This is the workout Tim Ferris references when discussing how to build muscle fast. As Tim explains, it was used during the Colorado Experiment in which Casey Viator gained 63 pounds of muscle in 28 days. He gained 45 pounds overall, while losing significant (18 lbs) body fat (resulting in the 63 pound lean-mass gain). There’s obviously a huge diet component that goes along with this workout routine – we’ll be posting a summary soon.
All exercises are done for just 1 set (except calf raises)
There is no rest between sets (unless specified)
The Entire Workout should take 30 minutes (but will likely be a little longer your first few times)
Should be done twice per week
Based on other advice in the 4 hour body, we recommend a 5/5 cadence (5 seconds to raise the weight, 5 seconds to lower)
Aim to be at complete failure on your last rep of each exercise
- Leg press × 20 reps
- Leg extension × 20 reps
- Squats × 20 reps
- (Two-minute rest)
- Leg curl × 12 reps
- Calf raises 3 × 15 reps
- Behind-neck let-pull-down × 10
- Row×10
- Behind-neck pull-down × 10 (I substituted straight-arm, lat-targeted push downs on the tricep extension cable machine)
- (Two-minute rest)
- Lateral raise × 8 (shoulders)
- Press behind-the-neck × 10 (shoulder press)
- (Two-minute rest)
- Bicep Curls × 8 reps
- Underhand chin plus weight for reps
- (Two-minute rest)
- Tricep extension × 22 reps
- Dips (body weight) × 22 reps