Tim Ferris: The 4-Hour Body | Hacker News Reader

Tim Ferris: The 4-Hour Body

fourhourworkweek.com

15 pointsTichy16 comments

I don't want to get downvoted here, I bought 4HWW and liked it, and I used to like Tim's blog posts, but perusing this blog post, this book looks to be full of snake oil or just plain tacky ("How to give a woman 15 minute orgasms", really?):

--- From the blog post --- YOU WILL LEARN (in less than 30 minutes each):

- How to lose those last 5-10 pounds (or 100+ pounds) with odd combinations of food and safe chemical cocktails.

- How to prevent fat gain while bingeing (X-mas, holidays, weekends)

- How to increase fat-loss 300% using temperature manipulation

- How Tim gained 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days, without steroids, and in four hours of total gym time

- How to sleep 2 hours per day and feel fully rested

- How to produce 15-minute female orgasms

- How to triple testosterone, double sperm count, and (literally) have sex like a porn star

- How to go from running 5 kilometers to 50 kilometers in 12 weeks

- How to reverse permanent injuries

- How to add 150+ pounds to your lifts in 6 months

- How to pay for a beach vacation with one hospital visit

--- End of blog post excerpt ---

The "5K to 50K in 12 Weeks" is a complete crock (and yes, I run ultras). Not unless you've already trained up to 13.1 mile distances.

"Gain 34lbs of muscle in a month" was highly ridiculed in the fitness/muscle community and Tim's description of his techniques was considered dubious at best. I don't know any human who can survive 2 hours of sleep a night on a regular basis, etc.

If you're going to order the book, consider ordering a rather sizable grain of salt.

I've been really disappointed with Tim lately, when I found his earlier stuff very valuable (his early "pack light", "travel light", life hacks stuff was great, and real, solid advice). I wish he'd go back to that.

i preordered one because i'm at least mildly interested. i also bought 4HWW. liked some of the ideas, disliked others. at the very least, a somewhat entertaining read.

what i like about the possibility of this book is that it'll be much more objective. much easier to test an idea he presents on yourself and see what comes of it (provided you're already regularly exercising).

I'd pre-order it, but I suspect these outlandish claims were designed to cause people to proclaim "BS! I'd better buy this book to prove it's hogwash!".

i didn't read the claims, actually. i was interested from his previous mentioning of what he was up to. the outlandish stuff is marketing spin, almost definitely

Yeah why buy a book with 4-Hour claims? It seems we could sit back and let the fireworks take off and figure out his system pretty quickly. Nothing that claims to succeed in four hours won't leak pretty quickly on the internet

i'd point out that 4 hour claims are more along the lines of methodologies for using time efficiently in combination with the pareto principle (80/20 rule).

for example, his claims of gaining muscle mass involve 20 minutes at the gym doing a specific exercise routine, twice a week, and eating more protein. so its really a 6 week or so process.

Is the 4-hour body like the 4-hour work week, where you count things like running a marathon as fun instead of exercise? "Oh, I'm not working. I'm cold calling for the fun of it, because rejection gets me pumped."

I really like how he's offering courses for buying more copies of the book. Surely, thats not to hack the NYT best seller list. I'm going to hold out til the book as offered as part of a get rich quick scheme on late night TV with both Tim AND Tony Robbin's signatures. The only thing missing is how the book would NORMALLY retail for over $300.

Some of us do run them for "fun" ;) I hate running as an exercise (unless it's on trails, out in the woods, preferably while rainy and muddy), but I like the challenge of pushing past everything in your body and mind telling you to quit.

Yes, but I'm sure that the 4-hours of gym time, also includes a lot of exercise, which is not what the statement implies.

Many of his claims in 4HWW also required additional initially-unmentioned effort (as you so eloquently mention in your OP).

This tactic is common in tabloids with a majority female demographic ("Get your perfect beach body in 2 hours!").

I hope I'm proven wrong.

and (literally) have sex like a porn star

In an alternately freezing and boiling sound stage with a dozen people watching, no real passion and stopping every 40 seconds to move the cameras or do another take?

I'll pass.

What? And give up show business?!

Tim's Next Book: Go to heaven in just 4 hours a day.

He'll show you how to guarantee entrance into heaven when you pass into the beyond, no matter what sins are committed in real life through a combination of Zen, Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism.

The techniques in 4hww pretty much tell you how to succeed mostly at the expense of others. I do agree that some ideas are worth trying though and also introduce you to some lateral thinking on the nature and practice of work.

Never forget that what Tim's books do best is promote Tim and explain what a really fantastic fellow he is.

"Never forget that what Tim's books do best is promote Tim and explain what a really fantastic fellow he is."

You hit the nail right on the head there buddy!

Tim certainly knows a thing or two about marketing. After reading all the claims I'm definitely intrigued. But, I'm also skeptical, since the claims seem so outlandish. So... I think I'll wait until the book comes out and flick through it in the bookstore.

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