{"id":39355,"date":"2025-09-23T19:12:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T19:12:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/39355\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T19:12:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T19:12:13","slug":"doctor-of-strength-training-shares-a-40-minute-weekly-dumbbell-workout-plan-for-building-strength-and-mobility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/39355\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor of strength training shares a 40-minute weekly dumbbell workout plan for building strength and mobility"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most people exercise because they want to trigger changes, whether that\u2019s a change to their health, body or even mood. But the uncomfortable truth about exercise<\/a> is that, to prompt positive physical changes, you usually have to do more of it, or at least progress it in some way \u2013 running further<\/a> or lifting heavier weights<\/a> for more sets. <\/p>\n

This requires time, which is something most people are in short supply of. But there are ways to achieve more in your workouts while taking a smaller chunk of your day \u2013 particularly when it comes to strength training<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople assume that when you\u2019re working out you need to spend hours and hours in the gym to get benefits,\u201d says Dr Milo Wolf<\/a>, a fitness coach and founder of training app MyoAdapt<\/a>, who holds a PhD in sport science specialising in strength training. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn reality, you don\u2019t need to spend that much time in the gym to start seeing results. If you employ certain strategies, you can get away with as little as 30-60 minutes in the gym each week and still see really solid progress, even if you\u2019ve been lifting for several years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below, he explains the theory behind six of these strategies, and shares a two workouts per week plan you can follow with just a few dumbbells to develop strength, boost bone density, build muscle, improve mobility and experience the plethora of other benefits strength training has to offer. <\/p>\n

Technique one: Maximise the efficacy of each set <\/p>\n

Strength training is a victim of diminishing returns, so performing more sets of an exercise in a bid to build more muscle will not necessarily be the smartest move for efficiency or overall results. <\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s say you do five to 10 sets per week on each muscle group \u2013 you\u2019re going to get a solid amount of your potential muscle growth and results from the gym,\u201d Wolf says. \u201cBut when you go from five to 10 sets per week for each muscle group to 20, 30 or more, that\u2019s where the benefits really start to taper off. You\u2019re getting less bang for your buck.\u201d<\/p>\n

For this reason, he recommends focusing on a few heavy sets per week on each muscle group, and trying to make them as effective as possible. <\/p>\n

\u201cTo make these sets as effective as possible, you want to take those sets close to failure [where your muscles have tired to the point you cannot perform another rep with good form],\u201d says Wolf. <\/p>\n

A good signifier of reaching this stage is that your movements should involuntarily slow down during the last few reps of a set as a result of muscular fatigue. <\/p>\n

\u201cHow close to failure you should go is still a topic of ongoing research,\u201d Wolf adds. \u201cFrom my reading of the research<\/a>, if you only do a few sets per week on each muscle group, you probably want to take them at least to failure, and potentially even past failure.\u201d <\/p>\n

This can be done through techniques such as drop sets, which he explains in one of the sections below. <\/p>\n

\u201cAcross dozens of studies, we see that the closer you go to failure overall, the more muscle growth you see,\u201d Wolf adds. \u201cBecause training to failure doesn\u2019t take any additional time, it is one of the strategies you can employ to grow muscle more efficiently.\u201d <\/p>\n

Read more: I have a PhD in strength training \u2013 stop using the wrong weights for your workouts with this simple test<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Taking<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Taking each set close to failure has been linked with greater muscle growth. (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

Technique two: Antagonistic supersets<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two techniques we have the most research on for saving time and still getting the same amount of muscle growth are drop sets and antagonistic supersets<\/a>,\u201d says Wolf. <\/p>\n

He has co-authored a paper on this topic, with the take-home message being that they can deliver similar levels of muscle growth in approximately half the time of a traditional strength training set-up \u2013 ie performing a set, resting for 60-plus seconds, then performing another set.<\/p>\n

But what is an antagonistic superset, and how can it streamline your strength training efforts? <\/p>\n

Most muscles exist in antagonistic pairs. This simply means the muscles in this pairing contract and relax to deliver opposing functions \u2013 for example, the biceps contract to flex the elbow and bend your arm, then the biceps muscles relax and the triceps contract to extend it again. <\/p>\n

An antagonistic superset involves working these muscles back to back with no rest in between. After you have completed both exercises, you take a break before repeating the sequence, thus cutting out half of the usual rest intervals you would have during your strength training session.<\/p>\n

\u201cEffectively, while one muscle is resting, the other one is training,\u201d explains Wolf. \u201cBecause a biceps curl targets the biceps on the front of your arm, then a triceps extension targets the triceps on the back of your arm, performing the opposite joint function, they are not going to overlap.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further examples of antagonistic supersets could be a chest exercise like the press-up and a back exercise like the bent-over row, or a quadriceps-dominant exercise like the squat<\/a> and a hamstring-dominant exercise like the Romanian deadlift<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to pick two exercises that target antagonistic or opposite muscles either,\u201d adds Wolf. \u201cYou can also superset any two exercises that don\u2019t have any meaningful overlap. Something like a calf raise and a lateral raise [for the shoulders], for example.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: Do these five things daily for 90 days to see a \u2018profound difference\u2019 in your health, fitness and energy levels<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Performing<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Performing supersets \u2013 two exercises performed back to back with no rest in between \u2013 can cut down the number of rest intervals needed in your workout, reducing the overall time it takes. (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

Technique three: Drop sets<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have around six to 10 studies now comparing drop sets with traditional strength training,\u201d Wolf says. \u201cIn these studies, we see that drop set training leads to the same muscle growth [as traditional strength training] in 30-70 per cent less time, depending on the research<\/a>. So if you were previously working out for an hour-and-a-half, you could be looking at spending more like half an hour in the gym instead and still seeing the same results \u2013 which is great.\u201d <\/p>\n

But, as with the antagonistic supersets above, it\u2019s important to understand what a drop set is, and how you can use them to build muscle more efficiently. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith drop set training, you start with a heavy set to failure, then immediately after finishing this, you drop the weight you\u2019re lifting by roughly 20 per cent and complete another set to failure with this new, lighter weight,\u201d Wolf explains. \u201cStraight after this second set, drop the weight by about 20 per cent again and complete another set to failure. Continue this until you have completed your target number of sets.\u201d <\/p>\n

The first set will usually have a target number of repetitions to aim for \u2013 usually between eight and 12 \u2013 then for the subsequent sets, your goal is to perform as many reps as you can with good technique. <\/p>\n

\u201cDifferent people might get different numbers of reps on the drop sets because of their physiology,\u201d Wolf explains. \u201cSome people might be able to hit 10 reps on that second set, while others may only manage six. To prescribe a set number of reps is probably doing a disservice to how unique each person is.\u201d <\/p>\n

Research<\/a> suggests that, for every one normal set you would usually do, you should typically do 1.6 drop sets to see similar results, he adds. <\/p>\n

In practice, this means if you would usually do three sets of 10 on an exercise, you could swap this for a drop set with five subsequent lighter sets in quick succession \u2013 a taxing but far more time-savvy procedure. <\/p>\n

Read more: Eat these two foods weekly to improve gut health and reduce tummy troubles, nutrition expert says<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Dr<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Dr Milo Wolf says drop sets \u2013 performing a set of an exercise to failure, then reducing the weight you are lifting and performing another max-effort set \u2013 is another way to train more efficiently. (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

Technique four: Exercise selection<\/p>\n

This might seem obvious, but it is a point that is often overlooked. Choosing exercises that require less prep work will save you time in the gym. <\/p>\n

For example, rather than biding your time for a turn on the bench press, could you hit your chest with a few hard sets of press-ups? <\/p>\n

\u201cDumbbell exercises are going to be more efficient than the barbell alternatives,\u201d Wolf says. \u201cWith a barbell, you need to warm up, load the plates, then unload them and put them away afterwards. While that might not seem like much, that\u2019s a few minutes you could spend doing an extra one or two sets of a dumbbell exercise. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe same applies for stack-loaded machines and bodyweight movements, as long as the resistance is sufficient to get a solid stimulus [ie you can take each set close to failure].\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: I\u2019m a trainer specialising in longevity \u2013 these are the five changes that have the biggest impact on my clients<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Replacing<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Replacing a barbell exercise with a dumbbell exercise targetting the same muscles can save you from having to load and unload the bar, granting you a few extra minutes to squeeze in some valuable additional sets of other exercises. (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

Technique five: Do a no-frills warm-up<\/p>\n

Some people spend a lot of time on their warm-up, which is an honourable endeavour \u2013 no one wants to pick up an injury. <\/p>\n

But recent research<\/a> trumpets the physical<\/a> and mental merits<\/a> of a shorter warm-up. This is particularly true in a controlled environment like a gym, where injury risk is relatively very low when compared to the dynamism and unpredictability of field sports such as football. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to save time, warming up should be kept to the bare bones,\u201d says Wolf. \u201cWarm-ups can be important, especially for sports, but for lifting, there are a few points to take note of.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirstly, the research<\/a> we have suggests just one fairly heavy set [between 70-90 per cent of your one-rep max] of one to three reps, before your first actual training set, tends to be all you need to elicit a boost in performance. It\u2019s heavy, but it\u2019s a very feasible set, and it should make your first training set feel a lot more manageable. If you\u2019re already walking or cycling to the gym, that one fairly heavy set might be enough to cover your warm-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wolf also points out that any time spent warming up is time not spent on your actual workout. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you go to the gym for 60 minutes and spend 20 minutes warming up, that is 40 minutes where you are not working hard,\u201d he says. \u201cIf your warm-up takes five minutes, you have 55 minutes of actual working out, and so you\u2019re likely to see more health benefits, muscle growth and overall progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

For this reason, when training with sub-maximal loads and a primary goal of building muscle, Wolf likes to keep his warm-ups to just a few minutes. He has found a set of six to 10 reps of the exercise he is going to be doing, at 40 per cent of his one-rep max, followed by a set of one to three reps at 70-80 per cent of his one-rep max, works well. <\/p>\n

Read more: If you struggle to stay fit, try adding these nine simple science-backed behaviours into your week<\/a><\/p>\n

\"For<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

For strength training sessions, Wolf says warm-ups can usually be kept to five minutes. (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

Technique six: Workout frequency<\/p>\n

The most important factor in finding an effective workout routine is identifying one that suits your schedule \u2013 the workouts you do are always going to deliver greater results than the workouts you miss.<\/p>\n

But for those trying to maximise their training efficiency, Wolf says two to three weekly full-body workouts hits the sweet spot. <\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the research<\/a>, we generally see that training a muscle twice a week is a bit better than training it once a week,\u201d he explains. \u201cSo, doing one hour-long workout might be slightly worse than doing two 20-30-minute workouts. For this reason, I would suggest adopting a full-body routine where every major muscle group gets hit at least twice per week, and I would focus heavily on compound movements \u2013 exercises that target multiple muscles at once.\u201d<\/p>\n

In each workout, Wolf recommends including exercises covering four movement patterns which, between them, \u201ccover most bases\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese are the hip hinge for the lower body, so things like deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts and even hip thrusts,\u201d he says. \u201cThe other important movement pattern for the lower body is some sort of squat or lunge pattern, so we\u2019re talking about a high bar squat, Bulgarian split squat or dumbbell step-up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen there\u2019s a horizontal press, training your chest, triceps, front deltoids and even your lateral deltoids with things like the dumbbell chest press, dips and deficit press-ups. And the final movement pattern to include is going to be a horizontal pull. The reason a horizontal pull is so important is because it gets a good amount of stimulus to the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, mid trapezius and lower trapezius [the muscles across your back].<\/p>\n

\u201cSo if I was constructing two or three full-body workouts per week and I wanted maximum bang for your buck in terms of bone health, overall resilience, better functionality in day-to-day life and muscle growth, I would just focus on getting those four movement patterns in and doing two or three sets of each per workout.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: From exercising for fat loss to building muscle in a calorie deficit \u2013 doctor of sport science corrects three fitness myths<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Two to three weekly full-body workotus, twinned with walking 8,000 to 12,000 steps per day, will offer \u2018the vast majority of benefits from exercise\u2019, according to Wolf (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

Dr Milo Wolf\u2019s two-day workout plan for busy people <\/p>\n

The two workouts below should take roughly 20 minutes each, and they are to be performed on different days of the week. When arranging them in your week, leave at least one full day between the two workouts. Beyond this, you can be flexible as to how and when you incorporate them into your routine. <\/p>\n

Each workout comprises four exercises, to be performed as two supersets \u2013 paired movements are signified by the labels A and B. In practice, this means you will start the first workout by performing five to eight repetitions of the flat dumbbell press, immediately followed by five to eight repetitions of the incline dumbbell row. After this, you rest for 45 seconds then repeat this sequence. <\/p>\n

When you have completed this sequence three times, you move on to the second set of exercises. All movements have been demonstrated in the video above. You can also find a video of a beginner workout which follows the same base principles underneath the tables below. <\/p>\n

Day one <\/p>\n

Exercise<\/p>\n

Sets<\/p>\n

Reps<\/p>\n

Rest<\/p>\n

1A. Flat Dumbbell Press<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

5-8<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

1B. Incline Dumbbell Row<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

5-8<\/p>\n

45 seconds<\/p>\n

2A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat <\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

5-8 (each side)<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

2B. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

5-8<\/p>\n

120 seconds<\/p>\n

Day two<\/p>\n

Exercise<\/p>\n

Sets<\/p>\n

Reps<\/p>\n

Rest<\/p>\n

1A. Deficit decline press-up<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

As many as possible (perform until failure)<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

1B. Incline dumbbell face pull<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

5-8<\/p>\n

45 seconds<\/p>\n

1C. Dumbbell step-up<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

8-12<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

1D. Single-leg dumbbell Romanian deadlift<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

8-12 (each side)<\/p>\n

120 seconds<\/p>\n

What are the benefits of strength training?<\/p>\n

\u201cJust doing these two workouts per week is going to be really beneficial to your physique and your health,\u201d Wolf says. \u201cThe research<\/a> on lifting for health also generally suggests that the benefits are maximised at around two hours per week. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhether you would get additional benefits by going past that is still kind of contentious within the research. So, in contrast to things like getting your steps in or activities like running and cycling, where you generally see more health benefits the more you do, it seems like you can get most, if not all, the health benefits of lifting weights from around two hours per week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here, the term health encompasses myriad metrics including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and all-cause mortality. In Wolf\u2019s words: \u201cStrength training lowers your risk of basically every conceivable disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost forms of activity do a similarly effective job, provided you do them consistently, at improving your health,\u201d he continues. \u201cBut there are going to be slight additional benefits to lifting.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, lifting weights has a relatively low injury rate when compared to high-impact activities like running and field sports such as football and tennis. It is performed in a controlled environment with a large emphasis on control and technique. <\/p>\n

Read more: A personal trainer set out to learn everything he could about fat loss \u2013 this was his most important finding<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Strength<\/p>\n

open image in gallery<\/p>\n

Strength training has benefits to offer people of all ages, says Dr Milo Wolf (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

It has perks to offer people of all ages, too. <\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially as you get older, the body remembers,\u201d says Wolf. \u201cEven if you lifted, say, for a few years in your twenties or thirties, you will be better off for it in your sixties and seventies compared to someone who never lifted weights. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to improve things like bone mineral density, which, as you age, helps reduce your risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Sarcopenia \u2013 the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength \u2013 is another big one [strength training helps to combat].\u201d<\/p>\n

For these reasons, Wolf describes lifting weights as the \u201csingle most powerful thing you can do for gaining muscle\u201d \u2013 even beyond diet. And a strong body tends to be a robust body. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the first line of intervention for improving sarcopenia, bone density, muscle, and generally improving nearly all of your health markers, while reducing the risk of virtually every disease,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe you can get the vast majority of health benefits from exercise by simply lifting a few times a week and aiming for a daily step count of 8,000 to 12,000. That can be a really simple approach for not overthinking exercise.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause as much as many people focus on things like VO2 max and mitochondrial health, this is fixating on correlates of health rather than actual all-cause mortality risk. So I think focusing on behaviours that make you healthier, rather than the metrics that are associated with good health, is probably a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: The important thing your exercise plan is probably missing \u2013 particularly if you\u2019re older<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Most people exercise because they want to trigger changes, whether that\u2019s a change to their health, body or…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39356,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[565,134,111,139,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-39355","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-new-zealand","11":"tag-newzealand","12":"tag-nz"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39355\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}