16/09/2026
For most people with type 2 diabetes, cardio + diet are helpful, but strength training is also an important part of diabetes management.
Think of skeletal muscle as a major place where the body can dispose of glucose. When muscles contract during resistance training, they increase glucose uptake, and regular training can improve insulin sensitivity. Building or preserving muscle also gives the body more metabolically active tissue that can use glucose.
A well-rounded approach usually combines:
* Diet/nutrition: helps manage total energy intake, body weight and post-meal glucose.
* Cardio: improves cardiovascular fitness and insulin sensitivity and helps with glucose control.
* Strength training: preserves/builds muscle, improves strength and physical function, and can improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control.
* Daily movement: breaking up long periods of sitting with walking or light activity can also help post-meal glucose.
For adults with diabetes, major guidelines generally recommend aerobic exercise plus resistance training, rather than choosing only one. A common target is around 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity plus resistance exercise 2–3 times/week, individualized to the person’s health and ability.
