Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha

the issue—it’s whether they make your abs visible. You’ve probably heard that everyone has abs, but it’s hard to believe when people will crunch and crunch and crunch and still don’t have abs. But the problem isn’t exercise selection. They could be planking all day, doing hanging leg raises, or med ball slamming their way to China and they wouldn’t be able to tell a visual difference from one exercise to another. That’s not to say that these exercises don’t work your abs in different ways—they do. But seeing your six-pack does not depend on if you selected the “right” abs exercises.
    Seeing your abs is a matter of lowering your body fat. Drop your body fat to around 10 percent and you’ll see your abs. Lose even more fat and they’ll really pop. You’ve probably heard that we all have a six-pack and that it’s just covered by fat. That is true. Just as we all have biceps and pectorals. But you have to train those muscles, build and grow them, and strip away the fat to reveal your handiwork.
    The Alpha program—which consists of four specific training phases—eliminates all the smoke and mirrors. Our workout isn’t filled with exercises that you feel but can’t see. We address the six-pack solution by combining exercises that are proven to burn fat. And this isn’t just what you find in the lab. We’re talking about the thousands of clients we’ve worked with. These are science-tested and real-life-approved strategies that offer results you can’t deny. Whether it’s metabolic complexes that leave you more exhausted than sprints, heavy strength work that you’ll feel in your abs more than a thousand crunches, or innovative exercises you’ve probably never tried before (hello, hack squat), you’ll be wondering why we’ve kept all of this a secret for so long. But we haven’t. This is just the first time you’ve had the opportunity to work with us—and similarly, it’ll be the first time you’ll be able to say good-bye to your fat and hello to your abs.

    SHIT YOU NEED TO KNOW
    You don’t need to be the smartest guy in the room to make an impact, but you never want to be the dumbest guy either. Here are some things you need to know. And tell your friends while you’re at it. These facts dispel some of the worst myths that, simply put, need to die. We won’t bother addressing these mistruths in detail because they’ve been discussed so often. But we realize many people reading this might be new to fitness, and that isn’t a crime. So here are the facts that will steer you away from BS advice and keep you sounding smart and acting smarter:
    • Fat doesn’t make you fat. It’s necessary for hormonal balance.
    • Heavy weights don’t make you bulky. Don’t fear them; they are your friend.
    • Yoga is not just for girls. Yeah, we said it.
    • The bench press is not the king of all chest exercises (try the push-up).
    • There are muscles in your legs. Work them—especially your hamstrings and glutes.
    • Muscle does not weigh more than fat. But fat does take up a lot more space than muscle.

CHAPTER 4
    The Call to Adventure
    HOW THIRTY WHITE POLO SHIRTS CHANGED ROMAN’S LIFE
    “Some people can’t believe in themselves until someone else believes in them first.”
    — GOOD WILL HUNTING
    “N ice to meet you, Roman,” the lady said over the phone. “I’m in a bit of a rush, so I hope you can help. I’m going to need thirty white polo shirts, in different sizes. Mostly medium and large, with some small and extra large. Probably just one or two extra small. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
    It was a very strange request, on a strange day, in a strange time in my life. It was May of 2001. I was nineteen years old, and in the summers between semesters, I worked at my old high school job. The worst job I’ve ever had. I was working—of all places—at the Gap. I was the jean-folding drone rocking the big smile at the register. Not exactly my preferred job description, but it was my reality. I had been home from school for nearly two weeks and was unfortunately slated to be home for quite a long time. In fact, I had transferred to a local school for what my transcript says were “personal reasons.” *
    While my grades didn’t take a huge dip, my motivation and confidence did. I had no idea what I wanted to do and no desire to pay $40,000 to figure it out. It seemed logical, but two weeks into Gap slavery, I was regretting my decision. Local schooling