'60 minutes a week to build muscle, burn fat, and live longer'
In this edition, I’m going to show you:
→ Why resistance training is essential for health
→ How to build muscle in minimal time
→ The key to growth → Progressive overload
4 minutes of your time required. Enjoy.
Most people think that building muscle is out of reach.
What if I told you ‘You can get all your exercise done in just 60 minutes a week’, if you train efficiently.
With just two 30-minute sessions, you can build muscle, improve metabolic health, and transform your physique.
What is resistance training?
Resistance training, also known as strength training, involves working against an external force to improve muscle strength, endurance, and size. This can be done using:
→ Free weights (barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells)
→ Weight machines
→ Resistance bands
→ Bodyweight exercises
Strength training isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s essential for long-term health and metabolic function.
Why it’s essential for metabolic and overall health
Muscle is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have, the more energy your body burns at rest, albeit a quite small amount.
→ Maintains and builds muscle: Muscle mass is critical as you age, reducing the risk of fractures and falls.
→ Boosts metabolism: While the increase is small, more muscle means a higher resting energy expenditure, creating a large sink for energy stores.
→ Hormone & energy optimisation: It lowers inflammation, reduces visceral fat (not good), and helps muscles use sugar and fat more efficiently, restoring Leptin & Insulin sensitivity.
→ Mitochondrial function: Increases mitochondrial number, efficiency, which improves energy production and reduces oxidative stress.
How to build muscle in minimal time
You can build muscle with just two 30-minute sessions a week.
Yes, really.
One or two full-body sessions, hitting all major muscle groups, is enough if done properly.
It all comes from this paper.
“We recommend that appreciably the same muscular strength and endurance adaptations can be attained by performing a single set of ~8-12 repetitions to momentary muscular failure, at a repetition duration that maintains muscular tension throughout the entire range of motion, for most major muscle groups once or twice each week. All resistance types (e.g. free-weights, resistance machines, bodyweight, etc.) show potential for increases in strength, with no significant difference between them, although resistance machines appear to pose a lower risk of injury.”
It doesn’t matter if you use free weights, machines, or bodyweight exercises.
For what its worth, I think using weights is easier.
What matters is how you train.
You don’t need heavy weights to build muscle, just focus on maintaining tension throughout each movement.
→ Slow, controlled reps: Move 5 seconds up, 5 seconds down without using momentum.
→ High effort, low volume: One set to momentary failure is enough per muscle group.
→ Minimal rest: Keep rest periods short to maximise growth hormone and testosterone release.
→ Allow recovery: Train hard, then rest 1–2 days between sessions for optimal muscle growth. Do not get tempted to over train.
Initially this will take a bit of figuring out with regard to what weight works for you.
The key to growth → Progressive overload
In the first few weeks you will build muscle easily, but will eventually plateau. You then must progressively challenge your body. Here’s what to do:
→ Increase the reps first.
→ Then increase weight by 5-10%.
→ For bodyweight training: Add reps, use a weighted vest, or move to harder variations (e.g., push-ups → weighted push-ups → ring push-ups).
Real life examples
Dr Ted Naiman is 50 and uses a simple bodyweight routine going to failure on each movement a few times a week.
His routine → Pull Ups/Push Ups/L-Sits/Handstand Push Ups/Pistol Squats/Supermans
P.D Mangan is 70 and trains full body twice a week, using weights.
His routine → Deadlifts/Chin Ups/Seated row/Lateral Raise/Overhead Press/Chest Press/Dips/Barbell Shrug/Hammer Curl/Leg Press/Sprint Cycle 20 Secs.
Simplicity is beautiful.
You don’t need time consuming regimes.
Two short, intense sessions a week are enough.
Keep your reps slow and controlled.
Rest 1–2 days between sessions for muscle growth and recovery.
Once you hit a plateau focus on progressive overload.
Stick with it, consistency beats perfection every time.
With the right approach, 60 minutes a week is all you need to build muscle, lose fat, and live longer, while leaving time for the rest of your life.
-Chris
If you want a simple routine to fit effortlessly into your life.
Book a free call here: https://calendly.com/hello-chrispatrick
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