This is a comprehensive breakdown of "From Geek to Greek" section from the book 4 Hour Body by Tim Ferriss.
(You can read a preliminary article on this topic here "From Geek to Freak: How I Gained 34 lbs. of Muscle in 4 Weeks")
This is roughly 1.2 lbs per day, or 8.5 lbs per week, consuming 3000 calories more per day than the total daily caloric expenditure (TDCE).
For me (186 lbs), it would be 3323 (TDCE) + 3000 = 6323 calories/day to reach 220 lbs in 28 days.
The page is split into four sections: "Rules to Lift By," "Exercises," "Diet," and "Supplements."
Rules to Lift By
(for doing the least necessary to maximize size gain)
1. PERFORM ONE-SET-TO-FAILURE FOR EACH EXERCISE.
Perform one-set-to-failure (i.e., reaching the point where you can no longer move the weight). Do not just drop the weight when you hit failure. Attempt to move it, millimeter by millimeter, and then hold it at the limit for five seconds. Only after that should you slowly (take five to ten seconds) lower the weight.
2. KEEP REP SPEED AND REST INTERVALS CONSTANT
The weight and repetitions used will change as you progress, but keep other variables identical from one workout to the next: rep speed, exercise form, and rest intervals. Perform every repetition with a 5/5 cadence (five seconds up, five seconds down) to eliminate momentum and ensure constant load for 80–120 seconds of total time under tension (TUT) per exercise. Do not pause at the top or bottom of any movements (to keep tension constant), and take exactly three minutes of rest between all exercises so you don’t mistake rest changes for strength changes. 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.
3. INCREASE RECOVERY TIME ALONG WITH SIZE.
Exercise less frequently as you increase strength and size (maximum twice per week), as you can often increase muscle mass well over 100% before reaching a genetic ceiling, but your recovery abilities might only improve 20–30%. Begin with two days between A and B workouts. After two of both the A and B workouts, increase the rest days between workouts to three days. As soon as you have a workout where more than one exercise has stalled (indicated in our hypothetical calendars with the B*), but not before, increase to four days between workouts. Continue adding rest as needed to resolve plateaus until you hit your target weight or end your bulking cycle.
4. INCREASE WEIGHT ALONG WITH SIZE.
If you complete the minimal target number of reps, increase the weight the next workout at least 10 pounds or 10% (whichever is greater) for that exercise. If the additional weight feels easy after two to three reps, stop, wait five minutes, increase the weight an additional 5 to 10 pounds, then do your single set to failure. If you miss your target by more than one repetition on the first exercise of a given workout, take a 48-hour rest, then repeat the workout.
To determine starting weights, perform sets of five repetitions in each exercise with one minute of rest in between until you complete fewer than five reps. After you fail to complete five reps, calculate 70% of your last full five- rep set. Take a three-minute rest and perform a set- to- failure using this weight. This weight will be your starting point. Take a five-minute rest, then repeat this process with each exercise.
5. FOCUS ON 4-8 MULTI-JOINT EXERCISES TOTAL
Focus on 4-8 multi-joint exercises total (including at least one multi-joint exercise for pressing, pulling, and leg movements) and exercise your entire body each workout to elicit a maximal hormonal response.
That's it!
Exercises
Sample Workouts:
1. Close-grip supinated (palms facing you) pull-down × 7 reps
2. Machine shoulder press × 7 reps
(Optional: Abdominal exercises from “Six-Minute Abs”)
WORKOUT A: FREE WEIGHT OPTION
1. Yates row with EZ bar (ideal) or barbell × 7 (palms facing up) 2. Shoulder-width barbell overhead press × 7 repetitions
(Optional: Abdominal exercises from “Six-Minute Abs”)
WORKOUT B: THE MACHINE OPTION
1. Slight incline/decline bench press × 72. Leg press × 10
(Optional: Kettlebell or T-bar swings from “Building the Perfect Posterior” × 50)
3. Stationary bike × 3 minutes at 85+ rpm (to minimize subsequent leg soreness)
WORKOUT B: FREE WEIGHT OPTION
1. Slight incline bench press with shoulder-width grip × 72. Squat × 10
(Optional: Kettlebell or T-bar swings from “Building the Perfect Posterior” × 50)
3. Stationary bike × 3 minutes (to minimize subsequent leg soreness)
Two sample months
Here is one of the more effective sequences I used during this experiment (“+” = superset):
Pullover + Yates’s bent row (palms up)
Shoulder-width leg press or squats
Pec-deck (or flyes) + weighted dips
Leg curl
Reverse thick-bar curl (palms down)
Seated calf raises
Manual neck resistance
Machine crunches
All of these exercises can be found at www.fourhourbody.com/geek-to-freak. Also, you can find more detailed descriptions of the exercises here.
Yates’s bent row (palms up)
Reverse thick-bar curl (the "drag curl") (palms down)
Tim’s exercise inventory:
Push:
1. WB1 Incline/decline BB/DB bench press × 72. Flyes/Machine Pec-deck
3. Weighted dips × 7
4. Close-grip/Shoulder-width (Standing Military Press) BB overhead press/Machine shoulder press × 7
1. Pull-over
2. Yates’s Bent row with EZ bar × 7
3. Close-grip supinated (palms facing you) pulldowns
3. Close-grip supinated (palms facing you) pulldowns
4. shrugs with dumbbells (SLOW, pause for 2 seconds at the top)
5. Reverse thick-bar curl × 8
6. Kettlebell or T-bar swings × 50
7. Deadlift/Trap bar deadlift
Legs:
1. WB2 Shoulder-width Leg press × 20 (at least 120 sec TUT)
2. Squat × 10
3. Adduction machine (bringing the legs together as if using the Thighmaster)
4. Leg/Hamstring curl 15-20 rep
5. Leg extension
6. Seated calf raises 15-20 rep
Abs:
1. Myotatic crunch (4down/2hold/2up) × 10
2. Machine crunches
3. Bicycle crunches × 12-16
4. Captain’s chair leg raise × 12-16
Diet
* "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."
* For muscular gain, I suggest at least 1.25 grams per pound of current lean bodyweight. Ex: 180 - 20 lbs = 160 lbs of lean mass * 1.25 g/lb = 200 g protein/day.
* "I was consuming at least 5,000 calories per day in 5 or 6 divided meals."
MY STANDARD NIGHT-OWL SCHEDULE
10:00 A.M.—Wake up, immediately breakfast + ½ shake (details below)
2:00 P.M.—Lunch
6:00 P.M.—First dinner
8:00–8:30 P.M.—Training, if scheduled (I sip low-fat protein just before and throughout) (I prefer training between 8-10pm)
9:00 P.M. —Dinner (30 minutes post-training)
12:00 A.M. —Second half of morning shake 15 minutes before bed
SHAKE
The following recipe can also be used as a meal replacement or pre-bed snack:
· 24 oz (3 cups) 2% or whole organic milk
· 30 g whey protein isolate (chocolate tends to work best)
· 1 banana
· 3 heaping tbsp almond butter with no added sugar, maltodextrin, or syrups
· 5 ice cubes
Caloric and protein profile with 2% milk: 970 cal, 75 g protein
*My single favorite meal for mass is macaroni (preferably durum whole wheat), water-packed canned tuna, and fat-free turkey/bean chili. Use a little whole milk or Irish butter with the macaroni, add only one-third of the orange flavored cancer powder [mac n cheese powder], and prepare this in bulk. Mix the macaroni with a can of tuna and as much chili as you like, microwave it for one minute on high, and have it for breakfast in a bowl. I sometimes ate this meal two or three times per day, as prep time was less than three minutes if I made the macaroni in advance. For a higher-protein change of pace, feel free to substitute quinoa for the macaroni. It might sound funky, but trust me: this mess tastes delicious.
Supplements
I followed a simple supplement regimen:
1. Morning: NO-Xplode (2 scoops), Slo-Niacin (500 mg)
2. Pre-workout: BodyQUICK (2 capsules 30 mins prior)
3. Post-workout: Micellean (30 g micellar casein protein)
4. Prior to bed: policosanol (23 mg), Slo-Niacin (500 mg)
Other:
Each meal and prior to bed: ChromeMate (200 mcg) and alpha-lipoic acid (200 mg, 30 minutes before each whole-food meal). Cissus quadrangularis (2,400 mg, three times per day) (USPlabs SuperCissus RX)
L-GLUTAMINE
L-glutamine is an amino acid commonly used as a post-workout supplement for tissue repair. In our case, I suggest it for an alternative use from strength coach Charles Poliquin: optimal food absorption. Consume 80 grams of L-glutamine during the first five days of Occam’s Protocol. I recommend 10 grams at a time every two hours on the dot until the daily 80-gram quota is reached. After the initial five-day loading period consume 10–30 grams postworkout to speed repair and help prevent soreness.
CREATINE MONOHYDRATE
Creatine increases both maximal force production and protein synthesis. Doses of 5–20 grams per day have been demonstrated as safe and largely devoid of side effects. Athletes generally use a “loading phase” of five to seven days at 10–30 grams per day, but this can cause severe intestinal discomfort. Take 3.5 grams upon waking and before bed for the entire 28-day duration (except Sundays). If you use powder, mix in 5–6 grams total, as losing one to two grams in solution is hard to avoid.
--------------------------------------------------------
OTHER (posted on 12/24/08)
Workout Websites:
http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/
This website is run by a regular guy. It is the best advice because he doesn’t solicit any money and he’s just nice enough to share his knowledge with everybody. He also has a lot of good youtube videos. Especially check out the sections “basics” and “nutrition”.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/index.html
Articles, description of exercises, good information on supplements.
http://www.gain-weight-muscle-fast.com/
Good articles on diet, exercise, but has a lot of ads. Here’s a good article on carbohydrates.
http://www.criticalbench.com/
Has an Exercise Database Guide
http://ezinearticles.com/?cat=Health-and-Fitness:Build-Muscle
Different articles on health.
Don’t fall for any advertisements offering you to buy supplements, books or videos on working out. They’re expensive, fake, and you already have all the resources you need!
Recommended Supplements
Protein:
1. Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard
2. EAS 100% Whey Protein Powder
3. BSN True-Mass
4. Cytosport - Muscle Milk or CytoGainer
Creatine:
1. BodyStorm (at Max Muscle)
2. No-Explode
Workout Focus Suggestions:
During sets:
1. Think about what muscles are working (1 joint, 1 muscle).
2. Try to 'feel' the muscle.
Between sets:
1. Think about our last set. Did we meet our rep goal? Did we use good form? Did it feel good?
2. Think about our next set. How many reps will we do? How will it feel? What is our reward if we achieve the goal or the punishment should we fail?
3. Visualize. Visualize how we will accomplish our goal.
4. Practice muscle control. This will help us to 'feel' the exercise while we are doing it. The idea behind these muscle control drills is to improve the connection between your brain and the muscle so you can contract precisely the muscles you want and contract them 100%.
Exercises Compilation
5. Reverse thick-bar curl × 8
6. Kettlebell or T-bar swings × 50
7. Deadlift/Trap bar deadlift
Legs:
1. WB2 Shoulder-width Leg press × 20 (at least 120 sec TUT)
2. Squat × 10
3. Adduction machine (bringing the legs together as if using the Thighmaster)
4. Leg/Hamstring curl 15-20 rep
5. Leg extension
6. Seated calf raises 15-20 rep
Abs:
1. Myotatic crunch (4down/2hold/2up) × 10
2. Machine crunches
3. Bicycle crunches × 12-16
4. Captain’s chair leg raise × 12-16
* "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."
* For muscular gain, I suggest at least 1.25 grams per pound of current lean bodyweight. Ex: 180 - 20 lbs = 160 lbs of lean mass * 1.25 g/lb = 200 g protein/day.
* "I was consuming at least 5,000 calories per day in 5 or 6 divided meals."
MY STANDARD NIGHT-OWL SCHEDULE
10:00 A.M.—Wake up, immediately breakfast + ½ shake (details below)
2:00 P.M.—Lunch
6:00 P.M.—First dinner
8:00–8:30 P.M.—Training, if scheduled (I sip low-fat protein just before and throughout) (I prefer training between 8-10pm)
9:00 P.M. —Dinner (30 minutes post-training)
12:00 A.M. —Second half of morning shake 15 minutes before bed
SHAKE
The following recipe can also be used as a meal replacement or pre-bed snack:
· 24 oz (3 cups) 2% or whole organic milk
· 30 g whey protein isolate (chocolate tends to work best)
· 1 banana
· 3 heaping tbsp almond butter with no added sugar, maltodextrin, or syrups
· 5 ice cubes
Caloric and protein profile with 2% milk: 970 cal, 75 g protein
*My single favorite meal for mass is macaroni (preferably durum whole wheat), water-packed canned tuna, and fat-free turkey/bean chili. Use a little whole milk or Irish butter with the macaroni, add only one-third of the orange flavored cancer powder [mac n cheese powder], and prepare this in bulk. Mix the macaroni with a can of tuna and as much chili as you like, microwave it for one minute on high, and have it for breakfast in a bowl. I sometimes ate this meal two or three times per day, as prep time was less than three minutes if I made the macaroni in advance. For a higher-protein change of pace, feel free to substitute quinoa for the macaroni. It might sound funky, but trust me: this mess tastes delicious.
Supplements
I followed a simple supplement regimen:
1. Morning: NO-Xplode (2 scoops), Slo-Niacin (500 mg)
2. Pre-workout: BodyQUICK (2 capsules 30 mins prior)
3. Post-workout: Micellean (30 g micellar casein protein)
4. Prior to bed: policosanol (23 mg), Slo-Niacin (500 mg)
Other:
Each meal and prior to bed: ChromeMate (200 mcg) and alpha-lipoic acid (200 mg, 30 minutes before each whole-food meal). Cissus quadrangularis (2,400 mg, three times per day) (USPlabs SuperCissus RX)
L-GLUTAMINE
L-glutamine is an amino acid commonly used as a post-workout supplement for tissue repair. In our case, I suggest it for an alternative use from strength coach Charles Poliquin: optimal food absorption. Consume 80 grams of L-glutamine during the first five days of Occam’s Protocol. I recommend 10 grams at a time every two hours on the dot until the daily 80-gram quota is reached. After the initial five-day loading period consume 10–30 grams postworkout to speed repair and help prevent soreness.
CREATINE MONOHYDRATE
Creatine increases both maximal force production and protein synthesis. Doses of 5–20 grams per day have been demonstrated as safe and largely devoid of side effects. Athletes generally use a “loading phase” of five to seven days at 10–30 grams per day, but this can cause severe intestinal discomfort. Take 3.5 grams upon waking and before bed for the entire 28-day duration (except Sundays). If you use powder, mix in 5–6 grams total, as losing one to two grams in solution is hard to avoid.
--------------------------------------------------------
OTHER (posted on 12/24/08)
Workout Websites:
http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/
This website is run by a regular guy. It is the best advice because he doesn’t solicit any money and he’s just nice enough to share his knowledge with everybody. He also has a lot of good youtube videos. Especially check out the sections “basics” and “nutrition”.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/index.html
Articles, description of exercises, good information on supplements.
http://www.gain-weight-muscle-fast.com/
Good articles on diet, exercise, but has a lot of ads. Here’s a good article on carbohydrates.
http://www.criticalbench.com/
Has an Exercise Database Guide
http://ezinearticles.com/?cat=Health-and-Fitness:Build-Muscle
Different articles on health.
Don’t fall for any advertisements offering you to buy supplements, books or videos on working out. They’re expensive, fake, and you already have all the resources you need!
Recommended Supplements
Protein:
1. Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard
2. EAS 100% Whey Protein Powder
3. BSN True-Mass
4. Cytosport - Muscle Milk or CytoGainer
Creatine:
1. BodyStorm (at Max Muscle)
2. No-Explode
Workout Focus Suggestions:
During sets:
1. Think about what muscles are working (1 joint, 1 muscle).
2. Try to 'feel' the muscle.
Between sets:
1. Think about our last set. Did we meet our rep goal? Did we use good form? Did it feel good?
2. Think about our next set. How many reps will we do? How will it feel? What is our reward if we achieve the goal or the punishment should we fail?
3. Visualize. Visualize how we will accomplish our goal.
4. Practice muscle control. This will help us to 'feel' the exercise while we are doing it. The idea behind these muscle control drills is to improve the connection between your brain and the muscle so you can contract precisely the muscles you want and contract them 100%.
Exercises Compilation
