Tim Ferris' 4HB Log

In as few words as possible, I’m a skinny kid.

More specifically, I’m a 19 year old, 5’10" 155 lbs kid who just finished his first year of university.

I went to high school in a small tow, so there wasn’t a lot to do. Few parties, not a lot of homework, etc. So I went to the gym.

T Nation fueled my love of the gym. I started by working out at home with nothing but dumbbells, a pull up bar, and a bench, obsessed with my abs like so many other skinny kids (maybe because it seems obtainable). Then i discovered T-Nation and stepped up my game.

Using approaches I found on T-Nation, I gained 15 lbs of muscle and doubled my strength. I loved the gym; lived for it even. I wanted to get as big as i could. Then i went to university and i stopped. Too many distractions, too much booze, too crowded a gym…whatever the reason, both my diet and exercise faltered and i lost ten pounds and virtually all my strength. I am once again skinny and weak.

But now its summer, and im determined to get back where i was. My brother swore by a book called the four hour body by Tim Ferris (he’s lost 7 lbs in a week so far). Tim writes about methods for both fat loss and weight gain. My brother said i should try Tim’s weight gain approach.

Its counterintuitive. It consists of short workout sessions twice a week. It kind of reminds me of a mixture between Doggcrapp and Squats and Milk.

I figure i’ll give it a try. If it works, great. If not, the twice a week works out will serve as a way for my body to get used to being back in the gym, I guess.

Posting here seems like a great way to track my progress. Ill post pictures and measurements soon, and my workouts as they come.

Alright, just finished my first workout. Here’s what it looks like:

Yates barbell rows to failure (at least 7), 5 secs up/down (weight used today was 95 lbs for 8)

Overhead press to failure (at least 7), 5 secs up/down (weight used 75 lbs for 8)

… that’s it. One set each, to failure. It was mentally harder to leave the gym than to do the exercises themselves.

Since i completed 7 reps today, i add ten lbs to each lift next workout.

periworkout nutrition is simple (though i wish i could afford anaconda): one serving of BCAAS before, 1/2 serving during, 1/2 serving immediately after. Protein shake mixed in whole milk when i get home.

I’m also taking an NO precursor and creatine.

Ill start a detailed food log tomorrow so i can keep track of that and make sure im getting enough (always my biggest problem)

Today was a pretty meager feeding day, which is discouraging so early in the program. It was one of those days involving banks and phone companies where everything took way longer than it should have. Anyway, i didnt get to eat as much as i had planned. better luck tomorrow.

morning: 154.2 lbs. Night: 159.0 lbs

food: breakfast shake (3 cups whole milk, 3 tbsp almond butter, 1 banana, 1 scoop protein)

lunch 1 box kraft dinner

2 pizza pops

dinner penne w/ sausage meat sauce

3 taquitos, 500 ml whole milk

alright, so i havnt been updating for awhile…
workout B 1 was slight decline bench and squats, each at 105x 10

today was yates row 105x8, press 85x7

did you think the book was worth it? i’m a big fan of the 4HWW and that made huge improvements on my life, but i’m a bit skeptical with this new book since i know Ferriss like to exaggerate a bit.

The new book was fantastic, i’d definitely recommend it

quick update. Workout yesterday was squats and bench, each 115. squats X10, bench X8
Ive gained 8 lbs so far, weighed in last night at 162.4

yates rows today 115x7
press 95 x 7