities such as heavy gardening or carrying heavy shopping.  Strength-based activities are essential for supporting flexibility, balance, and coordination, and evidence shows it can help an individual’s ability to perform daily tasks, protecting against injuries and reducing risks of frailty and falls. 

The report, ‘Shaping a New Era of Strength Training’, from ukactive, the UK’s trade body for the physical activity sector, and global fitness firm Les Mills – with consumer insight from Active Insights – reveals the views and experiences across generations, identifying a critical opportunity to improve the nation’s health. 

The findings show that when asked if they are aware of the CMO guidelines, three-quarters (73 per cent) of adults admit to being unaware of the amount of strength exercises they should be doing each week. Awareness was lowest among Baby Boomers at just 9 per cent and the Silent Generation at just 7 per cent.  Even among those who claim they do know the guidelines, less than two fifths (38 per cent) of adults correctly said a minimum of two days of strength-building activities a week.  Other key findings:

• 11 per cent of UK adults only do half the minimum required strength-building activities, just once a week.
• Three-quarters (75 per cent) of those in Generation Z (aged 16 to 28) take part in strength training twice or more a week, with Millennials (aged 29 to 44) following closely behind (74 per cent).
• Over half (55 per cent) of those in Gen X (aged 45 to 60) are meeting or exceeding the CMO’s strength guidelines each week, and over a third (34 per cent) of Baby Boomers (aged 61 to 79).

While Gen Z leads the way in participation in strength-based activity among the general population, the research does reveal a growing awareness of its importance** among older adults who decide to join a gym.  Researchers found that among gym users, 82 per cent of Gen Z respondents say strength training was an important factor for joining the gym, but this grows to 86 per cent among Millennials, 84 per cent for Gen X, and reaches its highest level among Baby Boomers, with 90 per cent. 

The report recommends that the Government makes strength training a core part of the physical activity campaign that it committed to within the NHS 10 Year Plan, helping to prevent health issues, hospital admissions and workplace absence.  Falls alone cost the NHS more than £2.3bn a year and musculoskeletal (MSK) issues such as back pain and osteoporosis represent the third largest area of NHS spending, costing around £5bn a year. 

ukactive is calling on the Government to acknowledge the importance of strength training in the nation’s health and wellbeing and support fitness and leisure facilities to reach more people.  Other recommendations in the report include better promotion of strength training and Clinical Exercise Physiologists by the NHS; establishing national partnerships between the fitness sector and experts in the third sector such as Age UK and Women in Sport; and continuing to improve the support available within fitness and leisure facilities. 

January is commonly one of the busiest months for gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres, and year-round demand is also growing. The number of members of health and fitness club in the UK has reached a record 11.5 million people according to the UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2025. 

Sport England’s Moving Communities report showed that participation in gym activities in 2024/2025 had increased by 13 per cent compared to the previous year – representing the second-largest increase in the number of visits by activity type.   In December, ukactive and Les Mills published a review of academic research on the impact of weight-loss medications on lean body mass, highlighting the health issues caused by the subsequent loss of muscle and strength.  

Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: ““With a third of the population doing no strength exercises at all, it’s clear the UK is sleepwalking into another health crisis. This report makes a powerful case for the nation to rethink its relationship with physical strength so people can reap the benefits for their health. 

“The Government should seize this opportunity to help more people access strength training by promoting the work of our sector, which will reduce pressure on the NHS and improve the health of the workforce too. Strength training is one of the best tools we have to help people live healthier, happier, more independent lives.  

“Gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres are supporting people of all ages to grow stronger and more confident in their health, but this report shows there are many more to reach.” 

Martin Franklin, CEO of Les Mills UK, said: “These new findings spotlight the opportunity for strength training to transform the health of the entire nation. There is room for improvement in every age group for achieving the CMO guidelines, so gyms and leisure centres are perfectly placed to help people of all ages build strength into their lifestyles. 

“Les Mills has been helping people become stronger since 1968, and we’ve learned that the best workout is the one you actually do. Making training motivating, inclusive, and most of all fun is the key to inspiring people to embrace healthy habits and reap the rewards of an active lifestyle. 

“It’s a magical transformation that we witness every day in gyms and leisure centres across the country, driven by dedicated fitness professionals determined to make a difference. Now’s the time to support them so we can scale this impact and make strength accessible for all.” 

You can read the report here. 

* The Chief Medical Officer recommends that adults should do activities to develop or maintain strength in the major muscle groups. These could include heavy gardening, carrying heavy shopping, or resistance exercise. Muscle strengthening activities should be done on at least two days a week, but any strengthening activity is better than none.  

**The question asked to respondents was: “How important or unimportant were the following factors in your decision to take out membership?”. Responses / percentages shown are the proportion of individuals who selected ‘To improve / maintain my physical strength and fitness’ as being quite important and/or very important. Segmentation of this answer provided breakdowns by generational age groups. This question was asked to 7,526 individuals across 11 quarterly waves from September 2022 to September 2025.