From Geek to Freak: How I Gained 34 lbs. of Muscle in 4 Weeks - The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss

03 Dec 09

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18 Mar 09

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fore and after measurements, including underwater hydrostatic weighings, were taken by Dr. Peggy Plat
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 cholest
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- wo 30-minute workouts per week, for a total of 4 HOURS of gym ti
- low Arthur Jones’ general recommend
- t with lower frequency (maximum of twice per week) and with at least 3 minutes between exercis
- orm every repetition with a 5/5 cadence (5 seconds up, 5 seconds do
- at enormous quantities of protein (much like my cu
- cord 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 adjust

11 Mar 09

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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.
Here are the six basic principles that made it happen:
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- one-set-to-failure from the little-known Colorado Experiment
- 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.
- Hi Ravi,
  
  I actually train alone and have since age 15. I prefer training between 8-10pm and use a “power rack” (a stand-alone cage that acts as a spotter) for safety. Generally, I favor machines over free-weights for ease-of-use, with the exception of deadlifts for experienced trainees. Resistance is resistance, and machines require less clean up.
  
  I’ve put friends — even vegetarians — on this program, who have gained 10-20 lbs. in four weeks despite consuming insufficient calories. For ambitious eaters, and eating is the hardest part, that number will be much higher.
  
  Weight training for me is “me time” and almost meditative, so I never train with a partner. It’s therapeutic to count the cadence (5 seconds up, 5 seconds down) and forget the world for 20-30 minutes at a time.
  
  Last but not least, you are right: short and intense are the defining features of this workout. That said, there is one additional element more neglected than any other: massive recovery time.
  
  Cheers!
  
  Tim
- 1. Yes, it is 4 hours and not 8 hours! I had 8 workouts per month in my head (which is accurate), and screwed up the arithmetic. Guess I won’t be writing “The 4-Hour Mathematician” anytime soon ;)
  
  2. I did not maintain the gains. Why? Too much eating. I estimate (I don’t both counting) that I was consuming between 5,000-8,000 calories per day in 5 or 6 divided meals, which is a full-time job. I spent more time eating than working out! I much prefer to be around 165 lbs. for athletics.
  
  3. For each set, I target to reach failure after 80-120 seconds, thus 8-12 repetitions at 5/5 cadence. This is sometimes referred to as “time under tension” (TUT). I will usually do one marathon workout of 2-3 hours before beginning the program to determine an appropriate starting weight for each exercise.
  
  4. Doing bicep curls WILL cause your skin to darken and your body hair to fall out. Since I didn’t do bicep curls, I had to use Nair and go to a tanning salon ;)
  
  Holy crap — I just got some HUGE NEWS via cell phone from my publisher. No joke… you’ll hear about it in the next few days. In the meantime, please check out the writings of a few of my favorites (sorry about Jones’ stuff coming off like a Nautilus ad, as good as his machines are):
  
  Ellington Darden
  
  Ken Leistner
  
  Matt Brzycki (he edited one compendium with excellent research references)
- ###
  
  Hi David!
  
  Please search my name on http://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
- 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!
- 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 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

20 Jun 08

Jeremy Luce

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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:

12 Nov 07

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An amazing body building change in just 4 weeks.

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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.