Blog · The mental side of training

What strength training does for your mind

By Remko Opdam · 13 September 2026 · 4 min read

In short

A large meta-analysis of several studies shows depressive symptoms going down after a period of strength training, even when the programme was not demanding.
That held even when someone did not get noticeably stronger. So it does not seem to be only about the muscles.
Strength training does not replace treatment, but it can sit well alongside it, if you build it up steadily and someone keeps an eye on you.

Almost everyone who starts with me names a physical goal first. Getting stronger. Losing a few kilos. Moving more easily.

What people say less often beforehand, but what I see change just as often in practice, is how they feel. Not as a nice bonus. For some clients it ends up mattering more than the number on the scale.

That is not a nice story I am telling you. There is research on it, and the finding is more interesting than "exercise is good for you".

What people actually want

At an intake, people almost always name the physical side first. That makes sense. It is concrete and you can measure it.

But when I ask why, I often hear something else. Getting a grip back. Having some energy again. Not feeling low or stuck any more.

The physical goal is then the reason to start. Not the real goal.

That is why I take the mental effect seriously, not as an afterthought. It is where people drop out if the coaching is not right. And it is also where training pays off the most when it is.

What happens in your head when you get stronger

A well-known meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry (Gordon et al., 2018) pulled together dozens of studies on strength training and depressive symptoms. The finding: strength training is linked to a noticeable drop in those symptoms.

The most striking part: that effect held regardless of someone's health beforehand, regardless of how demanding the programme was, and even regardless of whether they actually got noticeably stronger.

In other words: it does not seem to be only about the muscles. Something chemical in your body is undoubtedly part of it too. But there is something simpler behind it as well. Lifting a weight that did not work two weeks ago is proof that you are making progress. That proof helps on a day when your head is not cooperating.

Strength training does not replace treatment, and I am not a therapist. What I do see: people working on their bodies and getting their minds back in the process.

Why coaching matters more here

For someone who is already having a hard time, a failed attempt weighs extra heavily. An injury. A programme that does not stick. The feeling that "this does not work either". That costs more than a few weeks of recovery. It can raise the barrier to trying again considerably.

That is why, for anyone going through a harder period, I pay extra attention to two things: building up steadily based on what someone can actually handle now, and choosing a few fixed sessions a week that are realistic. Not because more training is always better, but because a fixed appointment with yourself is easier to keep than a session you can casually cancel on a bad day.

How you build up steadily

The image many people have of a personal trainer is someone who trains you into the ground. That image helps no one. Least of all someone who already has little left in reserve.

The goal of a session is not that you leave wrecked. It is that you are tired, but satisfied. That you walk out standing tall, ready for the rest of your day.

In practice that means I first look at what someone can handle now, and build up steadily from there. No standard programme. With a physical complaint, like a back, a knee or a shoulder, that matters even more. That is exactly where an injury is waiting to happen if you start too enthusiastically.

What you can do with this yourself

Pick a few fixed sessions a week, and stick to them. A fixed appointment with yourself works better than a session you can easily reschedule on a bad day.
Have someone else look at your build-up, especially with a physical complaint. What feels "steady" to you is not always what your body can actually handle right now.
Do not just track kilos and reps. Also notice how you feel after a session: more energetic, calmer, a bit more comfortable in your own skin. That is progress too, and often the progress that matters first.

Strength training does not replace treatment. I am not a GP or a psychologist. But what I see every week: people working on their bodies and getting their minds back in the process. For me that has become just as important as the kilos on the bar.

Frequently asked questions

Can strength training really help during a difficult mental period?

Research shows depressive symptoms often go down after a period of strength training. That comes from a large meta-analysis of many studies, and the effect held regardless of someone's health beforehand, how demanding the programme was, or whether they actually got noticeably stronger. So it does not seem to be only about getting fitter. Strength training does not replace treatment, and a personal trainer is not a therapist. It can be a valuable addition alongside care from a GP or psychologist, if you build it up steadily and someone keeps an eye on you.

Do I need to be fitter before I start with a personal trainer?

No. That is exactly what coaching is for. I always build up from wherever someone is now, not from some imagined starting point. The biggest barrier I hear is not physical but in someone's head: the idea that you need a baseline level of fitness before you are allowed to ask for help. In practice it works the other way round. The less steady someone feels, the more important it is that someone else keeps an eye on the build-up. That stops a first attempt going wrong, and stops the barrier for the next attempt getting even higher.

Is training once a week enough to feel this effect?

Once a week is better than nothing. I usually advise a few fixed sessions a week, not for the money, but because a fixed appointment with yourself is harder to dodge than one session you can easily reschedule on a bad day. How many exactly depends on what is realistic for you. Consistency matters more than how hard the training is, especially at the start.