After holding off for nearly two years, I’m posting this because too many people have asked for it. The lasses should read it, too, as the same principles can be applied to bodyfat loss.
I weighed 152 lbs. for four years of high school, and after training in tango in Buenos Aires in 2005, that had withered to 146 lbs. Upon returning to the US, I performed an exhaustive analysis of muscular hypertrophy (growth) research and exercise protocols, ignoring what was popular to examine the hard science. The end result? I gained 34 lbs. of muscle, while losing 3 lbs. of fat, in 28 days.
Before and after measurements, including underwater hydrostatic weighings, were taken by Dr. Peggy Plato at the Human Performance Laboratory at the San Jose State University, and I had blood tests taken on September 30 and October 20. Though this ridiculous experiment might seem unhealthy, I also dropped my total cholesterol count from 222 to 147 without the use of statins. No joke.
Here are a few comparative shots. Oh, and I forgot to mention, all of this was done with two 30-minute workouts per week, for a total of 4 HOURS of gym time:
How did I do it?
First, some select stats on the 4-week change (9/21-10/23):
Bodyfat %- 16.72 to 12.23
Suit Size- 40 short to 44 regular (measured at Brooks Brothers at Santana Row in San Jose by a professional tailor)
Neck- 15.8″ to 18″
Chest- 37.5″ to 43″
Shoulders- 43″ to 52″
Thigh- 21.5″ to 25.5″
Calf- 13.5″ to 14.9″
Upper Arm- 12″ to 14.6
Forearm- 10.8″ to 12″
Waist- 29.5″ to 33.1″
Hips (Ass at widest)- 34″ to 38.23″
Here are the six basic principles that made it happen:
1. Follow Arthur Jones’ general recommendations for one-set-to-failure from the little-known Colorado Experiment, but with lower frequency (maximum of twice per week) and with at least 3 minutes between exercises.
2. Perform every repetition with a 5/5 cadence (5 seconds up, 5 seconds down) to eliminate momentum and ensure constant load.
3. Focus on no more than 4-7 multi-joint exercises (leg press, trap bar deadlift, overhead press, Yates bent row, dips, incline machine benchpress, etc.) and exercise your entire body each workout to elicit a maximal hormonal (testosterone, growth hormone + IGF-1) response.
4. Eat enormous quantities of protein (much like my current fat-loss diet) with low-glycemic index carbohydrates like quinoa, but drop calories by 50% one day per week to prevent protein uptake downregulation.
5. Exercise less frequently as you increase strength and size, as your recovery abilities can only increase 20-30%, while you can often increase fat-free muscle tissue up to 100% before reaching a genetic set-point.
6. Record every workout in detail, including date, time of day, order of exercises, reps, and weight. Remember that this is an experiment, and you need to control the variables to accurately assess progress and make adjustments.
For the ladies not interested in becoming the Hulk, if you follow a “slow-carb” diet and reduce rest periods to 30 seconds between exercises, this exact workout protocol can help you lose 10-20 pounds of fat in the same 28-day time span.
Once again, questioning assumptions leads to the conclusion: less is more. Detox from TV twice a week and put in your 4 hours a month!
###
If you enjoyed this post, check out my latest book, The 4-Hour Body, #1 New York Times and #1 Amazon bestseller. You will learn: How to lose 20 pounds in 30 days (without exercise), how to triple your testosterone, techniques for producing 15-minute female orgasms, and more.
You can also pick up the Expanded and Updated 4-Hour Workweek, which includes more than 50 new case studies of luxury lifestyle design, business building, reducing hours 80%+, and world travel.
Related and Recommended Posts:
Tim Ferriss interviewed by Derek Sivers
Tim Ferriss articles on Huffington Post
Tim Ferriss interview – common questions on lifestyle design and productivity
Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That's how we're gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you're rude, we'll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch for the inspiration.)
Hi Tim, Great article! Its also fantastic you take your time to answer questions on this blog. Just an idea for you to consider: Is there a way to sort the comments so that viewers can easily see the postings you make yourself? Currently then a user has to search through all of the postings and it is difficult to find the ones posted by yourself. Since you are already answering all of the good questions then being able to easily read your postings and yours alone would be a big time saver. Thanks, Jeremiah Thompson ### Hi Jeremiah! Thanks for the kind words. I don't catch all of the good questions, but I try to answer when I can. The easiest way to find my comments is to hit Ctrl + F and search for "###" which I use before all of my replies. Thanks for reading! Tim
This is very much like the routines we have been using in our studios across the country for over ten years, and it is a really effective way to workout. Greg
New study reveals why restricting calories may lead to longevity. Thought this article was very interesting, a little science… http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?SID=mail&articleID=242CBE56-E7F2-99DF-37DEAE209E877BFB © 1996-2007 Scientific American, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
can you give more details on your workout and number of reps you did
Hi Tim. Great article. I was motivated by your blog to try it out for myself. Although I didn't do any specific before and after tests, I am definitely getting results after being stuck in a rut for so long. Thanks.
I just finished a variation of this workout program. After 2 workouts a week for 28 days, I gained approximately 20 pounds. However I was not taking any supplements (except protein powder) and was only eating about 3,000-4,000 calories a day. I also would work out for an hour instead of 30 minutes, because 30 minutes did not feel adequate enough to train the whole body.
The article "sounds good", the reality is different. No one will bulk up from an hour a week of working out. Unless they are taking sport enhancement supplements. Even then it will be a hard task. 30minutes just isn't enough time to make gains IMO. I would hate someone who wants muscle to believe that an hour a week is all you need. Experts say 30 minutes a day will keep you healthy. However, if you need to develop a shape then more work and time will be needed. One thing that is sad is that we buy whatever dream someone is selling. It would break my heart for you to buy into an 1hour a week. If you want to buy a fantasy buy into what I am telling you. Good Luck.
can the anonymous poster who i would say 90% hasnt tried this work out provide biological proof that what he/she is saying is true, that this can not be acheived. i was taught this workout at the age of 16 by a 55 yr old yoga instructor and i swear by it. as far as i know you cant prove anything biologically or scientifically when it comes to workingout. and besides do you really feel an obligation to the people on this website? because it seems the person who created this website and put their time into making it good has more of a vested interest in being right, where as i think you are just trying to boost your ego by "making them wrong" don't be a hater unless you are 100% certain. i will be awaiting your scientific data. Remember this site is what someone did and suceeded at. NOBODY IS TELLING YOU that this is the "right" way to do it, just that they did it. take it easy
It's a great idea, but I can't help but wonder what workout you actually used. I mean, was this run-of-the-mill squats/bench press sort of material, or did you use specific exercises? I hate working out, but I need to do it. I'd like to do it in the least possible time. I'd definately try this for myself, so could you put up a little more guidelines?
What you naysayers don't understand is that the workouts themselves are just the tip of the iceberg. If you are able to eat 5,000 calories a day (if you weigh about 150-160 lbs at the beginning), you will gain 20-30 lbs easily. You can do the workouts in your sleep. What really matters is calories and diet.
Two new studies show why some people are more attractive for members of the opposite sex than others. The University of Florida, Florida State University found that physically attractive people almost instantly attract the attention of the interlocutor, sobesednitsy with them, literally, it is difficult to make eye. This conclusion was reached by a series of psychological experiments, which were determined by the people who believe in sending the first seconds after the acquaintance. Here, a curious feature: single, unmarried experimental preferred to look at the guys, beauty opposite sex, and family, people most often by representatives of their sex. The authors believe that this feature developed a behavior as a result of the evolution: a man trying to find a decent pair to acquire offspring. If this is resolved, he wondered potential rivals. Detailed information about this magazine will be published Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. In turn, a joint study of the Rockefeller University, Rockefeller University and Duke University, Duke University in North Carolina revealed that women are perceived differently by men smell. During experiments studied the perception of women one of the ingredients of male pheromone-androstenona smell, which is contained in urine or sweat. The results were startling: women are part of this repugnant odor, and the other part is very attractive, resembling the smell of vanilla, and the third group have not felt any smell. The authors argue that the reason is that the differences in the receptor responsible for the olfactory system, from different people are different. It has long been proven that mammals (including human) odor is one way of attracting the attention of representatives of the opposite sex. A detailed article about the journal Nature will publish.
Tim Posted his workout and diet on bodybuilding.com via the following link: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/timothyf.htm
any additional proteins or recommended proteins for that matter?
Before and after shots are notoriously deceptive. As far as before and after shots go these are pretty decent. However…a few points to take into consideration. Why is scale different between before and after shots? This is uneccessarily misleading. Tan, or skin pigment, makes a huge difference in perceived definition. Hence a pasty white caucasian would look less "cut" or "ripped" than a dark skinned african american with the same body fat percentage. It is possible to lose fat (note, not weight, but actual fat) much faster and to build real world strength much faster. Training only twice a week is great for bulkin up and arbitrary muscle gain, but not the most effective way to build actual strength. And no, size, or even muscle weight, and practical strength are not neccessarily the same thing. Criticism aside, they are good results and definitely achievable for anyone. Looks like Tim actually worked on his legs too which is good to see! Too many body builders beef up their "showboat" muscles only, IE – pecs and biceps…but then have these scrawny little chicken legs! It's hilarious. But Tim looks balanced and in good shape. Well done! By the way, if it is real world strength and actual health versus mere "fitness" you are after, search for something called THE SPARTAN REGIME by ANTHONY BOVA or a book on diet called THE PALEO DIET by LOREN CORDAIN No, I do not profit in any way from anyone ourchasing these books. Just some awesome books I read that changed my life. Cheers! Sorry for the long post! Haha!
P.S. Tim will not like this but….my advice is to stay away from training supplements. Effects are minimal. Price is huge. Supplements are 99% marketing and 1% results. Maybe good for selling and making cash, but not worth it for buying and getting worthwhile results. You'll get much, much more just from eating a good diet. That's my 2cents. Done. I'll wait for the abuse….
Hamish, I do in the main agree with you on supplements. There marketing does in the most part and specifically attempt to trigger the men desire to be "bigger", without much in the way of science behind them. To his credit I believe Tim doesnt push his brand of supplements (bodyquick,brainquick) and more to the point avoids direct association due to its potential to muddy the waters. Also Tim does make a long and frequent points in other blogs about consuming a Low GI, nutrient rich, vegetable rich diet. Lean proteins, low glycemic carbs, fresh vegetables….hard to disagree with basing your diet on such advise. I don't pretend to be an expert so just 2 observations: Firstly if you are building up muscle/strength rather than stasis you will need plenty of "stuff to make muscles": amino acids, ideally consumed in the form of proteins (which are of course digested broken down to amino-acids). Of course, egg whites, tuna and chicken breasts are excellent but if you think about it there is a reasonable case to be made that some protein supplements (powders/drinks) could be used with equal effects. Not only that but the protein supplement could be targeted/tailored to provide the specific right combinations/ratios amino acids needed by your body to build muscle mass. Secondarily Creatine is used in your muscles as a vital link for the (ATP) energy metabolism. In general case enough may be enough (ie from a healthy diet) yet as a supplement creatine seems to have lots of science behind it in helping even quackwatch doesnt discount it as being helpful http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/creatine.html. So as a start Creatine and Amino-acid/Protein supplementation could and in all likely hood be beneficial in helping build muscle mass. The main point of course of supplementing is in additional to a natural, low-gi, low-fat, high nutrient diet as recommended by Tim (and countless others). Few could imagine a large scale consumption KFC, McD's with the addition of supplements being the ideal road to build strength and muscle mass. I am trying Tim's plan now, although I am hardly the "naturally muscled athlete" body type of Tim, I am 10 years older and started with less (atrophy). So far (3 training days) I have picked up 2KG in body mass, I am lifting heavier weights and feel stronger without my waist line increasing. So far so good. However I have to state I don't think it is likely I will see the same results as Tim. Maybe naysayers will state I wont get the results of Tim because I am not taking all the supplements he did.
Tim and everybody else, Thanks for the exercise plan. Just an update, I have always been a wiry little runt and have never been able to gain weight(muscle or fat). After several attempts at weight training and then running I only ever gained 5-10 lbs over 2 years. I have been following the 1 set to failure plan for 6 weeks now and have gone from 127 to 139 lbs! That is a consistent 2 lbs a week of solid muscle and probably more due to overall muscle density increasing. The heaviest I have ever been is 131, so this is mostly new growth, not muscle memory. Also, my strength has easily doubled with every exercise since I started. I have noticed the largest gains in my legs, leg press has gone from 160 – 320Lbs and my pants are finally filling out. And all muscle groups are filling out and much more defined. I notice a new muscle everyday! My excercises, Legs: Leg Press – Mostly Negative, superset Leg Curls Leg Extension Calf Raise Push: Bench Press, superset Weighted dips – Negative only Military press (Shoulder press) Pull: Row Weighted Pullups – Negative only Bent Row Also, sometimes I will throw in an Ab exercise. I try to put much more emphasis on negative reps. This actually stresses the muscles more and improves flexibility. All exercises except dips and pullups are on machines. Leg Press are 3 up/ 10 down cadence. Pullups (10 down),dips (5 down) All other Exercises are 5/5 cadence. All sets to failure, (I mean gut wrenching, grunting, shaking, feeling ready to puke, I couldn't get another rep with a gun to my head failure!) Remember you are trying to trigger your body's natural hormonal survival response, so push it! With this kind of intensity, I have been only able to exercise once a week, due to being sore. If anybody is more interested in the Colorado Experiment, there is a detailed book and exercise plan written by Ellington Darden "The New HIT" who worked for many years with Authur Jones. One last note. I was drinking whey protein Powder for 4 weeks, thinking that it was the magic potion. But after puking it up one night, I quit taking it and the gains are still consistent. So as others have said, supplements may actually have very little benefit. I just make sure that I eat 4 meals (Breakfast, lunch, dinner, before bed). I eat a lot of pasta, rice, veggies, lean meats and cottage cheese. So HIT is working for me and I always thought I could never gain weight! My milestones are 150Lbs by Jan 15 and 160 lbs by March 1st Kudos and keep it INTENSE, Nate
similary story, i gained 50 lbs of muscle in about 4 months… went from 155 to 205.. i thought that was insane but 30 lbs in 1 month.. funny thing is i didnt really work out at all i just ate all day and did pushups and bicep curls occasionaly. idk im young tho only 20 i had a growth spurt coming anyways i was the same size all the way through highschool at about 5 10 to 511. just a lil bit under 6 feet now in my second year at college
Hi, the results sound really impressive. However, irrespective of training protocol & diet, I just don't believe those results are realistically obtainable in the given time frame. The workout advice ie shorter, focused workouts, limited compound exercises and sets to failure with adequate rest for recuperation – all good…BUT 34lb muscle in 4 weeks!! I've been a personal trainer for a long time and this just doesn't sound right!! However, for anyone reading, the general advice is good…take it as you wish!!
1 set til failure full body workouts is exactly what Don Lemmon advocates. www.DonLemmon.com go to his site and get his books "The Know How". He made Eric Carlson gain 30lbs in 6 weeks doing 15-20 minute workouts 2-3 times a week 1 set til complete failure.
I am close to 400 lbs and was thinking about picking up this workout and eating plan. Any ideas on how it would work, or if I should follow it?
Great Man, I m just Looking for such kind of process Fast and durable. Even now, I 'm not believing that you gain 34 lb of muscles and without steriods. If it s true. This is great. but i gona give it a try.
It’s a great idea, i want to know the details exercise plan Layout. I hope you will Submit the another Post about what plan and schedule you have choose such that you gain such muscles. I need to do it. I’d like to do it in the least possible time. I’d definately try this for myself,
Like the above, I don't think you can gain muscle that fast even with steroids.
Hi Tim. I read your book and it has improved my business to an awesome degree. I was checking out your site when I noticed your training. good on you– you made some awesome gains. I train high intensity myself and just one the World Natural bodybuilding championships. The best gains of my life came training HIT fashion. I am one of the best PT trainers in the country and when I embark on a Transformation program with a client–its the all body HIT workouts I choose to work with. Once again your book was life changeing thank you. Keep up that working out and-Well Done. Ian.
"Exercise less frequently as you increase strength and size, as your recovery abilities can only increase 20-30%, while you can often increase fat-free muscle tissue up to 100% before reaching a genetic set-point." Great tip right there. People often under-estimate the importance of rest and they often over train too. Great gains as well, keep up the good work. All the best 😉
Hey Tim, I weeded through most of the comments, but I didn't see anyone ask if you could achieve similar gains in endurance training by somehow condensing your training and maximizing efficiency. I know the heart system operates differently than the skeletal muscles, but I'm not educated enough about the science to manufacture an experiment myself. Endurance training is about well, endurance, and training that requires a large time commitment depending on the race distance. Experimenting with a way to cut down training time while maintaining gains would be a major breakthrough. A future experiment perhaps?? I'd help
It's great to see something on weight GAIN! So thanks for the refreshing info. I tried this out with minimal increases…check my blog if you want more info on it. I know exactly why I got such small increases but I'm not sure how to fix it. I'd like to get your input on how to eat enough to gain this type of weight on a busy schedule? It's very difficult to get this kind of food anywhere other than a grocery store and it's also difficult to find time to eat four big meals a day (especially since I work 6-8 hours of semi physical work and I can't stop for a 30 min meal twice during my day). Luckily, I don't work everyday so my off days I can eat accordingly. So I guess my simple question is…How can I gain significant weight if I have a busy schedule and I'm on the go?
Hi Tim, thank you for an awsome book, awesome blog and your great example of braveness. They say that the highest form of adoration is imitation – so hopefully you will feel a sense of being honored when another copycat asks how to replicate your stuff. In the movie Batman Begins they say that fear is not outside of us, but inside – what we really fear is our own power, our power to do marvelous or terrible things. So in order to harness true power we should love resistance. experience the force through embracing feelings of fear instead of pushing them away, trying even to enjoy them as pleasure. This will force us into our inner battle of life and death and will give us a emotional sense of purpose, personal mythology and destiny. Interesting principle – the greatest people in history did this, they got their position historical mystery through doing marvelous and terrible things.. and they all offered some sort of new life experience with their words… well, enough philosophy – I'm planning on doing the "geek to freak"-experiment so I've contacted one of the top bodybulding experts/personal trainers in Stockholm (were I live in Sweden) and we have studied and compared both the Colorado-experiment (which he knew about before) and your geek/freak-experiment.. Anders (the bodybuilder-trainer) has some questions: 1. What exercises did you use? Machines or free weights? 2. Did you prepare your muscles by warming up before your one-set failure, or did you do it directly? 3. The 5/5-candence in your version of the experiment, could you explain more about that? Is there any "hard science" behind it? 4. You said that the project would SEEM unhealthy, could it BE unhealthy aswell? 5. Why the 3 minute rest between sets in your version of the experiment. It would be great with some enlightenment on this. We want our "Stockholm"-experiment to be as successfull as possible. Thanks man! (my website is under construction) ### Hi David! Please search my name on www.bodybuilding.com — there is a more complete explanation of my workout and diet there. Good luck and keep us all posted on progress — don't forget to take before-after photos 🙂 Tim
at first I thought you wrote: "don’t forget to Fake before-after photos :)" 😉 but yes, I will post them.. thanks
So… basic question here… is "failure" the point where you can not lift even one more rep… or the point where you can't do so with good form? I.e. is failure the same as exhaustion?
Umm… I'm not buying this, can you email me at lbrithes@gmail.com and tell me how it works, because, seriously, you gained muscle faster than Christian Bale for Batman, and he had professional trainers, and went on a special diet. Everyone says he did steroids, did you? ### Hi Joe, LOL… No steroids whatsoever. Just search my name on www.bodybuilding.com for a more detailed version of this. Cheers, Tim
I was curious about the re-hydration method you used during your weigh-in for the Chinese kick-boxing competition in your book. Where is that information on your blog and those images–?
Someone may have mentioned this already, but as a woman I think I should point out the Before and After would be a LOT more fair if you'd shaved your chest and got a tan BEFORE starting your fitness program. 😉 Your photos remind me of one of those infomercials that sell male enhancement pills. That said, if it makes you feel good, do it… congrats on your success.
Tim, Very interesting experiment. I've read through your article on bodybuilding.com, and I'd like to repeat this, but I have a few questions: 1. I am a trainee who is used to multiple sets at a high weight, with low reps (3-6). Since your program calls for a 5/5 cadence, should I be expecting to use a weight around 50% of my 1RM? I'm going to suspend my disbelief for the duration of this program, so I just want to know what to expect. 2. Here are the exercises I was considering performing: squats, dips, chinups, military presses, one arm dumbbell rows. What do you think of that? Do you have any recommendations to make in this regard, or are these exercises just fine? 3. For a few exercises, it seems like the grip would give out before the target muscle (for example, chinups, and one arm dumbbell rows), since a set would last 80-120 seconds. How can I work around that? Any guidance you can provide is greatly appreciated! ### Hi Igor, Here you go, in brief: 1. I am a trainee who is used to multiple sets at a high weight, with low reps (3-6). Since your program calls for a 5/5 cadence, should I be expecting to use a weight around 50% of my 1RM? I'm going to suspend my disbelief for the duration of this program, so I just want to know what to expect. TTT: That sounds about right. Your current regimen is great for relative strength, assuming long rest intervals, but this is designed with maximizing muscle nutrient density and hypertrophy. Start with 50% and then work up or down as needed. I suggest one 1-2-hour workout of testing just to determine the proper weight for exercises. 2. Here are the exercises I was considering performing: squats, dips, chinups, military presses, one arm dumbbell rows. What do you think of that? Do you have any recommendations to make in this regard, or are these exercises just fine? TTT: These are just fine. You're hitting all the primary movers. 3. For a few exercises, it seems like the grip would give out before the target muscle (for example, chinups, and one arm dumbbell rows), since a set would last 80-120 seconds. How can I work around that? TTT: The weight will be less, but you can: 1) use a phosphate buffering supplement to decrease lactic acid build-up, and/or 2) use lifting wraps. I discourage #2 unless absolutely necessary. Good luck and happy gaining!
I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I doubt this kind of progress could be made in 4 weeks. If you are a stock beginner, you would have to have superior genetics to make this kind of progress. Mike Baggett
Any suggestions for a teenager (17) wanting to start this program. Days per week, calories, exercises to gain alot of mass. I understand being younger i can do more and recover quicker because of my high hormone production. I was also thinking of doing a difference rep cadence, more liek 2 sec up and 4 down. Fast twitch muscle fibers would be getting hit better with that cadence compared to the 5, 5 which is only slow twitch. Thanks
I think that it is possible to achieve results like this if you do everything properly and have the right genetics. The reason that this would be so difficult for the average person is because they would have no idea what they are doing. If you eat the right diet, train properly, get 10 hours of sleep a night, and take proven legal bodybuilding supplements, I think many of you would be very surprised with the results you can achieve in a relatively short time period. Just my two cents!
Tim, I was so intrigued by this post that for the past few months I've been doing as much research as possible in order to do the same. I'm a little disappointed with my results and cannot figure of what I did wrong. It would make my day – or month really – if you could give me any advice. I followed your training program on bodybuilding.com almost to the letter, but I increased the calories intake because I'm a little bit taller. I took all of the supplements you listed, during the times you listed, but added glutamine and creatine supplements to the plan. I made sure to eat over 200 grams of protein a day, and took casein before bed and upon awakening to ensure sustained release, but whey just following a workout. I had 5 meals a day that were usually around 1500 calories – supplementing during meals (ALA/Chromium for increased insulin sensitivity) and between meals (protien shakes). I dropped calories along with protein on Saturday by 50%. I followed your workout plan to the letter. And made sure I went to absolute failure on all exercises. I trained the same amount as you did. I also had a consistent 9 hours of sleep every night during the same times. I made sure to eat before bed in order to have the smallest amount of fasting. The first thing I did in the morning is eat for the same reason. I only gained 8 pounds of muscle, but gained 3 pounds of fat. I know everyone's body is different. Besides the hight difference (not much) we're shaped the same way as you were in the first picture. I am going to keep trying to reach my goal, I'm hoping there is something else you did, or ate that got you there so fast, but either way, maybe you can give me some advice? Thanks, Alex.
Your principles are good: less time working out, more intensity, high protein diet…However, even though, you have proven time and again that you are an exceptional achiever in several fields, you cannot bend the laws of physiology. In other words, there is no way in the world you could have gained 34 lbs of muscle in 28 days, especially considering that you are past your teens or early 20's. Sorry to have to tell you that Tim, but either you were taking some illegal performance enhancers (which I do not believe just by looking at your pictures) or you have exaggerated the results. How do I know that? I have been working out 3 to 5 times a week for the last 20 years, trying all sorts of routines and diets, without ever using steroids, should I add. You may object that I am not "genetically" advantaged, which is probably true, but even super gifted athletes (typically black men) whom I work out with on a daily basis never came close to your figures. What you describe is redolent of a "Muscle and Fitness" ad. This just does not happen in real life. I wish you, as a role model, avoided setting unrealistic expectations (whose sheer pursuit may turn out to be hazardous when it comes to physical activities). Reading Alex's post alone(07/02/08) makes me sad. This guy should be very proud of his achievement(8lbs of muscle gained in 4 weeks)instead of becoming despondent because of it. PS for Alex: good work! but you are eating WAY too much, this is why you gained 3 lbs of fat (instead of losing some in the process as should be expected). Cut your overall calorie intake or even though you will build up further muscle mass, you will never get those six-pack abs and probably end up with cholesterol problems before long.
Even with all the knowledge, food and the genetics that's an insane transformation for only 4 weeks.
This sounds pretty amazing, but the only drawback I've found is that I'd go totally broke having to buy all new suits for work to accomodate my new size! Tim, got any hookups on suits?
Tim, love your(4hww)book! But you suggest we read the books for this exercise, health info. WHAT books? I dont see them listed anywhere. Can you or anyone point me to the right book list? THANKS!!
I'm two weeks into this regime and enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. I'm finding that my energy levels are a lot more constant than they are normally when I'm eating lots of bread and white rice. I currently cook up large batches of lentils and beans every couple of days and combine them in as many ways as possible. So far it hasn't been too much of a struggle. The biggest bonus is that I never get the sudden down in energy right after lunch. After the sessions in the gym I feel exhausted but pumped and my muscles ache pretty well up to the next session. However…I did something in my session yesterday which I would want to warn others about. This seems reasonably obvious in retrospect but I believe is a weakness of this regime if you don't regularly go to the gym anyway – I do but still made the following mistake: Unless you're very careful, your different muscles are likely to increase in strength at different rates. I was finding that the weight on the machine squat I was able to do before simply wasn't enough to work my legs properly, so I increased the weight by a few pounds, however for the starting push I had to use my lower back too much and my lower back muscles hadn't increased in strength as much as those in my legs. Consequently I ended up pulling a muscle in my lower back. Clearly whenever you workout you have to be extremely sensible with your form and what weights you use, but I believe that with this regime, as effective as it may be, you have to be even more careful because you're always using weights which you are on the limit of using in good form (though of course with the 5-5 timing this should be below your max press). Basically I've found that the general mentality of the workout is – push yourself hard for half an hour with constant good form and an extremely long time for peak muscle usage – perhaps I took the extreme nature of this too literally. Anyway, I think that it's important to make sure that you have good core muscle strength before starting this regime, or at least be even more careful than you would be with a less extreme workout, when you're having to use your stabiliser muscles. Today the lower back is feeling tender but it should be ok in a couple of days – therefore it's not too serious a tear. In my next workout I'm going to use more gentle exercises on my lower back to try and increase the strength there gradually and use leg exercises which are more local. Anyway, in general I'm pleased with how things are going, but if I can stop someone else from making the same stupid mistake I made yesterday then that has to be a good thing!
One thing sets the alarm bells ringing here I'm afraid: it looks as if to maximise the results visually there's a bit of trick photography going on here. Would it be possible to see "after" photographs where you're the same visual height in each comparison as the "before" photo, in order to minimise the mental process of noticing the differences? That would be much more honest. ### Hi Alan, Point taken, but please note that this is just due to poor Photoshopping skills, not any purposeful trickery 🙂 Cheers, Tim
you're going to have more stretchmarks than a pregnant woman if this actually works.
So I see your blogs on fat loss and muscle gain- how about flexibility now? Got that figured out yet? ### This is a big one that I'm working on. Much harder to measure properly if you don't have assistance, so it's a different kettle of fish. I'm open to observations and suggestions 😉 Tim
I've had a lifelong struggle with flexibility like many do with their weight. The only thing that's worked for me is PNF, but even then I need much bigger gains than I'm getting. Can't wait to see what you come up with. I want my side split!!
Amanda, Check out Pavel Tsatsouline's book "Relax Into Stretch: Instant Flexibility Through Mastering Muscle Tension" It gives you one immediate technique to be able to land the splits. I don't have any affiliation with Pavel, I just thought you could benefit from it.
Good call- that's the book I've been using for the PNF. 🙂 It's a good start, but I'm sure there's a better way, and I'm sure Tim can find it!
Amanda, Have you finished reading the whole book? Pavel has one special technique called the "clasp knife." You use it after you've used the PNF, and made good progress, but can't get that last 1-4 inches. This is supposed to be the technique that will get you to the splits immediately.
Tim, I'll be trying something similar but using my home gym. The problem is that I can't do multi-joint lower body exercises with it, only leg extensions and curls. I'll be able to max it out on the leg extensions. Would this work if I did the leg extensions to failure, even if it was 20 reps? I have plenty of options as far as the upper body goes, it's just the lower body exercises that are limited. Thanks
Hi Tim! First, I loved your book! That was what led me here to your blog.. In this post you said not to exceed 2 exercises per week,yet in your article on bodybuilding.com, you said to exercise every other day (" PUSH, one day off, PULL, one day off, LEGS, one day off,"). Does that mean for the for the first week of the 28 days, you need to exercise more frequently? I am a bit confused. Thanks! ### Hi Dan, This is generally true. You do sessions less frequently as you get stronger to allow for recovery. Good luck! Tim
Hi Tim, I'm really interested in trying out this program, but I'm currently trying to build up my cardio by doing a combination of walking/running 4 days per week. Would it be possible to do both at the same time, or would I have to take a break from that? Thanks.
The "after" pics are shown at a slightly larger scale in the top two images – a technique commonly used in the media to accentuate results. This would be working in your case except that the bottom two comparisons have reversed the technique making it look like you got shorter and smaller in the after shots. Regardless I will likely try this experiment on my own.
Great book, I'm up to the second chapter and can really see this lifestyle working for me.
I'm sorry but I'm calling BS. At the very least, Junk Science. I am skeptical about the photos, the lack of detail about the routines….you just can't gain over 1 lb of muscle per day.
Can anyone tell me if Marathon distance running is aerobic or anaerobic, and would it interfere with gaining muscle? I don't need the overnight results like Tim, but wanted to know what I might need to change in this equation – diet perhaps – to do both. Thanks!
Hi Tim, I was very skeptical about this post at first, much like other comments I see here. But you know what, the best way to see if any of it is true, is to just try it yourself 🙂 Without trying to get it completely right and posting question all over the place…. I'm now in my third week and the gains are really amazing! keep the exploring approach!
I just finihsed the program and gained 8 lbs of solid muscle. The most gains were in strength. In 4 weeks i went up 60lbs on my squat strength and 35 more lbs to my bench. It works you just have to put forth crazy intensity in your 1 set per exercise. This is not BS its another way to train. Theres this way which is very very intense, or volume which takes longer but is less intense. Whatever way you want to do it they both work. I just like this because im in the gym less.
This work-out routine is great but it's not for someone who has never exercised before in their lives. This routine is for someone that might have been really into weight training a few years ago and is just trying to get back into it again, or for someone who has been training for years and plateaued. In any event, HIT works as long as you have plenty of rest and a great diet–oh and don't over train either. Here's a great example of an HIT work out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5uqlgGUWVw&feature=related
It's really unbelieveable. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
hello my self bhavesh swami and my age is 26 year and my weight is 50 and i want to gain my weight up to 60 to 65kg…so can u please tell me how to put on my weight…..else my diet is not good so can u please tell me what to take in diet and supplemets……. thanks…..
Hi Tim et al, Have decided to follow this program myself. Will post regular updates here… http://whodeani.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/geek-to-freak-its-on/ … throughout the month as the program progresses. DJ.
Very nice transformation. It is hard to believe, at first glance, these numbers, but when you take into consideration that you lost some weight beforehand and then totally changed your way of training and your nutrition, it's a little easier to get. But my hat's off to you, man. Ed Scow
Hi Tim, Did you use the Bodyquick supplement during this process? ### Hi Rob, I did use it, about 30 minutes pre-workout. Cheers, Tim
This diet is like the Anabolic diet, but I think that the Anabolic diet is easier to follow. Check it out at www.metabolicdiet.com. It has more advantages, but is less strict than the one posted here. I've been on it for 3 months, and lost about 23 pounds WITHOUT working out. www.metabolicdiet.com
I hate to break it to you guys, but the body cannot build 34 pounds of muscle in four weeks. It's physiologically impossible. At the most your body is capable of synthesizing 2 to 3 pounds of raw muscle tissue in a month. My guess is that Mr. Ferriss used to look like his "after picture", then spent six months deliberately dieting down and stopped weight training. Then, when he hit the weights again and started eating right, he benefited from muscle memory. Lots of guys who were trained can get their musculature back pretty quickly. An untrained guy will NEVER- I repeat NEVER- be able to replicate these results. Also there is a reason why no competitive body builders use HIT methods. They aren't that great and you burn out your CNS by constantly training to failure.
You're right, he did not gain 34 pounds of muscle in a month. I would guess 4 or 5 at the absolute most. The pictures are misleading in several ways, just like mass-market supplement ads: in the "after" shots, he's shaved, tan, and the shorts are pulled up to reveal muscle that was already there, just covered up by the shorts in the "before" shots. The size of the pictures is also (purposely, of course) inconsistent, so you can't easily compare any two of them. He's also very obviously not 16.72% body fat in the "before" pictures. When you look closely, you can see that there is actually very little change in muscle mass and fat levels between the two. I'm guessing he went from 13 or 14% to 12% in that month (not difficult), gained a few pounds of muscle, and carbed up the day before the after shots to look fuller. The real travesty is that he's probably knowledgeable enough that he could make money without lying, but I guess greed gets the better of some people. ### Hi John, Just a few things in my own defense, as I don't think it's fair to assume I'm trying to deceive people, which I'm not. What would I have to gain? Nothing but headache. Some observations: 1. Yes, I'm more tanned and shaved in the second. 2. The photos sizes are due to my poor Photoshopping skills — nothing. Note that some of the "before" shots are bigger than the "after." 3. Bodyfat measurements were taken by a PhD at San Jose State U. 4. I have nothing to gain by lying. What am I selling here? Nothing. This is a post of my experience, but I understand why many are skeptical, as I would be. The fact is, regardless, that this is exactly what happened. All the best, Tim
After my response was deleted, I did a little research on you (self-promoting has its downside). Wow, do you have a nasty reputation. Talk about bad karma. ### Hi John, I'm not sure what you're talking about with the comments, but three things. 1) All public figures get attacked, especially on an anonymous Internet. 2) Who have I hurt? No one. This blog — and the book — were both created to help people, and thousands of people in dozens of countries, many on this blog, seem to be benefiting. 2) I can't debate everyone who has a bone to pick with me, as I would spend all day doing that and nothing else. Regarding bad karma, perhaps the free work I do in education, fundraising for literacy worldwide, etc. that has built schools around the world and helped for more than 15,000 students in the US will offset whatever you're referring to. Just doing my best here, man. Look around at real media and interviews with people who know me, and you'll find I'm not all bad. There are plenty of doubters and attackers whose comments are approved on this blog, and assistants try and be fair in moderating. If things come across as snide or hurtful, they're usually deleted. My readers and I just don't want that to be part of the community. Sorry if you dislike me, but that's totally your right. It'd be a boring world if we all agreed. Best of luck to you and yours, Tim
Actually my original response wasn't unfriendly at all, it just pointed out again that gaining 34 pounds of muscle is impossible under normal circumstances. In the Colorado Experiment, Casey Viator was A) recovering from severe atrophy, B) a genetic freak to begin with, C) eating MASSIVE amounts of food, and D) on steroids. Arthur Jones was not aware of this and chose not to believe it. I also asked how many daily calories you took in during your "miracle month". I'm sure you're a great guy most of the time, but without substantiating your claims, you just come across as a pathalogical liar. I'm not holding it against you – if it works for you, and apparently it has, more power to you. I wouldn't personally take that route.
Hi John, Here's what you just wrote, among other things: "I’m not holding it against you – if it works for you, and apparently it has, more power to you." Perhaps you don't realize, but you just called me a pathological liar. If you look up "pathological," you'll find that you just made a major insult. I consumed at least 5,000 calories per day, but before you use a closed-system thermodynamic calories-in/calories-out model to call me a liar again, please read Dr. Michael Eades' posts on calorie counting. Google him and you'll find a few good articles. I do substantiate plenty of my "claims," but I'm not inclined to spend time on your behalf when you use such an insulting tone. Sorry. This is a blog and not a peer-reviewed journal that can respond to every critic. If you don't believe me, that's OK. You've already drawn your conclusions, I think. Best of luck. Have a nice weekend. Tim
Timothy, this is another extraordinary example of how to be successfull in a short time without too much effort, just by doing it the right way. This article makes a good addition to your book, though not focused on business. Maybe you should publish a "4-hour-social-week". Cheers, Marc
Hey tim, I have a lot of respect for you. I recently read your book – my friend recommended it to me. I quit my office job over 14 months ago. I've been living the good life since then (traveling, working odd jobs , and doing what i want to do now rather than later). Anyway, I'm starting this workout today. And perhaps if you have some time you can critique it. I'm basing my routine based on what was written here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/timothyf.htm This was my routine for the first day: (i plan on doing fewer exercises per day into the future) 10-12 reps at 40 lbs pullover 14 reps 60 lbs Bent Row (yates) 7 reps 180 lbs Leg Press + 5 reps 180 lbs (single reps with pause), + 4 negatives on each leg (i was unable to get 12 reps in at 180 – the pain was intense i felt like puking afterwards) 7 reps 25lbs dips + 10 second static 14 reps 105 lbs leg curls + 40 second 120 lb static 8 reps 30 lbs revers curl + 15 second 50 lb static 16 reps 180 lb seated angled calf raises 4 reps 60 lbs hammer curl ab curl + 4 40 lbs + 3 10 second statics at 60 lbs 8 reps 40 lb bicep curls + 15 sec static 8 reps 105 lb close grip pull down Neck bridges – on back and side for probably 90 seconds I drank 100 calories of Gatorade during workout and 100 calories after workout for high glycemic carbs. I'm eating 8 large shrimps, 2 chicken breasts, a turkey ball, pork chops, rice/beans, spinach. and some other vegetable. post workout. I eat several large meals a day. I'm 5'11 and 167lbs. i took pictures and such. What do you recommend for a diet? Should I really limit my intake of rice? I tend to eat it with almost every meal. is eating rice going to hamper my progress? also when you say reduce calories to half do you mean protein calories or all calories in general. any other nutrients necessary? This is a picture of what i'm eating:I'm not good at calorie guessing. I http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r250/PicsNYC/IMG_0029.jpg Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Hi there, man. I just listened to the audiobook and then read a lot of the blog, and then just watched your whole interview with google (I wonder how many people actually watch a 72min interview, but… i did). I'm a Brazilian entrepeneur and intend to work around the globe doing crazy stuff like you did veeery soon. About this post: I liked a lot the system you used, and have read the Colorado Experiment article as well. Some people habve asked, and though you did respond to some criticism (giving a lot of attention for somebody like him) you still didn't asnwer to people's most asked questions, here's one I've also had the curiosity too, so I'm re-asking: Question> I got how you do the repetitions (5/5 until failure) but how do you exactly calculate the maximum wheight is still an unanswered doubt.
Hi Luis (and all), Sorry for the delay, but I write on this blog when I have the enthusiasm and time. To your topic… Good question. Here's the simple answer: I generally spend about 2 hours with a trainee before any real workouts and have them do 10-rep sets of increasing weight with a 2-sec up and 2-sec down speed for each exercise. Complete one exercise at a time. Take 2 min between sets and exercises. Once the trainee completes a set that would have failed in 2 reps or so, cut 25% off that weight and use it for your next workout at the 5/5 to failure. From there, adjust as needed. Hope that helps! Tim
whoa. great and quick answer, cleared my doubts. thanks a lot. best regards, Tim. you're already the new idol of this 21-olded boy from São Paulo.
I can't believe the number of people who've commented on this guy's hair removal and tanning. Did at any point any of these posters read any of the above comments? I guess it's a perception/personality thing. I've seen something similar in a book called "Power Factor". This approach appears more intuitive, and I can always use more hours in a day. Thanks for getting the information out there.
You all might want to do a search on this. A number of people noticed the photos are doctored. http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkheadedbug/482888546/ The pics are doctored, y'all. He shaved and tanned for the "after" pics, probably pumped a few weights right before the pic. Check out the flick link with the pics resized properly. He didn't gain 34 pounds of muscle. Sorry, it looks like a classic scam. (No, I don't have any financial interest in ANY body building program, I just feel bad for people who are getting suckered by false advertising.)
Sup, Tim? J9 and I had a blast in Omaha! Wow! It seems you are a bit of an oracle yourself. Devoured the book, blog, site; can't get enough. Suddenly find myself Tryking, Kite-Surfing, eating better, training to exhaustion and generally just doing a lot of personal lifestyle design. Absolutely love Elance, great intro by the way. Saving a ton of money and time. Has taken me less than two weeks to design myself out of my business model, Awesome! The power of the human mind never ceases to amaze me. It seems that some folks are so used to and invested in their own failure that they defeat themselves before they ever get started. Who cares if you gained 35 lbs or 3.5 lbs, the bigger picture is that you bring a scientific approach to almost all that you do, you layout your results and anyone who wants to can conduct their own experiments. I, for one, have chosen to try the workout and diet and determine the results for myself. I have taken before photos and will probably be tanning and shaving in about 22 days. Heck, no matter what I will look and feel great next month in Cabo, Kite-surfing the days away!" Thanks for helping all of us over achieving, business builders let go of the rains and fly!
DUDE!, no need for cursing except to say HOTDAM! Wow. My lean muscled son will be taking this into consideration. You are generous. 🙂 xoxo Actually I have another special blog entry of yours bookmarked and stumbled upon this class act entry today. Yes. I'll be back 🙂
Anyone have experience with Metabolic Balance / Metabolic Typing diet to GAIN weight? I'm 39, female, 5' 8" and I weigh 100 pounds. Not anorexic or bulimic, actually quite fit for as I've been this weight since I was 19. Trying to increase my average food intake. Looking for a nutritious and healthy diet and workout program that will strenghthen my immune system. Can anyone recommend reading material for a "false beginner". In the past have done various workouts (weight training, martial arts, yoga) but was not able to consistently stick to one thing for more than 3-6 months. 🙁 Thanks in advance!
Very nice Tim. I wonder if you have an opinion on the Clean and Jerk ( http://snipr.com/29psz ), which I think is a great exercise! It's like a deadlift, shrug, upright row, squat, military press, and lunge all in one. All you would need after that would be some bent over rows.
You were hotter as a geek. 🙂
Hey Tim, I was just curious on how you would maintain this physique after you achieved it. I was interested in trying this, but only if I could keep the amount of muscle that I gained, but not grow more, because I want to look good, but not look like a freak who goes to the gym to much. Thanks!
This is a good example of smart training, thanks for sharing Tim. I have just posted up a blog on batching training here ( http://drewprice.co.uk/blog/?p=22 ) that some of the NR here might find of interest. In my line of work I see far too many people wasting time on 'junk reps' or exercise at the wrong 'intensity' it comes back to the old work 'effective' again, doesn't it?
To 'Jones' who posted on the 10th, obviously I can't speak for Tim but maintaining a physique like the one above though obviously requiring long term work, is actually easier than getting there in the first place.
I'd hate to question you but sounds like you're inflating your numbers. Your pictures are very different because they are all taken at different distances. Looks like you also gained about 4 inches of height in one and gained it in the other.
To Barry April 15th, 2008 1:57 pm, "Also there is a reason why no competitive body builders use HIT methods. They aren’t that great and you burn out your CNS by constantly training to failure." You obviously don't know much about competitive body building or you would know that Dorian Yates. Mr. Olympia 1992 – 1997 trained using the HIT method so check your facts before you mislead people. I am so tired of so called trainers that got some piece of paper from regurgitating what they learned in some Certification course. Telling people what works and what does not. Every body responds differently and their beliefs play just as much a part as the actual exercise. HIT does work and so does, Static Contraction training. Volume training also works for some people depending on how long they they have been exercising. And there are tons of documented cases of people gaining more than 2-3 lbs of muscle in a month. 34 is a bit much to but 5, 7, 10, of muscle has been done many times. You won;t keep doing it for ever but you can do it in a month or a few before you hit your limit.
Nico, Actually, I think most of the professional bodybuilders don't use HIT type routines because they are using such large amounts of steroids that their ability to grow and recover from lower intensity training makes it unnecessary for them to do such things. Dorian Yates used more of a modified HIT training which he called "Blood and Guts" and he began making his rise to the Mr. Olympia after he worked with Mike Mentzer. (Who created a program called 'Heavy Duty' and who advocated short intense workouts that contain less sets, reps and exercises than Arthur Jones' Colorado Experiment.) I think for a normal person, if you are eating a proper diet and you have some training under your belt, you can get tremendous gains from HIT training. Or, even if you don't get any better gains than you would on a conventional schedule, the savings in time makes the program better.
Yes PT the photos are different sizes, yes the posing is better and he has a tan but large weight and muscle volume increases are possible with the correct training and nutrition IF you know what you're doing. Remember muscle is not all contractile protein! Water, glycogen storage etc all have huge impact upon muscle volume, it doesn't mean it's a trick!
Tim, I was just wondering if you discovered any loss in speed due to the tempo. I had believed that the 5/5 tempo would have mainly targeted the slow twitch endurance muscles, which aren't very useful for your sports (such as breakdancing). If not, why do you think that you retained your speed?
used Tim's plan… in 3 months I took myself from 130#, 5'11" (formerly competetive in running and cycling -endurance, hill climbs etc, but lazy for last several years, so pretty weak) to 150# mass, with 195# benchpress and 630# legpress for 1 rep (600# for 4 reps). maximized my BIPOLAR condition using a visualization technique to push the big weight.
Do you have any pictures available that are on the same scale and before the chest wax? For example, in the first two pictures you're not the same height, so it's hard to see what parts of your body got the most bulk. I'm interested in trying this out, but really want to get a good before/after comparison before rushing off into a new mission. Thanks so much, Anthony
Amazing results! Wish i could do that….
I'm sure this program is extremely effective, but probably not 34 lbs. of muscle in 4 weeks. that being said, I feel the need to explain to everyone that this is not the same person in each picture. When a person reaches the age of about 6 or 7 their "normal" standing stance (posture, and foot position) is essentially ingrained for life. Notice in each of the forward facing poses, as well as the back facing poses, the standing stance changes. The feet face outward in the after poses. I could be wrong, but that would be highly unlikely. I study human factors and subconscious psychology, so it's my job to analyze why people do the things they do, i.e. standard stance position. Given, the fact that I'm even reading this article means that I am trying to reach a weight loss goal as well as a muscle mass gain. So I'm going to attempt your routine. If I see promising enough results then my hat is off to you Tim. Haha, and yes, I am too inteligent for my own, or anyone's, sake. So, I guess I'll be getting back to you in 28 days. – Cheers.
I definately vote for you putting together a guide about the "4 Hour Body". I think what you are talking about is in line with a lot of the science of muscle building and think this could be a value to us skinny guys out there. Keep up the great work!!! Thanks, Dave
Tim, I was wondering if/how ongoing endurance training would affect the outcome of this program. I play rugby, and I'd love to put on 10-15lbs of muscle, but we train fairly intensely for about 6 hours a week, with tons of running and aerobic activity. Do you think it's possible to do both? Or is that another wasted attempt at 'multi-tasking'? Maybe I'd be better just taking a month off from rugby? (with all the injuries, I'm bound to be off for a month sooner than later…) Anyway, I'd appreciate any thoughts/insights/recommendations you might have. Thx.
Yeah, for Hypertrophy it works and strength as well but not as much. However, it is not complete functional strength for endurance or conditioning…it is basically for looks. Conditioning takes a great deal of intensity and hard work and so does explosive strength. I do believe he did it though and without spending too much time in the gym because most people dode around in the gym watching the tvs or taking a 10 minute rest between curls. Doing that gets you no where, you need to shorten the breaks to 2-3 mins MAX only if you are doing heavy weights/full body exercises…deadlifts, squats, and cleans. ISO exercises should have 1 min rest max unless you are supersetting.
Looking forward to hearing from you Dr. Seth Cole in approximately one month. Goodluck with the experiment!