Lose fat and build muscle together without long gym sessions: PhD strength coach reveals an efficient, one-hour-a-week workout plan

In an age where fitness advice is everywhere — and nowhere at the same time — certified experts are calling for a smarter, science-backed approach to exercise. Dr. Milo Wolf, a strength coach and PhD holder in sports science from Solent University, UK, is making waves by claiming that weight loss and muscle building are not mutually exclusive goals. His research-backed advice suggests you can achieve both without spending endless hours at the gym.

The Busy Person’s Blueprint
“More is not always better,” says Wolf, who also founded the workout customization app MyoAdapt with collaborator Patroklos Androulakis-Korakakis of Lehman College, New York. According to a Business Insider report, Wolf’s experience as a competitive bodybuilder led him to study how to maximize results in minimal time. His conclusion? Just four sets per muscle group, spread across three 20-minute sessions a week, can produce noticeable gains without burnout.

“People exhaust themselves chasing marginal returns,” he told Business Insider. “For most, the sweet spot is in the first few sets — that’s where the majority of benefits lie.”

By combining the right equipment and exercises, Wolf claims muscle growth is achievable in as little as one hour per week. This approach not only saves time but also keeps motivation high even when life gets hectic.

Dumbbells Over Barbells
Wolf stresses that choosing equipment wisely can shave off minutes from workouts. “Dumbbells and stacked machines allow you to adjust weight quickly, unlike barbells that require time-consuming plate changes,” he explained.

He also recommends prioritizing compound movements that stretch muscles under tension. Exercises like deadlifts, deep split squats, dips, and seated presses can target multiple muscle groups at once while improving mobility and reducing injury risks. “Stretch-biased exercises increase hypertrophy without downsides,” Wolf said.

Push to the Limit
The secret to muscle growth, according to Wolf, is pushing muscles to failure. Reaching the point where you cannot perform another repetition with proper form signals the body to grow stronger. Even partial reps beyond failure can boost gains.

Adding drop sets to the mix — lowering the weight once fatigue sets in to squeeze out additional reps — can cut workout time while maximizing muscle fatigue. A warmup followed by compound exercises, sets near failure, and drop sets can get results in just 20 minutes per session.

Diet Rules, Not Just Exercise
In a related interview with Independent, Wolf debunked common misconceptions. “Exercising alone won’t burn enough calories to cause significant fat loss — diet plays a far bigger role,” he said. Even two-hour workouts only burn between 300 and 800 calories, making dietary adjustments far more impactful.

On the controversial topic of building muscle while losing fat, Wolf emphasized that a calorie surplus or deficit is not the whole story. “We see people gain muscle while losing fat,” he noted. “It depends on factors like training experience, genetics, and how your body allocates energy.”

Finally, he dismissed the myth that one must cut fat before building muscle. “There’s no correlation between initial body fat and how much muscle you can gain,” he explained, adding that strength training benefits everyone, regardless of physique.

In a world obsessed with extreme diets and hours-long workout sessions, Wolf’s advice offers a refreshing perspective: work smart, stay consistent, and focus on sustainable habits. With scientifically designed routines and human oversight, weight loss and muscle building do not have to be separate battles.