Old School New Body
PROS
- - Easy to read
- - Simple workouts
- - Can do at home
CONS
- - No video tutorials
- - Contains miss-spelling
Can you look 10 years younger with the F4X training program? Before you buy, read this independent user review to see an example workout & diet meal plan.
What is the Old School New Body F4X program?
I believe in less work, more results.
In terms of weight loss, I believe that you can lose more weight while working out less. This happens IF you concentrate on the top 20% of exercises and foods that affect 80% of your weight loss. You can be more comfortable and confident in your body, and feel like your younger self.
To do this, you need a simple approach to weight loss. One that is based on true and tested science, but keeps the normal, everyday person in mind. No difficult exercises, no difficult meal plan, just the absolute essentials that most people can do to get the most results.
Old School New Body is such a program. But does it work?
This is a fitness training program written by Steve and Becky Holman. Steve is the Editor-in-Chief of Iron Man Magazine, and has over 25 years of experience in fitness. Together with John Rowley, they dedicate this book to those of you who are over 35 years of age and want to get in shape.
This is not merely a weight loss or fat loss program. In the book, Steve says it’s better to put yourself in the mindset of being and living healthier. It also has an emphasis on anti-aging, on looking younger and feeling younger. This mindset will motivate you to stick with the program until you get results.
This is a download, which means you get an ebook instead of a hard copy one. It was written in 2012 by Homebody Productions, a company based in Ventura, CA. The workout exercises and meal plans are still relevant today. Perhaps it is even more relevant because it keeps things simple and only focuses on the top 20% of factors that determine 80% of your weight loss.
It doesn’t rely on the latest “insane” workouts or diet fads. It relies on knowledge and techniques that Steve discovered handwritten in an “old school” notebook by a deceased Hollywood fitness trainer. Steve personally tried it on his body, and got great results without time-consuming effort.
Now, he has condensed the information inside that book, plus his own 25 years of experience, into a short, easy to read guide book that you can implement within 30 minutes of reading.
What do you get inside the handbook?
The program is so easy to do that you can put it into action in less than 30 minutes.
In fact, to get started, you only need to read up to Chapter 2, titled “The F4X LEAN Workout: Your 20-Minute Bellyfat Blowtorch”. F4X stands for Focus for Exercise, which is Steve’s trademarked workout routine found inside Old School New Body.
After explaining the science behind the F4X system, the second chapter immediately explains the F4X LEAN workout, which is the first phase of F4X. The F4X LEAN workout is especially made for you if you are a beginner or are returning to the gym again after a long hiatus.
It consists of 4 basic exercises:
- Squats
- Incline presses or flat bench presses
- Bent over rows
- Dumbbell upright rows
Steve actually recommends to not do the full F4X LEAN workout. Instead, start with an easy and short, “cut down” version of F4X LEAN so you don’t overwork yourself. This is important, because you want to feel the success of finishing a workout so you stay motivated and keep moving on.
What are the exercise methods inside F4X?
Steve writes in the book to start out with two sets of each exercise for the first 2 weeks. Then move to three sets of each exercise on weeks 3 and 4. Then finally do four sets of each exercise on the 5th week. This slow “break in” process will make it easier for your body and mind to adapt before taking on the full workout.
Because the exercises are kept to a minimum amount, and with the way the secret system inside F4X, you can do these exercises within 30 minutes or less. Give or take the time it takes for you to change clothes, warm up, cool down, and change again, you’ll spend around 45 minutes each visit to the gym.
With the F4X system, you workout 3 times a week. At 30 minutes per workout, this amounts to only 90 minutes a week – a significantly shorter time than most people, who spend 3-5 hours a week!
Of course, I can’t share with you the full F4X LEAN workout as it is copyrighted material. It’s best to grab the official book so you can see how easy it is to do this workout:
Here are the pros of the book:
#1 The chapters are laid out to help your progress
During the first reading, I found the chapters had a “weird” layout. Steve doesn’t explain all three F4X workouts at once. Instead, he explains the first one, and then talks about motivation and how to prevent joint pain during exercise. Then he goes to explain the second phase of F4X, which is F4X SHAPE.
I then realized that the chapters are laid out to best help your progress. When you start doing exercises, you’re bound to lose motivation at some point. This is why Steve dedicates a whole Chapter 4 about getting motivated, including WHY you should be doing the F4X system.
Having the chapters laid out this way, it makes it more simple for you to follow, step-by-step.
#2 It explains the one most important exercise to do BEFORE all other exercises
The F4X workouts aren’t arranged in random. They are arranged in a particular sequence to ensure you get the most fat burning, muscle growth, and anti-aging benefits with the least effort. This one exercise induces the one most important hormone that gives you all these benefits.
When you do this one exercise first, all the other exercises you do after it become even more effective. I think just this tip alone is already worth the price of the book. I won’t say what it is because it’s better that you read it completely inside the book.
(but I’ll give you a clue: it’s one of the exercises I’ve written above in the example exercise)
#3 You don’t even need to go to the gym
Steve has made this program to be as simple as it can get. It’s so simple, you don’t even have to go to the gym if you don’t have the time or if you simply don’t feel like it.
With the information in Chapter 8, titled “Instant At-Home, New Body Solution”, you can do the F4X exercises at home using just ONE equipment. And if you don’t have this one equipment, you can make one yourself using ordinary household items.
Steve really knows how difficult exercising can be in terms of motivation and mindset. That’s why he’s created the most bare-bones, easy to do program that anyone can do, even at home, without equipment!
Here are the cons of the book:
Well, even though Old School New Body is great, it’s not without its flaws.
#1 It doesn’t include accompanying workout video tutorials
With every workout program, I find video tutorials to be immensely helpful. A visual demonstration of how to do the exercises can really help you to do it right so you can get most results and avoid injury.
Unfortunately, this book doesn’t come with bonus video tutorials. It only explains the exercises using illustrations and pictures. The pictures are clear, but I think video demonstration would be better.
Of course, if there were video tutorials, the price of the program would be more expensive. I think Steve wants this program to be accessible by as many people as possible, which is why he didn’t include video tutorials.
#2 There could be more examples of menu plans
The book doesn’t explain what you should eat between workouts until Chapter 9. It’s true that the main focus of F4X is in the exercise (hence why it’s called Focus 4 Exercise), but you might want more info on the exact foods to eat and why. Even so, in the mentioned chapter, you get the exact meal plan that all three authors use personally (Steve, Becky, and John), so that is a good way to start.
Alternatively, there is more information about nutrition in the upsell books. Once you buy the main one you are offered the option to buy extra books. These books focus more on the foods to eat to get better results, including a paleo cookbook series. You don’t have to buy these books to get results, but if you want faster results, then I suggest you take this one time offer.
#3 There are several miss-spellings throughout the book
Maybe I’m a bit too perfectionist, but I think the book could be more neatly written. Steve writes more in a conversational manner than a professional manner. That said, the information is still very valuable and very easy to understand. The simplicity may actually come from his conversational style.
Where can I buy this or other similar books?
In my research, I have found no significant complaints or negative reviews from real customers. This also means I haven’t found testimonials or success stories that show the before and after results of people who have gone through this program, other than from the official website.
Old School New Body is definitely one of the easiest to read and easiest to put into action programs I have ever found. There are other books and programs available, but I don’t think they are this easy or this affordable.
One book that Steve himself actually recommends is “Fit Over 40” by Jon Benson, but this is mostly about stories of transformation. Another is “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” by Tom Venuto, but it’s mostly about tips and tricks and may lack the structure of a full program.
Other popular options (not specifically recommended by Steve) is “Fat Loss Factor” by Dr. Charles Livingston, but it isn’t specifically made for people over 35 years of age. Or you can take a look at “The Venus Factor” by John Barban, although this one is specifically for women.
In short, I believe Steve and Becky Holman are truly passionate about being and living healthy. They are in their 50s, but both look better than most people in their 40s, due to the anti-aging effects of the F4X workouts.
If you are looking for a simple approach to weight loss, and you want to be more confident and comfortable in your body, and feel like your younger self, then this program is a great choice.
You can get the full program by visiting this page: