From Geek to Freak: Gained 34 lbs. of Muscle in 4 Weeks

From Geek to Freak: How I Gained 34 lbs. of Muscle in 4 Weeks
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/29/from-geek-to-freak-how-i-gained-34-lbs-of-muscle-in-4-weeks/comment-page-2/

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!

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FROM GEEK TO FREAK
How to Gain 34 Pounds in 28 Days
http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/the-four-hour-body-from-geek-to-freak/
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How Did I Do It?
First, I followed a simple supplement regimen:

Morning: NO-Xplode11 (2 scoops), Slo-Niacin (or timed-release niacinamide, 500 mg)

Each meal: ChromeMate (chromium polynicotinate, not picolinate, 200 mcg), alpha-lipoic acid (200 mg)

Pre-workout: BodyQUICK (2 capsules 30 mins. prior)

Post-workout: Micellean (30 g micellar casein protein)

Prior to bed: policosanol (23 mg), ChromeMate (200 mcg), alpha-lipoic acid (200 mg), Slo-Niacin (500 mg)

No anabolics were used.
From a training standpoint, there were four basic principles that made it happen, all of which will be expanded upon in the next chapter:

1. PERFORM ONE-SET-TO-FAILURE FOR EACH EXERCISE.
Follow Arthur Jones’s general recommendation of one-set-to-failure (i.e., reaching the point where you can no longer move the weight) for 80–120 seconds of total time under tension per exercise. Take at least three minutes of rest between exercises.

2. USE A 5/5 REP CADENCE.
Perform every repetition with a 5/5 cadence (five seconds up, five seconds down) to eliminate momentum and ensure constant load.

3. FOCUS ON 2–10 EXERCISES PER WORKOUT, NO MORE.
Focus on 2–10 exercises per workout (including at least one multi-joint exercise for pressing, pulling, and leg movements). I chose to exercise my
entire body each workout to elicit a heightened hormonal response (testosterone, growth hormone, IGF-1, etc.).
Here is the sequence I used during this experiment (“+” = superset, which means no rest between exercises):
• Pullover + Yates’s bent row
• Shoulder-width leg press12
• Pec-deck + weighted dips
• Leg curl
• Reverse thick-bar curl (purchase cut 2″ piping from Home Depot if needed, which you can then slide plates onto)
• Seated calf raises
• Manual neck resistance
• Machine crunches
All of these exercises can be found at www.fourhourbody.com/geek-to-freak.

4. INCREASE RECOVERY TIME ALONG WITH SIZE.
This is described at length in the next chapter, which describes the most reductionist and refined approach to overriding stubborn genetics:
Occam’s Protocol.
Occam’s Protocol is what I suggest almost all trainees start with for mass gains.

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A good rule of thumb for daily intake, and a safe range based on the literature, is 0.8–2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. For
muscular gain, I suggest at least 1.25 grams per pound of current lean bodyweight, which means you subtract your bodyfat first. Here are a few
examples:
100 lbs of lean mass = 125 grams of protein
110 lbs = 137.5 g
120 lbs = 150 g
130 lbs = 162.5 g
140 lbs = 175 g
150 lbs = 187.5 g
160 lbs = 200 g
170 lbs = 212.5 g
180 lbs = 225 g
190 lbs = 237.5 g
200 lbs = 250 g
Not gaining muscle? Track your protein over one day. Then eat more.



Geek-to-Freak Exercises
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/geek-to-freak/