Tim Ferriss has built a media empire around helping people become their best selves as efficiently as possible. For Ferriss, applying the “minimum effective dose” for maximum results isn’t merely a hack; it’s a way of life. His advice is dispensed via his blog (2M+ readers per month), TV show, podcast,social media, and, of course, his 4-Hour books, which have been translated into 30+ languages and spent years on bestseller lists. In other words, the man knows a thing (or 10) about how to live a carefully crafted life.
Tim Ferriss recently got together with Kit to share some of the insights and gear that have helped him unlock his own superpowers and take life to the next level. Follow him on Kit for more essential tools.
1) What was the defining moment of inspiration that allowed you to arrive at the 4-Hour Workweek and Body concepts?
The 4-Hour Workweek and the 4-Hour Body were really outgrowths of experiments with the 80/20 principle. That, in simple terms, is looking at activities, products, efforts of any type, to identity the 20% that produce 80% of the results you’re aiming for (or should be aiming for). This could be applied to breakfast foods you consume with an eye towards rate of fat loss. Or you could apply it to paid acquisition efforts as a startup entrepreneur, in terms of bringing in customers who are the most profitable 20%, who produce 80% or more of topline growth — or whatever the metric might be. The 4-Hour Workweek is a collection of experiments, results, and recommendations based on applying the 80/20 principle to lifestyle design and career entrepreneurship.
The 4-Hour Body is a collection of experiments with areas ranging from testosterone, to maximal strength, sprinting to vertical jumps, and sleep to sex. You’re applying 80/20 experimentation to determine the “minimum effective dose,” as I call it. This is the sweet spot of smallest input that produces the largest disproportion output.
2) For people who are always on the go and may not have access to a gym, what kit should they get to keep up with the practices of the 4-Hour Body?
You can get a fantastic workout without much gear at all. If you’re going to be traveling, there are a few products you can pack for the trip: One is a simple lacrosse ball for mobility work on the feet. Another is the Teeter Hang Ups Back Stretcher, which allows you to add some spinal decompression before bed or after weight-loaded workouts.
I also travel with insulin-mimetic compounds like Alpha Lipoic Acid and Berberine — supplements that allow you to minimize your own insulin response. Before I describe these, WARNING: I am not a doctor and don’t play one on the Internet. If you have any medical condition (especially Type I Diabetes), you need medical supervision to use such supplements. Now, back to my personal use — Let’s say you’re at a conference, and to be social, you end up eating meals that are high in carbohydrates (e.g. pasta, desserts, etc.). These types of supplements can help mitigate the damage.
There are other lightweight tools that are easy to travel with, such as VooDoo floss. VooDoo floss, developed by Kelly Starrett, is very useful if you have any knee or lower leg pain or stiffness. You can use bands at the same time to do Monster Walks or X-Band Walks, which work on your gluteus medius, the muscle on the side of your gluteus. It’s what would get very tired if you’re giving a heavy person a piggyback ride. Weakness of the gluteus medius can cause all sorts of training injuries, and it’s commonly neglected.
I also travel with a small bag of chalk (Metolius). Rock climbing chalk is good; Olympic weightlifting chalk is also very useful. I would use the latter for pull-ups or kettlebell swings. Put chalk in double bags and tape the flaps shut!
There are a few objects you can use to travel light and still lift heavy(ish). Travel with a kayaking dry bag, which is generally used to keep a wallet, laptop and so on dry if you’re on a boat. In our case, you can use it in the inverse: fill it with water and use it like a kettlebell for Turkish Get Ups, for instance.
Lastly, it’s very easy to travel with rings, wooden or plastic. I prefer wooden rings when possible (you can often avoid traveling with chalk) but Nayoya makes a good set of plastic rings. If you throw those into your luggage and find a tree branch or bar, you can find a workout. For legs, just work on split squats and pistols on a bench (or step ups) to get a fantastic bodyweight workout without a squat rack.
3) One of the most popular categories on Kit.com is Everyday Carry, where people share what they carry on a daily basis in their bags, pockets, etc. What does that look like for you?
I don’t like having things in my pockets, since I’m often sitting down and getting in and out of Ubers all day (I no longer own a car). But I tend to travel with some weird stuff. I’ll just list off a few of the things in my backpack:
If I’m not going to be traveling on a plane, aKershaw Ken Onion Black Leek Serrated Folding Knife
Earbuds from 3M (I talk about these in the sleep episode of my podcast)
4) Who would you most like to see create a kit?
I would be interested in Richard Feynman’s scientific literacy kit.
For $1000 or less, Robert Rodriguez’s bare bones filmmaking kit, excluding editing software.
Andrew Zimmern, and his minimum effective dose for Thai food. What are the spices, ingredients, and tools he uses?
Derren Brown: For $250 or less, a kit for someone who wants to develop the basics of sleight-of-hand magic or mentalism.
Sweet. Thanks, Tim!
Check out Tim Ferriss on Kit to see the gear he uses in the kitchen, as well as more fitness essentials and other items featured in his books, podcasts and beyond.
Now back to our kettlebell swings. Pant.