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Tim Ferriss High Intensity Workout Routine


By Paul Becker

In his Geek-to-Freak experiment a few years back, Tim Ferriss laid out a high intensity workout routine that packs pounds on your frame in a short time period if you really put your all into it.

But maybe you want to follow Ferriss’s plan on your own time schedule and without fighting the crowds at a commercial gym. What equipment would you need in order to do the full program in your home gym?

The Tim Ferriss workout routine was a full body workout performed twice a week, with 10 exercises done for only one set to failure each.

Here is a rundown of the exercises that Ferriss used to gain 34-pounds of muscle, along with the equipment you need to perform them. Where expensive or cumbersome machines are involved, we also present an alternate exercise and equipment choice.


Pullover


All you need to do the pullover is an adjustable dumbbell and a bench. Easy as it gets!


Yates Bent Row


To do the Yates bent row, you’ll need a barbell and weight plates.


Shoulder-Width Leg Press


To do the leg press, you’ll need, well, a leg press machine. Ferris used a Life Fitness model.>

Since a leg press can be quite expensive, heavy, and cumbersome, you might want to try the barbell squat as alternate exercise.

To do the squat safely and effectively, you will need a barbell with weights AND a safety rack.


Pec-Deck


The pec-deck exercise is a flye-type movement done on a machine:

You could get nearly the same results doing a simple dumbbell flye on a bench as an alternate exercise.


Weighted Dips


To perform dips, you need a set of dip bars and a way to attach weight to your waist.

An alternative exercise would be the weighted dip between benches or chairs, though that exercise emphasizes your triceps more than your chest muscles.


Leg Curls


For leg curls, you need either a standalone leg curl machine or a leg curl attachment for your weight bench.


Reverse Thick-Bar Curl


The thick-bar curl requires a special barbell with a larger-than-normal diameter.

As an alternative, you could wrap a piece of thick foam around a standard (or E-Z) barbell.


Seated Calf Raises


The seated calf raise requires a specialized machine.

You could also sit on the end of a bench and place a loaded barbell across your knees, though that will become uncomfortable as you get stronger. An alternative exercise is the one-legged standing calf raise, which requires just a dumbbell and a step or block.


Manual Neck Resistance


You don’t need ANY equipment to perform manual neck resistance exercises!


Machine Crunches


You need a special ab machine to perform machine crunches.

Alternatives include cable crunches, which require a lat pulldown machine, and weighted crunches, for which you need just some weight plates.


Putting It All Together


If you decide that you want to replicate Tim Ferriss’s workout routine exactly, then the list of equipment you will need for your home gym includes the following:

On the other hand, if you make ALL of the most basic exercise substitutions listed above, you could reduce your list of required equipment to:

This second option would reduce the cost of your home gym and provide some flexibility for future growth. The power/safety rack in this setup is quite versatile, especially if you opt for model with a lat pulldown/row combo, like the one shown below.

Either set of equipment, though, will get you moving toward your goal of a more muscular body … at home!

Note: For more information please read the book "Mike Mentzer and Me" by Paul Becker

If you have any questions or comments, please email us.


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Disclaimer: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

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