What This Is All About and How It Works
Start your journey here and find out what to expect on this program.
Welcome!
Welcome to the Hollywood Physique for Men!
You’ve made a great decision to be a part of this, and I’m excited to have you here.
Now that you’re here, it’s my job to make sure you succeed on this program – and I take my job
very seriously.
I have to warn you, though, that what you’re about to get into is almost the exact opposite of
most muscle-building, fat-burning courses… and you’ve got to have an open mind.
And there’s a good reason for that: because the results you’re going to experience are just about
the exact opposite too.
I hesitate to even call this a body building system. That’s because this is more like body hacking
– doing to your body what most people don’t even know is physically possible.
But it is possible. And it is real.
In fact, let me get into exactly what this course is all about.
The Promise of the Hollywood Physique for Men
First of all, this is not just a blanket general guide to building muscle or losing fat. If you're
looking for small or average results, then you're in the wrong place.
Here's what this is all about:
Over the next 3 to 6 months, you are going to build the complete Hollywood Physique, no matter
your genetics, current shape, or previous experience.
OK, that might sound a little vague. So let me get a little more specific...
This is the "Hollywood Physique":
You'll learn more about it in the Hollywood Physique Blueprint section.
And here's my own transformation, to give you an idea of what's possible with 100% dedication
to the system:
And trust me, before I discovered this system, I was convinced I had terrible genetics. I spent
eight years bulking up and cutting down continuously and getting nowhere. I was convinced that
I didn't have the genetics to build any kind of impressive chest and that my body preferred to be
fatter.
Now I know that's a load of bunk. It only took me 90 days on this program to see more visible
results than I had seen in the four years prior to that.
And any of your limitations? You're about to discover the same thing: they don't apply with this
system. We're going to bypass whatever your genetics dictate and shortcut straight to the good
stuff.
So as you can see, this program is about literally plugging you into a formula and spitting you
out with a precise outcome.
In other words, nothing is left to chance here - and you're going to find out pretty soon how that's
even possible.
Now, here's the truth: if you've got a great base to work from, you might finish this program in
less than 3 months.
And if you've got lots of work to do, it'll probably take you the full 6 months.
And, of course, if you don't dedicate yourself 100% to this system... and work your butt off... and
truly put everything you've got into achieving this goal... then none of these promises apply at
all. You'll go nowhere, plain and simple.
While this is a body hacking guide, that doesn't mean it's easy. There is hard, hard work involved
here... but it'll be maybe the most rewarding hard work you've ever done in your life. Seeing
visible changes sometimes from day-to-day tend to make you feel pretty good.
But as you'll see, results come fast on this system when performed correctly - which will keep
you very motivated. I'm talking about, at a minimum, consistent, obvious week to week changes
in your physique. On average, most people report their friends and family giving unsolicited,
positive comments on their changes within the first two to three weeks.
And within the first 8 weeks, their jaws are on the floor.
You'll never wonder, "Is this working?" You'll know.
Listen, I know these results sound unreal. I used to think they were totally unreasonable.
But they ARE real. People are getting them all the time.
And as you're going to find out over the next few modules - specifically the Hollywood Physique
Blueprint and the Visual Muscle Isolation Method - getting these results is much easier and much
more attainable than you might think.
This is going to be exciting.
So how was this program conceived? How do you know all
this?
All right, so I've made some big promises. Who am I to be able to promise you all of this?
Well, I'll be the first to tell you: I'm not a fitness expert. I don't have any credentials, I'm not a
personal trainer, and I prefer to spend as much of my life outside the gym as possible.
But one thing I am... is a total nerd.
And that, for you, is a very good thing.
Let me explain...
I'm the kind of person who loves to take things apart just for the chance to put them back
together and see how they work.
And that's exactly how I stumbled onto this system, and how I'm able to make the big promises
I'm making you now.
The Hollywood Physique for Men is the result of an exhaustive study I performed a few years
back on Hollywood's top transformations.
I had always wondered: how is it possible that Hollywood actors are able to dramatically
transform their physiques - piling on muscle while burning off fat - so much faster than everyone
else?
What did they know and do that no one else did?
All the experts told me there was no "secret" - but that made no sense. I was doing everything
"right" according to their rules, and after eight years I still didn't have the kind of body these
Hollywood guys were building in only 3 months for their movie roles.
And I refused to believe it was drugs, or even their genetics. It's not like being an actor somehow
granted them superior muscle-building genetics.
I knew there were secrets to their transformations, and as my frustration with all the "expert"
methods grew, I became desperate to figure those secrets out.
So that led to my study. I took Hollywood's top transformations - those actors who made the
greatest changes in their physiques in the least amount of time - and charted out every aspect of
their muscles and bodies, systemizing and categorizing their bodies like they were machines.
I was looking for similarities, coincidences, any statistical data that would give me some kind of
clue that would then lead to more clues and so on.
Imagine my surprise when my plan actually worked.
And pretty soon I was making discoveries that led me in paths outside of the bodybuilding
world. I was uncovering data that the fitness world had no explanation for, but fell in with
Hollywood's "unreal" results perfectly.
What I found made what the bodybuilding world considered "impossible" possible.
The result is the program you're reading through now: the Hollywood Physique for Men.
Some of the things I discovered and that I share with you are...
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Hormonal manipulation through diet for natural steroid-like results
The secrets of making "muscle shaping" a reality
Why building muscle while burning fat is a normal process for your body - and how to do
it effortlessly
The hidden psychology of physical attractiveness... and how to strategically build muscle
to best exploit it
How to carefully stimulate muscles into pure "muscle growth" mode during workouts
...and lots more "taboo" subjects that lead to you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it fast results.
I don't feel like I would have explored, discovered, and tested out any of this if I was some kind
of fitness professional. This guide flies in the face of everything every fitness professional has
ever taught you... as well as what they're taught to believe when they get their credentials... and
almost all of its data came from outside the fitness and bodybuilding world.
And, I'll be honest, it's even a bit threatening to the bodybuilding status quo.
In fact, if you're anything like me, you might be turned off by the information in this system at
first. It's almost too different from what you've been shown, told, and taught before. But don't let
it fool you.
Come in with a beginner's mind and you'll come out with a transformed physique. That's my
guarantee to you.
6 Ground Rules for Success
There are a few rules you must obey as you go through this program over the next 3 to 6 months.
These are dead serious and failure to obey them will greatly hurt your results.
You've been warned!
Rule #1: This is not a year-round program!
This a program strictly to be performed over the course of 3 to 6 months continuously and
absolutely no more.
The reason for this is simple: your body is a machine made for adaptation. After 3 to 6
months, it will adapt to this routine - and your results will not only stop, but they will start to
move in reverse (putting on fatting and losing muscle).
And on the flip side, as long as you perform everything exactly as instructed, results will be
greatly multiplied in the first few months before your body adapts to it. This is especially true for
those who are new to this system, since everything is so "new" to your body.
That means the diet, training, everything must be performed as-is, together, all at once over the
next 3 to 6 months - and after, you've got to discontinue them and do something else or take a
break!
Heck, this is true for any workout and diet system, I've found - but it's required for this one. Ever
wonder why you hit plateaus in your training? Why you see great results in the beginning and
then they taper off? It's because your body has adapted to your routine.
You can perform the Hollywood Physique for Men routine more than once, of course, as long as
you have a minimum of 8 weeks of rest between sessions - and preferably more.
Personally I take extended breaks from working out these days after I perform 3 to 6 month
cycles of this program. I'm talking up to two months of nothing, and a month or more of
extremely light weight workouts. When I followed the "expert" plans I never took that kind of
extended time off, but with this system, I've found that it's possible to maintain muscle mass and
low body fat with very light workouts - and still maintain a better body than most guys struggle
to build year round.
Heck, you could jump right into another workout routine immediately after the Hollywood
Physique for Men - just as long as it's not the same in any way!
Remember - the goal of this program is to work your butt off with the secret techniques that
allow you to get more results in 3 to 6 months than most guys see in years of working out.
Performed correctly and with full dedication, you won't need to use it year-round.
Rule #2: There is NO "bulking" or "cutting"!
This program DOES NOT - I repeat, DOES NOT - utilize any kind of "bulking" or "cutting"
phases!
The goal - and I'm dead serious about this - is to build muscle while losing fat. You're going to
find out exactly how this is done.
"Bulking" and "cutting" is inefficient, slow, and unnecessary. Your body is desperate to be both
lean and muscular, and will get that way fast - when you do the right things.
And that's what this system is all about.
So if you've got fat to lose, then don't worry - you'll lose it. You're also going to build lots of
muscle at the same time.
And if you've got muscle to build, don't worry - you'll build it. And you'll simultaneously lose
the fat that's covering up your six pack.
I used to believe that bulking and cutting was a necessarily evil of building a great body, but it's
not - as you'll find out in this guide.
Rule #3: Semantics matter!
What I mean is: I use very specific phrasing in this guide, and it's important that you use the
same phrasing.
For example, as I've mentioned above, there is no "bulking" or "cutting" here. They don't exist
anymore to you. This is all about physique transformation - doing both simultaneously.
So don't refer to this as a "cutting" plan or "bulking" plan, because that's not what it is. It's a
physique transformation plan. Even if your main goal is losing fat, that's not what this guide is
designed for - it's designed for both losing fat and gaining muscle only.
And in the Peak Hormone Diet, you have days with strategic one-hour carb-ups. You might be
tempted to call them "cheat days" or "cheat meals", but it's not cheating. It's a very strategic,
very important part of the program, and greatly enhances results.
"Cheating" implies you're doing something wrong, but these carb-up periods are in no way
wrong.
Eating foods you're not supposed to eat when you're not supposed to eat them? That's cheating,
and it's bad. Very bad.
Heck, you may even want to call the Peak Hormone Diet a "low carb" diet plan - but that misses
the point of it altogether. That's because the Peak Hormone Diet isn't about eating few carbs, but
about eating a very specific set of foods in specific quantities - and those foods just happen to be
low carb.
I know this seems nit-picky, but I've found that those who do not use the semantics of this
program don't get very good results. It's a weird little psychological trick, but it's true.
Guys who think they're just "cutting" don't work as hard in their workouts, and end up with
average results. Guys who refer to their carb-up meals as "cheat meals" often go overboard and
"cheat" at other times too, since they think "cheating" is OK on this program.
And when you call the "Peak Hormone Diet" a low carb plan, that suggests the idea that it's
eating fewer carbs that matters - but what matters is eating the exact foods described in that
section, and many "low carb" foods are 100% off limits.
When people fail to use the proper semantics, I do correct them. This is very important for
success!
Rule #4: Don't start the program until you can give it your full dedication!
As mentioned in rule #1, your body is a machine designed for adaptation.
It will adapt to nearly anything - and this program is absolutely no different.
If you start it prematurely and are unable to finish it, or if you start it and are unable to perform it
exactly as written, you will rob yourself of huge results in the future. It's extremely important
that you take advantage of your body's adaptive "window of opportunity".
So for your own sake, put off actually starting the program until you're at a point in your life that
you can perform all the work-outs as listed, eat the diet as given, and follow every step to the
letter.
Rule #5: This is about accelerated transformation strategies ONLY!
This is NOT a comprehensive guide to building muscle and losing fat.
I'm not going to show you how to get stronger, faster, more athletic, or teach you every single
trick, technique, or theory in the book about muscle and fat.
This is about the accelerated strategies, hacks, and tricks that work together to change your body
in the shortest possible time ONLY.
The outcome of this program is very specific - the Hollywood Physique in 3 to 6 months - and as
such the method to get there is very specific.
There are all kinds of methods for building muscle and losing fat. This system is about only
those methods that produce the most dramatic results in the least amount of time.
And on that subject: this is a system, not a loose collection of tricks you should incorporate into
your current workouts.
In other words, everything in here is designed to work in tandem. If you skip out on the Body
Reset Protocol, then the Peak Hormone Diet won't be as effective, which makes Hollywood
Hypertrophy Training mostly a waste of your time, and...
See what I mean? The various parts of this system are very carefully designed to "plug in" to
each other and create one amazing whole.
As soon as you get started, you'll understand exactly what I mean.
Rule #6: This is about SUCCESS, not THEORY
Listen, I don't know exactly why everything in this guide works the way it does.
Yes, it's all built on sound scientific principles, and I have theories about a lot of it, but I don't
know 100% for sure the precise details behind why everything works so well. No one really
does.
All I do know is: it does work. It works extremely well.
And I've written this entire system with that in mind. I do not talk much about the "whys" of the
methods in here, and instead focus on the "hows".
This guide is about succeeding and building an incredible body, not being an armchair
bodybuilder who thinks he knows everything but has nothing to show for his knowledge.
So for that reason, you won't find scientific references. You won't find blurbs written on the
latest lab results or interesting findings.
You will find the methods that have been proven and tested to produce the greatest results, and
exactly how to use them yourself, step by step.
How this system is laid out
The structure of this system is very simple.
You essentially have two main components:
1. The Guide
and
2. Full Workout Routines
The Guide is the "theory" behind everything. It's the actual course, the "meat" that explains why
and how to do everything.
The Guide is broken down into separate modules, all of which make up the various systems that
will power your transformation.
The Full Workout Routines are built on the information in The Guide, but are nothing but
actionable steps. This means exact workout plans, exact diet plans, all laid out in the exact order
they should be followed.
In other words, The Guide explains in detail how and why you'll be doing the things you do,
while the Full Workout Routines toss out the theory and just tell you exactly what to do and
when to do it.
You could start your Full Workout Routine right now if you wanted to - it requires no instruction
whatsoever.
However, I highly recommend reading through The Guide first. Get an understanding of every
topic before starting your workout routine.
And after you start the program, go through The Guide again, to answer any questions you may
have.
The Hollywood Physique Blueprint
The secret behind the Hollywood Physique for Men’s unreal effectiveness
Deconstructing Hollywood’s greatest transformations
There was always something “different” to me about actors’ bodies after they would buff up, but
I could never quite put my finger on what it was.
I mean, forget for a minute how fast their transformations take place…
There’s something that just feels “right” about their bodies. I’m talking intuitively… there’s
something about their muscle that just looks, well, better than most other guys. It’s not
something I could explain, but I could feel.
And based on the crazy reaction from women and the number of completely straight guys
obsessing over pictures of those physiques, I’d have to say I’m not alone in this weird
observation.
But like I said, I couldn’t put my finger quite on why this was…
Until I started studying them, that is.
When I started my exhaustive study on Hollywood’s top transformations, I found out exactly
why we’re so innately and naturally drawn to the bodies of actors more than any other.
What I found out blew me away, and it’ll probably blow you away, too. There’s far more to this
than just their fast results and unbelievable results.
In fact, what I found is simple: there’s a specific rhyme and reason to the design of their bodies
(yes, I said design) that literally forces the human eye to find them more desirable than any other
body type.
I go as far as to call it the “ideal” male physique. And I mean that literally – as you’re about to
find out, science backs up that statement.
And the best part? It’s an advantage that you can take advantage of, too.
In fact, that’s what this entire course is all about. What you’re going to be introduced to in this
section is the foundation of this program. This is not a course for just building or losing fat.
There is a very specific outcome that this entire course is engineered to develop, and I call it the
Hollywood Physique.
The Hollywood Physique
Let me introduce you to it now...
Click on the picture above to enlarge it.
As you can see here, the primary emphasis of this program is on precise development of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Shoulders
Chest
Abs
Biceps
Calves
Other muscle groups will be worked, of course, but the emphasis rests on those five.
The top priority - more important than anything else - is on proper development of the
shoulders, chest, and abs. You can ignore everything else and develop only these three groups
as outlined and you'd see greater results than almost anyone else in the world.
(Greater results, of course, referring to how others perceive your musculature and how attractive
your body appears to them. Any time I refer to "greater results" in this course, this is what I
mean.)
But I keep mentioning "precise" development. "Proper" development. "Exactly as outlined."
I can't be any more clear: this is all about building the Hollywood Physique pictured above
exactly as you see it.
Let me explain why...
Reason #1: Evolutionary Perfection
This is the first big "finding" I made when I tried to answer the question of why Hollywood
actors seemed to consistently build the exact same bodies.
And it's a big one: the Hollywood Physique lines up perfectly with a number of recent studies on
human physical attractiveness.
In a nutshell, here's how these studies work: researchers give participants (typically all women
since it is studying attractiveness) a list of illustrated male body silhouettes, ranging from
underweight to average to muscular to super muscular to overweight and everything in-between,
and they instruct those participants to select which bodies they find most attractive, without
thinking and without deliberation.
(I actually participated in one of these studies when I was a student at UCLA. They asked which
male body type we guys found the most influential.)
The results? By and large, across cultures, across country lines, across ethnicities... one male
body always comes out on top.
And which is it? It's the body with the focus on shoulders, chest, and abs... specifically a "wider"
chest and shoulders in a 1.6:1 ratio with a thin waist.
Every time.
Does that sound familiar? Yep, it's the Hollywood Physique blueprinted up above.
In other words, there's a big reason we find Hollywood actors' bodies so compelling after they
transform themselves: their bodies are designed - deliberately developed - for maximum physical
attraction.
Sounds crazy, I know, but it makes sense in light of these studies.
Now that's the hard science. It's hard to argue with the results or the numbers. But maybe you're
wondering... why?
That's where things get a bit more theoretical, but here's what many researchers have come to
currently believe: it's all about how our brains have evolved over the past couple hundred
thousand years.
Many recent studies have shown we are most naturally attracted - women physically, men
influentially - to men who have naturally higher levels of the hormone testosterone.
It's speculated that this is because, in our distant cave-dwelling past, those with higher
testosterone - due to the physiological benefits of this adaptation - were better hunters, gatherers,
foragers, and generally better-equipped to survive the rough, wild environment. Thus, over
hundreds of thousands of years, we became "programmed" to want to associate with people who
display physical characteristics of higher testosterone in order to improve our own chances of
survival.
What are the physiological features of higher testosterone, aside of course from increased
musculature? Simple: naturally wider shoulders and wider chests (from an expanded rib cage), as
well as naturally lower body fat levels (which leads to slim waists and six pack abs). It has been
suggested that those with a 1.6:1 shoulder-to-waist ratio have the perfect balance of athleticism
for greatest survival in the harsh wild environment.
These days, higher testosterone doesn't lead to "greater survival" since we don't live in that
environment anymore - but our brains haven't evolved to know that.
So in other words, a big reason that we are so drawn to Hollywood actors' bodies and the
Hollywood Physique is because we're programmed to find those exact bodies the most ideal since we still essentially have caveman brains.
The Hollywood Physique essentially emulates the features of men with higher testosterone,
which we are most innately and naturally drawn to.
But that's just the theory right now. Is it definitely true or false? I don't know. But one thing can't
be argued - and those are the hard numbers from scientific studies on physical attractiveness.
And that's reason number one that this program is designed for such a precise outcome: to
exploit our brain's physical attractiveness programming.
Reason #2: The Mysterious
When I first discovered the consistent shoulder-to-waist ratios of Hollywood actors in my
studies, I went on a frantic search to see if there was any significance behind it, any kind of
reason.
What I first found you just read above: the studies on human physical attractiveness. That's when
the first "lightbulb" went off over my head and the "blueprint" I discovered made a lot more
sense.
The second reason I found was a bit more mysterious.
Basically, I ran into something called the Golden Ratio.
The Golden Ratio is simply when two parallel or perpendicular lines on an object come to form a
1.62:1 ratio. An example would be your credit card, but there are thousands more - including cell
structures inside your body.
That's the simple math behind it. Where it gets weird is the theory.
In simple words, it's suggested that applying the Golden Ratio to objects creates perfect
symmetry and instant beauty to the human eye.
And, like the studies on physical attractiveness above, it's suggested that this is something
"programmed" into us.
I call this "mysterious" because artists, mathematicians, biologists, scientists... professionals
from just about every assorted field... have been astounded by it for thousands of years. They
know it exists, and it's strange and subtle relevance to so many fields blows them away.
But no one has any hard science to back up why it exists in so many places in nature, or why we
are so innately drawn to it.
Heck, it's hard for me to even write this small little portion because... well... I don't want to dwell
too much on "theory".
Either way, the Golden Ratio exists and there is some kind of "beauty" when it is applied
physically to objects, for whatever reason.
But as you read about the studies on physical attractiveness above, the results are nearly always
the same: men and women are both drawn most frequently, without conscious thought or
deliberation, to male bodies with a 1.6:1 shoulder-to-waist ratio.
Awfully close to the Golden Ratio's 1.62:1 ratio, isn't it?
Now here's where it gets weirder:
In my studies on the top Hollywood transformations, among the "best of the best" (the most
popular and most coveted) transformations, the shoulder-to-waist ratio actually averaged out to
roughly 1.62:1.
I found that the closer to that number, the more attention and coverage that particular
transformation got.
Like I said, it's a bit mysterious and all conjecture - but there seems to be some substance behind
this theory. It's the reason I've assigned specifically a 1.62:1 shoulder-to-waist ratio to the
Hollywood Physique.
Reason #3: It’s Easy to Hack
Now here's maybe the greatest reason for the precision of the Hollywood Physique, and one that
took me some time to discover.
In fact, it's the secret behind how these guys are able to transform so fast.
And here it is: it's easy to hack.
What I mean is: it's nothing but a visual trick. Surprisingly less muscle is required to build it than
what most people assume.
It's simply that, by developing precise aspects of muscle in such precise ratios, it comes out
looking significantly bigger than it really is.
In fact, on average, I've found most guys to need no more than 5 pounds of new muscle to build
exactly the Hollywood Physique.
Most guys assume - like I used to - that your muscles are an "all or nothing" deal. In other words,
that it doesn't matter how you work out your shoulders, because they'll grow just the same no
matter what... that it doesn't matter how you work out your chest, because it'll grow just the same
no matter what...
And I've discovered that this is DEAD WRONG.
Through precise exercise form, it is possible to isolate extremely small aspects of individual
muscle groups and force them to grow. (This is covered in the Visible Muscle Isolation Method.)
And some aspects of each muscle matter much more than others when it comes to how the
human eye perceives total muscle size.
The Hollywood Physique Blueprint is basically a roadmap to the ultimate "body hacking" guide:
how to create the greatest visual change in the human body with the LEAST amount of muscle
added.
With the right focus, getting these kinds of changes in as little as 90 days aren't as crazy or outof-line as you may think. But they sure look crazy and out-of-line!
And that's exactly what this entire course is about - making the fastest, most dramatic changes to
the visual presentation of your body.
It's not about building tons of random muscle or burning off tons of fat, but instead treating your
body like a sculpture - and bringing it to a very specific level of definition and size known to be
the most pleasing to the human eye, the exact same way Hollywood actors do.
The bottom line about the Hollywood Physique
Listen, what I'm getting at here is: there is a very specific outcome to this program. And there's a
rhyme and a reason for that specific outcome.
And most importantly, if you follow everything in this guide with strict dedication and focus,
YOU WILL BUILD THE HOLLYWOOD PHYSIQUE.
Got it? Good.
So now that you understand why we're building this physique, let's go into a little more detail on
each individual part you're going to be focusing on over the next 3 to 6 months.
Body fat and six pack abs
The goal is to simply bring your body fat down as low as possible. This is specifically in order to
reduce your waist size - a reduced waist size works in tandem with your shoulders, described
below, to accentuate the size of your upper body - and increase the definition of your muscles,
both of which will make you appear visually much bigger when everything else is developed as
described here.
Duh, I know. But most guys don't realize how important low enough body fat really is to the
perceived muscularity and attractiveness of their physique - and often never reach low enough
levels in their quest to bulk up. Oh, and speaking of that - you will not "bulk up" or add fat on
this system. Performed correctly, you'll lose fat while building muscle - and naturally reach the
ideal body fat levels pictured here.
Of course, the other reason for lowered body fat is to have six pack abs. Developing a six pack is
a core essential of this program.
Shoulders
Your shoulders, developed properly, are the single most important muscle group on your body and are the "core" of the Hollywood Physique. Every single aspect of this physique is connected
in one way or another to proper shoulder development.
The one and only goal with your shoulders is pure width. This means developing your shoulder
muscles to form a sort of half-sphere that sticks out to the sides of your body.
Wide shoulders like this fool the human eye into seeing your physique as far more muscular than
it really is, and is a short-cut to a look of full-body muscularity - particularly with a reduced
waist size, which I'll describe in a moment.
Without fail, every huge Hollywood transformation features this one prominent trait. Now that
you're aware of it and know what it looks like, take a look at every ripped Hollywood actor and
take note of how wide and well-developed his shoulders are.
In fact, here's a "before-and-after" comparison of what little to no emphasis on shoulder width
vs. the Hollywood Physique for Men's emphasis on shoulder width looks like:
Take note of the way the shoulders are shaped in the second shot, almost like they're half-spheres
sticking out to the sides... and take note of what a significant difference it makes the perceived
muscularity of the body. That's the goal here.
If you've ever seen someone muscular who didn't quite look "right" but you couldn't put your
fingers on why, chances are it was because he lacked proportional shoulder width.
Most people don't consciously notice wide shoulders, but everyone subconsciously notices them
- big-time. Numerous studies on human attractiveness have been able to pin-point this as the one
consistent characteristic of men who women consider more physically attractive, and it's a
consistent feature of every huge, coveted Hollywood transformation.
Specifically, the ultimate goal is a 1.62:1 shoulder:waist ratio; this is nearly exactly where every
Hollywood transformation sits, and has been cited as the absolute ideal in nearly every modern
study on physical attraction. Too much bigger or too much smaller and attraction declines
significantly.
This simply means that your shoulders, measured across from their widest points, should be 1.62
times wider than your waist, measured across from its widest points. The Hollywood Physique
template above is a visual representation of how this looks.
Most guys either ignore their shoulders altogether, barely work them out, or fail to properly
develop any kind of width. On this program, your number one priority is in proper shoulder
development, exactly as pictured in the template - and you'll see nearly immediate results
because of this emphasis.
Chest
Your chest closely follows your shoulders in importance on this program. Properly developed,
your chest will greatly accentuate your shoulders, and greatly enhance your physique.
And like your shoulders, it's width, and not pure size, that is the one and only goal.
The ultimate goal is for the chest to look like a visual extension of the shoulders; a wide,
rectangular, chest plate look is the shape we're going for. Essentially, your chest and shoulders
should look like they are one big slab of muscle stretching widely across your torso, rather than
two distinctly different muscle groups.
When I say the chest is developed for width, I mean that it should almost appear to be sticking
out from your torso and approaching the space that your arms take up. We are aiming to create a
"rectangular" rather than square or "round" look in your pecs.
Here's a visual example of example what I'm talking about:
Notice that the chest isn't at all "thick", but appears extremely wide - and evenly developed.
You'll learn how to get exactly this look in the Visible Muscle Isolation Method.
Arms
Your arms will be developed to be equal in width to the shoulders when viewed from the side.
Your biceps will need more emphasis to reach the desired size than your triceps, so the primary
emphasis will be placed on bicep development. Your biceps will be developed not for pure
thickness, but primarily perceived size, particularly when viewed from the side.
This much arm development balances out your physique and provides ideal proportionality. Too
much bigger or too much smaller will greatly detract from the overall look and perceived size of
the physique.
Calves
Your calves are going to be developed to be equal in width to neck. We are not aiming to make
them thicker, but rather just wider - which is an important distinction.
Your calves are the anchor between your upper and lower body, and are what create full-body
proportionality, making you appear much more "complete" and visually much more impressive particularly when developed to the width outlined above.
De-emphasized muscle groups
The Hollywood Physique is about much more than which muscles to develop.
It's also about what muscles need to be de-emphasized. The goal is a careful balance of
musculature, and overdeveloping the wrong muscles will actually greatly detract from the overall
effect of the physique - as well as make progress much slower.
The following muscle groups will not be emphasized on this program...
Traps
Developing your traps will actually make your shoulders appear more narrow than they really
are, and single-handedly can throw off the balance of muscle we're aiming to build.
You will still receive some trap stimulation, and they will grow a little bit - but it will all be
indirect, from exercising other muscle groups.
Back
Absolutely no Hollywood actor has a well-developed back. Most, in fact, have almost no back
development at all.
And it clearly hasn't hurt them too much, has it?
Any emphasis on this program will be placed on thickness in the back, and will avoid
development of back width.
Upper legs
Plain and simple, well-developed upper legs - the quads and hamstrings - don't matter to the vast
majority of people. If you want a visually impressive body and want it fast, you're not going to
get it by focusing on your upper legs, no matter what anyone tells you.
Huge, well-developed upper legs basically don't exist in Hollywood. Period. And there's a reason
for that.
And, again, has it hurt these guys very much? Not at all. In fact, if anything, it's made them more
attractive - and their physiques more powerful to the average eye.
When it comes to the average person, no one notices and no one cares about huge upper legs.
Sorry to bodybuilders who think otherwise.
In fact, most people don't ever even see your upper legs on you, since they're covered up by
pants or shorts.
When it comes to your lower body, your calves are far more important - and are noticed by the
vast majority of people. Under-developed calves with a well-developed upper body is easily
noticed by the untrained eye, and in fact can be considered pretty distracting... but not so for
upper legs.
Your upper legs will still be trained on this program, but in a fairly unconventional way - and not
for size.
Learn how it’s done
Come back to this blueprint as often as you can. Commit to your mind.
Now that you know what you're going to build on this program, it's time to get started on the
good stuff: how to build it.
And it all starts with the Visible Muscle Isolation Method.
The Visible Muscle Isolation Method
The shortcut exercises and hacks that make the Hollywood Physique a reality
Choosing the right exercises is crucial
The precise body you’re going to build on this system – outlined in the Hollywood Physique
Blueprint – is not the result of random muscle mass, but instead of deliberate development of
precise aspects of muscle.
What I mean is: the way you exercise your muscles determines the shape they will take. Not all
shoulder exercises develop your shoulders the same way; not all chest exercises develop your
chest the same way; and so on.
Choose the wrong exercises that target the wrong aspects of your muscles, and you’re dead in the
water, no matter how “right” you do everything else.
But use the right exercises and you can expect to get results 10 to 20 times faster than you’re
used to without changing anything else.
You already know that any time an actor bulks up for a movie role, the result is nearly always
the same: the Hollywood Physique. The same muscles, developed to the same precision, in the
same short amount of time.
Essentially the exact same body – in the exact same unreal time. All of this is outlined in the
Hollywood Physique Blueprint.
You may have been told before that results like that are strictly because of their genetics, that
they’re genetically predisposed to build those muscles. But that couldn’t be any more wrong.
Genetics are not as important as you may think, and are definitely not responsible for the
ridiculous results that consistently come out of Hollywood. These guys all come from vastly
different backgrounds. There’s not some kind of special “actor gene” that allows them to defy
common wisdom every time they’ve got a new movie coming out.
In fact, most of them start off scrawny as hell – the exact opposite of someone who’s normally
labeled “genetically gifted” for building muscle.
The real key to transforming your body fast is in your exercise choice. Plain and simple.
The Visible Muscle Isolation Method is the result of years of trial, error, and experimentation in
finding the small tweaks in exercise form, as well as the exercises themselves, that produce the
most significant results in the shortest amount of time.
Among every other method outlined in the Hollywood Physique for Men, this is the most
important “shortcut” to a powerful physique.
While everything else in this guide is about building muscle and losing fat at the fastest possible
rate, none of that matters if you’re not developing the right muscle.
Think of the instruction in this section as the GPS navigation in your car. If you’re in a new
place, using it will give you a straight shot to your destination with no detours, distractions, or
wasted time. But try to figure out how to get there on your own and you’ll waste a lot of time
driving around in circles hopelessly trying to get where you want to go.
And why is this called the Visible Muscle Isolation Method? Let me explain…
Visible muscle vs. invisible muscle
Plain and simple: when it comes to how you look, not all muscle is the same!
Maybe you've experienced something like this in the past: you get into a new workout routine,
and start putting on weight, getting stronger...
...and hardly look any more muscular than you did when you started. Maybe you're a little
"thicker," but the weight you've put on and the strength you've built don't seem proportional to
the small difference in how muscular your body looks.
I spent eight years dealing with this problem, continually putting on weight and increasing my
strength but never looking much more muscular than I did when I started, and I see a lot of other
guys dealing with it all the time.
And it's because while they're developing muscle, it's all what I call invisible muscle.
You've maybe heard of the 80/20 principle before: the idea that 20% of what you do accounts for
80% of your results. For example, 20% of the people at your job bring in 80% of the results;
20% of the people in the world have 80% of the world's money; 20% of the people in your life
cause 80% of your stress; and so on.
The converse is true, too: 80% of the people at work create only 20% of the results; 80% of the
people in the world have 20% of the world's money; 80% of the people in your life create 20% of
your stress; and so on.
While the numbers don't have to be exactly 80/20, as a general rule they seem to fall into that
range naturally most of the time.
The 80/20 principle is also true for your muscles. In other words, roughly 20% of your muscle
mass accounts for at least 80% of your body's perceived muscular size. I call this visible muscle,
and it's what the Visible Muscle Isolation Method is designed to isolate and develop.
Conversely, about 80% of your muscle mass only accounts for roughly 20% of your perceived
muscular size. I call this invisible muscle - since it might as well be invisible, considering how
little it contributes to how muscular you look - and this is what most guys inadvertently focus on
due to poor, unfocused exercise choices. Often, overdeveloping the unimportant 80% can
actually make your body look worse, since it commonly leads to imbalances and poor
proportionality.
I have to be clear: this doesn't just apply to entire muscle groups. This means that only small
aspects of your shoulders account for nearly all of your shoulder's muscular size; small aspects of
your calves account for nearly all of their width; small aspects of your chest account for the vast
majority of its size; and so on.
The Hollywood Physique is essentially a map of your body's visible muscle mass, and how it
looks when properly developed. The Visible Muscle Isolation Method is the secret to sculpting it
fast.
These are the only exercises you may use on this program!
Think if you could put on a strategic 5 pounds of muscle, and have it look like 20 pounds. That's
what the Visible Muscle Isolation Method is all about.
Now think if you could build that strategic 5 pounds faster than you ever thought possible, while
simultaneously dropping any excess body fat. That's how the Visible Muscle Isolation Method
works incorporated with the rest of the Hollywood Physique for Men system.
But failure to use the exact exercises outlined here, with the exact form given, will just be a
waste of your time.
Listen, there's a reason for this extended introduction: most guys have been led to believe that all
exercises for any given muscle group are the same, and will develop muscle exactly the same.
This is wrong, wrong, wrong - and I've found I really need to drill this home.
Spend two weeks with the exercises in this section and you'll understand the difference. Stretch
that out to three months, and you'll really get it.
So if you want huge results and fast, don't start substituting these exercises for your current
favorites, or throw in any others. These are all you're allowed to use for the next few months!
Form basics
These are the core principles you must keep in mind for every exercise given.
Hook and non-hook grips
Depending on what muscle you're targeting, the way you grip the weight will differ.
The hook grip - or the traditional grip - engages the forearm, and is used by default.
The non-hook grip - with the thumb side-by-side with the index finger - takes pressure off the
forearm and places more on the targeted muscle. Every exercise that uses it will be noted as
such.
Leg-forward stance
Nearly all standing exercises use the leg-forward stance, rather than simply standing upright with
your legs side-by-side. This is for stability, which will allow you to focus better on the exercise
at hand.
Simply watch every exercise demonstration video and note if it's a leg-forward stance or not.
Also experiment with this - it's a matter of comfort.
Localized burning
What this means is that, in every exercise provided, you should aim to feel it only in the
targeted aspect of the muscle. When performing bicep work, you shouldn't feel the burning
largely in your shoulders, but instead in the exact location indicated. When performing chest
work, you should feel very specific, isolated burning in largely only the aspects of your chest
indicated.
I will point out very specific aspects of every muscle that we're targeting; each of these is where
you should feel a very targeted, localized burning during every exercise. If you don't feel it,
adjust your form until you do.
No harmful pain
When you use these exercises, you'll feel a deep burning like never before - but nothing should
hurt or feel like it's leading to injury.
If anything doesn't feel right, don't stick with it! If you feel like you're on the feather's edge of
injuring yourself, or that any of these movements don't feel natural to you, adjust them until they
are in a comfortable range of motion!
"Good" pain - the deep burning that leads to growth - is what we're after. None of these exercises
should ever feel bad or harmful.
Light weight
As you'll see in the section on Hollywood Hypertrophy Training, the only way to perform these
exercises is with what many would consider to be very light weight - and likely a fraction of
what you're lifting right now.
This is simply because these exercises will be isolating very small, very specific aspects of your
muscles - and lifting too much weight will be literally impossible while isolating only the small
aspects we're after and maintaining perfect form.
It's better to lift too little than too much weight. Over-estimating how much you can lift will lead
to poor form, and recruitment of secondary (invisible) muscles - both of which will decrease
results significantly.
Some variations in actual exercises
While the general exercise form outlined for each muscle group will be used the vast majority of
time, there might be slight modifications in some exercises. Simply follow the instructions for
each individual exercise while keeping in mind the general form rules.
Shoulders
What to isolate
Width in the shoulders comes from developing the lateral head of the deltoids, or what's also
known as the "side shoulder". This is the portion of the shoulder that sticks out directly to the
side and creates the half-circle shape in the shoulders.
The lateral deltoid head is a very small chunk of muscle, but it creates huge visual results - and is
the easily the single most important muscle to develop on this program.
Since it is a relatively small amount of muscle, it responds very quickly to proper isolation, as
described below.
How to isolate it
Absolutely no overhead movements. It is impossible to isolate only the lateral deltoid head
with overhead movements; any pressing movement performed over your head will develop
primarily invisible muscle and ignore the lateral deltoid head. This means no military press or
dumbbell press or other common shoulder exercises!
Lateral movements. Lateral movement simply means starting with the weight by your side and
lifting from your waist, raising out to the sides at roughly head-height; elbows will be bent and in
line with your torso.
Inward pouring motion while moving upwards. The “trick” to truly isolate your lateral deltoid
head is in incorporating an inward pouring motion in those lateral movements. Treat the
dumbbell like it is a pitcher of water, and as you lift the weight from your side, you are carefully
pouring it more and more inward toward your feet - but never completely dumping it out. As
long as your fingers are tilted so that your pinky is situated higher than the other fingers by the
end of the movement, you will isolate the lateral deltoid head with each movement, and quickly
build pure shoulder width. You should feel a very distinct stretch and burn in the sides of your
shoulders as you tilt your hands inward with the weight.
Lateral movement (starting from waist, up to head height) with an inward pouring motion on the
way up (click to enlarge)
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements


Dumbbell side swings
Dumbbell side laterals
Secondary movements


Shoulder row
Bent over dumbbell laterals (rear shoulder width)
Chest
What to isolate
Your pectoralis major - the main muscle on your chest - is made up of roughly four distinct
aspects that can be isolated: inner, outer, upper, and lower.
While every aspect of your chest will see some stimulation, the primary focus will be on the
outer portion of your pectoralis major. This is the part of the chest that connects with your
shoulders, and is often underdeveloped in the average lifter.
Placing a special focus on the outer pectoralis major will give your chest a much broader, more
rectangular and "chest plate" appearance - and work in tandem with your shoulders to give your
upper body an extremely powerful appearance.
While you'll feel a very distinct burning all over your chest with the methods described below,
you should feel most distinctly a burning in the outer portion of your chest just approaching your
shoulders.
How to isolate it
As wide a grip as possible; wider-than-elbow-width grip with all weights. Although how
wide exactly you grip the weight will depend on your individual comfort levels, you will aim for
a wider-than-elbow-width grip in every chest movement involving weights (barbells and
dumbbells), and as wide as you can grip on all other movements.
Elbows sticking directly out to the side throughout every movement. Throughout every chest
movement, always focus specifically on making your elbows point as directly out to your sides
as is possible.
Deep stretching sensation in your pecs, especially at the bottom portion of every movement.
The stretching sensation is a direct byproduct of deliberately pointing your elbows out to the
sides throughout the movement.
Non-hook grip. Every chest movement you perform will utilize a non-hook grip.
Elbows sticking directly out to the side; wider-than-elbow grip (dumbbell press, bottom position)
Wider than elbow-width grip; elbow sticking out directly to the side; low elbow positioning,
creating deep stretch at bottom of the movement (bottom of the neck press movement)
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements


Wide grip neck press
Wide grip dips
Secondary movements

Incline dumbbell press (upper chest width)
Biceps
What to isolate
The goal is to build the size of the biceps when viewed from the side. Doing so is done by
isolating the outer head of the biceps.
Like the chest, there are four distinct aspects to your biceps - and isolating the outer head
provides the most significant results in the shortest amount of time.
When you flex your biceps, a "peak" forms. If you were to cut your arms in half from the top of
that peak, the outer head of the biceps are the half facing outward.
How to isolate it
Wider-than-shoulder-width grip. Maintaining a grip just slightly outside shoulder width is the
specific movement that isolates the outer head of your biceps.
Elbows touching the sides of your body and pulled back. To keep from shifting the focus of
the movement to any other portion of your biceps, make sure to keep your elbows tucked in to
your sides throughout the movement. Pulling the elbows back - so that they’re in line with the
back of your body - localizes the movement onto your biceps and removes support from
supporting muscle groups.
Wrists turned upward throughout the movement. Deliberately flex your wrists upward
throughout bicep movements to add extra pressure and significantly speed up bicep
development.
Elbows in line with the side of the body; wider-than-shoulder-width grip
Elbow back and to the side, wider-than-shoulder-width grip and wrists curled up
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements


Preacher curl
Drag curl
Secondary movements


Incline dumbbell curls
Seated dumbbell curls
Triceps
What to isolate
While the triceps will see more comprehensive development, a small emphasis will be placed on
the long head of the triceps. The form rules below apply to every tricep exercise, and each
individual exercise will isolate a different aspect.
How to isolate it
Elbows tucked into sides. Throughout every tricep movement, keep your elbows tucked in close
to your sides. This will keep secondary supporting muscle groups from interfering.
Arms kept close to your sides. Don’t let your arms stick out, either - they should be moving in a
straight line right next to your body.
Non-hook grip. Whenever comfortable, utilize the non-hook grip for tricep movements for
greatly improved development.
Elbows and arms in close to the side of the body (kickbacks)
Elbows and arms in close toward the body (tricep dips)
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements




Kickbacks
Tricep close grip dips
Rope pull-down
Skull crushers
Forearms
What to isolate
The forearms will receive fairly comprehensive development. This means no particular
emphasis. The overall goal is to develop a thicker look in the forearms, so they approach roughly
2/3rd the size of the upper arms.
How to isolate it
Non-hook grip. Aim to utilize a non-hook grip in every forearm movement. This is extremely
important!
High repetitions. The forearms respond best in a high repetition range - generally around 15
reps per set generates best results. The longer you can continuously maintain a forearm exercise,
the better results you'll see.
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements


Wrist curl
Reverse curl
Secondary movements

Zottman curls
Calves
What to isolate
Width in the calves is entirely the result of isolating and developing the inner calf head, and that
is the only focus of every calf exercise performed on this program.
The inner calf head, as the name implies, is the portion of the calf that points inward and faces
the other calf.
Isolating the inner head creates enhanced width in the calf extremely fast. A warning, though: it
is fairly tricky to describe. Follow the instructions below as closely as possible in every calf
exercise provided.
You will feel an immediate and extremely distinct burning in the inner portion of your calves
when they are properly isolated with the instructions below.
I recommend trying these calf movements right now and mastering them before trying them in a
workout.
How to isolate it
Use an elevated platform that allows a stretch. Every calf exercise you perform must be on a
platform of some kind that allows you to experience a deep stretch at the bottom range of the
motion.
Rise up onto toes, focusing on putting the weight onto your two big toes. As you lift up,
focus on lifting onto your two big toes - and getting as high up onto them as possible.
While rising up and at the top of the movement, aim to touch your heels together while
keeping your toes glued to the ground. This is extremely important: your toes must NOT
move! As you rise up onto your two big toes, bring your two heels inward as though you want
them to touch - but they won't be able to, since your toes are glued to the ground. This shouldn't
be a gigantic heel twist inward, but a very subtle movement of the heels - but this movement
alone should create a very distinct burn in the inner half of your calves.
Hold at the top position. Stay standing on your two big toes with the heels contracted inward
for at least 2 or 3 seconds at the top of every movement.
Lower slowly into a deep stretch. Slowly reverse the movement until you are deeply stretching
your calves at the bottom portion of the movement.
Hold at the lowered stretching position. Keep holding the deep stretch for at least 5 seconds.
High repetitions. Calves respond best from high repetitions and a long time under tension; 20
reps per set generate best results. If performing your reps as described above, every rep will last
up to 15 seconds, if not more. This will burn, but it'll grow your calves like nothing else.
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements



Calf press in leg press machine
Donkey calf raise
Standing calf machine
Back
What to isolate
As you know, the back is not at all emphasized on this program.
While a small emphasis will be placed on back thickness, most back exercises will simply be
used to balance out and provide stimulation to muscle groups largely ignored on this program, in
order to avoid injury and keep the muscles balanced.
Some of these back exercises are among the only "compound" movements you'll use on this
program.
How to isolate it
Pull your shoulder blades together like you're trying to pinch a penny between them. You
may only need to slightly pull them together, or bring them together tightly - but somewhere in
that range you'll a sweet spot for isolating your back.
Don't pull the weight with your arms; pull it from your back. The pulling motion from any
back movement should come primarily from around the shoulders and back, and not from the
elbows and upper arms. In other words, every back movement is essentially a backward
"shrugging" motion originating from your back muscles rather than a pulling motion originating
from the arms.
Bring the weight all the way to your waist or lower chest. Depending on the exercise you're
performing, you will be bringing the weight specifically to each roughly your waist, or to your
upper chest. This will be specified in each individual exercise.
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements


Bent over rows
Lat pull down
Secondary movements


Low pulley pull
Two dumbbell bench rows
Upper legs
What to isolate
Working out your upper legs serve two primary purposes on this program:
1. To promote production of anabolic hormones in your body. (Upper leg work can enhance
your full-body results by roughly 10% to 20%.)
2. To develop the abs.
The second point is explained more thoroughly in the section on six pack abs, but the point is:
your upper legs will not be developed for size, but instead will be used in a strategic way to
improve the development of the rest of your body.
How to isolate it
High reps, low sets. Your legs will be worked in a high-repetition range with only a few sets.
Mid-range weight. You don't have to kill yourself or break your back performing leg
movements on this program. The goal is to treat upper legs like a more cardiovascular workout;
you want to get your heart pumping and be breathing deep for air, but not feel like you have to
puke afterward.
Spine completely straight. In each upper leg movement, bring your head upward like you're
making eye contact with yourself in the mirror and completely straighten out your spine. Your
back should never be rounded!
Visible Muscle Isolation exercises
Primary movements


Back squat
Deadlift
This is maybe the best trick I have for powering through my workouts.
Adrenaline is the ultimate “fight or flight” hormone you’ve got in your body. It’s what leads
mothers to be able to lift cars up and off their children trapped underneath, or leads anyone to
explosive feats of insane physical prowess that they otherwise would never be able to get close
to accomplishing in everyday situations.
Adrenaline literally hides the pain you feel when you exert yourself, and allows you to go
beyond your limits without any kind of mental tricks. It’s meant for extreme circumstances of
“fight or flight” when survival is the only option.
And forcing your brain to release huge quantities of adrenaline every day during gym time is
surprisingly easy. It’s possible through a technique I call the One Song Playlist.
I often struggle to work out without music, but I also don’t use music like most people do.
Simply put: music is a great companion to working out… but should not be used for
entertainment or to distract you. Music should be used only as a tool to force you into a
powerful, adrenaline-fueled, go-big-or-go-home mindset.
Listen, I hate sounding all tough and macho like that. Usually it’s just flat-out lame…
…but when you’re in the gym, if you’re not in the mindset to destroy the weights and prove a
point, then you’re going to be wasting your time. It’s that simple. You can go back to being a
regular, mild-mannered guy when you’re done, but your time in the gym should be insane. You
should have tunnel vision, where nothing else exists but you and the weights. No stopping to
chat with anyone, no distractions, no nothing. Just you, the weights, and your raw determination
to prove a point with them.
Now, I want you to think of at least one song that you know of that gets you pumped up more
than anything else. I know you have one of these songs. Every guy does.
I’m talking about the song that makes you feel like there’s hair sprouting out of your chest every
time you hear it. The song that makes you feel like you want to beat someone up for absolutely
no reason. The song that turns you into a primitive caveman ready to club a wooly mammoth to
death. The song that gets you pumped up the second it starts playing.
Hopefully you’ve got a song in mind by now.
Well, that song is your new workout companion. You are to load that song onto your portable
music player and make it the only song you listen to during your workouts, looping over
and over from your warm-ups until you’ve finished the final rep of the final set.
Your workout is not a middle school dance. You should not be jumping from a fast-paced crazy
song to a slow dance ballad. You need the exact same tempo and exact same mental intensity the
whole way through… and you will not get that from a variety-filled playlist.
And by selecting the one song that gets you pumped up more than anything else, you’re also
literally hypnotizing yourself into that adrenaline-fueled, pumped up state that you need to be in
to have an effective workout. I mean, that’s what that song does anyway – it literally places you
into a trance that turns you into a primitive monster – so why not milk it for everything it’s
worth?
This song is not for entertainment or distraction. You shouldn’t even notice that the same
song is playing on repeat. Your only focus should be on the weights and getting the best workout
possible in the shortest time frame possible. You need to choose the song on the basis of how
pumped up it gets you, not how much you like the song. You need to take the song that has the
greatest hypnotic effect on you and let it work on your subconscious while you push yourself to
the limits in your workouts.
If this idea seems “boring” to you, then your mind is not in the right place in the gym. An intense
workout, performed correctly, should feel like it was only 5 minutes long. If you let your mind
wander throughout, then you’re cheating yourself out of muscle that otherwise could and should
be yours.
The One Song Playlist is the ultimate way to force your brain into the mindset necessary for
proper intensity. Take advantage of it.
Hollywood Hypertrophy Training
The secret to flipping the “pure, accelerated muscle growth” switch in your
muscles.
The secrets to pure muscle hypertrophy
The Hollywood Hypertrophy Training system outlined in this section is designed strictly to
promote muscle growth at its fastest rate.
It won’t make you faster, more athletic, or even much stronger. If you’re a competitive athlete
looking to improve your performance, I can’t recommend this training system to you.
But what it will do is make you pile on muscle faster than you ever have before.
The only catch: it is just about the polar opposite of how most guys train, and how you’re likely
training right now.
The underlying concept behind this system is really very simple:
The way most guys train – primarily to lift heavier and heavier weights every workout –
promotes mostly myofibrillar hypertrophy, or increases in muscle strength with only small
increases in muscle growth.
And while this style of training does work for muscle growth, it’s fairly slow and inefficient.
Instead of focusing on increasing strength, Hollywood Hypertrophy Training is built on the idea
that the more work you do on a muscle – thoroughly exhausting it – in the shortest amount of
time, the faster it’ll grow. This style of training promotes what’s called sarcoplasmic
hypertrophy, or increases in the physical size of a muscle with very few increases in that
muscle’s strength.
The result of training this way is faster and more significant gains specifically in the size of your
targeted muscles – which is exactly what we’re after.
But, like I said, this training system is far different from any you’ve tried before – and you may
even resist it at first.
Most guys’ initial reactions just reading the instructions here are that the workouts are too short,
or have too little volume. The weight used seems like it’s too little to make a difference. The
entire style of training just doesn’t seem “right”.
But applied correctly, these will be the single most intense and effective workouts you’ve ever
experienced, week in and week out. And the nearly immediate results will speak for themselves.
Study this section very carefully. While this training system is very simple, it will require
“deprogramming” your brain a bit.
And to find full workout routines based on Hollywood Hypertrophy Training, check out the Full
Routines section.
The unbreakable rules of Hollywood Hypertrophy Training
The following rules must be followed for this system to work.
You must use...
Rule #1: Extremely short rest periods (3 to 10 deep breaths ONLY) between sets
This is the real key to insane muscle growth. Between every set, you are to rest
ABSOLUTELY NO MORE than 30 seconds, and preferably less (work to 15 seconds or less).
Letting any more than 30 seconds elapse between sets will severely diminish your results.
Don’t count the time. Simply breath in and out very deeply between 3 and 10 times between sets.
Each breath will take about 2 or 3 seconds, it will provide a rhythm to your workouts, and the
elevated oxygen intake will give you more energy. 10 breaths is only if you are just beginning
the program; work to 6 breaths maximum, and less as you get more in shape.
As soon as you put down the weight, start breathing deeply in and out. As soon as your final
breath is exhaled, your hands should be back on the weights and you should already be starting
your next set! Don’t cheat and sneak in 10 more seconds of rest while you get a grip on the
weights.
I will repeat: extremely short rest periods are the essential key to accelerated muscle
growth on this program! Above all else, maintain 30-second-or-less rest periods, or you will
NOT see results, plain and simple. The shorter the rest period between sets (while following
the other rules below), the greater growth you will see on this program.
Rule #2: Very slow, controlled up/down movements
Don’t be like most guys in the gym who just fling their weights up and down, letting gravity and
momentum do half the lifting for them. For insane muscle growth, the goal isn’t just to move the
weights up and down; the goal is to force your targeted muscle to lift and control the weight the
entire time.
The slower and more controlled you can lift your weight up and down, really feeling it in your
targeted muscle the entire time, the more accelerated growth you’ll see.
How slow? For both the concentric (up) and eccentric (down) portions of the movement, aim to
spend at least 3 to 5 seconds - meaning every rep will take you 6 to 10 seconds to complete, if
not more in some cases.
This will burn like crazy in your muscles after the first two or three sets. That’s a very good sign.
Rule #3: Absolutely perfect exercise form
The exact form provided to you for each Visible Muscle Isolation exercise must be followed to
the letter. No matter how challenging your sets become, it is absolutely vital that you maintain
picture-perfect exercise form.
Remember, we aren’t just building muscle on this system. We’re building precise muscle in
precise locations - and the form you maintain for every exercise is crucial to accomplishing that.
You will NOT see very impressive results if you can’t maintain perfect form throughout every
set and rep. The only exception to this rule are the final few reps in the final two sets of each
exercise, which will be explained in just a moment.
Rule #4: Very light weight
This is the hardest rule for most guys to grasp, but is absolutely essential.
For this system to work, you must use a fraction of the weight you’re “capable” of lifting.
For example, years ago I had worked up to 55 pound dumbbells for my sets of bicep curls. My
form wasn’t pretty, but I could (just barely) heave those up and down for reps.
Under this Hollywood Hypertrophy Training system, I almost never touch anything heavier than
20 pounds for dumbbell curls. Often I use even less weight than that.
And with those 20 pound dumbbells, I can force out more growth in 3 months than I used to see
in 3 or more years with the 55 pound (and heavier) dumbbells.
Same goes for bench press. I was slowly working my way up to heavier and heavier bench
presses - in the range of 200+ pounds for (sloppy, fast) reps.
But now, when performing the wide grip neck press and utilizing Hollywood Hypertrophy
Training, I often don’t use much more than 95 to 115 pounds - and even that much ends up being
too challenging sometimes!
The reason is simple: as long as you’re maintaining absolutely perfect exercise form with the
Visible Muscle Isolation Method for every set and rep, and lifting the weight extremely slowly
up and down and feeling it in your targeted muscle the entire time, you literally won’t be able to
use heavier weight. Since you’ll be isolating such small aspects of your individual muscle
groups, it will be physically impossible to lift heavier weights for the assigned sets and reps
without cheating and recruiting other muscle groups to “help out” very early on.
In other words, that “very light weight” is, in reality, a very heavy weight - to the tiny, isolated
aspects of your muscles that you’re targeting. Lifting too much makes isolation of those muscles
impossible - and results in less visible growth.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: don’t expect to raise the amount of weight you use from week to
week. Aim to shorten your rest periods from week to week before ever raising the amount
of weight you’re lifting.
In other words, if you’re taking 6 deep breaths between sets one week and feel you’ve gotten
stronger and aren’t being challenged enough... then start taking only 4 or 5 deep breaths between
sets the next week while using the same weight.
Work all the way down to just 2 or 3 deep breaths before lifting heavier weights. You’ll find it’s
not easy - and you’ll likely end up using the same weights for a long time, but also seeing your
muscles grow at an incredible rate.
Remember: the shorter your rest periods, the greater muscle growth you’ll experience on
this system. Always aim to shorten your rest period before anything else!
(But this isn’t to say that you won’t be able to raise the amount of weight you’re lifting. You
will, and if you feel like you can safely lift more weight, then do it. The main point, though, is
that you shouldn’t aim primarily to raise the weight you’re lifting every week because that is
secondary to shortening your rest periods between sets.)
Rule #5: The same weight throughout each muscle’s set
The weight you pick up for set #1 of any particular exercise will be the same weight you use for
the final set. In a nutshell, the first set will feel too easy - while the final set will be nearly
impossible to complete - but let’s go into more detail...
Every set you perform will gradually get harder and harder until your final two sets are
absolutely killer - and nearly impossible to complete.
Let’s use a sample 6-set exercise, which is common on this program.
The first set you perform will feel easy. Too easy. The weight will feel too light.
But after your very short rest period, the second set will already feel much more challenging but still a little too easy with that same light weight.
The third set will suddenly hit you like a bag of bricks. All of a sudden, that “light weight” isn’t
feeling so light anymore - and you can just barely crank out all your reps with perfect form.
One extremely short rest period later, the fourth set is killer - and not only are your muscles
burning and hurting like crazy, but you almost don’t complete this set it’s so hard.
You’re throbbing and in pain... but you still have two sets to go. The fifth set you find you can’t
even get the last rep out without cheating in your form because your muscles are completely
exhausted already. It’s fine to cheat on that last rep or two if you have no other choice.
But there’s one more set. You push through the pain and your mind’s cries to rest a little longer,
and after three reps you already feel like you literally can’t lift the weight anymore. At this point,
you have no choice - you have to cheat in your form to get out the final few reps you’re assigned
to complete. (That’s fine in this final set.) Even cheating with your form it’s nearly impossible to
complete - your muscle is absolutely exhausted.
And all from the same weight that felt “too easy” in the first two sets just a couple minutes
before.
The rule here is to use the same weight throughout every set, using the first few sets to gradually
pre-exhaust your muscle... until the final two sets absolutely slaughter it, leaving it as completely
exhausted and unable to lift any more as possible.
So if you have 6 sets to do for a muscle, then the first four will gradually “pre-exhaust” while the
final two will absolutely murder it.
For 4 sets, the first two “pre-exhaust” - while the final two knock the life out of it and leave it
hard to physically move without assistance.
For 3 sets, the first set is the “pre-exhaust” - and the final two finish off that muscle completely.
Got it? Use the same weight throughout the movement - a weight that might feel “too light” in
the beginning, but is anything but “too light” by the end - and aim to have your muscle as
thoroughly dead exhausted by the end. The final two sets are the only time you may “cheat” in
your form - in order to complete the assigned reps and fully exhaust your targeted muscle until it
literally has absolutely no life left in it.
Rule #6: C-O-N-C-E-N-T-R-A-T-E!
Finally, this seems obvious - but very few guys really do it. Fully concentrate on ONLY the
muscle you’re targeting, as you’re performing each Visible Muscle Isolation exercise with the
guidelines listed above. Concentrate on really contracting and working that muscle as thoroughly
as you can.
Think to yourself: “I am not going to waste any of this movement.” Don’t let momentum
take over - you must fully control the weight the entire time, putting the pressure on the aspect of
the muscle you’re trying to target and grow.
Take FULL advantage of the weight you’re lifting, aiming to fully exhaust that specific targeted
aspect of your muscle. Don’t waste any of the movement.
None of these rules are optional!
What all of this means is that your workout must...
Last NO MORE than 30 minutes total
As long as you’re following all the rules listed above, your weight workouts (as assigned in the
Full Training Programs) will likely be no more than 20 to 25 minutes.
Any weight workout beyond 30 minutes will lead to a significant drop in natural testosterone and
human growth hormone levels - which will lead to a decrease in the amount of muscle you grow.
Not only that, but a shorter workout means you’re utilizing shorter rest periods and likely
working much harder - which will lead to significantly enhanced muscle growth.
The weight portion of every workout you perform - from your first rep to your final rep,
excluding warm-up time and post-workout Incline Cardio - should fall in the range of 18 to 30
minutes maximum. It sounds short, but it will be absolutely killer to complete.
Leave you mentally PUMPED UP and FULL OF ENERGY, but with your targeted
muscles throbbing, completely exhausted, and difficult to move
This is how to tell if you had a “great” workout or not.
By the end of your workout, the muscle groups you targeted should feel dead. Absolutely
exhausted. You completely sucked the life out of them.
They’ll feel absolutely pumped up and engorged with blood. They’ll be hard to move. If it was
any kind of upper body workout, it’ll be hard to take your shirt off because your arms or
shoulders or whatever are so stiff and lifeless.
(And remember - all of this from just a couple sets and less than 30 minutes of total work,
following the rules above.)
But despite such a deep level of exhaustion in your muscles, you should be completely mentally
pumped up, still filled with adrenaline, and “ready” to do more work - even though there’s
nothing left in the tank.
In other words: you should not finish your workouts with completely depleted blood sugar
levels, yawning, ready for a nap, and “out of it”.
You should be completely mentally alert and ready for more.
That’s the sign of an amazing Hollywood Hypertrophy Training workout that will lead to
maximum muscle growth - and the sign that you’re taking advantage of every natural musclebuilding resource your body has provided you.
How the sets and reps are structured
The following are the various set and rep schemes you’ll find in the Full Training Programs.
Standard workouts are in the range of 6x6 (6 sets of 6 reps) to 6x8 (6 sets of 8 reps) for each
body part.
Most of the work you do on this program will be 6 sets of 6 or 8 reps. When performed exactly
as stated above, this is enough for muscle growth without over-taxing your body.
You will perform only one exercise per body part for 6x6 and 6x8 workouts. More than this will
over-tax your body.
Specialization workouts are supersets (2 exercises targeting the same muscle performed
back-to-back) of 4x8 (4 sets of 8 reps).
Only one or two body parts are to be “specialized” in every 3 week period. The emphasis of the
Hollywood Physique for Men is on the shoulders, chest, biceps, and calves, so these are the
groups that will be emphasized during specialization phases.
Specialization workouts feature two exercises per targeted body part. You will perform 8 reps of
the first exercise, take no more than three deep breaths (although none is better), and
immediately perform 8 reps of the next exercise. That’s one set. Then you get your standard 3 to
10 breath break before performing the next superset of two exercises.
Specialization workouts force the targeted muscles to grow at their fastest rate. However,
specialization workouts can be counter-productive and even damaging if more than two body
parts are specialized in any three week period, since the body’s capacity to recover from these
workouts is limited.
“Finishing touches” workouts are 3-to-4-exercise supersets of 1x12.
During the final three weeks of each Hollywood Transformation Program cycle, you will
perform a “finishing touches” workout. This is meant to fill in and develop the “finishing
touches” on your muscles, giving your body a more complete, well-rounded look.
These workouts look easy on paper, but are extremely challenging in practice. You are to
perform 3 to 4 different exercises per body part, but with no rest between each exercise. You will
perform each exercise only once, doing 12 repetitions at the maximum weight you can handle
with perfect form and slow up/down execution for each exercise. This means that by your final
exercise, you may be lifting almost nothing - and still struggling with it. That’s to be expected on
this program!
Some body parts will follow different set/rep schemes.
Calves and forearms respond best in a high-repetition range. Calves are generally best worked
with 3 to 5 sets of 20 reps, and forearms 3 to 5 sets of 15 reps.
Upper legs will be worked from 2 to 4 sets of 20 reps. The weight does not have to be painfully
heavy; this is more an exercise for the abs and for manufacturing anabolic growth hormones,
rather than developing the upper legs. You are to push yourself and get your heart pounding and
breath heavy with these high-rep upper leg movements, but they don’t have to be balls-to-thewall taxing like many bodybuilding coaches recommend.
Don’t be surprised if some workouts call for a set/rep scheme different from any listed above.
While everything listed here is the most common you’ll find in this system, at times there may
be workouts that are a bit different. They will always follow the Unbreakable Rules of
Hollywood Hypertrophy Training, outlined earlier in this section.
Video samples of the workouts
So now that you understand the rules, it's time to see them in action.
Watch and study the videos below to see how these workouts look when performed correctly.
Standard (6x6) workouts:
Specialization (4x8+4x8) workouts:
Forced overcompensation
Hollywood Hypertrophy Training always follows a 3 weeks “on” and 1 week “off” routine.
And there’s a simple reason why: the idea of forced overcompensation.
Simply put, the 3 weeks “on” that you perform will border on overtraining. Yes, your workouts
are brief, but they’re intense - heavily taxing and stressing your central nervous system and your
muscles.
And as each day passes, and each new more-intense-than-ever workout builds on the stress of the
previous insanely-intense workout, your body ramps up its recovery ability.
It’s like a game of tug-of-war. The more you pound on your body, the more it increases its
recovery efforts. As each week passes and you increase your intensity while pounding on your
still-exhausted nervous system, your body starts working harder and harder, ramping up its
recovery processes even higher, trying to compensate for your efforts in the gym.
And then after three weeks of this back-and-forth increasing push-and-pull... you let go of the
rope. You take one week off from training altogether.
But even though you’re no longer pounding on your body in the gym, your body has, at this
point, turned on its “emergency muscle recovery service” to full blast since it’s expecting more
and greater pounding - and it ends up greatly overcompensating in muscle repair and growth in
the week off from training.
This is forced overcompensation. You’re literally tricking your body into providing more
recovery resources than it normally provides and, as a result, you get greatly exaggerated muscle
growth.
If you don’t feel like you absolutely need a break after 3 weeks of Hollywood Hypertrophy
Training, then you aren’t working hard enough - and you can expect to get a fraction of the
muscle growth you’re capable of. Plain and simple.
You must work yourself into the ground following the principles of Hollywood Hypertrophy
Training in every single workout, period.
By the end of week 3, you should have some problems focusing outside the gym. Maybe have a
slight change in mood. And the thought of performing more workouts should make you nervous.
Heck, maybe you'll even feel a little depressed after those 3 weeks. On this program, that's a
good sign!
And just as a frame of reference: at the end of week 1, you’ll feel great. At the end of week 2,
you’ll feel OK, but a little mentally out of it and physically tired. And you will have to force
yourself to perform your workouts with full intensity as week 3 progresses, since your body will
be resisting it so badly - and you’ll be bordering on the feather’s edge of overtraining.
Heck, by the middle or end of week 3, you actually will be overtraining if you’re pushing
yourself hard enough - and that’s a good thing.
Assuming you trained exactly as described here, it isn’t abnormal to see your body change
significantly in the week you take off. I’m talking huge losses in body fat and drug-like changes
in muscle size.
Yes, you will see changes in your physique in the weeks that you’re training - but it’s that week
off that will skyrocket your results.
And as soon as you hop back into the gym for your next 3 week workout cycle, you’ll feel
invincible. You’ll have greater strength, greater stamina, and be able to apply even more
intensity - which will exponentially increase the benefits of this 3/1 week system.
Building muscle with your mind
The greatest limiting factor in these workouts isn’t your fitness level, or your strength level, or
anything like that.
It’s your brain.
You don’t need to be big and strong to see ridiculous results from Hollywood Hypertrophy
Training. But you do need to be mentally tough.
The entire effectiveness of this system comes from the core principle of extremely short rest
periods (30 seconds/10 deep breaths maximum, preferably 15 seconds/6 deep breaths or
less) while maintaining absolutely perfect form and slow, controlled movements. The other
rules are designed simply to facilitate being able to follow this core principle to your maximum
ability.
If you concentrated on doing those three things and nothing else, you’d grow like a weed.
But the problem is, your brain will do anything to stop you from doing them.
Your brain is a machine programmed by millions of years of evolution to make you avoid doing
unnecessary hard work if you don’t have to. It’s why you dread taking the stairs over the
elevator, or prefer to drive everywhere instead of riding a bike.
It’s much better to conserve your energy for true fight-or-flight situations than to waste it
unnecessarily.
To your brain, Hollywood Hypertrophy Training workouts are insane. Listen, if you haven’t
found out already - these workouts are hard. And as you strive to breathe deeply only 6 to 10
times between sets - heck, maybe even less - your brain is going to be whispering to you, “No,
go ahead and take a little more rest time. You need it.”
In fact, this is the most common problem I see. Guys following this system know they can only
rest for 10 deep breaths maximum... so they take ten deep breaths, cushioned by an extra 15 to
20 seconds before and after those breaths before actually physically starting their next set. And
those 15 to 20 seconds of hesitation are always because of an internal dialogue that sounds like,
“Should I do this next set now? No, I’m tired. And my muscles feel a little sore. Maybe just a
couple more seconds. This isn’t going to hurt me. Right? OK, almost ready... and... OK, let’s do
it... and... now! No, wait... now!” Their workouts always last 40 minutes or longer, they don’t see
the growth they expected, and they wonder what they were doing wrong...
...and the truth is, their brain was sabotaging them with that internal dialogue and that hesitation.
Another common problem: as your sets progress and your muscles fatigue, you’ll find your brain
telling you that you can let your form slip a little bit, since you’re still sort of getting the weight
up and down - and it’ll reason that that’s good enough... right? (Wrong.)
But the longer you rest between sets, or the worse your form gets (especially as you near your
final sets), the less muscle you will build. Plain and simple. Resting for 15 seconds between
sets on this system will build significantly more muscle than resting for 16 seconds,
assuming all other rules are followed perfectly. The guy who maintains perfect form, no
matter how badly it burns or stings in his muscles, will always have better-defined, bigger
muscles than the guy who just starts mindlessly heaving the weight up and down as soon as it
hurts a little bit.
Your body can take a lot more punishment than you think. These workouts are barely scratching
the surface of what your body is truly capable of. The real problem is that your brain is going
to do everything in its power to sabotage your workouts and rob you of muscle mass.
Unless you can trick it otherwise. Here’s how...
1. Program yourself: pain is good. Of course, I’m talking about the deep burning pain you
feel when lifting weights, not injury-related pain. Most guys take the burning pain feeling
as a signal to decrease their efforts in their exercise. The pain sensation is actually a
signal to increase your efforts, and is nothing but a signal that real muscle growth
begins now. You need to repeat to yourself when you’re in the gym that, as soon as that
painful feeling kicks in, you’ve got to ramp up your efforts - because up until that
sensation, everything else was just a warm-up that did nothing for muscle growth! When
I’m in the gym, I crave that pain - since I know that the harder I push through it, the
bigger my muscles will be as a result. As soon as my muscles start to really hurt, I know
that if I kick up my efforts a notch and make them hurt even more for an extra 1 minute,
I’ll get exponentially more muscle growth - so of course I have no problems at all doing
it! You might think in the moment that your body can’t push through it, but as long as
you are mentally focused on it, you’ll be surprised by what you can do.
2. Muscle meditation. I never go into a workout without laying down and imagining it in
my head for at least 5 minutes beforehand. I perform every movement slow and
controlled in my head, use almost no rest between my imaginary sets, and see myself
absolutely annihilating the weights. And, consistently, every time I do this, since I’ve
already “warmed up” and lifted the weights in my head, I’m able to rest less and lift
significantly more weight in the gym than if I didn’t do it. An interesting note: a lot of
guys find they actually resist lifting the weight with perfect form and slow, controlled
movements when imagining it in their heads! That means you have a mental block on
really pushing yourself in your workouts - and these muscle meditation sessions will help
clear it up. Use your concentration to perform the perfect workout in your head before
doing it in the gym.
3. The One Song Playlist. When you’re in the gym, you’ve got to “unleash the beast
within”. This isn’t a macho thing at all - there’s simply no way you can push yourself
hard enough if you’re letting your rational brain take over in any workout. That rational
brain is the one that sneakily tells you, “Hey, why not ease up a little bit on the intensity
and rest a little more?” What you want is to unleash your primal brain. The easiest way to
flip the switch from “rational brain” to “primal brain”? The One Song Playlist.
4. Have a need for the muscle. Your brain has no problems doing something if you need it.
When you’re working out, remember why you need the Hollywood Physique the entire
time. Is it to impress a girl? Is it to prove a point to someone? Is it to prove a point to
everyone? At any point if you hesitate and try to rest longer or start slipping in your
exercise form, remember why you’re working out - and let the mental image of that
reason push you to another level of intensity.
5. Pride. Listen, in the end, you’re doing this for you. You must be accountable to yourself.
At the end of a workout, you’ll know whether or not you could have pushed yourself
harder. You’ll know if you could have rested less, or worked a little harder to really
exhaust your muscles. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like the feeling of
knowing that I didn’t do my very best in any particular workout and that I left a lot of
muscle growth on the table - and I let that pride fuel me.
The hidden secrets to muscle growth success
Listen, you’ve probably gotten the point by now, but I really, really have to nail this home
because so few guys really understand it:
The absolute harder you work in the gym, and the more intensity you apply to every single
workout, the greater you will grow.
The problem is, though, that "working hard" is a vague description. Everyone knows they have
to "work hard" to see muscle grow, but very few people know what that actually means. I'm
going to try my best to clear this up for you.
Chances are that, right now, no matter what you think, you are nowhere near pushing
yourself hard enough... and you will never see significant muscle growth until you learn
how to do it!
This is a lesson that every guy who sees huge growth in a short period of time eventually
realizes. Most guys who think they’re putting in 100% effort in every workout are really
operating closer to about 50% to 60% effort. I know, because I used to be one of them.
The problem is that these guys don’t know what 100% feels like - and have never been beyond
50% to 60%, which they confuse for 100%.
Muscle doesn’t grow just from lifting weights up and down. Muscle grows proportionately to
how thoroughly you stress a muscle with those weights. The more stress you place on the
muscle, the more it will grow.
Hollywood Hypertrophy Training is designed to make it easy to maximize that stress and
maximize growth, but just following the rules (3 to 10 deep breaths maximum, perfect form,
slow movements, etc) isn’t enough. There’s an emotional and mental component that isn’t
rational, and that you must produce yourself for full results.
I've listed out the clear, rational rules of training for you earlier in this section. Now I'm going to
list out the not-so-rational side of things.
What you're about to read is how you should physically and mentally feel after every single
workout, if you're applying the proper amount of intensity.
Some of these may seem weird. Some of them may not seem right. But every person who really
pushes himself in the gym and succeeds on this program experiences every single one of these
sensations after every workout, without fail:


You should never once have room for any kind of rational thought in your head
during a workout. You’re either sneaking in 3 to 10 deep breaths between sets... or
focusing singularly on making your muscle contract as hard as possible against the
weight you’re lifting. That’s it. That’s what all your time in the weight room is spent
doing. There could be a guy in a bright pink spandex leotard having a brutal pillow fight
with a fully-grown gorilla five feet away from you, and you wouldn’t notice because you
are so “in the zone”. (A buddy of mine and I once worked out in a gym that was full of
mosquitoes. In the middle of every set, multiple mosquitoes would land on us and start
sucking away on our delicious blood. While every other guy was swatting them off and
getting distracted by them, we never even noticed - until the workout was over and we
were covered in mosquito bites.)
You get nervous before every single workout. This one is huge. A common experience
among every person who performs these workouts correctly is that he gets extremely
nervous right before. This is a completely natural “fight or flight” defense mechanism.
It’s the same reason elite athletes get butterflies in their stomach before competition your body instinctively knows it’s about to be pushed to its absolute limits. This is
something that can’t be turned off, and can’t be forced. It’s purely instinctual.



After every workout, you should think back 10 minutes and say, “Holy crap - did I
seriously just do that?!” Astound yourself with how hard you push yourself. You
should be able to rationally think back on the gym session you just finished and wonder
to yourself, “Was that really me who lifted all that weight that intensely?” Most guys just
finish their workouts and move on with their day, but every person who really sees
results finds themselves naturally in awe of what they just accomplished.
Your time in the gym is an absolute blur. These workouts, done perfectly, will last
about 18 to 20 minutes maximum on average. But during the workout, it’ll feel more like
you only spent about 5 minutes total. You’ll have no idea where the time went. Again,
you’ll be “in the zone” - with not a thought in the world other than breathing deep for rest
and progressively fatiguing your muscles as deep as possible.
Your brain is nearly more fatigued than your muscles by the end. Truly intense
workouts fatigue your brain more than anything. Yes, your muscles will be nearly dead
and unable to move properly - but after every great workout, you’ll have to sit down or
lay down for 5 to 10 minutes just to recompose your thoughts and get back to normal
mental functioning again. If you feel like you can safely operate heavy machinery or hold
a rational conversation immediately after a workout, then you didn’t work out hard
enough. (But remember - you'll still feel mentally alert afterward, with adrenaline
running through your veins still. You just won't be able to think rationally very well.)
If you feel that you can maybe push yourself a little harder in the gym - do it. And then do it
again the next workout. And then the next. And so on.
Keep pushing yourself harder and harder in your workouts, working out absolutely over your
head (while strictly following the Unbreakable Rules of Hollywood Hypertrophy Training), until
you experience the sensations listed above.
Once you do, there’s a good chance that your definition of “100% effort” and “hard work” and
“intensity” will have changed drastically from when you started - and so will have the look and
size of your muscles.
Get Started
In the Full Routines section, there are a number of complete Hollywood Hypertrophy Training
programs you can start following immediately. You now understand how this training system
works - so put it to use!
Summary
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Fast, significant muscle growth comes as a result of shortening rest periods between
sets... and doing more work in less time... before raising the weight used
Aim to exhaust your muscles as thoroughly as possible in the shortest time possible.
Move the weight up and down as though it's in slow motion, and rest for less than 30
seconds between sets.
The shorter your rest periods between sets - and the harder you push through the pain
induced by such short rest periods - the greater the muscle growth you'll experience.
Never let a weight workout go beyond 30 minutes; absolutely optimal workouts will sit
between 18 and 25 minutes maximum.
To induce the greatest growth in a particular aspect of a muscle, only perform one
exercise per muscle group; this will fatigue the greatest amount of fibers in the targeted
aspect of the muscle.
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Use the same weight for all sets of each particular exercise in each workout; if you can't
do the first few sets with absolutely picture perfect form, lower the weight you use.
Use two exercises back-to-back (and treat them as only one set) only when "specializing"
in one or two specific muscle groups.
When training with proper intensity, you will need one full week off after every three
weeks of training on this routine.
Incline Cardio
Exploiting your body’s fat-burning loophole – and losing your pudge while
building muscle
Exploiting the fat burning loophole
The cardio method described in this section is the key to losing fat while building muscle on this
system.
More than diet, more than anything else, the Incline Cardio method is what is primarily
responsible for reducing your body fat and revealing your six pack – and does it insanely fast.
This is literally the difference between adding a small layer of fat on this system – or shedding it
off fast. No matter how lean you think you are now, this is not an optional part of the program!
But this isn’t anything like the cardio most people perform for fat loss, and it has to be performed
just right for it to be effective.
That’s because this is about more than just cardio. This is about exploiting a loophole in the way
your body burns fat.
Here’s how the loophole works…
First, let me point out that this is stupidly simple – and seems almost too easy to work like it
does. Don’t let that fool you.
Immediately after an intense weight training session precisely following the Hollywood
Hypertrophy Training protocol, your body will be in a unique hormonal and metabolic state
where fat oxidation comes very easily. I’ll call this the Fat Oxidation Zone.
Essentially your heart rate will be very elevated, you’re sweating heavily, you’ll be breathing
heavily from the almost cardiovascular nature of the weight training, and your body hasn’t
started to release cortisol (the “stress hormone”) from overwork yet – so you still feel strong and
alert. This is how the Fat Oxidation Zone feels.
This is very similar to the concept of “target heart rate zones” for fat loss – except that I don’t
want you measuring your heart rate, and there is a little more involved here than just that.
The Fat Oxidation Zone only exists for 10 to 15 minutes immediately following your Hollywood
Hypertrophy Training workouts – and strategically using cardio at this time will allow you to
take advantage of this direct-fat-burning window of opportunity!
But here’s where it gets tricky: you need a fine balance of intensity to get the full benefits from
this window of opportunity. If you work yourself too hard, you’ll be promoting muscle loss
rather than fat loss; if you go too easy, nothing will happen at all.
The solution? Walking at an incline.
Simply walking at an incline for 10 to 15 minutes immediately after every Hollywood
Hypertrophy Training workout provides the perfect stimulus for taking advantage of the
Fat Oxidation Zone and will directly target and burn off more body fat than any other
form of exercise.
Exact instructions on how to do this are provided below.
The biggest advantage to this method is that, because of its light impact on your central nervous
system and its small time commitment, it can be used every day and after every single workout –
resulting in exponentially more fat loss than any other high-impact system can provide.
In other words, not only does each Incline Cardio session burn off more fat than any other form
of cardio, but you can also do it more often than any other form of cardio – resulting in
exponentially greater results.
Now, there is one big catch:
Incline Cardio is an accelerated fat loss add-on to the Hollywood Hypertrophy Training system,
and for this to be truly effective, you must perform your Hollywood Hypertrophy Training
workouts perfectly!
That means never letting your weight sessions go for longer than 30 minutes; preferably going
for less time; and really pushing and exhausting yourself with short rest periods and full
intensity.
The more exhausted your muscles are after your workouts and the more elevated your heart rate
from only 20 to 30 minutes of work, the better your results will be.
Failure to follow Hollywood Hypertrophy Training perfectly – particularly letting workouts run
longer than 30 minutes – will turn Incline Cardio from a loophole for accelerated fat loss to a
counter-productive muscle waster.
In other words, fail to perform your Hollywood Hypertrophy Training workouts properly, and
the fat-burning loophole doesn’t exist – and Incline Cardio is worthless.
Before giving the exact protocol, it’s extremely important to note:
For best results, you must avoid all other forms of cardio while on the Hollywood Physique for
Men!
That means no running, jogging, elliptical, biking, sprinting, or any other form of cardio.
Incline walking, exactly as described in this section, is the only cardio you are permitted to
perform!
How to perform Incline Cardio walks
(NOTE: these instructions are made to be used with a treadmill. If you do not have a treadmill
available to you, following these instructions walking a) briskly up a hill outside or b) on a flat
surface with a weighted vest or weighted backpack on will do the trick.)
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Jump immediately to incline walking right after your weight workout is done, as
though it is another exercise in your routine - do not stop or rest at all!
Set the incline at anywhere from 8 to 12 percent (no more). The number you see when
you adjust the incline is the percentage - if it says “8”, you are at an 8% incline, for
example.
Set the speed between 3.2 and 3.8 MPH - you aren’t approaching a jog or a “power
walk”, but you are walking a bit faster than a standard non-exercise pace, and
definitely an above-average pace for walking uphill.
Walk with a completely straight spine, chest sticking out, and abs stretched straight and
tense. Your abs will be contracted throughout the walk
How to characterize the intensity: you should be able to have a conversation, but not
without stopping to breath between every few words; the first few minutes will feel
surprisingly hard for the speed you're walking at
Your legs should not become exhausted or start burning at all, but instead you should feel
the pressure directly in your abs, which are contracting and working hard to hold you
upright
When done, you should be absolutely drenched in sweat - surprisingly more than
you’d expect to sweat from a simple walking workout
If walking on a treadmill, never ever hold on to the side railings - this complete negates
any positive effects!
When to do it for best results
Immediately after a Hollywood Hypertrophy Training workout (10 to 15 minutes)
This is not optional! Unless you already have perfect, completely visible six pack abs, you will
do a 10 to 15 minute session of incline cardio immediately after every weight workout. (Even if
you already have perfect abs, I still recommend doing at least 10 minutes after every workout to
maintain them!) Treat your Incline Cardio session like you would any other exercise - jump into
it immediately after your final exercise in your weight training session.
Remember, this is taking advantage of a “loophole” in how your body burns fat - specifically
that if you walk as specified above with your heart rate elevated to the exact level it is after a
Hollywood Hypertrophy Training working, and do so for only 10 to 15 minutes, you will directly
target and eliminate fat on your body.
It’s not hard work (although it’ll be surprisingly challenging when you first start walking), but
it’s borderline unreal in how effectively it melts off excess body fat and develops your abs.
Fat loss will be very dramatic and very fast - yes, while building muscle - when performing
Incline Cardio after every weight training workout.
In the mornings if you work out later in the day (20 to 30 minutes)
I highly recommend fitting in two Incline Cardio sessions every day. The more you do it, the
faster you’ll melt off all excess body fat on your body, the more dramatic results you’ll see, and
the more defined abs you’ll have.
The first - and necessary - session, obviously, is for 10 to 15 minutes immediately after your
weight training workout.
The second would be at least 5 hours before or after your weight training session. So if you train
later in the day or at night, go for your Incline Cardio session in the morning.
I recommend doing this immediately after waking up on an empty stomach. Hop out of bed,
drink some water, and go for a walk either on a treadmill or outside up a hill for 20 to 30 minutes
following the Incline Cardio protocol above.
At night if you work out earlier in the day (20 to 30 minutes)
If you work out earlier in the day (from mornings to early afternoon), simply fit in an Incline
Cardio session at night. I like to put on some TV or a video online and walk on my treadmill for
20 to 30 minutes. If you walk outside or at a gym, just put something on an MP3 player and go
for it. Again, just make sure there are at least 5 hours separating your regular workout and your
second night Incline Cardio session.
These morning and night sessions should not follow a weight training session beforehand.
Simply walk from a cold start following the Incline Cardio protocol, either outside up a hill or on
a treadmill at an incline. Like the post-weight workout session, you will be drenched in sweat by
the end of these morning/night sessions.
Summary
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Cardio is absolutely necessary and not optional on this program
Running, bicycling, elliptical, stairstepper, and interval/sprinting training are strictly
prohibited on this program due to their inefficiency in burning fat
Walking at an incline for 10 to 15 minutes immediately after every single workout will
lead to direct utilization of stored body fat for energy and lead directly to fat loss while
building muscle
Walking separate from your workouts, particularly at an incline, for up to 20 or 30
minutes a day will further increase direct fat loss
Recipes and Meal Ideas
How to prepare your foods and make amazing meals with the Peak Hormone
Diet
A quick note on this section
This section is full of recipes and meal ideas that show off the kind of meals that are perfect on
the Peak Hormone Diet.
Some listings are actual recipes; some are meal ideas from restaurants with ideas on how to
recreate them at home; but all should at least give you ideas of how you can make and prepare
your own Peak Hormone Diet meals.
None of these recipes are complex or complicated. I am not much of a cook and don’t want to
spend my life slaving away in the kitchen, and I’m assuming you’re the same way. Consider it
“Dude Food” – simple meals that taste great and work perfectly on the Peak Hormone Diet.
The Ultimate Stew
This recipe is excellent for cooking lots of meat and once and keeping it in the refrigerator for
easy access throughout the week. It's packed with Peak Hormone Diet goodies and makes life
much easier and tastier.
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3 pounds meat - use ground beef only if on a budget, but best to use any other whole
meat variety cut up into smaller pieces
2 onions, chopped up
2 peppers (any color) chopped up
1 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tbsp cinnamon
6 cloves garlic, minced (look for pre-minced garlic at the grocery store)
12 ounces salsa (or more if you'd like - no limit on this)
3 tomatoes, diced (optional)
Hot sauce to taste
Simply toss everything into a pot on the stove at medium-high heat, make sure it's evenly stirred
up, let it start to boil a bit, and then bring down to low heat and let simmer for about 45 minutes
to an hour before eating and enjoying it!
Egg Pancakes
These are coconut flour pancakes that can be baked at once and then stored in the fridge for easy
access. The secret: they're made almost entirely of eggs!
To identify the right coconut flour for this recipe: it is powdery like wheat flour, but almost
yellow in appearance and very low in fat (the label will indicate very little fat and very high
fiber). The label on it will clearly state "coconut flour". You can buy this in many health food
stores, or buy packages online.
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8 eggs
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat or light)
Salt to taste (use as much as you like)
Mix everything together by hand in a big bowl and then let it sit for 5 minutes. (Very important:
coconut flour takes about 5 minutes to absorb the eggs, and this makes it a thicker and tastier
meal.)
Cook on a griddle like pancakes
Divide the number of pancakes you make by the number of eggs you used and you will have
your serving size, based on your designated egg intake
Top these with butter, and if you like them sweeter, use a small dash of stevia.
Crustless Quiche
Here's a crustless, egg-heavy quiche that is absolutely fantastic.
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1 10-12 ounce bag of spinach, stems trimmed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1.5 to 2 cups chopped mushrooms
3 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
6 large eggs
1 cup light coconut milk
Small handful crumbled bleu cheese (I would suggest using cheddar or gruyere instead)
Small amount of butter for greasing the pie plate
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Butter a 9-inch pie dish.
Make sure the bag of spinach is "drained" - i.e., if it was frozen, you have squeezed all excess
water out of it.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour mixture into pie dish.
Cook until puffed and golden brown, which will be roughly 25 to 35 minutes.
Orange chicken
Although it's orange "chicken," you can use this with literally any meat and it'll turn out just as
well. Adjust the recipe as you see fit for however much meat you cook with this particular meal.
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4 oz (or more) chicken thigh/any cut of beef, cut into small pieces
Salt to taste
1/2 to 1 whole onion, chopped up
1.5 tbsp coconut oil/butter/bacon grease (whichever you prefer)
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp frozen orange juice from concentrate (or 3 tbsp fresh orange juice)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup broccoli heads
Heat the oil on medium heat and toss onion into heated oil.
Throw chicken/meat into oil after onions.
Fry chicken/meat and onion together, stirring regularly.
Once fried completely, throw in salt, garlic, soy sauce, and orange juice.
Mix everything together in the pan so that the salt, garlic, soy sauce, and orange juice is evenly
distributed among all the pieces of chicken/meat.
Let it sit and come to a light boil, and as soon as it does, lower the to medium-low heat. Allow
everything to boil very lightly until the orange juice has largely evaporated - should take about 3
to 4 minutes.
Turn the heat off and throw the broccoli heads into the mix, stirring. This should soften the
broccoli but leave it largely crunchy.
The final product, cooled down, should have a gel-like coating from the orange juice.
Enjoy!
Sweet and sour meat
This is a plate I ate almost every day while following the Peak Hormone Diet and living in
Thailand. You can find a similar plate at just about any Asian-themed restaurant; just ask for no
rice or noodles. Below is how I cook it at home.
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Take one pepper (any variety), half an onion, one carrot, three cloves garlic, and cherry
tomatoes; slice all up as you like.
Throw them all in a frying pan with coconut oil or butter; let marinate on medium for one
or two minutes
Throw meat into pan with vegetables; mix frequently with a spatula as meat cooks
Throw in two tablespoons of sweet and sour sauce with a few dashes of salt and pepper
before removing from heat and serving
Steak
This is one of the simplest and best Peak Hormone Diet meals you've got available to you.
Just a plain ol' steak.
I cook mine in a pan on a stove (simply set it to high heat, throw some butter in, and let it fry on
both sides for about two to three minutes - the steak pictured here was cooked that way).
Cooking on a grill or in an oven is fine, too.
The only seasoning you need is salt. Spread it on top until it tastes right to you.
If you like your steaks raw, all the better. The more raw the steak, the faster and more efficiently
it digests - and the more benefit you'll get from it.
Throw in a small greens salad on the side and you have one of the most anabolic Peak Hormone
Diet meals possible.
Bacon and eggs
This is my breakfast nearly every single day of the year: bacon and eggs. Sometimes I eat it
before bed, too, I love it so much. This is one of the finest, purest Peak Hormone Diet meals
around.
For this recipe, consider two thin slices (or one thick slice) of bacon as 1 ounce of meat. Simply
subtract 1 ounce of meat from other meat-only meals for every two thin slices or one thick slice.
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Cook bacon on pan at medium height; allow bacon to cook slowly so heavy amounts of
oil escape and are left on the pan
When bacon is finished, remove it and put it on a plate; now cut up an onion with garlic
and let it marinate on medium in the bacon oil for one minute
Put eggs into pan in any way you prefer (scrambled, sunny side up, etc); I find it best to
crack eggs directly into pan, let them cook sunny-side-up with the onions and garlic, and
then turn off the heat and scramble them quickly in the pan with a spatula so that the yolk
remains slightly soft and runny
Top with sea salt
Sauteed kale and meat
This recipe is extremely easy to make, completely delicious, and very effective for the Peak
Hormone Diet. This is another meal that is easy to find at nearly any Asian-themed restaurant,
particularly Thai.
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Three stalks kale (or however much you'd like to eat)
Meat (however much you'd like)
1 tbsp soy sauce (very lightly sweetened soy sauce works extremely well as a flavor
enhancer in this recipe)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice (or a quarter of a fresh lemon squeezed out)
Salt and peppers to taste
Set a pan on light heat and tear up kale into small pieces, spreading it onto pan
Spread 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, lemon juice, and a few dashes salt and peppers over
kale, stirring to coat all leaves
Stir frequently and allow kale to wilt slightly and become softer - should take roughly 4 minutes
When kale is slightly soft and warm, remove and put onto a plate
Fry meat however you'd like in what remains on the pan (there should still be some soy sauce for
flavoring); season with salt and pepper; place on top of kale when done
Superman Salad
I eat at least one humongous salad every day. Sometimes I eat two. I highly recommend you do
the same.
While some parts of the salad may change from day-to-day, there is always a "base" to it that's
the same - and that's what I'll outline here.
I'm not going to give out precise amounts for this recipe; when you eat vegetables, simply eat as
many as you possibly can. I make these salads BIG - I use the biggest container I can find, throw
all the ingredients in, fill it to the top, and shake to mix it all up.
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Spinach (primary ingredient - use LOTS)
Mixed herb greens
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Broccoli
Shredded carrots
Red onion
Garlic cloves
Half a sliced avocado
1 to 2 tbsp olive oil (just pour over top without measuring)
1 to 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (just pour over top without measuring)
Meat or boiled eggs
Like I said, simply throw everything into a big plastic container, shake it up, and enjoy!
This salad works particularly well with boiled eggs, but any variety of cooked meat is great. Add
1 tbsp feta cheese as a flavor enhancer if you'd like.
This is the single greatest "super meal" on the Peak Hormone Diet. Eat as many salads like this
as you can for your meals.
Raw kale and avocado salad
This is an awesome salad to add alongside and greatly enhance the anabolic properties of any
meat dish.
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Four to six (or however many you'd like) stalks of kale
1 teaspoon lemon juice (or a quarter of a lemon freshly squeezed)
Salt and pepper to taste (just a few dashes will do)
Half an avocado
Tear up kale stalks into small pieces. Place into a bowl.
Throw in lemon juice, salt and pepper, and avocado.
Now the fun part - use your hands and mush everything together for one to two minutes, evenly
mixing and spreading all the ingredients so that the kale gets covered in everything.
That's it - simple, but delicious and extremely healthy with any meat or egg dish.
Salsa and guacamole meat
This was an experiment that turned out better than expected. It's got salsa... it's got avocado...
and it's got meat. And it's awesome.
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Meat
Salsa (just buy it in a store - make sure it's all natural ingredients and all vegetable)
Avocado
Onion and garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Fry meat (cut up into small pieces) on a frying pan with onion and garlic (with either coconut oil
or butter) until fully cooked
Put heat down to medium-low and dump on salsa, avocado, and salt and pepper
Mix thoroughly with spatula until everything is spread even
Let simmer on medium-low heat until salsa and avocado thicken - should take four to five
minutes
Serve and enjoy!
Hamburger wrapped in lettuce
If you ever find yourself out in the world and in need of a quick Peak Hormone Diet meal, just
go to about any fast food joint and order your burger with lettuce wrapped around it instead of a
bun. Most places will do this for you if you just ask.
Feel free to leave all the toppings on (especially the veggies, and any sauce can be considered a
flavor enhancer) - just get rid of that bun.
While ground meat isn't the ideal meat on this program, often you'll find yourself without any
other choice.
The Peak Hormone Diet
How to eat for pure, clean, and simple simultaneous muscle growth and fat loss
A different way to diet
I don’t think I need to tell you how important diet is to muscle growth and fat loss.
But the problem is that, when it comes to physique transformation, most guys don’t understand
the real reason diet is so important.
I’ll give you a hint: it has nothing to do with calories.
Let me preface the Peak Hormone Diet by saying: this system, in practice, is simple. Dead
simple.
But the core foundation it’s built on top of works very differently than most other diet programs,
and understanding why it works the way it does is very important.
So I have one quick favor to ask of you before beginning here:
Forget everything you know about eating for both muscle growth and fat loss!
That’s because, on this system, they’re the exact same thing. There’s no distinction between
“bulking” and “cutting” here, and you’ll understand why in just a second.
But for this system to make sense, I’ve got to start from the beginning and spell out how muscle
growth actually works…
It’s about hormones, not calories
Muscle growth is, first and foremost, the product of your body's hormones.
Let me use an example to explain:
Let's say someone was seeing "OK" results on an all-natural weight lifting and diet program.
Nothing to write home about.
But let's say that person, without changing anything else in their routine, started using steroids.
They're not eating more food. They're not changing their weight lifting routine. They're just
using steroids now.
What's going to happen to that person's results?
You and I both know the answer: they're going to improve, big-time... to the tune of lots more
muscle and lots less fat.
Seems obvious, right? Steroids = vastly improved muscle growth and fat loss, even without any
other changes to a routine.
But most people don't realize that steroids are nothing more than artificial testosterone - a
normal hormone that your body naturally produces every day.
When you take steroids, all you're doing is pumping your body with more testosterone than it
was naturally producing before - which leads to huge changes in your body composition,
increasing muscle and decreasing fat.
So, with that in mind, we can modify the equation above to:
More testosterone = vastly improved muscle growth and fat loss.
And the reason for that is simple: all muscle growth is facilitated by testosterone. This is a
simple, easily-verified biological fact.
When you work out, you create small tears in your muscle tissue. Protein is the raw substance
that eventually binds to muscle tissue, repairs those tears, and gets it to grow bigger as an
adaptation - but protein synthesis doesn't just happen when you eat protein.
It's testosterone that actually "activates" and allows the protein synthesis process to even take
place.
The more testosterone you have in your body, the more protein you use for muscle growth - and
the bigger your muscles grow. (Without enough testosterone, excess protein gets stored as body
fat.)
The point of this is: it's hormones - primarily testosterone - that are responsible for muscle
growth and fat loss. While I've only covered testosterone up to this point, there are a number of
other related hormones that are activated the same way; I will refer to everything simply as the
anabolic hormones.
Now here's where things get interesting:
Most guys are nowhere even close to approaching their body's natural production levels of the
anabolic hormones, especially testosterone.
And by maximizing natural anabolic hormone production, any guy can get steroid-like results without side effects or safety issues.
Maximizing natural anabolic hormone production all starts with your diet.
The Peak Hormone Diet is designed strictly to maximize your body's anabolic hormone
production while providing the exact building blocks needed to repair and grow muscle
while melting off body fat.
In other words, the Peak Hormone Diet is a diet plan designed strictly for maximum muscle
growth and fat loss. It is not a year-round diet plan, but rather one to be followed strictly for 3 to
6 months while on the Hollywood Physique for Men!
Oh, and a cool note: it works its magic with no supplements and 100% whole foods you can find
at literally any grocery store world-wide.
First a couple ground rules
First: you need to stop thinking in terms of calories!
On the Peak Hormone Diet, you will never count calories - ever. Calories are meaningless when
it comes to muscle growth and fat loss!
The typical "bulking" diet misses the point completely. Eating lots of food doesn't magically
make muscle appear on your body. Food and calories alone mean nothing to pure muscle
growth and fat loss.
It's the hormonal environment created by specific foods that matters - and with the right
combinations, surprisingly less calories are needed for peak muscle growth than most people
think.
And second: you need to stop thinking in terms of bulking and cutting!
Constant bulking and cutting are the two worst things you can put your body through, and is not
how your body is designed to work.
Your body is much smarter than most people give it credit for. It hates having excess body fat,
and loves having healthy amounts of muscle.
To put it bluntly, nearly all disease can be linked back to increased body fat, while nearly all
indicators of great health can be linked back to lean muscle. To think that you need to put on fat
in order to build muscle is completely counterintuitive and wrong.
I've found consistently that when you activate and create the right hormonal balance in your
body - as the Peak Hormone Diet does - your body will naturally burn off fat if necessary, all
while piling on muscle. In other words, it will do everything in its power to reach the healthy,
muscular, lean state it craves to be in.
And this is true for everyone.
In other words, building muscle while losing fat is natural - when you give your body the right
inputs. The Peak Hormone Diet, with the rest of the Hollywood Physique for Men system, are
those inputs.
How diet affects hormone production and muscle growth
Anabolic hormone production is the result of specific micronutrients (vitamins and minerals, like
vitamins A, the B vitamins, C, D, E, iron, zinc, potassium, and more) interacting with specific
macronutrients (proteins, fats, and cholesterol).
Note that I said specific micronutrients and macronutrients. For example, there are two different
forms of vitamin A, multiple forms of vitamin B, and which forms you get are extremely
important. Similarly, not all protein is the same - some is much more readily digestible and used
for muscle repair than others. Same with fat - there are many forms, and some are far more
important to muscle growth than others.
The chain of command looks a little something like this:
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Dietary fat is at the core of every process in your body, from micronutrient absorption to
regular metabolic processing...
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Cholesterol is the literal building block of all hormones in your body (all hormones are
made from cholesterol)...
Specific micronutrients then "start the engine" to hormone production...
And those hormones work with proteins to create and build new muscle, all while using
body fat for energy.
This is vastly simplified, and to be completely honest, the entire process can get very
complicated when written out.
The ratios and quantities of micronutrients to macronutrients necessary to maximize hormone
production and muscle growth is so specific and precise that it would seem impossible to
naturally orchestrate.
But luckily, nature has made our job much, much easier.
The Peak Hormone Diet in a nutshell
There's no hard calculations or complex equations here.
The exact ratio of micronutrients-to-macronutrients necessary for peak hormone
production and muscle growth are found in eggs, meats, and leafy green vegetables.
Eggs and meat provide the core set of micro-and-macro nutrients necessary for muscle growth,
fat loss, and basic survival; and vegetables, particularly leafy green vegetables, provide
micronutrients that exponentially increase the effectiveness of those found in meat and eggs.
And that's how the Peak Hormone Diet works:
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

50% of your food intake will be from whole eggs.
The other 50% is from unprocessed meats.
And you are to eat as many vegetables, particularly leafy green vegetables, as is humanly
possible.
Absolutely no other food is permitted, as well as no carbohydrate-dense foods!
This is a low-carb, high-protein, high-fat diet plan, but I don't want you to think of it that way because it is the extremely specific sources of the fat and protein in the exact quantities specified
that matter, not the fact that it's just a "high fat/high protein" diet.
Got it?
The Peak Hormone Diet is dead simple, but it works - with drug-like results.
Of course, for maximum results, there's a bit more to it than just eating eggs, meats, and
vegetables - and that's what the rest of this section is for.
Do not try to complicate this diet! It really could be spelled out accurately in one page, but
most guys have been led to believe that dieting for muscle growth and fat loss is a complex,
difficult task. It's not!
Think of it this way: nature wants you to be leaner and more muscular (and rewards those who
are with greater health, increased mating opportunities, and more social stature) - and has made
getting that way very easy!
Check out the rules and structure of the Peak Hormone Diet below, and then study the recipes,
sample daily/weekly meal plans, and sample meals to get an idea of how to structure the diet.
From there, each Full Routine will tell you exactly what to eat in what quantities every day for
maximum results.
Now that you understand the premise behind this diet, it's time to get into the specifics.
The unbreakable rules of the Peak Hormone Diet
Rule #1: Food intake is pre-determined by your height, and you should never count
calories!
The Peak Hormone Diet is broken up into two phases: Phase I and Phase II.
Phase I involves a heavier food intake and, for a limited number of trainees, promotes improved
muscle growth. Phase I is less focused on fat loss and more on pure muscle growth, and is
designed specifically for guys who are naturally very thin, have a very fast metabolism, and
struggle to put on any kind of weight.
If you have any excess body fat at all, do not follow Phase I! You will see much better growth
and fat loss from Phase II, even though the food intake is lowered. Excess body fat makes
nutrient partitioning more difficult in the body, and eating less food is surprisingly more
effective.
Phase II provides the exact amount of nutrients necessary to promote maximum muscle growth
and fat loss at the same time, and for most guys is the most direct path to the Hollywood
Physique and the results we're after.
Phase I
For putting on maximum weight
Select your height from the list below for your daily food intake.
5'0" to 5'2":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 5 eggs (30g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 5 oz meat (25g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 3 oz meat (15g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 139 grams protein
Roughly 125 to 150 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: 5 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
5'3" to 5'5":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 6 eggs (36g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 3 oz meat (15g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 147 grams protein
Roughly 130 to 160 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
5'6" to 5'8":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 6 eggs (36g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 4 eggs (24g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 156 grams protein
Roughly 140 to 170 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 4 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
5'9" to 5'11":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 6 eggs (36g protein)
Meal 2: 7 oz meat (35g protein)
Meal 3: 4 eggs (24g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 165 grams protein
Roughly 145 to 180 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 4 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
6'0" to 6'2":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 6 eggs (36 g protein)
Meal 2: 8 oz meat (40 g protein)
Meal 3: 5 eggs (30 g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30 g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18 g protein)
Meal 6: 4 oz meat (20 g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 175 grams protein
Roughly 160 to 195 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 5 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
6'3" to 6'5":
Monday through Saturday:




Meal 1: 7 eggs (35 g protein)
Meal 2: 8 oz meat (40 g protein)
Meal 3: 4 eggs (24 g protein)
Meal 4: 7 oz meat (35 g protein)


Meal 5: 4 eggs (24 g protein)
Meal 6: 4 oz meat (20 g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 185 grams protein
Roughly 175 to 205 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 4 eggs
Meal 2: 7 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 4 eggs
6'6" to 6'8":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 7 eggs (35 g protein)
Meal 2: 10 oz meat (50 g protein)
Meal 3: 5 eggs (25 g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30 g protein)
Meal 5: 4 eggs (20 g protein)
Meal 6: 4 oz meat (20 g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 200 grams protein
Roughly 190 to 220 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 5 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 4 eggs
6'9" to 6'11":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 8 eggs (42 g protein)
Meal 2: 9 oz meat (45 g protein)
Meal 3: 6 eggs (36 g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30 g protein)
Meal 5: 4 eggs (24 g protein)
Meal 6: 6 oz meat (30 g protein)
Daily totals:

Roughly 215 grams protein

Roughly 205 to 235 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 6 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 4 eggs
Phase II
For 80% of trainers looking to build muscle while losing fat
Select your height from the list below for your daily food intake.
5'0" to 5'2":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 4 eggs (20g protein)
Meal 2: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Meal 5: 2 eggs (12g protein)
Meal 6: 2 oz meat (10g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 104 grams protein
Roughly 90 to 115 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: 4 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 2 eggs
5'3" to 5'5":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 4 eggs (24g protein)
Meal 2: 5 oz meat (25g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Meal 5: 2 eggs (12g protein)
Meal 6: 2 oz meat (10g protein)
Daily totals:

Roughly 110 grams protein

Roughly 100 to 120 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: 4 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 2 eggs
5'6" to 5'8":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 5 eggs (30g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Meal 5: 2 eggs (12g protein)
Meal 6: 2 oz meat (10g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 117 grams protein
Roughly 100 to 125 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: 4 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 2 eggs
5'9" to 5'11":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 5 eggs (30g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Meal 5: 2 eggs (12g protein)
Meal 6: 2 oz meat (10g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 123 grams protein
Roughly 110 to 130 grams fat
Sunday:


Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: 4 oz meat


Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 2 eggs
6'0" to 6'2":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 5 eggs (30g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 3 oz meat (15g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 131 grams protein
Roughly 115 to 140 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 3 eggs
Meal 2: 4 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
6'3" to 6'5":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 5 eggs (30g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 4 eggs (24g protein)
Meal 4: 5 oz meat (25g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 3 oz meat (15g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 138 grams protein
Roughly 125 to 150 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 4 eggs
Meal 2: 5 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
6'6" to 6'8":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 6 eggs (36g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 4 eggs (24g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 3 oz meat (15g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 150 grams protein
Roughly 140 to 160 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 4 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
6'9" to 6'11":
Monday through Saturday:






Meal 1: 6 eggs (36g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 5 eggs (30g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Daily totals:


Roughly 161 grams protein
Roughly 150 to 170 grams fat
Sunday:




Meal 1: 5 eggs
Meal 2: 6 oz meat
Meal 3: giant carb-heavy feast
Meal 4: 3 eggs
TIP: 4 ounces of meat is roughly the size of a deck of cards.
You are not allowed to count calories on this program, ever. The only thing you’ll ever count
is ounces of meat and number of eggs, strategically designed to hit a rough protein count each
day. (That protein count will occur naturally, as long as you eat the number of eggs and ounces
of meat recommended. There is no need to count it!) So in other words, instead of wondering if
you've eaten enough protein or calories, keep track of how many eggs and how many ounces of
meat you eat every day.
Don’t count grams of fat. This is a high-fat diet, and the total grams of fat you eat in a day will
approach or even exceed the total grams of protein you eat (so if you’re eating 150 grams of
protein, you will also be eating close to or more than 150 grams of fat); as long as you eat meat
and eggs as recommended in rule #2, you will naturally hit this many grams without ever
counting. It doesn’t matter if your total grams of fat fluctuate from day to day due to different
meats and oils used.
(And as a side note, don’t worry about the kinds of fats you’re eating. Don’t worry about how
much saturated fat you’re eating, or high much omega 6 or omega 3 or anything else. Just let the
fats you consume occur naturally from your meat and egg meals, and don’t even think about
them. Remember: nature has packed your meats and eggs with the exact fats you need to
maximize anabolic hormone production. Just trust it.)
Don’t count grams of carbohydrates. You will be eating very few - if any - carbohydrates, and
again, that low number will occur naturally based on the foods you eat. This isn't a program
where you're allowed a specific number of carbohydrates a day. You simply have to avoid all
carbohydrate-dense foods - like breads, grains, fruits, and sugars - and allow as many
carbohydrates from vegetable sources as you can eat (except for squash and potatoes, which are
heavier in carbs and starch). In other words, don't even think or worry about the total grams of
carbs you get in a day; just avoid all primarily-carbohydrate foods, no exceptions.
Here’s how to time your meals:





Aim to eat a meal every 2 to 3 hours.
Always eat meal 1 (breakfast) within 1 hour of waking up.
Eat a meal 1.5 to 2 hours before your weight workout.
Eat whatever is your next scheduled meal IMMEDIATELY after your weight workout.
Bring it with you to the gym to eat afterward. (No carbohydrates in this meal - eat
whatever your next scheduled meal is exactly as-is!)
Eat your last meal 1.5 to 2 hours before going to sleep.
Never ever miss a meal or let too much time elapse between meals!
Rule #2: Your food: meat, eggs, and vegetables only
So by now you get it: every bite of food you take in on this program must be composed of meat
and/or eggs, and vegetables. But let me specify exactly what that means...
Meats (in order of effectiveness):











*Beef (any cut)
*Liver (beef, chicken, calf - no more than 4 oz/day)
*Bison (any cut)
Lamb (any cut)
Pork (any cut)
Venison (any cut)
Bacon
Chicken thighs/drumsticks/legs
Dark turkey meat (try to avoid turkey meat)
Salmon (try to avoid salmon and most other fish)
Ground/minced meats, any variety (use only if absolutely necessary)
*Bolded means you should eat primarily these meats if at all possible, due to their superior
anabolic properties and micronutrient profiles.
General guidelines on meat choices:
1. Eat primarily meats on the top of the list above. Eating only beef for meat intake is ideal
and will lead to the greatest results. If beef is unavailable pork is the next best, and so on
down the list.
2. Do NOT go for “lean” meats! Fattier cuts of meat are far more effective in activating
anabolic hormones. Don’t worry about the fat content; simply avoid all dry, tough “lean”
cuts of meat that are low in fat. The only exception to this rule is liver, which is an
anabolic micronutrient powerhouse. (This means that chicken breasts and other superlean meats are OFF LIMITS.)
3. Aim to eat whole cuts of meat, rather than ground or minced meat, as often as possible.
4. Avoid all processed meats whenever possible. This means sausages and hot dogs
especially. If it’s not on the list above, it’s off-limits!
5. When eating meat, don’t throw away any excess grease or fat - eat all the fat that came
from it!
Vegetables:




















*Spinach
*Kale
*Swiss chard
*Collard greens
*Mixed greens
*Broccoli
*Cauliflower
Cabbage
Celery
Carrots
Onions
Garlic
Peppers
Tomato
Avocado
Asparagus
Brussel sprouts
Mushrooms
Olives
Lettuce
*Bolded means you should eat as many of these vegetables as possible due to their superior
micronutrient profiles.
General guidelines on vegetables:
1. Eat as many vegetables as is humanly possible. Eat them at every meal and between
meals if you’d like.
2. Don’t limit yourself to only the vegetables on this list; any similar vegetable is fine as
well. Simply avoid starchy, higher-carb veggies like potatoes and squash.
3. For best results, get the vast majority of your veggies from the veggies bolded on the top
of the list if at all possible. The micronutrient profile of these veggies most effectively
activate the anabolic hormones we’re after.
Eggs:
See that? That’s a whole egg. That’s what you’re going to eat.
Every single egg you eat must include both the yolk and the white. No exceptions. All the
anabolic power of the egg - all of its fat, its micronutrients, and its most potent protein -is located
in the yolk.
If you eat out at restaurants, make sure they use whole eggs and not egg whites from a carton!
General guidelines on eggs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Always eat both the yolk and the white. No exceptions. ALWAYS.
All eggs must originate from a shell. Never ever use eggs from a carton.
Any variety of egg is fine. Omega 3, fertile, regular, brown, white, whatever.
All recommendations in this guide are based on chicken eggs. Focus on using only
chicken eggs (if you’re in an area that primarily uses other animals’ eggs).
5. Again, seriously: every single egg must include BOTH the yolk AND the white. If you
are going to eat 4 eggs, for example, then you are going to eat 4 whites and 4 yolks. No
exceptions.
ANOTHER WAY TO CONSIDER THIS:
When it comes to your primary food sources, you are permitted...






No milk, cheese, yogurt, or any dairy (except butter)
No soy
No nuts
No fruit
No sugar
No artificial sweeteners
...NOTHING but meat, eggs, and vegetables. If it’s not meat, eggs, or vegetables, you are NOT
to eat it. Got it?
Rule #3: The rule on oils, condiments, and “flavor enhancers”
Look back up at rule #2. On this diet, you are to eat meats, eggs, and vegetables ONLY for every
meal. And rule #1 outlines exactly how many meals you should eat and how they should look.
Aside from the anti-adaptation day outlined in rule #4, there are a few other small exceptions to
rule #2.
1. Cooking oils. Aim to cook everything in coconut oil, butter, or lard (grease from bacon,
for example) only. Use as much of each as you need for your foods. Seriously - if you
need 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or butter to cook your meat and veggies, then use it!
Try not to fry any foods in olive oil, since high heat will denature it and turn it into
essentially a light poison.
2. Dressing oils. Again, no limit here - but aim to use only olive oil or liquid fish oil for
this. Essentially if you're making a salad or just want some oil on top of a meal, put as
much olive oil or flavored liquid fish oil as you want on it. I personally limit myself to 1
tablespoon of either when I’m using them as a topping, but more is fine.
In other words - as long as it's butter, coconut oil, excess grease from cooked meat, olive oil,
or fish oil, use as much of it as you want! When your body doesn’t have to deal with
carbohydrates, these fats are "free calories" - meaning, it’d take serious overeating of them to
cause any kind of fat gain, and in many cases, they actually improve fat loss and muscle gain
when combined with your other meat/egg/vegetable meals.
Now the "tricky" exception:
Flavor enhancers.
Flavor enhancers are normally off-limits foods used in very small quantities to greatly enhance
the flavor and enjoyment of your meat, egg, and vegetable meals. Typically this means sauces
made from non-meat, egg, or vegetable sources in quantities of two tablespoons maximum.
Do NOT count calories or anything in flavor enhancers; simply try to limit them to two
tablespoons maximum per meal, and preferably less.
So for example:



If there’s a peanut sauce you love that makes your vegetables easier to eat, USE IT.
If cooking your meat and vegetable dishes with sweet and sour sauce takes them from
bland to INCREDIBLE, then use a tablespoon or two of it.
If you’re at a restaurant and there’s a light cream sauce on top of the steak you ordered,
DON’T SWEAT IT.
Listen, if you’re choking and gagging trying to get your meals down, then you’re not going to
digest them very well - let alone eat them day in and day out. That’s completely counter-intuitive
to what we want here.
The idea here is that it’s better to put a slightly sweet sauce with a little sugar in it on your
vegetables than to not eat those vegetables at all.
Flavor enhancers have gone too far when they take prominence over your meat, eggs, or
vegetables. Vegetables in a big, thick creamy soup is not OK; a small amount of sauce lightly
poured over your vegetables is cool.
Also: use your good judgment. Avoid sugary flavor enhancers, and try to use flavor enhancers
made from vegetables (like salsa and tomato sauce) as often as possible. And finally: this is not
an invitation to sneak sweets or prohibited foods into your diet! This is simply to make your
meals easier to manage, and the less you use flavor enhancers, the greater your results will be!
Sneaking candy between meals because you didn't use flavor enhancers on your meals today is
not allowed.
TIP: dilute thicker sauces with a little bit of water to get more out of them. Also, remember that
not all sauces are “off-limits.” Salsa and guacamole are both made entirely from vegetables and
spices, which are 100% approved on this diet. Just salt and pepper can transform a meal, and all
spices like those are 100% approved. If it’s made from vegetables or naturally calorie-free, use
as much of it as you want!
I have provided sample meal ideas in this guide. Study them to get an idea of approved flavor
enhancers and how to incorporate them in meals.
Rule #4: The once-a-week “anti-adaptation” day
The anti-adaptation day is meant to keep your body from adapting too quickly to the Peak
Hormone Diet, as well as replenish your muscle glycogen stores for the next week's workouts.
The once-a-week anti-adaptation day is not optional - and it is absolutely super vital that you
follow it exactly as I'm about to describe!
Here's how it works:
Once a week - preferably on an "off" day from working out, but doing it on a workout day if it
fits in better with your social life will not hurt you - you will cut your total daily meat/egg
intake by half, and take ONE HOUR out of the day (and one hour ONLY) to absolutely stuff
your face with as much carbohydrate-rich food as you can possibly stomach. In other words, the
complete OPPOSITE of how you've been eating the rest of the week.
Over that one hour period, you are to eat as much as you please until you are completely stuffed
- and when I say stuffed, I mean you are so full that you have literally zero interest in
eating anything more for at least six to eight hours. That means burritos, pizza, donuts,
cinnamon rolls, bread, rice - whatever you want is fair game, as long as it's packed with
primarily carbs.
The rule is simple: stuff yourself silly with carbohydrate-dense foods over the course of only
one hour to the point where you simply don’t even THINK about eating again for another 6
to 8 hours. The meals before and after the one-hour carb binge are pre-determined meat and egg
meals. I usually do my one hour carb binge around 11 or noon on Sundays, but you can do it at
any time of the day. It can be your last meal of the day, or one of your first - doesn’t matter, as
long as you follow the general rules outlined here.
Of course, the healthier you eat, the better results you'll get. But if you've been craving donuts all
week, and can't think about anything else, then by all means - eat some freakin' donuts during
this one hour period!
Seriously stuff yourself over this one hour period - to the point where you HATE all those
carb-heavy foods and can't even stomach to think about them for the rest of the week. Get
the cravings out of your system! I once followed this diet around some great pastry shops that
teased me every time I walked by them during the week, and for my one-hour "binge eating"
period, I'd eat a cream-filled donut, a cinnamon roll, a gourmet chocolate pastry, a big slice of
pizza, a small piece of cake... and sometimes shove even more down my throat if I still felt like
eating more.
(The woman running one of those shops would always ask me what "my secret" was that
allowed me to be so lean and muscular and eat so much junk. I didn’t bother telling her that
those once-a-week junk binges actually WERE part of my “secret.”)
After all that food, I'd be in a food coma for hours afterward... and not even think about eating
that stuff for another full week afterward, which made the rest of the week’s meat/egg/vegetable
portion of the diet extremely easy to follow.
That's an extreme example, though, and more generally my "one hour anti-adaptation" meal of
choice is a gigantic burrito with chips and salsa.
DO NOT SKIP THIS ONE HOUR CARB-UP PERIOD. Strangely enough, this one hour period
will actually HELP you build muscle and lose fat, for a number of physiological and
psychological reasons. If you're still uncomfortable with this period, simply aim to eat
"healthier" carbs - sweet potatoes, whole grains like brown rice, and legumes like beans and
lentils.
But do NOT miss it or skip out on it. It seems counter-intuitive, but this day will greatly enhance
your muscle building and fat burning results.
Some people find it easier to fit this day in on a Friday/Saturday, eating their carbs at night when
they're out with friends. Find what works best for you and your social life. Alcohol is not a carb
food. Avoid alcohol at all costs while on this program.
While there are tons of reasons why this day will accelerate your results significantly, the four
primary reasons are:
1. Restoring muscle glycogen. Your muscles will likely feel "flat" and you will lack energy
in your workouts by this point in the week. The one-hour binge period, with all its carbs,
essentially "refuels" your muscle's energy reserves - and you'll have some killer workouts
in the days afterward, as well as have a much "fuller" look in your muscles.
2. Prevents the body prematurely adapting to the diet. Your body is a machine made to
adapt to everything. Cutting your meat/egg intake in half will make the Peak Hormone
Diet effective for much longer by giving your body a one-day rest from high protein
intake; the carb-up will similarly confuse your body, preventing premature adaptation to
the diet.
3. Mental release. Listen, you're human. You have cravings. You have one hour to let them
out on this day without damaging yourself - and trust me, the mental advantages of doing
this are HUGE.
4. Increases fat loss. For whatever reason, one short carb binge every 7 days - while eating
almost no carbs for the rest of the week - seems to cause the body to let go of excess
body fat at an insane rate. The hormone leptin is often cited for this, but all I know is that
it works - and the strategy outlined here will maximize the effectiveness of this body
hack.
This is not a “cheat day”. You are only getting ONE HOUR to binge on carbs, and it is not
“cheating” because it’s an integral part of this diet system. Eating carbs on any other day is
cheating, which leads me to...
ONE BIG CAVEAT: the one-hour carb-up period on this day will COMPLETELY RUIN ALL
YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS PROGRAM AND NOT BE IN ANY WAY BENEFICIAL if you
are eating carbs every other day of the week. IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT
EVERY OTHER DAY OF THE WEEK YOU EAT ONLY MEATS, EGGS, AND
VEGETABLES WITH NO CARBOHYDRATE-DENSE FOODS AT ALL!
Rule #5: Water (12+ cups a day), unsweetened tea, and black coffee (2 cups) for liquids
Aim to drink as much water every day as you can - at least 12 cups. Water, above anything else,
will give you tons of energy and keep your bowel movements moving smoothly. (Graphic, I
know, but extremely important - if you’re not having smooth daily bowel movements, it’s a bad
sign. There is more about digestion later in this section.)
Beyond that, unsweetened tea - particularly green tea - is fine throughout the day. Black coffee
(preferably with very little or no cream) is OK, but should be limited to no more than 2 cups a
day. Neither of these are necessary and neither will have very much impact on how your body
looks.
Beyond that, NO OTHER LIQUIDS ARE PERMITTED. No smoothies, no diet sodas,
NOTHING but the drinks listed above.
And especially ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL, EVER! Alcohol is the absolute enemy of the
anabolic hormones we are aiming to activate with this diet. See the "Master On/Off Switches"
section for more information on alcohol.
Rule #6: No supplements! (Except these three under special circumstances)
Plain and simple, nearly all supplements will actually hurt your results on this program. This
especially means protein powder - which is 100% off limits!
Nearly all bodybuilding supplements are denatured, chemically-altered, highly processed junk
foods that have been robbed of every beneficial micronutrient that is found in their whole food
counterparts. And remember - it’s the micronutrients we’re after!
Not to mention that many common supplements, like creatine, are found in a much more potent
form in red meat, which you’ll be getting plenty of on this diet.
Listen, if using supplements like protein powder were actually beneficial, I'd be recommending
the hell out of them right now. But the careful balance of every nutrient we're looking for - from
proteins and fats to vitamins and minerals - are found in perfect quantities in meats, eggs, and
vegetables. Nature is a far better chemist than any supplement manufacturer will ever be.
Not to mention the known and unknown compounds in those whole foods that add more anabolic
power to their nutrients - which are completely lacking in supplements.
I used to be addicted to supplements like protein powder, and had been brainwashed that they
were completely necessary - but as soon as I discovered the principles behind the Peak Hormone
Diet and ditched my supplements, my results skyrocketed. And I guarantee you'll experience the
same results.
Let me repeat this in clearer words: YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH ANY
COMMON BODYBUILDING SUPPLEMENT, ESPECIALLY NOT PROTEIN POWDER,
WHILE YOU ARE ON THIS PROGRAM! Nearly all supplements, especially protein powder,
will greatly reduce the amount of muscle you can and will build!
Now, 90% of the time, I never touch a single supplement - at all. But there are THREE
supplements that CAN help you, although they are 100% UNNECESSARY and failure to use
these three will not hurt your overall results.
1. Fish oil. I recommend this more for health reasons. Nearly every study done on fish oil
points to it being an elixir for amazing health. Many studies also point out that fish oil
can greatly enhance fat loss and muscle growth, but I've followed the Peak Hormone Diet
while both supplementing with fish oil and going without fish oil and saw no difference
in results. (In fact, to be completely honest, my period without fish oil saw best results but that was likely more due to my intensity in the gym at the time.) Many others I have
helped have experienced the same thing. When I do supplement with fish oil, I use a
liquid fish oil and put it on my salads - I just dump on roughly 1 tablespoon's worth on
top. If taking capsules, aim to get in 4 to 6 with every meal. Many sources indicate that
fish oil should be supplemented in the 15 to 25 total grams of fat daily range for best
results.
2. HCl. HCl is hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is what lines your stomach wall, and
breaks down foods for digestion - primarily protein-heavy foods, like meat and eggs. If
you find yourself bloated, tired, or gassy after a meat/egg meal, chances are that your
stomach isn't producing much HCl and isn't fully digesting your foods, and I highly
recommend supplementing with HCl. Take 300mg of betaine HCl with peptin (all of
which will be indicated on the label) with two meat/egg meals a day - I take 300mg with
breakfast and my second-to-last meal of the day - until your issues go away. (Should be
within 3 or 4 weeks.) See the “digestion” portion of this section for more information on
supplementing with HCl.
3. Multi-vitamin. A multi-vitamin is NOT a replacement for the micronutrients you get
from meats, eggs, and vegetables. For the purposes of activating the anabolic
hormones that lead to muscle growth and fat loss, the vitamins and minerals found
in multivitamins are not capable of matching what is found in whole eggs and fatty
cuts of meat. But if you find yourself severely limited in the quality of food you're eating
and the amount of vegetables you can get your hands on, a multi-vitamin can help.
Personally, I don't take multi-vitamins and don't highly recommend them - but I
understand sometimes you can find yourself without easy access to all the vegetables I
recommend. Only in those dire circumstances should you take a multi-vitamin, but don't
expect the same kinds of results you'd get from simply eating whole foods as
recommended here. Aim to take multi-vitamins that list only 100% of the daily value
(DV) of vitamins on the label - avoid the ones that offer 1,000% or more of many
nutrients, since over-consuming many vitamins can lead to toxicity in the body.
Again, none of these supplements are absolutely necessary. The Hollywood Physique for Men is
designed to work amazingly well with absolutely no access to supplements, and I can verify that
many people - including myself - report getting their absolute best results when avoiding all
supplements altogether, including the three listed above.
Simply put, by following the other rules above, you will see results that far surpass ANYTHING
you've ever experienced in the past while using any kind of supplement - and that's because
supplements don't activate the anabolic hormones like the Peak Hormone Diet does.
(Of course, the only exception to the "supplements don't activate the anabolic hormones" rule I
just said would be steroids and HGH, which are literally synthetic forms of those anabolic
hormones - both of which are outlawed in most countries and can be dangerous under regular
unmonitored use. I don't recommend use of these "supplements" and never will, and as already
described, this diet is designed to safely and naturally mimic the positive effects of those drugs.)
The rules in quick, clean summary
Listen, this is really very simple.
Monday through Saturday, the only foods you are to eat are meat, eggs, and vegetables. Nearly
all of your daily calories will be made up of these three groups of foods.
If it’s not meat, egg, or vegetable, you are not going to eat it. Period.
The only exceptions on a day-to-day basis: (cooking your foods in) butter, lard/bacon grease,
coconut oil, (topping your vegetables and foods with) olive oil, fish oil. Small amounts of flavor
enhancers (normally off-limit foods that greatly enhance the taste of your meat, egg, and
vegetable dishes in very small amounts) are OK as well.
And I don’t care HOW you eat your meat and eggs. You can eat every single one of your eggs
scrambled, fried, hard boiled, or whatever you like. You can eat all of your meat plain, either
baked or broiled or barbecued or fried. You can eat plain vegetables in salad form.
Or you can prepare nicer, more complex meals. There are a number of recipes provided in this
program.
However you can get in the designated amount of meat and eggs you’re assigned to eat, do it.
(And remember: don't think of this as a low carb, high protein, high fat diet, even though that's
exactly what it is. What we're really after are the specific micronutrients in the exact ratios
provided in meats, eggs, and vegetables - which are what really create the hormones that then
create muscle growth.)
Then on Sunday (or whatever day works best for you), you will cut your regular meat and egg
intake roughly in half and take one hour out of the day to absolutely gorge yourself on whatever
carbohydrate-rich foods you can. Don’t eat for at least six to eight hours after this all-out carb
feast.
See? It’s not that hard or complicated. But it is insanely effective for both building muscle and
losing fat.
Adjusting the phases based on body fat
Here's a strange but annoying fact about the human body:
The more fat you have on your body, the easier it is to gain more fat.
Here's how this applies to you:
If you have a good amount of body fat right now, and your top priority is losing fat rather than
gaining muscle, do not follow Phase I of the Peak Hormone Diet right off the bat! Phase I will
likely be counterproductive in that case.
Instead start with Phase II. You will still build muscle, but you will also lose significantly more
fat.
Remember that we are using diet to manipulate hormonal output - but, unfortunately, excess
body fat makes that job much, much harder. Specifically, the more body fat you have, the harder
it is to balance and control your hormones - especially those that are responsible for muscle
growth and fat loss.
Phase I is only effective if you are already relatively lean. If you lose sufficient fat in the first
three months while using Phase II, you may change to Phase I for eight weeks.
The low-carb adaptation period (or “the crash”)
A quick warning:
If you have never been on a low-carbohydrate diet plan before, there is a good chance you will
experience "the crash."
Your body must adapt to using fats for fuels (rather than carbohydrates/glucose), and in making
that adaptation, you might experience a huge drop in energy. You may feel sluggish, weak, and
generally "heavy". It's not a fun feeling. This adaptation period usually takes place in the first
week of switching to low carb, and will go away shortly after - so just push through it!
Generally, after you've experienced the "low carb crash" once, you never experience it again. So
if you have experimented with low carb before, you may not suffer from the crash. And a few
lucky souls don't ever experience the crash ever!
So if you do hit the "wall" and crash in the first week, just push through it and, after a couple of
days, you'll be feeling better than ever.
Sample daily diet plan
The following are sample daily diet plans (both Phase I and Phase II) for someone that's 6 feet
tall.
Looking at the Phase I daily food totals for that height, we see:
Meal 1: 6 eggs (36 g protein)
Meal 2: 8 oz meat (40 g protein)
Meal 3: 5 eggs (30 g protein)
Meal 4: 6 oz meat (30 g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18 g protein)
Meal 6: 4 oz meat (20 g protein)
Of course, you could just eat every one of those meals plain, exactly as written above, with the
addition of vegetables. But working them into a more sophisticated plan could look a little like
this...
Monday through Saturday (Phase I):
Meal 1 (breakfast):
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Two slices bacon
5 eggs scrambled in bacon grease with onions, garlic, and sea salt
Cup of green tea
Meal 2:
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(like a hamburger)
7 oz. ground beef wrapped in lettuce for a bun
Tomato, onion on top
Hot sauce
Meal 3:
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(like a salad)
5 hard boiled eggs, cut up
Big bed of spinach, broccoli, carrot
1 tbsp olive oil (or liquid fish oil) and vinegar for dressing
Small dash of crumbled blue cheese for flavor
Meal 4:
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6 oz. beef stew (beanless) with whole tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, and spices
(Recipe in recipes section)
Meal 5:
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4 oz. steak on a bed of spinach, cucumber, carrots with fresh tomato salsa mixed in
1 tbsp liquid fish oil
Meal 6 (one to two hours before bed):
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1 slice bacon
3 eggs cooked in remaining bacon grease with onions and garlic and sea salt
Sunday (Phase I):
Meal 1 (breakfast):
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Two slices bacon
4 eggs scrambled in bacon grease with onions, garlic, and sea salt
One cup green tea
Meal 2:
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6 oz steak on a bed of spinach
Meal 3:
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Gigantic burrito (biggest I can get), big pile of tortilla chips
Meal 4 (two hours before bed):
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3 eggs scrambled in coconut oil
Take note that every meal roughly works out to the totals listed in the original food intake chart.
Although some meals diverge slightly from the exact recommend meal sizes, by the end of the
day the totals add up exactly.
Now when we move to Phase II for a height of 6'0", the new daily food intake is:
Meal 1: 5 eggs (30g protein)
Meal 2: 6 oz meat (30g protein)
Meal 3: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 4: 4 oz meat (20g protein)
Meal 5: 3 eggs (18g protein)
Meal 6: 3 oz meat (15g protein)
Working those into full meals could look like this...
Monday through Saturday (Phase II):
Meal 1 (breakfast):
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2 slices bacon
4 eggs scrambled in bacon grease with sliced onions and crushed garlic and sea salt
Cup of green tea
Meal 2:
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(salad)
5 oz steak
Big bed of spinach, carrots, broccoli, cucumber, onions, tomato
Liquid fish oil or olive oil, spread liberally (roughly 1 to 1.5 tbsp)
Light vinegar
Very small dash of crumbled blue cheese for flavor
Meal 3:
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Three hard boiled eggs (immediately post-workout)
Meals 4 and 5:
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(separated into two small meals, or eaten all at once if short on time)
6 oz chicken thighs, cut up into small pieces, cooked in coconut oil
Mixed with salsa, half an avocado, onions, garlic, peppers, sea salt
Served on a bed of spinach

1 tbsp liquid fish oil mixed in
Meal 6 (one to two hours before bed):
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1 slice bacon
3 eggs cooked in remaining grease with cut up onions and crushed garlic and sea salt
Sunday (Phase II):
Meal 1 (breakfast):
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Two slices bacon
3 eggs scrambled in bacon grease with onions, garlic, and sea salt
One cup green tea
Meal 2:
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3 oz chicken thighs cooked in coconut oil on a bed of spinach
Meal 3:
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Humongous rice/bean/chicken plate with plantains and banana cream dessert
Meal 4 (two hours before bed):
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3 eggs scrambled in coconut oil
As you'll see, again these daily plans add up to the exact recommended food intake from the
original height/food chart.
Sample meals
To give you an idea of some of the plates that are Peak Hormone Diet-friendly that you can
either find in restaurants or prepare yourself, visit the Sample Recipes and Meals page.
Digestion
The topic of digestion, while ignored by most lifters, is maybe more important than any other
subject when it comes to muscle gain and fat loss.
Simply put, if you’re not properly digesting your foods, it doesn’t matter how perfectly you
follow the Peak Hormone Diet (or any diet for that matter) - it will be nearly impossible for you
to build muscle or lose fat.
Remember, it’s not just foods that build muscle, but the nutrients contained in those foods that do
it. And the only way your body can get to those nutrients is by properly breaking down and
digesting the foods you eat. No digestion, no nutrients - and no muscle.
And the sad truth is: most people have terrible digestion, and this is a big reason they never see
the results from their hard work that they deserve. But poor digestion is very easy to fix - and
can be the “missing ingredient” that pushes you to huge results.
But first: how can you tell if your digestive tract is functioning properly or not?
Simply put, it’s all in your bowel movements. (And for those who are bound to ask: yes, I’m
talking about pooping.)
If you don’t like talking about poop... too bad. Here we go...
If your body is processing all its food properly, you should...
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Have at least one bowel movement a day, although more is fine
Be letting go of at least 10 to 12 inches of feces every day (again, all at once, or
throughout the day over multiple bowel movements - either is fine)
Have these bowel movements relatively effortlessly - no struggling or straining
Feel mostly “cleared out” after each bowel movement, like you got everything out
If your bowel movements are irregular (as in, not on a regular schedule and not occurring every
single day), are relatively small, or are hard to get out - your digestive tract needs help
immediately, and you are literally wasting muscle!
Here’s how to clear up digestion problems:
1. Water
Water clears up most digestive issues. Drink 12 to 40 oz (however much you feel you need)
immediately upon waking up every morning - before doing anything else and before eating
anything - and drink lots more of it throughout the day. I recommend 12 cups as a minimum,
although more is great. Drinking water immediately upon rising in the morning is extremely
important since you become dehydrated throughout the night.
2. Vegetables
Vegetables serve two very important purposes on the Peak Hormone Diet: a source of anabolic
nutrients, and roughage to clear out the digestive tract.
The more vegetables you eat, especially leafy vegetables, the better your body will process its
food - and keep your colon running smoothly.
This should serve as a warning: skip out on your vegetables and you are hurting yourself in
multiple ways.
There’s no set amount of vegetables on the Peak Hormone Diet - just eat as many as you can, at
least one serving with every meal, although more is much, much better.
For most people, sufficient water and vegetable intake will do the trick and provide regular,
smooth, significant bowel movements - but if problems persist, there are a few more things you
can do...
3. HCl
HCl is hydrochloric acid, and is one of the three recommended (but not necessary) supplements
on this program. It’s the acid that naturally lines your stomach walls and breaks down foods,
especially protein-heavy foods (like meat and eggs).
Many people are deficient in natural HCl due to modern dietary restrictions, and supplementing
with it clears up many problems, primarily digestive. Beyond just bowel movements, if you
experience gas, bloating, or sickness after a protein-heavy meal, your stomach is likely low on
HCl.
Take one 300mg tablet with your first and fifth meals (so two 300mg tabs total) every day until
problems go away. If problems never fully go away, continue to take at least one 300mg tab
every day, with any meal. If you ever feel a burning sensation near the bottom of your throat
shortly after taking HCl (within one hour), discontinue it immediately - this is a sign that your
stomach has sufficient HCl already, and supplementing with more can be damaging.
Buy any brand of HCl that is labeled “betaine HCl with pepsin”. Most vitamin stores will
carry it, and it should be relatively inexpensive - well under $20 US. It’s also easily found
online. If you can only find brands that are more than 300mg per tablet, that’s fine. If they are
significantly more than 300mg, consider cutting each tablet in half. It is important not to oversupplement HCl - if you do, you will experience the burning sensation mentioned above.
4. Psyllium seed husks
Psyllium is a dry, grain-like, high fiber substance that is indigestible in humans - and provides a
bulking action in the intestinal tract that clears up many digestive issues. It is extremely
important to drink lots of water if supplementing with psyllium! Without enough water,
psyllium can actually make digestive symptoms worse.
Take one tablespoon of psyllium in the morning before eating breakfast. If you’re having
especially bad digestive problems, try one tablespoon at night immediately before bed as well.
Take your psyllium with at least two cups of water for every tablespoon.
If you're not currently having digestive issues, I don't recommend supplementing with psyllium
husks since, in the absence of an issue, they can actually present new digestive problems!
Psyllium husk supplements are relatively inexpensive, can be found in many vitamin shops and
supermarkets, and are also easily found online. Many popular fiber supplements are made from
psyllium - check the ingredients on the label. Generic brands are fine, too, and will simply be
labeled with “psyllium” on the front.
That exhausts all the natural, “short-term” solutions to digestive issues. But if problems persist,
there is one more solution...
5. Fasting
This subject is covered in much more detail in the Body Reset Protocol section. But in summary:
your body will adapt to everything you throw at it, and will stop digesting your foods properly
no matter what. The quickest, easiest way to “reset” your digestive tract is through a strategic
fast, covered in the Body Reset Protocol section.
Adjusting the diet for better results
Although the recommended Phase I and Phase II food intake will work ideally for the vast
majority of people, it may not be ideal for you specifically.
If you find you aren’t both losing fat and building muscle - and you’re following every other
section of the Hollywood Physique for Men to the letter - adjusting your diet is very simple.
These adjustments assume that you are following the Peak Hormone Diet to the letter
otherwise.
If you find you’re gaining fat:
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First make sure you are training with Hollywood Hypertrophy Training and Incline
Cardio properly. Re-read both sections. Lack of intensity in the weight room and failure
to implement Incline Cardio every day is more likely to cause fat gain than diet.
Also make sure you are following all the rules of digestion listed above. Poor digestion
will cause fat gain despite everything else being done “perfectly”.
If you are fairly overweight right now, Phase I will likely provide too much food for
any kind of fat loss; excess body fat naturally reduces the amount of anabolic
hormones your body can produce, which makes more food go toward body fat. I
highly recommend starting with Phase II if you have too much body fat initially.
Before anything else, attempt to eat your meals as plain as possible. Bring flavor
enhancers down to a minimum, or eliminate them altogether. Chances are that you may
be using flavor enhancers in excessive quantities, or that don't react well with your body.
Simply move one height category lower every week until you start seeing the results
you're after. For example, if you're 5'11", simply start eating the daily food amounts from
the 5'6" to 5'8" category.
Alternatively, if you are on Phase I of the Peak Hormone Diet, simply move to Phase II.
Phase II provides less food and creates a better environment for pure fat loss. If you
experience the same problems on Phase II, use the same system: keep moving down in
height categories every week until you get your desired results.
If you find you’re not gaining muscle:

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
First make sure you are applying sufficient intensity to your Hollywood Hypertrophy
Training workouts. Lack of muscle gain is more often the fault of insufficiently-intense
workouts, not diet. Tweaking diet without sufficient intensity in the gym will just result
in fat gain, not muscle gain.
Also make sure you are following all the rules of digestion listed above. Poor digestion
means you are not processing the nutrients necessary for growth.
Simply move up in height categories every week until you get your desired result - so, for
example, if you are 5'8", simply start eating in the 5'9" to 5'11" food category, and
continue moving up until you get the desired result.
Conversely, if you are in Phase II and are sure you are not getting any results at all, you
can attempt moving back to Phase I for more food intake.
Again, attempt to increase intensity in the gym before adjusting the Peak Hormone
Diet. The Peak Hormone Diet is designed to work in conjunction with Hollywood
Hypertrophy Training and Incline Cardio. If both training protocols are implemented
properly, large amounts of food should not be necessary for muscle growth, and food
shouldn’t need to be brought down to near-starvation levels for fat loss.
In fact, bringing food levels too high or too low will actually switch “off” the anabolic hormones
we’re attempting to manipulate. Overeating and undereating both increase the bad hormones that
we want to avoid altogether.
Don’t assume immediately that it’s your diet causing poor results. I used to think I needed 200
grams or more of protein a day in order to grow along with lots of calories (and that getting fat
along the way was just the price I had to pay), but the real secret is that with proper intensity in
the gym from Hollywood Hypertrophy Training (specifically, sub-30 second rest periods and
pushing yourself to your limits every time) you can still grow fast on less than 100 grams of
protein a day and under 2,000 total calories - as long as that protein and those calories are from
the right sources, which the Peak Hormone Diet provides. (The Peak Hormone Diet, of course,
provides more than that much food, but I use this only as an example.)
What I’m getting at is: too many people blame their diet when, in fact, it’s their training that’s
holding them back. But if you feel your training is as intense as it can be and you’re still not
getting the results you expect, manipulate your diet with the guidelines provided above.
A note for vegetarians and vegans
As you can see, this isn’t the most vegetarian or vegan friendly diet.
And that’s for one simple reason: this diet is about nothing more than piling on muscle and
melting off fat at the fastest rate possible, and that isn’t an option if going completely vegan or
vegetarian. Unfortunately, meat does play a big role in changing your body composition.
However, not all hope is lost if you’re a vegetarian.
If you are vegetarian, simply replace all meat in the Peak Hormone Diet with eggs. (Replace 3
eggs for every 4 ounces of meat.) Yes, you’ll eat lots of eggs every day - but you’ll also see your
body change extremely fast. Follow every other rule exactly as-is.
If you’re vegan: sorry. Building muscle on a vegan diet is possible, but not at anywhere even
close to the rate that non-vegans will experience. Following every other aspect of the Hollywood
Physique for Men will help you change your body rapidly, though - you just won’t get the huge
benefits of the Peak Hormone Diet.
I do NOT recommend eating soy meat replacement products on this diet! Processed soy is NOT
a substitution for meat and eggs, and is not effective for muscle growth.
Hide the fact that you’re dieting
If you've ever dieted in the past, you know how tough it can be on your social life.
Not only are you limited in what you can eat when you go out, you likely also get a lot of crap
from your friends. "Why are you on a diet? Why aren't you eating that? Are you one of those low
carb people? I eat whatever I want, and you should too!" It goes on and on.
The beauty of the Peak Hormone Diet is that, once you get the hang of it, it can be followed
completely "incognito," or what I like to call a "covert transformation." What I mean is that it's
easy to make Peak Hormone Diet-friendly meals that don't raise any red flags among your
friends - and, in fact, lead many to believe you're NOT on a diet at all!
For some people, this may not be a big deal. But if you're anything like me, this is maybe the
biggest benefit to the Peak Hormone Diet. I can't tell you how great it is to be eating meals that
force my body to melt off fat and build muscle... and have my friends crave every bite I eat!
That's a pretty big change from the average bodybuilding diet.
So here are some quick tips for avoiding social conflict on the Peak Hormone Diet...
1. You can eat out anywhere, with some small modifications. Just about any
restaurant/food vendor in the world can serve you Peak Hormone Diet-safe meals.
Simply avoid carbohydrates. Most burger joints will wrap your burger in lettuce for you
instead of a bun (and all toppings are just fine - especially veggies like tomatoes and
onions), nearly every restaurant serves steaks or other meat-only meals (often with salad just ask them not to include any potatoes or other heavy carbs), and you can often find
boiled eggs in any gas station convenience store for a quick snack. If you're invited out to
eat, seriously - you can find a meal just about ANYWHERE. Just avoid the heavy carb
foods.
2. Tell your friends you're going low carb as an experiment. If your friends don't
question your low carb ways, don't say anything. But if any give you crap about eating
low carb, simply tell them it's an experiment. "I'm trying out low carb for a few weeks
because I've found I actually feel a lot better doing it." Leave it at that. If you frame your
eating habits as being for your health and well-being, few people will question it - and
often you'll get other people opening up about it, too.
3. Let your results speak for themselves. Listen, as soon as everyone in your life sees you
growing like a weed AND leaning out like crazy, they're not going to question you. At
all. Just stick with it and let your results shut them up.
4. Salads are your social savior. Eat four eggs by themselves - you're a weirdo. Eat a salad
with four chopped up hard boiled eggs - you're super healthy and everyone will envy you.
Dump your meat and egg meals in with some greens and no one will bother you.
Listen, if you're getting crap from your friends and family over your eating habits, it's going to
be hard to keep plugging along - so I hope these quick tips will help you avoid conflict.
Is this diet unhealthy?
Here’s the deal: I’m not a doctor. Everything written in this guide comes from my personal
experience, and from the research I’ve conducted over the past few years about how the human
body actually functions when building muscle and losing fat.
So I can’t tell you definitively and with any medical authority if this diet is “healthy” or
“unhealthy.” That would be irresponsible for me to do, since I’m in no position to give out that
kind of advice.
What I can tell you, though, is my own experience, and the experience of other people who have
followed this diet.
And it’s simply this: although it flies in the face of common wisdom (extremely high cholesterol
intake; lots of saturated fat from animal sources; high fat intake in general), the health outcome
of this system in the vast majority of people who use it is generally lowered total blood serum
cholesterol (with ideal HDL and LDL cholesterol levels), lowered blood pressure, lowered
triglyceride levels, and an overall improved health profile.
Lots of research points to the fact that, in the absence of carbohydrate-dense foods, the
recommended meat and egg food intake of the Peak Hormone Diet actually improves most
common indicators of health, and that has been my own personal experience as well as the
experience of many others who have followed this diet.
In other words, there is a growing body of research indicating that implicating cholesterol and fat
as “evil” and unhealthy may actually be a misguided diagnosis.
Not only that, but look where “common wisdom” (the opposite of the Peak Hormone Diet) has
gotten us: previously unheard-of levels of obesity and disease in the developed world. Since the
1970s, when cholesterol and fat was first labeled as “bad” in the United States, obesity levels
have skyrocketed more than 60%.
Here’s what I’m getting at...
The Peak Hormone Diet is, first and foremost, a diet system specifically to be used for
building muscle and losing fat at your body’s maximum rate. This isn’t a year-round diet
system, but rather one designed to maximize your body’s output of the hormones related to
muscle growth and fat loss over a period of 3 to 6 months.
For that purpose, it works like crazy. That isn’t in question.
But, coincidentally, the vast majority of people who have followed it - most of which were
healthy to begin with - have also seen their health improve markedly, even though common
wisdom would suggest the opposite would happen. This wasn’t the intention of the system, but
it’s a welcome side-effect.
My recommendation, if you are nervous about this diet, is to simply try it. Follow it for a few
weeks. See how you feel and keep track of all indicators of your health (cholesterol,
triglycerides, blood pressure). Do so under the supervision of a doctor if you’d like to be extra
safe.
Again, I’m not a doctor or any kind of certified nutritionist, and I’m not going to try to dispense
medical advice in this guide. I’m here to show you how to transform your body insanely fast,
and I’m going to stay focused on that.
My personal experience with this diet, as well as the experiences of those who I’ve advised to
use it, have shown it to be not only safe, but actually beneficial to overall health. Simply follow
it exactly as-is and chances are you will experience the same outcome yourself. If you find your
health declining, stop using it immediately. It’s that simple.
If you want to read more in-depth on the subject of the high-fat, high-natural-cholesterol style of
diet outlined here - as well as why it can actually improve your health - I recommend reading the
book Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. While there are actually a number of books
on this subject available, Good Calories, Bad Calories summarizes the majority of the research
available and serves as a good primer.
Summary
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Your diet will consist of only meat, eggs, and vegetables
Beef is the preferred meat; eggs must be whole; and vegetables must make up the bulk of
your food, and preferably be leafy and green
You must avoid all lean cuts of meat; the meat you eat must contain 35% to 50% of its
calories from fat
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Do not ever count calories; simply count grams of protein and allow fats and
carbohydrates to occur naturally. Grams of fat every day should naturally approach (or
even exceed) grams of protein, and carbohydrates should be in a very low range (and
come entirely from vegetables and trace amounts from sauces used to spice up meals)
Your daily food amount is based on your height; charts are provided for each training
program
Phase I of the diet consists of higher protein intake (and thus higher food intake) and lasts
for the first eight weeks of the program; Phase II provides lower protein intake for the
remainder of the program.
The topic of digestion, while ignored by most lifters, is maybe more important than any other
subject when it comes to muscle gain and fat loss.
Simply put, if you’re not properly digesting your foods, it doesn’t matter how perfectly you
follow the Peak Hormone Diet (or any diet for that matter) – it will be nearly impossible for you
to build muscle or lose fat.
Remember, it’s not just foods that build muscle, but the nutrients contained in those foods that do
it. And the only way your body can get to those nutrients is by properly breaking down and
digesting the foods you eat. No digestion, no nutrients – and no muscle.
And the sad truth is: most people have terrible digestion, and this is a big reason they never see
the results from their hard work that they deserve. But poor digestion is very easy to fix – and
can be the “missing ingredient” that pushes you to huge results.
But first: how can you tell if your digestive tract is functioning properly or not?
Simply put, it’s all in your bowel movements. (And for those who are bound to ask: yes, I’m
talking about pooping.)
If you don’t like talking about poop… too bad. Here we go…
If your body is processing all its food properly, you should…
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Have at least one bowel movement a day, although more is fine
Be letting go of at least 10 to 12 inches of feces every day (again, all at once, or
throughout the day over multiple bowel movements – either is fine)
Have these bowel movements relatively effortlessly – no struggling or straining
Feel mostly “cleared out” after each bowel movement, like you got everything out
If your bowel movements are irregular (as in, not on a regular schedule and not occurring every
single day), are relatively small, or are hard to get out – your digestive tract needs help
immediately, and you are literally wasting muscle!
Here’s how to clear up digestion problems:
1. Water
Water clears up most digestive issues. Drink 12 to 40 oz (however much you feel you need)
immediately upon waking up every morning – before doing anything else and before eating
anything – and drink lots more of it throughout the day. I recommend 12 cups as a minimum,
although more is great. Drinking water immediately upon rising in the morning is extremely
important since you become dehydrated throughout the night.
2. Vegetables
Vegetables serve two very important purposes on the Peak Hormone Diet: a source of anabolic
nutrients, and roughage to clear out the digestive tract.
The more vegetables you eat, especially leafy vegetables, the better your body will process its
food – and keep your colon running smoothly.
This should serve as a warning: skip out on your vegetables and you are hurting yourself in
multiple ways.
There’s no set amount of vegetables on the Peak Hormone Diet – just eat as many as you can, at
least one serving with every meal, although more is much, much better.
For most people, sufficient water and vegetable intake will do the trick and provide regular,
smooth, significant bowel movements – but if problems persist, there are a few more things you
can do…
3. HCl
HCl is hydrochloric acid, and is one of the three recommended (but not necessary) supplements
on this program. It’s the acid that naturally lines your stomach walls and breaks down foods,
especially protein-heavy foods (like meat and eggs).
Many people are deficient in natural HCl due to modern dietary restrictions, and supplementing
with it clears up many problems, primarily digestive. Beyond just bowel movements, if you
experience gas, bloating, or sickness after a protein-heavy meal, your stomach is likely low on
HCl.
Take one 300mg tablet with your first and fifth meals (so two 300mg tabs total) every day until
problems go away. If problems never fully go away, continue to take at least one 300mg tab
every day, with any meal. If you ever feel a burning sensation near the bottom of your throat
shortly after taking HCl (within one hour), discontinue it immediately – this is a sign that your
stomach has sufficient HCl already, and supplementing with more can be damaging.
Buy any brand of HCl that is labeled “betaine HCl with pepsin”. Most vitamin stores will
carry it, and it should be relatively inexpensive – well under $20 US. It’s also easily found
online. If you can only find brands that are more than 300mg per tablet, that’s fine. If they are
significantly more than 300mg, consider cutting each tablet in half. It is important not to oversupplement HCl – if you do, you will experience the burning sensation mentioned above.
4. Psyllium seed husks
Psyllium is a dry, grain-like, high fiber substance that is indigestible in humans – and provides a
bulking action in the intestinal tract that clears up many digestive issues. It is extremely
important to drink lots of water if supplementing with psyllium! Without enough water,
psyllium can actually make digestive symptoms worse.
Take one tablespoon of psyllium in the morning before eating breakfast. If you’re having
especially bad digestive problems, try one tablespoon at night immediately before bed as well.
Take your psyllium with at least two cups of water for every tablespoon.
If you’re not currently having digestive issues, I don’t recommend supplementing with psyllium
husks since, in the absence of an issue, they can actually present new digestive problems!
Psyllium husk supplements are relatively inexpensive, can be found in many vitamin shops and
supermarkets, and are also easily found online. Many popular fiber supplements are made from
psyllium – check the ingredients on the label. Generic brands are fine, too, and will simply be
labeled with “psyllium” on the front.
That exhausts all the natural, “short-term” solutions to digestive issues. But if problems persist,
there is one more solution…
5. Fasting
This subject is covered in much more detail in the Body Reset Protocol section. But in summary:
your body will adapt to everything you throw at it, and will stop digesting your foods properly
no matter what. The quickest, easiest way to “reset” your digestive tract is through a strategic
fast, covered in the Body Reset Protocol section.
The Body Reset Protocol
The secret behind simultaneous muscle growth and fat loss: hitting the “reset”
button on your body
Breaking through plateaus
There’s a good chance you’ve experienced the “plateau effect” before.
This is when a new workout routine works insanely well for the first few weeks…
…then slowly stops being as effective…
…until it stops working altogether – or worse – starts working in reverse by putting on fat and
wasting muscle.
There’s an easy way for fix that, and it’s the Body Reset Protocol.
But even more than just being the solution to the plateau effect, the Body Reset Protocol is a way
to dramatically enhance the results you get from any program – especially the Hollywood
Physique for Men.
Want to shed fat and build muscle almost effortlessly? Then study every word in this section.
This is the real key to consistent, effortless, simultaneous muscle growth and fat loss on this
system.
Applying this protocol will seem counterintuitive to the vast majority of guys, but the results it
creates border on drug-like.
The role of digestion in physique transformation
You already understand how important diet is to muscle growth and fat loss.
The foods you eat are literally the building blocks for all muscle growth you experience. Muscle
can't grow without the right foods. This is a basic fact.
But even if you're eating the exact right foods in the perfect quantities, none of it matters if
you're not digesting them.
I briefly covered digestion in the Peak Hormone Diet, but this is a very serious subject that most
lifters completely ignore - and fail to see any results because of it.
The truth is, almost every guy is suffering from at least relatively poor digestion - and this, more
than anything else, is why most guys really struggle to change their bodies significantly.
The method outlined in this section is called the "Body Reset Protocol" because it's designed to
reset your digestive processes - which essentially resets every other aspect of how smoothly your
body functions, which especially includes how much muscle you can build and how much fat
you can lose.
Here's how your digestion is sabotaging your results:
After lots of consistent, heavy food intake, your body's digestive system essentially becomes
clogged up and overstressed, which - among a huge range of other problems - prevents muscle
growth and fat loss from occurring.
This is common today with the overabundance of cheap food in most countries, but is an
especially common problem for bodybuilders who have been told to "eat big to get big" - and
end up sabotaging their results by over-doing it and stressing their digestive system with too
much food for too long.
Due to mucus build-ups and over-taxed digestive systems, full break-down of foods becomes
nearly impossible after a while...
...which means your body is unable to extract from every food you eat all the essential macroand-micro nutrients it needs to function normally...
...which means you won't have the resources to build muscle and lose fat. Period.
If putting on muscle and/or losing fat doesn't come easy to you, chances are pretty solid that you
are suffering from poor digestion right now.
The most common symptoms of poor digestion are:
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Infrequent, insignificant, or inconsistent bowel movements. It sounds strange, but
your bowel movements are maybe the best indicator of how well you'll be able to pack on
muscle and lose fat. Ideally, you should be having bowel movements every day at the
same time (one or more a day minimum), release about 10 to 12 inches a day, and they
should all be very smooth with easy, quick clean-up. In other words - they should be big,
come out easy, and quick to wipe.
Smelly and frequent gas. If you're farting a lot, and it always smells awful, you are not
breaking down the foods you eat. This is not a normal symptom you have to live with!
Tired and bloated sick feeling after meat and egg meals. After every Peak Hormone
Diet meal you eat, you should feel energized and alert - not tired, bloated, and sick. It's
normal to start having this feeling after 10 to 13 weeks on the Peak Hormone Diet - and
the solution is given below.
Some of these problems can be fixed in the short-term - instructions for which are given in the
Peak Hormone Diet.
But when the short-term fixes don't do the trick, the Body Reset Protocol is the solution.
Let's get into how it works.
The Body Reset Protocol in a nutshell
The Body Reset Protocol is a strategic 5 day juice fasting plan.
You'll use it during week 1 of the Hollywood Physique for Men, and then in week 15 as you
begin the second cycle. More details are provided below.
Essentially this means that, for a period of five days, you will actually be eating almost no food and the food you do put in your system is strategically used to clear your digestive tract. There is
also no weight training allowed during this week.
I know a lot of guys get nervous when they hear this. Won't you lose muscle mass? Is this just a
starvation plan? How can not eating food make me build more muscle?
So there are a few quick notes I have to make...
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This is NOT a starvation plan! This is a strategic way to give your full body a rest,
while also allowing it to clear out and process all the junk that it's holding onto. You also
will NOT lose much fat, if any at all, during the 5 day fast - all fat loss will occur when
you go back onto a regular diet program, as your body begins to fully process and break
down the foods you eat for the first time.
You will NOT lose muscle doing this, but will build lots more afterward! Trust me, 5
days is not enough time to lose muscle mass. You won't lose any muscle doing this. But
when you go back to a regular diet program, you will find that your body will pile on
muscle faster than it ever has before. It seems strange, but strategically avoiding food in
the way I instruct you here will lead to significantly more muscle than you would build
otherwise.
In other words, the benefits of the Body Reset Protocol don't come during the fast, but after when your body is, for the first time (maybe in years), finally breaking down and utilizing
everything you feed it.
It is not abnormal, especially in the weeks directly following application of the Body Reset
Protocol, to experience nearly drug-like muscle growth and fat loss due to proper digestion and
break-down of foods.
As with everything else in this system, this is not optional! (Unless you have serious medical
complications that prevent it, of course.)
The fasting rules
How the fast is performed:
Days 1, 2, and 3:
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Drink as much water as possible throughout the day, preferably with a little bit of lemon
juice squeezed in (unlimited amounts)
Drink up to 2 cups of fresh fruit and vegetable juice every three hours (from 10 to 12
cups a day). "Fresh" means 1. straight out of a juicer from real fruits and vegetables, and
if that's not possible, 2. any juice at all that says it is from 100% fruit or vegetable juice.
(The juice from a young coconut is the cheapest and easiest to get 100% fresh anywhere
in the world, and freshly squeezed orange juice is the next easiest - but anything fresh
that you can find is perfect.)
Do not drink the juice unless you feel you need it! Do not force-feed yourself juice.
Take 1 tbsp psyllium husk with two cups of water immediately after waking up and
immediately before bed. Check the ingredients on many popular fiber supplements and
you will find they are made from psyllium. If you are unable to get ANY psyllium at all,
and you know this for a fact, then any non-flavored fiber supplement will do.
Day 4:
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Same as first three days with yogurt one hour separate from every juice drinking session
(as much as you’d like - roughly 1 cup is average). Eat anywhere from 3 to 5 cups of
yogurt today - however much is comfortable to you. (Don’t overeat or stuff yourself!)
Also cut all juice intake in half; maximum 5 cups today
Day 5:
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Same as day 4 but with soft/medium boiled eggs throughout the day (at least 1 hour
separate from fruit juice drinking, OK to eat at same time as yogurt). Eat anywhere from
3 to 5 soft/medium boiled eggs today.
Days 6 and 7:
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Slowly ease back into regular Peak Hormone Diet, eating roughly 50% to 75% of your
regular intake each day. Jumping immediately back into the full Phase I/II meal plan can
upset your stomach.
It's important to note: THERE IS NO CARB RE-FEED HOUR THE WEEK YOU DO THE
FAST! Your first carb re-feed will come the week after, when you've been on the Peak Hormone
Diet for a week. This is programmed directly into the Full Training Routines in this program.
When to fast:
Immediately before beginning your routine (week 1)
Chances are, you’re not fully digesting your foods properly now. Very few people do.
By doing a 5 day fast before jumping into the full weight training and diet routine, you will
significantly enhance the results you see in the following weeks.
In fact, the results you experience will feel almost unnatural. This is one of the big keys to
maximum muscle growth and fat loss at the same time - your body will, for the first time in
a long time, actually be breaking down, digesting, and using all the nutrients you provide it.
I can’t promise great results if you skip out on the 5 day fast.
Immediately after one round of your routine (week 15)
After 13 weeks on the Peak Hormone Diet, your body will likely be building up a tolerance to
the meat and egg intake. It’s not uncommon to actually have a distaste and aversion to meat and
eggs at this point, and possibly even feel sick and bloated after eating them.
One more 5 day fast will clear up this problem - and again be a turboboost to your muscle gain
and fat loss efforts in the following weeks. Your digestive tract will be cleared and your body
will again be processing everything you feed it completely. It’s not uncommon to, especially in
the first few weeks following a fast, experience drug-like changes in your body composition as
your body fully assimilates your foods again.
What to expect during/after the fast:
Sluggish, tired in the first three days
Your body will likely end up feeling pretty sluggish and tired for at least the first three days of
this program. Your brain may get a bit foggy, and in some cases, you may even experience sores
developing in your mouth.
This is normal. Your body is doing some big-time work clearing out your digestive system
behind the scenes in this time.
If you’ve fasted any time in the past, it’s not abnormal to feel completely normal in the days you
aren’t eating any solid foods. The body is able to adjust and adapt fairly quickly to this.
Regular bowel movements and lots of peeing
Even though you’re hardly putting anything in your body, you should be experiencing regular
bowel movements. Some people will experience lots of trips to the bathroom during the fast, and
others may only have it happen a few times. (Often, if you don’t experience lots of bowel
movements during the fast, you’ll experience it afterward when you transition back to whole
foods.)
Also expect to pee. A lot. Again, your body is flushing everything out of your system.
Increase in bowel movements afterward
As you transition back to the Peak Hormone Diet, you’ll experience an increase in frequency of
bowel movements. Nothing abnormal, but you should become more regular and be letting go of
much bigger loads every time you go to the bathroom.
What are the best juices to drink?
I'm commonly asked what the best juices to drink on this plan are.
The answer is both simple and complicated at the same time. (How's that for clarity?)
Simply put: any juice that is unprocessed and freshly squeezed is best. This means literally
straight from the fruit or vegetable it used to live in.
Truly fresh juice from fruits or vegetables will actually naturally go bad after roughly an hour,
the same way an apple or other fruit will start "rotting" once you take a bite and expose its flesh
to the air. This is because of the beneficial enzymes that live in there - and the ones that we want
to get as much of as possible.
When you go to the grocery store and buy juice, nearly all of it is pasteurized and often filtered.
In other words, all the good stuff is gone... and you're left with nothing but sugar water. This is
why it keeps so well, even if left sitting out for hours on end.
However, in many cases, your only choice is to buy these juices. So the rule of thumb is simple:
if you can see through the juice, stay away from it altogether. Those are the most highly
processed and the least beneficial to your body. If the juice is "foggy" and "cloudy" then go for
it.
And of course, it must say "100% juice" and have no ingredients other than juice.
Also, opt for juices that are kept in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, and not
unrefrigerated in the aisles. The refrigerated stuff is generally fresher and better.
Now, with that said, there are a few juices I recommend more than others (in order of highest
recommendations)...
A young coconut
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Young coconut water. This is the water straight housed inside a young coconut. (These
are the guys you see in the grocery store that have little pointy spiral tops.) Hack one of
these guys open and there is fresh, delicious juice ("coconut water") waiting inside. This
is the easiest and cheapest method of getting fresh juice, plus coconut water is said to
have many digestive-enhancement properties - exactly what we want. This gets my top
recommendation. (Coconut water is actually fairly common these days in USA grocery
stores in pre-filled drink boxes/bottles. As long as they say they are 100% fresh and not
pasteurized, they are OK.)
Orange juice. Easy to squeeze and cheap, depending where you live. I recommend
squeezing this yourself with fresh oranges if at all possible. You want this to be as fresh
as humanly possible.
Grapefruit juice. The flavor is pretty intense to me, but this will do wonders for your
insides on this program. Trust me. Any variety from the grocery store is fine.
Grape juice. Buying this from the grocery store is fine. This is a superior energy source,
and will make you feel much better on this program.
Pineapple juice. Again, buying this straight from the grocery store is fine. Like coconut
water, pineapple juice is thought to have digestive-enhancement properties that suit the
Body Reset Protocol perfectly. Pineapple juice is also a great source of energy and will
keep you awake and on alert through the fast.
Cloudy apple juice. Cloudy, of course, simply refers to how it looks. If you can't see
through it and it appears "thick", it's all good to drink.
V8 or other thicker vegetable drinks. Vegetable juice is great for you - go ahead and
drink up. This includes carrot juice and any other vegetable-based, thicker juice. The only
problem is that these are not the greatest energy sources, so don't make it your primary
juice.
On/Off Switches
Locating and flipping the switches inside your body responsible for taking your
results to the next level
The master controls to anabolic hormones
As you know from the Peak Hormone Diet, muscle growth and fat loss is – more than anything
else – primarily controlled by the hormones your body is producing.
Without lots of the right anabolic hormones, your muscle growth and fat loss efforts are going to
be frustrating – and nearly nonexistent.
But here’s the deal: the Peak Hormone Diet is simply what provides the building blocks for
producing those anabolic hormones. The Peak Hormone Diet gives your body the raw materials
it needs to create the hormones.
But they still need to be activated and called into action – and turned either on or off.
That’s what this section is all about. Essentially there are a number of switches inside your body
that are part of the master control box for your hormones…
…that, through simple lifestyle choices, you can either flip “on” to produce anabolic hormones
(and the more you flip on, the better results you’ll see)…
…or flip “off”, and essentially keep your body from building any muscle or losing any fat at all.
The goal: flip as many switches on as possible, and avoiding ever flipping any off.
We’ll start with the off switches.
The Off Switches
While you'll want to flip as many hormone-producing switches "on" as possible (which will be
detailed in just a moment), flipping even just one switch "off" can cut off all power to your
body's ability to produce anabolic hormones.
That's because even just one "off" switch will release the floodgates of catabolic hormones cortisol primarily - that directly inhibit anabolic hormones like testosterone, and make muscle
growth and fat loss nearly impossible.
While on this program, do not let these be flipped to "off" ever, if at all possible!
Off Switch #1: Alcohol
Want an easy way to completely waste your time on this program?
Drink alcohol.
I’m sorry, guys, but alcohol is the absolute enemy of building muscle and losing fat.
And it’s not because of the calories in alcohol. The calories are irrelevant.
It is the alcohol itself that is at issue when it comes to building lean muscle mass and burning off
fat.
Some of the side effects of drinking alcohol include...
1. Lowered testosterone levels for 10 to 24 hours after drinking, which prevents muscle
growth.
2. Inhibits dietary fat absorption, which prevents uptake of essential vitamins like A, E, and
D - micronutrients that, as you know from the Peak Hormone Diet, are absolutely
essential to producing testosterone and building muscle.
3. Prevents the liver from properly synthesizing and processing foods; prevents proper
digestion of foods - and again, you understand from the Peak Hormone Diet the
importance of digestion.
4. Significantly increases production of the stress hormone cortisol for up to a 24 hour
period, which directly combats and inhibits testosterone production - and promotes
muscle wasting and fat gain.
5. Disturbs regular sleep cycles, which has the same hormonal response as cutting sleep
short with an alarm clock (see the next "off" switch below)
6. Acts as a diuretic and dehydrates the body, further preventing muscle growth and proper
digestion.
In other words, alcohol deeply disturbs the hormonal environment necessary inside your body
for muscle growth and fat loss.
These effects still exist even if alcohol is consumed in very small amounts, but are obviously
exacerbated when large amounts are consumed.
I can go on and on, but the easiest way to put it is like this:
Every time you consume large quantities of alcohol, you are essentially canceling out a day and
a half of potential muscle growth and work.
In reality, this is a deeply simplified example because the long-ranging effects could be
far worse. But, as an example, if you drink heavily two nights a week, you are essentially
nullifying half of your potential muscle growth for that week.
Of course, I am talking about drinking while building muscle. Once you’ve got the body you
want, alcohol still isn’t good for you but it will not magically make your muscles disappear. It is
drinking while building muscle that will prevent you from being able to grow at all.
So what I’m getting at is:
While on this program, simply avoid drinking alcohol at all costs. The Hollywood Physique for
Men is designed to give you unbelievable results in just a 3 to 6 month period - results that you
can carry with you for the rest of your life. Drinking alcohol during this period will make those
kinds of results impossible.
And I’m not just talking heavy drinking - a beer or two a night will cause the same problems!
So it’s up to you - is it worth it to waste your time like that, spinning your wheels trying to build
muscle indefinitely when you know where the problem lies?
Listen, once the program is over, drink all you want. I’m not going to stop you.
But for the next short 3 to 6 months on this program, you will be completely wasting your time if
you choose to drink any alcohol at all. As soon as alcohol gets inside your body, it's like the giant
switch labeled "Muscle Growth and Fat Loss" is turned OFF.
Off Switch #2: Waking up to an alarm clock every day
Your alarm clock is your enemy...
...and sleep is your best friend.
The time you spend sleeping is the absolute most important when it comes to the actual process
of muscle growth and fat loss. It is during sleep that all the work you put in during the day, from
the work you do in the gym to the carefully-selected foods you eat, is put into effect in the body.
Sleep is when nearly all muscle repair and growth takes place, and failure to get sufficient sleep
will all but halt this process completely.
Let me use a video game analogy for a second. In just about every video game ever released,
there is usually some kind of power-up that, immediately upon collection, completely restores
life points, vitality, power...
...and just generally brings you from the brink of death back to full stamina.
I am not exaggerating when I say that sleep is a real-life version of that.
It is during sleep that all the damage you do to your muscles is actually repaired and the nutrients
you take in are synthesized for regrowth...
...but only if you get all the sleep your body requires. And that’s not up to you - it’s up to your
body.
Forcefully cutting your sleep short with an alarm clock, especially on a regular basis, is maybe
the worst thing you can do to your body. Sleep is your body’s time to recharge, and it uses every
last second to get that done... and I mean that literally.
Although many speak of the importance of REM sleep specifically, that is a simplified and
misguided focus. Every phase of sleep is equally important to different aspects of your body.
There is actually a growing body of literature suggesting that, of all sleep, the last two hours
before you naturally wake up are the most important.
Let me repeat that because it’s so important:
It is the last two hours before your body would naturally wake up that are the absolute most
important for muscle growth and fat loss!
In fact, this goes beyond muscle repair and fat loss. Most of the research on sleep deals
specifically with its roles in brain health, and coincidentally everything having to do with brain
health lines up perfectly with the research on muscle growth and fat loss.
When you cut your sleep short, not only is your body prevented from being able to fully repair
and recover, but there is a marked increase in release of the bad stress hormone cortisol until that
final bout of sleep is able to be recovered. Cortisol directly combats the effects of testosterone,
which is the single hormone responsible for all muscle growth and significant fat loss. It is not
an exaggeration to say that, if you are regularly cutting your sleep short, it is literally impossible
to build the body you want, even if you’re doing everything else perfectly.
The solution is simple: if you’re having to use an alarm clock every morning, simply start going
to bed earlier and train yourself to get up before your alarm. Allow your body to sleep as much
as it needs and to wake up naturally every morning.
Sorry, there is no way around this. No pills to take, no fancy body hacks. Sleep is the most
important period of time for your body, and is when almost all muscle growth, fat loss, and
even learning and memory consolidation in the brain takes place. Literally anything having to
do with health and proper metabolic and hormonal functioning is optimized in your sleep.
Sleep also is when your body releases the majority of its testosterone and human growth
hormone. Cut it short and these benefits are gone.
In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that if you cut your sleep short by even just two hours, you
are literally nullifying the previous day’s work in the gym and with your diet.
It’s like that day is gone. The progress you could have made is no more... all because you missed
just two hours of sleep.
Crazy, but true.
It is hard for me to stress enough how important full sleep is every single night. Train yourself to
live without an alarm clock if it is a fast, dramatic physique transformation you’re after.
Off Switch #3: Mental stress
Chronic mental stress can and will wreak havoc on not only your ability to grow and maintain
muscle mass, but also your general health and well-being.
The biggest problem that arises from chronic mental stress is release in high quantities of the
hormone cortisol, which (I'm sure you get it by now, but I'll repeat it) directly prohibits
testosterone production, wastes muscle mass, and promotes fat storage.
As long as mental stress is present, cortisol will be released in greater quantities. This is why it is
so much easier to catch a cold or get sick when under mental stress - the effects are very
physical. More importantly, this is why those who are under constant mental stress are literally
unable to gain muscle or lose body fat.
Quite literally, the only physique transformation you’ll experience while under chronic mental
stress is the opposite of the Hollywood physique, no matter how hard you work. This is because
the hormonal response to mental stress directly combats the muscle-growing hormonal response
we’re looking to develop in the body.
Beating mental stress is far outside of the scope of this manual, but my best advice to you is:
avoid things that make you stressed.
Sounds simpler than it really is, but hear me out.
Why do you allow outside influences to affect you so deeply? If your job stresses you out
constantly, is it really worth the side-effects? Could you find a different job that makes you feel
better? Or if your girlfriend stresses you out - is she really worth it?
I really mean all of this. I wasted two years of my life working a job I didn’t like in an area I
didn’t care for stuck with responsibilities that I didn’t need - and after I realized that I didn’t
need any of these things, and they didn’t need me, the mental relief that came along with leaving
them was priceless. (And, oh yeah, not to mention that after I lifted all that mental stress off my
shoulders I finally saw my first period of unprecedented muscle growth.)
Oh, and one last big thing: when you’re out of the gym, stop worrying about your workouts or
your physique. Mentally obsessing over your workouts will cause you untold amounts of mental
stress, which will in turn prevent you from building the body you want. It's a nasty cycle that a
lot of guys fall prey to.
Put your faith in this system, eat the foods you’re told to eat, do the workouts you’re told to do...
and then forget about the small details. Enjoy your life and don’t let this stuff stress you out.
This goes beyond just muscle growth. Mental stress also wreaks untold havoc on your general
health. If you feel that mental stress is preventing you from seeing the results you know you’re
capable of, then I highly suggest reevaluating if the things that bring you stress are really worth
the trouble.
The On Switches
Now the good stuff.
Flip every single one of these switches to "on" as much as possible.
Think of it like being in a dark room. The more lights you flip "on", the easier it is to see.
In the same way, the more of these you flip "on", the more anabolic hormones your body will be
able to produce - and the more muscle and less fat you'll have.
In other words, these not only guarantee solid results - but in many cases, will greatly enhance
the results you're already getting.
Some of these "on" switches may seem simple, but they are critically important - and could be
the difference between huge results and frustration.
On Switch #1: Getting a full night’s sleep
The importance of this is already covered in off-switch #2, but I'll reiterate the main point:
The final two hours of sleep before you'd naturally wake up are the absolute most important for
your body!
Your body doesn't just need specific phases of sleep. It needs all of it!
When you sleep, you produce more anabolic hormones than any other time of day - and there are
untold processes taking place in your body during every single moment of sleep that directly
affect muscle growth and fat loss.
I'm a big believer that the earlier you go to bed, the more restful your sleep will be, which will
lead to even greater results. But more important than anything else, start getting as much sleep as
you possibly can and need!
Some people naturally sleep only 7 hours a night. Some 8. Some may find they sleep 10 hours a
night on this program.
The more sleep you naturally get, the faster you'll grow. This is huge, and the most crucial "on"
switch there is! Plain and simple.
Don't deliberately oversleep. Just sleep as much as you need to.
I've also found: the earlier you go to bed, the higher the quality of sleep you get. I've heard a
theory that every hour of sleep you get before midnight is to your body like getting two hours,
and I agree with this completely. Whenever possible, go to bed earlier and wake up naturally!
On Switch #2: Following your circadian rhythm
When it comes to your workouts, your sleep, and your regular day-to-day activities, your body
will reward you greatly if you follow a consistent schedule.
This is because of your circadian rhythm, or the roughly 24 hour “clock” that your body follows
every day.
The human body thrives off of consistency in a daily schedule. When you are on a regular
schedule, your body will release and regulate muscle-growth-related hormones at the same time
every day; will control bowel movements at the same time every day; will wake you up in the
mornings at the same time every day; will make you tired and fall asleep at the same time every
day; and so on.
Your body’s internal clock is very, very sophisticated, and by following it day in and day out, you
will allow the muscle building and fat burning process to run at its peak.
When you fall out of line with your body’s internal clock - by going to bed at inconsistent hours
and waking up at inconsistent hours - then the hormones related to muscle growth, like
testosterone, that are produced in sleep also fall out of line while the bad hormones, like cortisol,
become increased to create balance and create homeostasis in your body.
If you also regularly train in the mornings but randomly throw in a weight session at night one
day, you will find that strength levels and energy are actually down during that night session.
For optimal results and proper hormonal regulation, wake up at the same time, train at the same
time, and go to bed at the same time every day.
On Switch #3: Sunlight
Vitamin D is actually one of the biggest contributors to testosterone production.
Your body gets about 10% of its vitamin D from diet...
...and the other 90% from sunlight.
Your skin, when exposed to sunlight (specifically its UVB rays), synthesizes vitamin D, which is
vital to essentially all healthy hormonal functioning in your body - especially including
producing testosterone at its peak, leading to greater muscle growth and fat loss.
(Oh, and what is vitamin D composed of? Cholesterol. When exposed to UVB rays, your skin
cells convert free cholesterol to vitamin D, which is actually a hormone and not a vitamin. All
the more reason to not fear cholesterol in your daily diet.)
Want more muscle, less fat, and want it fast? Step out into the sun!
Tanning beds do not count and are very unhealthy!
The more skin you can expose to sunlight without sunscreen on, the more vitamin D you’ll
produce... and the higher your testosterone levels will be.
The other bonus? You’ll get a solid tan, which will actually make you appear healthier and more
muscular.
(Tans are actually a subconscious signal of high testosterone, and thus greater health... and, plain
and simple, is more attractive. Tans also enhance the definition of your muscles, and make you
appear significantly more muscular than you really are. It's an easy way to complement the
already huge results you'll be getting from all the other tactics you apply from this guide.)
Note that I said without sunscreen. Sunscreen blocks UVB rays from entering your skin, which
is the part of the sun we want. You must allow your skin to soak in the UVB rays to get any
benefit from vitamin D, and this is very healthy if done in reasonable doses.
However, if you overexpose yourself to sunlight and UVB rays without sunscreen, your skin will
burn, which is in no way a good thing. In response to the stress and healing needs of burning,
your body will release lots of cortisol... thus negating the testosterone-boosting effects of
sunlight and vitamin D.
(Not to mention the whole “skin cancer” and advanced aging side effects of burning.)
Tans are very healthy... and burns are not.
Aim to expose as much of your skin as possible to the sun without sunscreen for at least 15 to 30
minutes a day minimum, however much you can handle before burning. The tanner you get, the
more time you can spend uncovered, and the more benefit you receive. Moving outside without a
shirt on is better than laying stationary in one place, but getting some sun is better than none at
all. If at all possible, go for walks outside topless for maximum benefit.
On Switch #4: Oxygen
When was the last time you stopped, took a couple deep breaths, and then continued with
whatever you were doing?
There’s one “food” source that your body needs more than anything else...
...more than fats, proteins, carbs, vitamins, minerals, whatever...
...and that’s OXYGEN.
Oxygen is at the core of every function of your body.
Most people just get enough for survival... when even more would be even better.
Saturating your body and muscles with oxygen is free, easy, and doesn’t have any side effects.
Just do it!
So whenever you get a chance, just stop and take in a couple deep breaths. Breathe in slowly and
deeply... and then release. Do this a couple times, and do it as often as you like. Especially if you
catch yourself just taking short, narrow breaths, stop and take a couple deep ones.
Saturate your body with oxygen as often as you can and your body will greatly reward you.
Also go out and walk briskly as often as you can. Force your body to saturate itself with oxygen.
Hollywood Hypertrophy Training specifically utilizes deep intakes of breath between sets in
order to super-saturate your body with oxygen.
It seems simple, but this will re-energize you, make your workouts feel easier because your
blood will not be as desperate for oxygen between exercises, and lead to greater results and
improved health.
This is also one of the greatest stress-fighting tactics in my arsenal. There is a strange, soothing
power behind deep, concentrated breaths.
On Switch #5: Napping
You already know how important sleep is to muscular growth and fat loss.
(Unbelievably, super, incredibly important. Huge physique transformations are literally
impossible without enough sleep in a day.)
Thus it shouldn’t come as any surprise to you...
...that napping can super-charge your results significantly.
Taking a mid-day nap for 30 minutes to an hour leads to a direct increase in testosterone levels,
faster recovery time, and greater energy.
If you cannot take a nap every day around the same time, just laying down for 5 to 10 minutes at
a time throughout the day with your eyes closed can push you to recover and grow faster than
ever before.
Will your results decrease if you do not nap every day? As long as you're getting enough sleep at
night, no. But napping will greatly enhance your results. If you have the time, do it!
Summary
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Aim to get as much sleep as possible every night; train yourself not to use an alarm clock.
The last two hours of sleep before you naturally wake up are most important for muscle
growth and fat loss; missing this period of sleep literally nullifies all the work you've put
in for the last day both in the gym and with your diet.
Follow the same schedule every day: wake up at the same time, go to bed at the same
time, work out at the same time, and so on.
Avoid mental stress; mental stress hurts digestion, increases cortisol, and prevents proper
muscle growth.
While on this program, avoid alcohol at all costs. Alcohol is the enemy of building
muscle and losing fat. Drinking alcohol heavily is the equivalent to nullifying the past
day to day and a half of muscle growth and fat loss efforts you've put in.
Aim to get as much sunlight (without sunblock) as possible. This will increase vitamin D
production in your body and thus greatly increase testosterone production.
Stop to take a deep breath and super-saturate your blood with oxygen whenever possible.
Take naps if at all possible; regular naps (especially between 1 and 3 PM every day,
when your body is at its "lowest" point) will greatly increase recovery time and muscle
growth.
Abs
A focus on six pack abs
Bringing out your six pack
Developing a six pack is an integral part of this system, and along with bringing out width in
your shoulders and chest, is a top priority.
In fact, I’d say getting a six pack is maybe the top priority on this program.
But there’s one catch:
WHILE ON THIS PROGRAM, YOU ARE NEVER TO PERFORM A SINGLE
CRUNCH, SIT-UP, OR DIRECT ABDOMINAL EXERCISE… EVER!
This is completely serious!
Direct abdominal work is actually the worst way to bring out your six pack, and will hold back
your overall results on this program big-time.
I know, this sounds strange, but this is a very serious warning: if you want a six pack, and you
want it fast, you are never, ever, ever to perform any sit-up, crunch, plank, or direct abdominal
exercise on this program – ever!
Let me explain myself here – and reveal to you the best way to get a six pack, which you’ll
utilize on this program.
The big problem, and the huge problem, with direct ab work
There are two problems with directly working out your abs while on this system. One is a big
problem... and the other is a huge problem.
1. The gut of abs (the big problem)
The gut of abs is exactly what it sounds like: a big ol' gut made out of muscle. And the only way
to get it is through reckless amounts of direct ab exercises, both easy (high repetition) and hard
(heavy weight, low repetition).
Here's the thing: the ideal look for abs is FLAT and WASHBOARD...
...but what happens when you exercise your abs directly is that eventually they do exactly what
your other muscles do when they're exercised directly: they grow bigger.
The result is that your abs stick out from your stomach... and with a shirt draped over them,
resemble a big fat ol' gut more than a defined six pack.
And considering that you likely wear a shirt more often than not, the gut of abs is not a good
thing.
The six pack we're after is washboard, not poochy.
High repetition ab exercises (hundreds of crunches or situps) will eventually lead to a "bloated,"
soft look in your abs (less definition, more of a small "belly" appearance) while heavier weight
and lower repetitions will lead to more defined but physically large abs that appear like a small
"gut" with a shirt on.
Avoid both forms for best results.
2. Central nervous system fatigue (the huge problem)
The gut of abs is just a small cosmetic problem. There's a far more dangerous beast hiding
underneath.
Directly working your abs is the enemy of building muscle - especially doing it fast.
More directly: heavily exercising your abs directly will actually prevent you from building
the amount of muscle you're capable of!
Due to the structure and function of the abdominals, working them out heavily results in a much
bigger hit to your central nervous system than from any other exercise.
Think of it this way: have a strong person punch you as hard as they can in your arm, and it'll
hurt a bit - then bruise up and be OK shortly after, if not a little bit sore. You could still perform
bicep curls shortly after a hard hit to the arm.
But have that person punch you directly in the abs... and you'll topple over and feel weak over
your entire body - not just localized to your abs.
And there's no chance you're going to be exercising at all for a while after that.
You may have experienced even a small version of this before - calling it "having the wind
knocked out of you" - and it shows how directly the abs are tied to every aspect of the human
body.
The goal of this program is to build muscle and lose fat at the fastest possible rate - and direct ab
stimulation is counterproductive to that primary goal.
Can you build muscle and do direct ab work? Sure - but you'll build a whole lot more muscle if
you leave the direct ab work out altogether.
The vast majority of guys who are struggling to put on muscle would change their results
immediately by avoiding direct abdominal work altogether.
And here's the truth: to get a six pack fast, you don't even need the direct ab work anyway.
The best exercise for your abs
This may sound weird, but: the best way to work your abs... is to work every other muscle on
your body.
Wait, what? Here's what I mean...
One of the primary physiological functions of your abdominals is stabilization. Your abs are
constantly providing stabilization for every movement you make, big or small.
If I cut off your arm, you'll still be able to function normally - minus an arm, of course. But if I
were to surgically remove your abdominal muscles, you'd be a functionless pile of jelly, unable
to sit or stand upright or perform really any basic movement.
The abs are what stabilize you - and are called your "core" for a reason.
Stabilization, coincidentally, is also your abs' preferred form of exercise - and the heavier the
outside force, the harder your abs work to stabilize your body.
What this means is: every single time you perform any movement in the gym, you're also
indirectly working out your abs, too - just the way they respond best.
In other words, the better-developed the other muscles on your body are, the betterdeveloped your abs will be by default - plain and simple. It is impossible to develop muscle
size on your body without concurrently and indirectly developing your abs as well, since they are
so closely tied to every movement you make.
But while every movement works your abs in some way, there are two specific movements that
bring out the abs better than any other...
1. Incline Cardio (the best)
Incline Cardio - walking at an incline, especially directly following your workouts - will develop
your six pack like nothing else.
And this isn't just because it's the best way to reduce body fat fast (the importance of which will
be covered in a moment).
When walking at an incline, your abs are working overtime to keep your body stable and upright.
The straighter you hold your spine while walking at an incline (sticking your chest out and
walking at a slightly above-average pace), the more work you place on your abs - and the faster
you'll have a six pack.
This is the ultimate stabilization exercise for your abs - and if it's a six pack you're after, you'd
better not ever skip out on it on this program.
2. Squats (and deadlifts)
While developing the muscles of your upper legs is relatively unimportant on this program, that
doesn't mean you can get out of upper leg work altogether.
Upper leg work - specifically squatting, although deadlifts provide a similar stimulus - is one of
the single best ways to quickly develop and define your six pack.
The best way to turn squats from an intense upper leg exercise to one of the world's greatest six
pack developers? Perform them at reps of 20 with a medium-heavy weight you can handle for
roughly 25 to 30 reps.
Your abs, again, will work overtime trying to keep your body stable and upright as you move up
and down with the weight sitting on your shoulders - and if you want a six pack fast, this is one
of the best ways to get it.
Body fat and abs
Above all else, though, all the ab development in the world doesn't mean anything unless you've
got low enough body fat levels to actually reveal your abs.
The truth is: you already have an awesome six pack right now. Chances are, it's just hiding under
a layer of fat - even if you're coming from a skinnier starting point and think you don't have any
more fat to lose.
While "exercising" your abs as mentioned above will improve and help define your six pack,
with low enough body fat you'd have a six pack right now.
That's a fact.
Conversely, you could have the best abs in the world - and it wouldn't mean a thing if you had
any fat on your stomach covering them up.
Plain and simple, six pack abs are the result of low body fat levels more than anything else - and
until you have a six pack, there is still some fat sitting on your stomach that you can get rid of.
And this program has the best body fat reduction system built into it: the Peak Hormone Diet,
and Incline Cardio.
As long as you follow the Peak Hormone Diet to the letter, and never miss out on your Incline
Cardio sessions (and throw in a second daily session of 20 to 30 minutes whenever possible),
you will naturally drop your body fat down to "six pack ab" levels.
The bottom line
The result of the Hollywood Physique for Men and zero direct ab work
You will get six pack abs on this program. It's literally built into the routine - and is one of the
top priorities of this system.
But in order to do so at the fastest possible rate, you've got to avoid all direct ab work! That
means no sit-ups, crunches, weighted ab work, planks, or anything that is a focused abdominal
exercise.
This seems completely counterintuitive, and most guys tend to resist this recommendation - until
they see it start working better than anything they've done before. The indirect ab exercise you
get from your regular weight training sessions, and especially from Incline Cardio, will bring out
your six pack faster than anything else - and prevent central nervous system fatigue.
It seems odd, but the way to develop a six pack on this routine... is to avoid working out your abs
directly at all.
Perfect six pack development is literally built in to the Hollywood Physique for Men.
You must truth me on this, and take my word for it. It will pay off very quickly.
The time and place for direct ab stimulation
What I have outlined so far in this section will apply for about 95% of all guys... meaning, most
guys are better off to never, ever directly stimulate their abs, but instead should leave that up to
the other exercises they're performing already. This is hard for most guys to buy into, but you
must trust me when I tell you this. You will have abs very soon if you follow this entire program
to the letter.
But there is a time and place for direct ab stimulation if it is desired...
...and that is when you are no longer aiming to build any more muscle.
This could mean that you're taking a break from muscle development, or better yet that you've
completed the Hollywood Physique for Men and feel your abs could use a little more
development.
Almost all men will find that when they apply this system to the letter, there is absolutely
no need for further ab development. Do NOT take this information as an invitation to work
your abs too early; it is to be used ONLY when you have no interest in building more
muscle and losing more body fat.
If you cannot see your abs clearly already, do NOT use the following information. Directly
stimulating your abs will shock your central nervous system to the point where body fat
losses will come to a stand-still and, quite frankly, you're screwed.
The vast majority of people on this system find they never need to use these exercises ever.
You've been warned!
There are two exercises you can perform to "bring out" the abs a little bit more.
Ab exercise #1: 1/4th sit up
Instructions: lay down on the ground or on a bench. Lift your knees up but keep your feet on the
ground, toes pointed forward. Put your hands behind your head and raise only slightly off the
ground – keep your back on the ground completely and never let it raise up. It is almost like you
are only lifting your head and neck with a tiny touch of your shoulders.
Ab exercise #2: bent knee leg raise
Instructions: sit down on the ground with your back propped up against a wall, or lay down flat
on the ground. Place your legs out in front of you with a slightly bent knee. Put your hands right
next to your butt. Now raise your heels and don’t let them touch the ground at all for the rest of
the set. Inhale, and then exhale as you bring your knees up to about chest height (or parallel to
the waist if you are on the ground). Very slowly inhale as you drop them back down slowly.
Perform each exercise back-to-back very slowly for 10 reps each and 3 sets total. No more!
Breath in as you contract your abs, and breath out as you bring your body back to the starting
position.
Do this absolutely no more than two times in a week, evenly spaced out to allow for recovery.
Perform them directly after a weight workout or directly after an incline walking session on an
"off" day.
Again, these are nothing but "peaking" exercises, to give an extra edge to your abs. Do not
perform them unless you already have visible abs and are no longer aiming to build muscle
mass!
Summary
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The abdominals are a stabilizing muscle and are worked with every exercise you
perform; directly targeting them through exercise is absolutely unnecessary and even
detrimental
You already have a nice set of six pack abs; they're just waiting under a big layer of fat
Directly targeting your abdominals shocks your central nervous system hard enough to
prevent further muscle growth; only work out your abs directly as a "finishing touch"
when your body fat is already low enough to show them off
The best exercise for six pack abs is incline walking
Although the recommended Phase I and Phase II food intake will work ideally for the vast
majority of people, it may not be ideal for you specifically.
If you find you aren’t both losing fat and building muscle – and you’re following every other
section of the Hollywood Physique for Men to the letter – adjusting your diet is very simple.
These adjustments assume that you are following the Peak Hormone Diet to the letter
otherwise.
If you find you’re gaining fat:
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First make sure you are training with Hollywood Hypertrophy Training and Incline
Cardio properly. Re-read both sections. Lack of intensity in the weight room and failure
to implement Incline Cardio every day is more likely to cause fat gain than diet.
Also make sure you are following all the rules of digestion listed above. Poor digestion
will cause fat gain despite everything else being done “perfectly”.
If you are fairly overweight right now, Phase I will likely provide too much food for
any kind of fat loss; excess body fat naturally reduces the amount of anabolic
hormones your body can produce, which makes more food go toward body fat. I
highly recommend starting with Phase II if you have too much body fat initially.
Before anything else, attempt to eat your meals as plain as possible. Bring flavor
enhancers down to a minimum, or eliminate them altogether. Chances are that you may
be using flavor enhancers in excessive quantities, or that don’t react well with your body.
Simply move one height category lower every week until you start seeing the results
you’re after. For example, if you’re 5’11″, simply start eating the daily food amounts
from the 5’6″ to 5’8″ category.
Alternatively, if you are on Phase I of the Peak Hormone Diet, simply move to Phase II.
Phase II provides less food and creates a better environment for pure fat loss. If you
experience the same problems on Phase II, use the same system: keep moving down in
height categories every week until you get your desired results.
If you find you’re not gaining muscle:
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First make sure you are applying sufficient intensity to your Hollywood Hypertrophy
Training workouts. Lack of muscle gain is more often the fault of insufficiently-intense
workouts, not diet. Tweaking diet without sufficient intensity in the gym will just result
in fat gain, not muscle gain.
Also make sure you are following all the rules of digestion listed above. Poor digestion
means you are not processing the nutrients necessary for growth.
Simply move up in height categories every week until you get your desired result – so,
for example, if you are 5’8″, simply start eating in the 5’9″ to 5’11″ food category, and
continue moving up until you get the desired result.
Conversely, if you are in Phase II and are sure you are not getting any results at all, you
can attempt moving back to Phase I for more food intake.
Again, attempt to increase intensity in the gym before adjusting the Peak Hormone
Diet. The Peak Hormone Diet is designed to work in conjunction with Hollywood
Hypertrophy Training and Incline Cardio. If both training protocols are implemented
properly, large amounts of food should not be necessary for muscle growth, and food
shouldn’t need to be brought down to near-starvation levels for fat loss.
In fact, bringing food levels too high or too low will actually switch “off” the anabolic hormones
we’re attempting to manipulate. Overeating and undereating both increase the bad hormones that
we want to avoid altogether.
Don’t assume immediately that it’s your diet causing poor results. I used to think I needed 200
grams or more of protein a day in order to grow along with lots of calories (and that getting fat
along the way was just the price I had to pay), but the real secret is that with proper intensity in
the gym from Hollywood Hypertrophy Training (specifically, sub-30 second rest periods and
pushing yourself to your limits every time) you can still grow fast on less than 100 grams of
protein a day and under 2,000 total calories – as long as that protein and those calories are from
the right sources, which the Peak Hormone Diet provides. (The Peak Hormone Diet, of course,
provides more than that much food, but I use this only as an example.)
What I’m getting at is: too many people blame their diet when, in fact, it’s their training that’s
holding them back. But if you feel your training is as intense as it can be and you’re still not
getting the results you expect, manipulate your diet with the guidelines provided above.
How To Evaluate Your Progress
Understanding the kind of changes you should be experiencing from week to
week.
The right and wrong ways
As you already know, the goal of this program isn’t just to build muscle or lose fat.
Every single method outlined is designed for one specific purpose:
Building the exact Hollywood Physique as fast as possible.
Now here’s the deal…
You should be seeing progress from week to week on this system. Sometimes progress will be
huge, sometimes it’ll be small, but there will always be progress, assuming the system is
followed correctly.
You should never have to ask yourself, “Is this working?”
But how you evaluate that progress is vitally important to how well everything works. This
section is made to show you how to best keep track of your week-to-week transformation to
guarantee best results…
…and maybe even more important, how not to keep track of your progress.
And what if you aren’t seeing the progress you expect? Go over the checklist at the end of this
section if you ever find yourself struggling, and you’ll quickly have the solution to your
problems.
The wrong ways to evaluate your progress
Don’t weigh yourself on the scale - ever!
Throughout this entire program, I don’t want you to weigh yourself or step on a scale. Ever.
That’s because, simply put, how much you weigh doesn’t matter. At all.
You may lose weight on this program. You may gain weight. And neither matters!
When I first successfully followed this system myself, I found after three months that although I
had way more muscle than I’d ever had in my life, I had actually lost 15 pounds!
The idea of losing weight had freaked me out before. I always thought I needed to gain weight.
What I didn’t realize, though, was that although I thought I was already lean enough, I actually
had about 20 pounds of fat to lose before I could be considered “ripped”. (To be honest, the vast
majority of guys have the same problem.)
And over those three months, I lost those 20 pounds - while putting on a strategically-placed 5
pounds using the Visible Muscle Isolation Method that looked like far more. I looked way
bigger, but my weight wouldn’t have suggested that.
Listen, what I’m getting at is: how much you weigh doesn’t matter. You may think you’re lean
enough now, but you may actually have some fat to lose. Or you may think you need to put on
tons of weight to look better, but really only need a couple extra pounds.
You know what does matter? How you look.
And how you look has very, very little to do with how much you weigh, no matter what you
think now.
When a Hollywood actor transforms his physique for a movie role, do you think women care
how much he weighs?
No. They care about how he looks.
And, speaking of that - do you know for a fact how much any particular actor weighs? Nope.
And it’s because no one cares. It’s how he looks that draws in all the attention.
I know this sounds obvious, but I can’t tell you how many guys screw themselves over by
worrying about their weight. They panic when they see they’re losing weight because they’re
convinced they need to gain weight, and then modify their routine - and completely ruin their
chances at building a great body.
If you measure your progress by your weight on the scale, you will screw yourself up. Big-time.
You’ll worry if you find you’re gaining weight or losing weight, when neither matter, at all.
Don’t ever step on a scale, don’t pay attention to how much you weigh, and don’t let your weight
mess with your progress. How much you weigh has nothing to do with how you look.
Don’t measure your bodyfat percentage - ever!
There are two problems with measuring bodyfat percentage.
The first: almost every bodyfat measurement tool is flawed. They all give wildly different
results. Even professionals, trained to measure bodyfat with high-end tools, often get it dead
wrong.
What that means: there is no such thing as an accurate body fat tester.
And the second: like your weight, your bodyfat percentage doesn’t matter. At all.
When someone tells you you’re at 6% bodyfat and you still can’t see your abs, chances are that
that bodyfat reading is way, way off - and it’s completely worthless to you.
Like with your weight, women don’t watch you walk by on the street and start giggling to each
other about what kind of bodyfat percentage you must be sitting at.
No, all they care about is how you look.
If you don’t have visible abs, you have more bodyfat to lose. Plain and simple. Keep performing
every aspect of the Hollywood Physique for Men system as-is and they’ll come, guaranteed.
But for now, you will see better results if you completely forget about your bodyfat percentage,
and simply follow the system as outlined.
The right way to evaluate your progress
The right way to evaluate your progress? By taking weekly progress pictures - but specifically as
outlined below.
Once a week on your “off” day from exercise (typically Sunday), immediately upon waking up
and before eating breakfast, follow the exact method outlined below to chart and evaluate your
progress on this system.
You must do the following every week if you want to see huge results! Every success story
from this system has done this without fail.
(Trust me, visually seeing a map of your insane progress from week-to-week will inspire you big time - and get you working harder with each passing week, which will produce even better
results, which will get you working even harder still... and so on. It’s a big, big mistake to
neglect the weekly photo session as described below.)
1.
Take a photo of yourself from the front
and sides. Get your full body in it. Take the photo in the same place with the exact same
lighting every week. Ask someone to do it for you, or just set up a camera on auto-timer.
However you can do it, take some kind of picture every week, even if it’s on a dinky cell
phone camera.
2. Add that photo to a photo gallery along with previous weeks’ photos from the same
angles. I use the digital photo program included on my computer. You can also just toss
the picture into a folder on your computer’s desktop. Keep a collection of every week’s
pictures, clearly labeled, all together somewhere.
3. Compare this week’s photo to the previous weeks’ photos, and then to the
Hollywood Physique template. If you have a digital photo management program on
your computer, just keep a copy of the Hollywood Physique template in your photo
album. Do you not only see positive progress visually from the previous week, but also
are you slowly inching closer to the exact physique outlined in the Hollywood Physique
blueprint?
Ultimately the point of this evaluation system is to see if your body, from week to week, is
slowly taking the shape of the physique outlined in the Hollywood Physique blueprint.
Sometimes the change from one week to the next will be huge. Other weeks it’ll be tiny. But
there should always be some change, progressing closer to the body in the Hollywood Physique
template, every week.
This means, as each week progresses, you should see your shoulders growing wider, your waist
growing slimmer, your chest growing broader, and so on... even if only slightly... until finally
your pictures match the physique outlined in the blueprint exactly. (This should happen
naturally, as long as you are following the system and the full routines provided to the letter.)
If you don’t see any change in your physique after any particular two week time period, or don't
see it progressing closer to the Hollywood Physique itself, use the checklist provided below to
pinpoint the problem and fix it.
Not to sound vain, but…
As you now know, you've got to take pictures of yourself frequently while on this program. Once
a week is the minimum.
But if at all possible, take pictures of yourself every day. If you find yourself looking
particularly good, take pictures of it! I don't want to sound vain here, but this will help you
TREMENDOUSLY.
Take them with the camera on your computer. Take them with your cell phone. Use a digital
camera. Whatever. But you've got to keep yourself pumped and motivated, and having these
pictures documenting your transformation are absolutely vital.
Make them fun pictures. Do them straight-on. I don't care. But beyond your weekly evaluation
shots, capture yourself as much as you can and keep yourself motivated by your gains.
Those who do the worst on this program are those who don't take pictures of themselves along
the way, period.
The Hollywood Physique Success Checklist
1. Check your training
1. Are you following Hollywood Hypertrophy Training exactly as specified? Read
over the rules again.
2. Are you working out with enough intensity in the gym? Check to see if you're
experiencing the indicators of intensity after every workout.
3. Are you using absolutely perfect, precise form for every Visible Muscle Isolation
Method exercise? Double-check your form.
4. Are you properly performing Incline Cardio walks immediately after every single
weight training session, without fail, exactly as described? For additional fat loss,
are you performing another Incline Cardio session separate from your workout?
1. Check your diet.
1. Is your daily food intake composed of nearly exclusively meat, eggs, and
vegetables in the amounts specified for your height? Are you eating the right
meats, eggs, and vegetables? Read over the Peak Hormone Diet rules again.
2. Are your “flavor enhancers” only a very small part of your meals, and not a heavy
source of calories? Have you tried removing flavor enhancers altogether?
3. Have you tried modifying the daily food intake yourself? Find out how.
1. Check your digestion.
1. Are you experiencing regular, consistent bowel movements? Do you feel full of
energy and energetic after a Peak Hormone Diet meal, or bloated and a little tired
or even sick? First read over the day-to-day Peak Hormone Diet digestion fixes.
2. Have you performed a 5 day fast to reset your digestive system? If not, perform it
now..
1. Check your lifestyle.
1. Are you avoiding all alcohol? Even one night of light drinking can cancel out one
to two days of progress.
2. Are you getting as much sleep as possible every single night, or are you waking
up with an alarm clock? Constantly using an alarm clock will significantly reduce
your ability to recover, grow, and lose fat.
3. Are you experiencing heavy mental stress in your life? Stress directly inhibits
production of anabolic hormones responsible for muscle growth.
4. Read more about the on and off switches to muscle growth and fat loss.
Shoulders
Dumbbell side swings
IMPORTANT NOTE: one repetition in this exercise requires doing the movement for BOTH sides. This
means that if you are assigned 6 sets of 6 reps, you will perform 6 reps for each side of your shoulders –
and 12 reps in total.
* Stand with your back straight and holding two dumbbells waist-high with their heads touching and
palms facing each other, grasped with a hook grip.
* Lift one dumbbell as a side lateral raise to your side (the same as a standard side lateral). The other
dumbbell, which will be moving across your chest, is like a mini side lateral raise – it will raise slightly
from your stomach to your opposite pec with the same pinky pouring motion. Essentially you are
performing two side lateral raises in the same direction at once. The “standard” side lateral raise will
naturally lift higher and do more work than the other that is moving across the front of your chest.
* Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
* Perform the same directions on the other side of your body; the arm that was moving across your
chest before will now be performing a standard side lateral raise, while the other will be performing a
miniature version of it across your chest.
* Essentially it will look like you are swinging the dumbbells from side to side in a lateral side raise
motion.
Side laterals
* Stand with your back straight and holding two dumbbells waist-high with their heads touching and
palms facing each other, grasped with a non-hook grip.
* Lift the dumbbells out to the side with your elbows bent, and your wrist turning as the movement
continues so that, by the time the dumbbells reach neck/head level, your pinky is higher than your index
finger. The dumbbells should stay in a relatively straight line of motion - they shouldn't deviate too far in
front of you or behind you.
* Hold the contraction for a second or two at the top with the pinky higher than your index finger. You
should be creating a "pouring" motion with the dumbbells, inward toward you.
* Lower back down slowly with the opposite motion, so that you end how you started.
Bent over laterals
* Grasp two dumbbells on the ground in a hook grip, bending over. Stay bent over throughout the
movement.
* Just like a side lateral, bend your elbows and move the dumbbells up to your sides.
* As you reach the top, move your palms up, like you’re flicking your index fingers backwards. (This is
very similar to the side lateral’s pouring movement.)
* Hold that palms-up position, then return the weights back down to the starting position.
Shoulder row
* Grasp a barbell about shoulder width apart or slightly wider at waist level, depending on what is most
comfortable for you. Use a non-hook grip if it is comfortable; only if necessary use a hook grip.
* Holding the barbell about 12 inches in front of your body, slowly lift it up to face/neck level. Aim to
point your elbows slightly forward (while keeping them parallel). At face/neck level, your elbows will be
more or less parallel vertically with your hands.
* Lower back down slowly.
Chest
Wide grip neck press
* Lay down on a standard bench press.
* Grasp the bar as wide as possible while still being able to perform the lift; I recommend your hands
being parallel with your elbows or even slightly wider. Use a non-hook grip.
* Lift your legs up onto the bench in order to keep your back completely flat and it to take it out of the
movement.
* Lift the bar and lower it slowly TO YOUR NECK with your elbows pointing out. Be conscious of
pointing your elbows as far out to the side as possible, creating a deep stretch in the pectorals
throughout the movement
* Bring the bar down to your neck – you will feel a deep stretch and contraction in your pecs – and lift
your head/neck up to meet the bar. This will add extra pressure onto the upper portion of your
pectorals.
* Push the weight back up, still with the elbows sticking out.
Wide grip dips
NOTE: this should be performed on the widest possible dip station available. The best are the V-shaped
dip bars. If these are unavailable, a good alternative is to find two exercise bikes and rotate them so that
you can use their handlebars as dip bars.
* Grasp the dip bar in a non-hook grip so that your hands are wider than shoulder-width; hands
parallel with elbows is preferable. Your pecs should feel a deep stretch just gripping the bars.
* Push yourself up so that your elbows are straight. Now bring your feet in front of you, toes pointed
up, so that your feet are parallel with your face. Drop your chin down to your chest. You will maintain
this position throughout the movement.
* Lower your body while keeping your feet in front of you and sticking your elbows out to your side as
you lower down. Go as low as you can. Aim to keep your elbows sticking as far out to the side as
possible, creating a distinct and deep stretch in the pecs
* Push back up starting from your pectorals (don't use your arm strength to push yourself back up),
bringing your elbows to straightness at the top of the movement.
* If this movement is too difficult, try using "negatives" (where you jump up and don't perform the
first half of the movement, but instead just slowly lower yourself down) or position a medicine
ball/chair/stand in front of you so that your feet are held up (which will make the movement easier)
Incline dumbbell press
* Lay down an incline bench and grasp two dumbbells in a non-hook grip so that your palms are facing
each other (positioned facing toward your body). This means all four heads of the dumbbells are facing
each other.
* With your elbows sticking out as far as possible to the side, the dumbbells farther than shoulder
width apart, and elbows dropped down deep so that there is a deep stretch in the pecs, push the
dumbbells upward by contracting in your chest (rather than simply pushing with your arms) while
maintaining the palms-facing-eachother position so that your arms almost become straight.
* Allow the dumbbells to almost touch with your arms fully stretched above you, then lower back
down to the starting position (or even deeper down if you can) while pushing your elbows out to the
side.
Biceps
Preacher curl
* Sit at a preacher curl station.
* Grip a standard barbell a tiny bit wider than shoulder width and move your elbows in close together.
Your arms, from the elbows to your hands, will be forming a “V” shape.
* While grasping the weight in a standard hook grip, aim to keep your wrist tilted upward throughout
the entire movement, flexing the bicep
* With your arms firmly pressed against the preacher station, lower the weight completely as slowly
as possible so that your arms are one straight line.
* Lift back up slowly – while keeping completely still and avoiding leaning forward or lifting your butt
off the seat – so that you bring the weight almost all the way to your collar bone (but not locking out –
never release any pressure from your biceps throughout the movement).
Drag curl
* Stand up straight with your shoulder blades pulled back.
* Grip the barbell in a standard hook grip about shoulder width or slightly wider; your hands should be
wider than your waist. Keep your wrist tilted upward throughout the entire movement, flexing your
biceps.
* Pull your elbows back and hold the barbell so that it is nearly pressing against your hip/waist line.
This is the lowest point the barbell can drop.
* Keeping your arms as close to your sides as possible, lift the barbell up so that it is being drawn
directly in front of your body as it is curled up to your collar bone. This means keeping the elbows drawn
back.
* Slowly lower the barbell back down to waist height, keeping your elbows drawn back, wrist tilted
upward, and letting the barbell fall directly in front of your body.
Incline dumbbell curls
* Position yourself with your back flat and head rested on an incline bench.
* In a standard hook grip with your palms facing upward and slightly inward and grasping dumbbells
(so they are held somewhat diagonally) and with wrists tilted upward, curl the weight just short of your
collar bone.
* Curl the weight back down slowly with wrists still tilted upward.
Seated dumbbell curls
* Position yourself on a bench, sitting upright, back completely straight.
* With your palms facing upward and slightly inward, grasping dumbbells in a standard hook grip so
they are held somewhat diagonally, and with wrists tilted upward throughout the entire movement, curl
the weight just short of your collar bone.
* Curl the weight back down slowly.
Triceps
Kickbacks
* Grasp dumbbells in a non-hook grip with palms facing inward, all four dumbbell heads parallel.
* Stand with one leg forward and hunch your upper body forward a bit.
* Bring dumbbells up in front of your chest.
* With your elbows stuck directly to the side of your body, slowly lower the dumbbells and pull them
behind you.
* When arms are fully flexed backwards, slowly tilt your wrist back so that extra tension is put on the
tricep.
* Hold that wrist-tilted position for a few seconds, and then very slowly bring the dumbbells back up
to the starting position.
Tricep close grip dips
IMPORTANT NOTE: these are very different from the wide-grip dips for chest development. Although
somewhat similar in look, their execution is vastly different.
* Find a dip station that is about shoulder width.
* Grip it with a non-hook grip.
* Keep elbows directly to the sides of your body at all times, almost as though you're trying to get
your elbows to touch.
* Lift yourself up so that your arms are straight. Cross your legs behind you, and keep legs behind you
throughout the movement.
* Lower down while keeping your elbows in towards your body, not pointing out to the sides.
* Go as low as you can, then lift back up (pushing specifically with the triceps) with the same form
until your elbows are straight again.
Rope pull-down
* Attach a rope to a pull-down machine.
* Grasp (in a non-hook grip) the middle of the rope rungs hanging down so that only the strength of
your grip is supporting you. Do not use or touch the little knots at the bottom of the rope.
* Keeping your elbows locked in the same place next to the sides of your body throughout the
movement, pull the weight down while separating your hands as far apart as you can, curling your palms
down (from an inward-facing position). This means that your wrists and palms will tilt outward near the
bottom of the movement, which should create a distinct burn in the outer head of your triceps.
* Hold at the bottom of the movement, creating a deeper burn in the triceps.
* Slowly move back to starting position.
Skull crushers
* Lay down on a bench while gripping a "standard"-sized barbell (not an Olympic barbell) in a non-hook
grip. Rest your head on the end of the bench.
* While keeping your elbows in toward your body (don't let them point out to the side), drop the
barbell down below your head and below the bench.
* Keeping your elbows in toward your body, lift your elbows slightly higher and straighten your arms
out so that you lift the weight up above you now.
* Your elbows will stay in the same position horizontally, but will move up and down vertically slightly
as you raise and lower the weight.
Forearms
Zottman curls
* Grab a pair of dumbbells and grip them with a suicide grip.
* Curl up normally (not with “drag curl” form) with your palm facing up.
* As the dumbbells reach about shoulder height, turn your wrists so that your palms are now facing
down.
* Lower the dumbbell back down very slowly to the starting position.
Wrist curl
* Seat yourself on the edge of a bench and place your elbows on your thighs, with your hands hanging
over your knees and holding a barbell.
* With your palms facing upward, let the barbell roll from near your wrist down to the edges of your
fingers.
* Grasp the barbell firmly, moving your hand back up in the process, and roll it back up near your
wrist.
* Repeat movement, focusing on forearms.
Reverse curl
* Grip a standard barbell with a suicide grip (non-hook) and your palms facing down. Grip should be
about shoulder width or closer.
* Again using "standard" curling form (where the weight is brought 6 inches in front of your body, not
dragged directly in front like a drag curl), simply curl the weight up and down.
* At the top of the movement, pull your grip back a bit so that it is like you are trying to pull the
barbell in toward your body; do this entirely with your wrists and not with your arms. This puts added
emphasis on the forearms.
* Lower down slowly to starting position.
Calves
Calf press in leg press machine
* Situate yourself in a leg press machine with your knees slightly bent. Place your legs near the bottom
of the leg press, heels hanging off the platform.
* Push up on the weight, shifting the majority of the weight to your big toe. Keep your big toe glued to
the platform and try to move your heels inward, like you want them to touch, but without allowing your
big toe to move.
* Hold it for a few seconds – up to six. You should feel a very deep burn in the inner heads of your
calves.
* As you take the pressure off your big toe and calves, drop into a deep stretch on the leg press. Hold
this stretch for another 5 seconds before repeating the movement as described.
Donkey calf raise
NOTE: if you find these are too easy (which they likely won't be, performed slowly enough with intense
focus on your calves) you can make it more difficult by either a) having someone sit on the small of your
back while performing it (like they're riding you like a donkey) or b) using a belt with a chain to hang
some weight off your waist.
* Stand on an elevated platform that allows your heel to drop below your toes.
* Bend over so your back is straight horizontally and you are able to secure yourself by holding onto
something in front of you.
* Lift your foot up, focusing on getting as high as you can on your big toe.
* At the peak of the movement, with your big toe glued to the ground, try to draw your heels
together, creating a strong contraction in your inner calves.
* Hold at the top of the movement for two seconds.
* Lower back down into a deep stretch. Hold deep stretch for up to 5 seconds.
Standing calf raise
* Position yourself in a standing calf machine, weight firmly planted on your shoulders.
* Raise up onto your big toe, and while keeping your big toe firmly glued to the ground, try to bring
your heels inward to touch. You should feel a distinct burn in your inner calf heads.
* Hold at the peak contraction for two to three seconds.
* Slowly lower back down into a deep stretch and hold the stretch for 3 to 5 seconds.
* This may also be performed on any elevated platform (like a staircase) using only bodyweight. For
added difficulty, use a weighted backpack or a chain with weight hanging off your waist.
Seated calf raise
NOTE: this exercise can be substituted with any other calf exercise if a seated calf raise machine is not
available to you. My recommendation is to replace it with the donkey calf raise in case you cannot
perform this exercise.
* Take a seat in a seated calf raise machine, with the pads firmly seated on your knees.
* Lift up with your calves while shifting the majority of the weight to your big toe. Keep your big toe
glued to the platform and try to move your heels inward, like you want them to touch, but without
allowing your big toe to move.
* Hold it for a few seconds - up to six. You should feel a very deep burn in the inner heads of your
calves.
* As you take the pressure off your big toe and calves, drop your heel down into a deep stretch. Hold
this stretch for another 5 seconds before repeating the movement as described.
Back
Bent over rows
* Place a barbell on the ground.
* Stand with knees slightly bent and back hunched forward, as parallel to the floor as possible while
keeping your spine absolutely straight (head tilted up and facing forward)
* Lift the barbell with an underhand (palms facing up) non-hook grip. (This may be difficult to do in a
non-hook grip, so use a hook grip if you find you can’t hold the bar comfortably.) Pull it up to your waist
line, shrugging your shoulder blades back as you do it.
* Hold at the waist line for two seconds.
* Slowly drop the weight with your back in the same position so that the weight does not touch the
ground.
* Repeat the movement.
Lat pulldown
* Sit down in a lat pull-down station.
* Grasp the bar in a palms-forward non-hook grip, hands parallel with elbows.
* As you pull the weight down, angle your upper body so your chest is facing upward and back is
slightly bent.
* Shrug the weight backwards, pulling your shoulder blades together, before pulling down with your
arms.
* Bring the bar down to your upper chest. Shoulder blades should be pulled back hard and there
should be a distinct contraction in your lats.
* Hold the bar on your upper chest for two seconds.
* Slowly bring the weight back to its starting position.
Low pulley pull
* At a cable machine, raise the cable about 16 inches off the ground and sit on the ground.
* Lean forward with your head down, gripping a small V-bar attached to the cable machine.
* Slowly lift your body up, starting from the lower back. Slowly straighten your back until you are
completely erect, and pull the weight to the lower portion of your pec line, pulling your shoulder blades
back as you do it (creating a backwards "shrugging" motion with your lats). Aim to pull the weight back
not with your arms, but with your shoulders/back as you perform the backwards shrugging motion.
Keep your arms 100% straight in front of you until the backwards shrugging motion is completely.
* Hold at your pec line for two to three seconds.
* Slowly lean forward again and repeat.
Two dumbbell bench rows
* Lay down on a bench, belly-down with your face facing down.
* Have two dumbbells by your side (to the side of your arms) that are almost too heavy to perform
this movement with.
* Pick the dumbbells up and pull them up toward your waist/lat area.
* As you pick them up, lift your entire body off the bench - the only part that should be on it is your
waist - and use all your strength to lift those dumbbells up.
* This should be done very explosively, like your entire body is sacrificing energy to perform this back
movement.
* Lower the weight slowly back down onto the ground.
* Breathe in heavily, and then repeat the movement.
Thighs
Back squat
NOTE: have a professional evaluate your form before attempting a back squat. Performed improperly,
you can seriously injure yourself with this movement.
* Stand with your toes pointing out to the sides, feet directly underneath you, and legs slightly wider
than hip-width.
* Place the Olympic barbell onto the “meat” of your back (the traps area right below the neck) and
hold onto it with your hands a little further than shoulder width.
* Keep facing forward, like you are making eye contact with yourself, and keep your spine
ABSOLUTELY AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE. Do NOT round your back at all; maintaining eye contact with
yourself (facing absolutely forward with head up) will keep your spine straight.
* With your butt leading the way, drop down to the ground with your knees staying in absolutely the
same place (not moving at all) and putting the weight onto your heels.
* If possible, drop your butt as low to the ground as possible while maintaining perfect form.
* Push off of your heels and lift back up; focus on your pelvis area leading the way in this portion of
the movement. Slightly lifting your pelvis area will help guide the weight back up.
* Focus on using your abs to push up
Deadlift
NOTE: have a professional evaluate your form before attempting a deadlift. Performed improperly, you
can seriously injure yourself with this movement.
* Stand with your toes pointing out to the sides, feet directly underneath you, and legs about hipwidth. Legs should be straight aside from having the knees slightly bent.
* Keep facing forward, like you are making eye contact with yourself, and keep your spine
ABSOLUTELY AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE. Do NOT round your back at all; maintaining eye contact with
yourself (facing absolutely forward with head up) will keep your spine straight.
* Using an alternating grip (one hand is palms-up, the other is palms-down) at slightly wider than
shoulder width, pick the barbell up off the floor while maintaining an absolutely straight spine.
* Lift the weight with your spine absolutely straight and legs with knees slightly bent so that, at the
end of the movement, your spine is straight upright and you are almost standing upright if it weren't for
your slightly bent knees, holding the barbell at about waist height.
* Lower back down - with absolutely straight spine - so that you are bending over while holding the
weight.
* Focus on tightening and pulling the weight up with your abs