A group of McMaster researchers set out to answer the age-old question: What kind of strength training is better – fewer reps with heavy weights or more reps with lighter weights?

They determined the size of weights and the amount of reps you are less important to your overall health than simply making a habit of it.

By studying the most popular variables among resistance training programs — how much you lift, how often, and how many times — our experts found that all forms of resistance training are beneficial, including body-weight exercises such as planks, lunges and push-ups.