The Evolution of Cardio 
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

I've been meaning to write this email for a long time. Today I'm
going to give you the story of how I solved the problem of getting an efficient and effective fat loss program finished in 45 minutes. Essentially, how I invented Turbulence Training.

And then I'll end with a sample TT workout for you...

But first, let's take a tr
98-99. I was but a lowly grad student, studying the effects of
androstenedione (the supplement taken by the might Mark McGwire during his record-breaking home run quest in '98).

In my study (which was published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology for any science nerds like myself out there), we had guys use the supplement and go through a couple of weight training sessions. By February of '99 I was stuck in the lab, analyzing the blood samples using some fancy radio-active isotopes.

And when I say stuck in the lab, I mean STUCK. I'd get there at
7am, and record my last data point at 11pm. Sixteen hours of
mad science. And if I wasn't there, I was downstairs in the
medical library, studying papers on testosterone and training.

Now coming from a very athletic background, this sedentary
lifestyle didn't sit well with me. But there I was, studing for a
degree in Exercise Physiology and left with no time for exercise.
Or so I thought.

Fortunately, I actually had a 50 minute window once per day of
"down-time" while the lab's gamma-counter analyzed blood samples.

That left me 50 minutes to get to the gym (5 minutes across campus) and get a workout in the remaining 40 or so minutes. I knew that if I applied my studies to the workout, I could get maximum results in minimum time.

As a former athlete, I knew that I had to find a way to stay fit
and to avoid the fat gain that comes with working long hours in a
sedentary environment. And I also had to stay true to the
high-school bodybuilder I once was, so there was no way I was
willing to sacrifice my muscle to one of those long-cardio, low
protein fat-loss plans that were popular at the time.

Instead, I had to draw on my academic studies and my experiences working with athletes as the school's Strength & Conditioning Coach.

I knew that sprint intervals were associated with more fat loss
than slow cardio, and I knew that you could also increase aerobic fitness by doing sprints (but you can't increase sprint performance by doing aerobic training).

So clearly, intervals were (and ARE!) superior to long slow cardio.

I had seen first hand the incredible results of sprint intervals in
the summer and fall, as the athletes made huge fitness improvements and shed winter fat in a short time using my interval programs. I knew that intervals had to be the next step in the evolution of cardio.

The biggest benefit of intervals? A lot of results in a short
amount of time. I knew that I only had 40 minutes to train, and
therefore I could only spend 15-20 minutes doing intervals.

Now onto the strength training portion of the workouts. I knew that a high-volume bodybuilding program wasn't going to cut it - I just didn't have time. But in the past year I had read so many lifting studies, that I knew exactly what exercises I needed to do to maximize my lifting time in the gym.

Those exercises were standing, multi-muscle, movements such as squats, presses, rows, power cleans, and plenty of other standing single-leg exercises. I knew that those exercises would bring me far more results than those people sitting on machines would ever achieve.

And I also knew that I had to lift heavier than the average Joe or Jane Gym-goer lifts. I just knew that doing lighter weights and high-reps wasn't going to cut it. And a research study from 2001 later showed that I was right - when women did 8 reps per set, they had a significantly greater increase in post-workout metabolism than if they did 15 reps per set.

So I had my plan. Bust my tail over to the gym, through the cold, dreary Canadian winter afternoon, and do a quick but thorough warmup (specific to my lifts - none of that 5 minutes on the treadmill waste of time).

Once I got through the warm-up, I did as many sets as I could in the remainder of the 20 minutes for strength training.

At that point, I knew that supersets were the only way to go if I
wanted to maximize the number of sets I could do...so the
non-competing superset of Turbulence Training was put in place.

By non-competing, I mean that the 2 exercises in the superset don't interfere with one another. So you can use upper and lower body exercises together, or pushing and pulling exercises. Just be careful not to use two grip-intensive exercises together in a superset - otherwise, one exercise will suffer, if not both.

And then I followed up the strength training with intervals, as I
knew these had to follow the lifting, otherwise it would not be the correct exercise order. Remember, intervals first leads to
premature fatigue. Lift first, cardio later. Forget that old wives
tale about doing cardio first to burn more fat. That's junk.

You know, I remember the exact day and exact workout that this all came together into the Turbulence Training program. It hit me as I was finishing my intervals. I knew I had found something that was like fat loss magic.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to put it in a pill. But I've
been able to put it down on paper in all of the TT manuals.

The exact workout I used that day went like this...

Warm-up
1 set of Bodyweight Squats
1 set of pushups
1 set of Squats with the empty bar
1 set of light dumbbell chest presses
1 set of moderate weight barbell squats
1 set of moderate weight dumbbell chest presses

Strength Training Superset #1
Barbell Squats paired with Dumbbell Chest Presses
3 supersets, aiming for 8 reps per side per set

Strength Training Superset #2
DB Rows paired with Barbell Forward Lunges
3 supersets, aiming for 8 reps per set

Stationary Bike Intervals
After a warmup, I did 6 intervals of 45 seconds work and 45 seconds rest, finishing with a cool-down.

And from that point in time, I've tried to share this and all the
other Turbulence Training workouts with as many men and women as possible. The same men and women that I would see day-in and day-out performing the same ineffective slow-cardio fat loss programs, and not making a darn change month after month. And every day they would see me, soaked in sweat, feeling great and looking lean, and finishing another TT workout.

Eventually I noticed these other men and women weren't around as consistently as before, and then soon enough they would drop out completely - after all, they weren't getting results with their slow cardio and aerobics classes (yep, those were still around in '99!).

And so here we are today...thousands of TT users later, with
national fitness magazines like Men's Health, Men's Fitness, and
Shape spreading the good word about Turbulence Training.

Thousands of TT users, dozens of personal trainers, and even
several national fitness magazines all agree with me, Turbulence
Training is the #1 way to fast fat loss.

Thanks for being a part of the TT Lifestyle Revolution, and for
sharing this new and improved fat loss training and cardio system with the world.

So when you see someone frustrated with their ineffective fat loss program, tell them there is a better way. It's research-based, efficient, and most of all, effective. And yes, it goes against the crowd. But it works.

And it's now better than ever,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - Don't know where to start?

If you are a beginner, start by reading Dr. Mohr's nutrition
guidelines...eating properly will be the biggest factor in your
early success.

Beginners should also start with the Introductory TT workouts to prepare their muscles for the upcoming intense training.

For others, it's best to start with the Intermediate Level TT
workouts. If those aren't enough of a challenge, you can move onto the Original TT workout and follow the 16-week advanced program right through.

If at any time you need a break, try the TT Bodyweight 4-week plan.

And then finish off with the bonus programs to cap off a full 24 weeks of Advanced TT fat loss workouts.

About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visitwww.TurbulenceTraining.com

Bodybuilding Hormone Secrets 
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

More today on the secrets of supersets...

In the past, I've mentioned supersets being effective simply because they save you time - and that results didn't depend on your heart rate (even though it gets jacked with supersets).

But recent research suggests another reason for the effectiveness of supersets - and that's the increase in Growth Hormone in your body.

GH, for those that don't know, is one of the hormones in your body that increases fat burning.

It's also one of the most popular scam supplements that you hear about in spam email.

So why is GH so popular?

Because everyone calls GH "the Fountain of Youth". It's supposed to make you lose fat and apparently make you look and feel younger...(and it must work - I was 'accused' repeatedly in NZ and Australia of being only 25 years old - almost 7 years younger than I really am - must be the TT lifestyle).

And that's why it doesn't surprise me that both interval training and high-intensity resistance training have both been shown to increase GH.

But the so-called GH boosting supplements aren't backed by science. On the other hand, I've been able to show you the science behind Turbulence Training. And not only science, but results too!

But now for some bad news...a recent study (from JCEM, 91: 678-, 2006, for any science nerds) showed that obese men burn fewer calories and have less post-exercise GH than normal men. And the obese men also had higher cortisol levels. AND the obese men burned fewer calories in the post-exercise period. That's a triple-yikes!

Three strikes against obese men...and possibly why some guys have a heck of time losing fat in the first place. Their hormones are out of whack to begin with - so its harder for their bodies to burn fat.

If you turn to a low-fat diet and lots of cardio, you aren't going to get the GH response that you would if you eat according to Dr. Mohr's TT fat loss guidelines and if you use the TT workouts.

So let's review the TT workout set-up that will get you more results in less time...I'm talking 3 workouts of 45 minutes per week that will blast your post-exercise metabolism through the roof and help maximize your hormonal response to exercise.

A - The Warm-up

We use three bodyweight exercises done in a circuit. This is a much better way to prepare for training than by walking slowly on a treadmill.

B - The Strength Training Supersets

This can be as little as one brilliant superset (DB squats + DB presses) if you have only 10 minutes, or up to 4 s

C - Intervals

Bodyweight circuits, stationary bike intervals, or running on the treadmill or outside, these are just a few of the ways we can do intervals for 10-20 minutes.

We don't need 40 minutes of slow cardio, or even 40 minutes of intervals.

There is still a lot to learn about interval training, but most research is using only 20-minute interval workouts to get major, much-better-than-longer-cardio results.

As I learn more, you'll learn everything.

So that's that. Eat according to Dr. Mohr's TT Fat Loss Guidelines to avoid the Western Lifestyle, and exercise and live according to the TT lifestyle, and you'll look and feel fantastic - and YOUNGER!

3 sessions of 45 minutes per week for your fountain of youth,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visitwww.TurbulenceTraining.com

How Fat Loss Lies Stop Your Success

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Are fat loss lies ruining your chances of success?

I sincerely hope that your 2007 workout and nutrition plan is
already wildly successful and that you are well on your way to
achieving your fat loss and fitness goals. But if you aren't, let
me know why and what I can do to help.

Many people's programs suffer from misconceptions about fat
loss - i.e. that cardio must be done everyday - and also false
perceptions about how well they are eating.

I've reviewed hundreds of client evaluations forms in my career,
and just recently I reviewed 5 more for a transformation program we are working on over at Men's Health magazine.

And time and time again I see the same problem.

I have one question on my feedback form that asks the client:

"Do you eat lots of fruits and vegetables?"

Almost everytime the client's answer is "Yes".

On the next page, I have the client list their food intake.

And guess what rarely shows up?

If you guessed fruits and vegetables, you'd get a prize if I were
giving them away.

There are too many inconsistencies in our thoughts and actions when it comes to weight loss.

And the misguided notions that well-meaning fitness articles heap on us simply adds to the ever-growing confusion.

Here I want to shed some light on some of the most common
misconceptions about training and dieting for fat loss.

The more I discuss weight loss and read the research, the more I realize fat loss results come from your nutrition, and that
training is just a relatively small part of the equation.

But knowing this "truth" allows me to confidently design shorter
fat loss workouts than most people traditionally use or expect are necessary.

Listen, you can spend 60 minutes on a cardio machine if you want. Sure you will burn 500 calories during that session, but your metabolism won't be significantly elevated after exercise AND you'll still have to find some time to do the mandatory strength training that a beautiful and healthy body requires.

Or you can do what I suggest...

Scrap the long, slow, excruciatingly boring cardio workouts and
instead stick to a much more manageable approach of...

A bodyweight movement warmup (5 minutes)
Turbulence Training Strength Training Supersets (20 minutes)
Turbulence Training Interval Training (20 minutes)

Done only 3 times per week, these 45 minute workouts still burn plenty of calories during training (300-400 calories), but the workouts also boost your metabolism for hours and hours (some research suggests up to a day and a half!), therefore burning far more NET calories AND fat than slow, mind-numbing cardio.

All you really need are some short intense training sessions to
boost your metabolism and sculpt your body. And then you really just have to trust your nutrition to strip the fat.

Look at it this way...imagine you are carving an ice sculpture out
of a block of ice. Your nutrition would be responsible for lopping
off the big chunks to get down to only the amount of ice you
need...and the Turbulence Training workouts would be responsible for chiseling in the details of your final sculpture.

As no matter how much confusing information there is about
exercise, the debate over the best way to eat for fat loss is
always much more ridiculous.

(That's why I went to a credible and sensible source - Dr. Chris
Mohr, Ph.D. - for the TT Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.)

As far as dieting misconceptions go, I think too many nutritionists are trading political correctness for results. In my opinion, PC diets don't work.

Take a look at the American Diabetes Association...they still make room for sugar in a diabetic's diet - because they don't want to deprive anyone of sugar.

Well that's not going to work. You have to make sacrifices. You
have to stick to at least a 90% nutrition compliance if you want
big-time results.

You can't go with the political correct approach of "having a
little bit of your favorite foods everyday so that you don't
deprive yourself".

Think about the person that has your dream body - whether it's a cover model, your neighbor, a TV star, or the fittest person down at your gym. Do you think they haven't made sacrifices? Of course they have. They've done the work to get their reward.

Now its your turn!

You have to get strict and stick to whole, natural foods (fruits,
vegetables, meat, fish, and nuts) if you want to succeed.

You need to accept that every action has consequences...

If you want to live a lifestyle where you don't deprive yourself of
daily treats, that's fine. But realize the consequence of this
action will be that you will always remain a few pounds of fat away from your goal.

According to your actions, you value your treats higher than you
value your fat loss success.

But if you place your desire for fat loss success above your desire to eat junk, than the consequences will be that you will reach your body composition goals. It's that simple. We all get what we deserve and unless someone is holding a fork to your mouth, you are responsible for your own success.

And my last "non-PC" tip on dieting...almost all the people that
tell me they are eating very well are lying to themselves and to
me - as I mentioned before based on my client feedback experiences.

So do what Dr. John Berardi calls a compliance grid. Take a piece of paper and make a 6x7 grid (6 meals over 7 days). Then check off each time you eat according to plan and mark an "X" for each time you miss your goals.

Realize that you only have 4 mistake meals for an entire week if
you want to stick to the 90% compliance.

Most of the time this is a bucket-of-cold-water-to-the-face wake up call to people. They quickly realize their nutrition compliance is much closer to 75% than 90%...and that explains why they aren't getting anywhere.

So the bottom line for fat loss:

1) Nutrition is where the hard work really is for fat loss.

2) The workouts don't have to be super-long to get fat loss
results. You just need short, intense, and efficient. And that's
what my workouts are all about. Nothing fancy, no rocket science, just FUN workouts that are over quickly...and who wouldn't want that considering today's busy lifestyles.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visitwww.TurbulenceTraining.com

Heart Rate Means Nothing for Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

One of the biggest myths in fitness is that you have to maintain a certain heart rate in order to lose fat. But that's just not true. Unfortunately, this myth has led to a whole lot of low-intensity training and therefore, a whole lot of failed programs.

The quicker you lose the "high heart rate equals the best workout" mentality, the quicker you will start to change your body.

In the Turbulence Training workouts, you are going to burn more fat and more calories when you are OUT of the gym because of the high-intensity training methods that you will use. Not because your heart rate increases during the workout (even though your HR will be up there from the supersets and intervals).

In the last 10 years, research has shown us two very important things about exercising for fat loss. First, lifting heavier weights leads to burning more calories after the workout when compared to lifting light weights. So that's why 8 repetitions per set is better than 12 reps per set. And that's one of the foundations of Turbulence Training.

And the second thing we have learned is that interval training is superior to slow, steady cardio for fat loss and post-exercise calorie burning. So it is more effective and more efficient to use short high-intensity interval training workouts instead of slow, long cardio sessions.

The only time you might need to know your heart rate is during the recovery period of the interval training. It's important to take enough time between intervals so that your heart rate drops significantly (let it drop to less than 60% of your maximum heart rate).

That way you get more work done when it counts. You don't want to start your next high-intensity interval too soon, nor do you want to exercise too hard during your recovery interval.

All of these details are provided in the interval guidelines in the Turbulence Training e-book. And I'll show you how to properly structure your intervals so that you have enough recovery between each. That way, you don't have to worry about monitoring your heart rate or anything fancy. Just follow my instructions.

So the bottom line:

Don't worry about your heart rate during exercise (unless you just like to keep track for interest sake). Instead, make sure that you are working at a high-intensity during each lifting and interval session.

The TT workout guidelines will give you all the details you need on the specific rest periods to use between supersets and intervals. 

There is a better way to train.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visitwww.TurbulenceTraining.com

Positive Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

When most people think about their fat loss efforts, they tend to focus on the negative. And it's pretty easy to do that.

You know, they worry that they didn't lose more than a pound this week. Or they focus on the meals where they slipped up. Or they stress about the holiday dinners that put them off track. All this stress and negative thinking can hurt your fat loss program.

You just can't focus on the negative if you are going to get positive results out of your Turbulence Training lifestyle.

You need to stay focused on doing things right the best that you can...and don't stress about the mistakes that you make.

This is very important over the holidays, where you could easily lose yourself in a downward spiral of negativity and situations that are not conducive to fat loss.

Focus on the meals that you can control, and the workouts that you can make.

Think about the progress you can make over the holidays, not the average holiday fat gain suffered by most people living the Western Lifestyle.

So even if you have 3 bad meals in a week, you still have almost 40 meals that you can control this week. Stick to lean proteins, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, appetite-controlling almonds, health promoting fish oils, and healthy beverages like Green Tea and water.

Now I'd like to say that a TT workout will allow you to eat everything you want but I can't...you have to do your best to avoid junk. And don't feel guilty for tossing junk food - that's better than leaving it lying around and stressing about giving in to it.

If you get some holiday chocolates...eat one, if you want, and then give the rest away or trash them.

Don't turn your body into a trash compactor because of holiday guilt.

And remember, short workouts, when done consistently, can still have an amazing muscle-building, fat-loss power.

With Turbulence Training, I'll show you how to use only a couple of exercises, done at a high-intensity to train your entire upper body. And the short interval workouts and bodyweight circuits will increase your energy, boost metabolism and keep you fit and healthy during this stressful time of year.

So stay positive...and realize that you don't have to start from square 1 each time you make a mistake. Stay committed to your long term goals and you'll have your beach body ready earlier this year.

We're going to make it your best year ever in the gym.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visitwww.TurbulenceTraining.com

7 Weight Loss Tips

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Okay, that's it, all done with the holidays, so lets get going on weight loss. No more bad nutrition, get back to your regular calorie intake and 6 small meals per day. You are eating 5-6 mini-meals per day, right? If not, get started, and here are some more weight loss tips.

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

Get your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables first, before using breads and pastas. You'll get far more nutrients and fiber, and fewer calories.

2. Eat fiber

The average American falls far short of the fiber recommendations (of 25+ grams of fiber per day). Add an ounce of raw nuts to your daily food plan to get more fiber and to satisfy your appetite.

3. Eat more protein

Protein fills you up and doesn't mess with your blood sugar, so you'll have more mental energy.

4. Have something for breakfast.

While the exact reason isn't clear, breakfast eaters tend to be slimmer than non-breakfast eaters. Start your day with a whey protein shake and an apple if you are in a rush.

5. Drink water

At least 8 cups per day. This will help fill you up and helps you avoid constipation.

6. Exercise less, but harder.

Forget about long, slow cardio. Learn how to do interval training instead. This will boost your metabolism all day long.

7. Use your bodyweight

There are hundreds of bodyweight exercises you can do at home, from beginner to advance.

And those are your 7 tips to help you lose weight, burn fat, control your appetite, boost your metabolism and get the body you want.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. Is a lack of time stressing you out?

"No time to exercise" is the #1 reason most people don't exercise consistently. In fact, a lack of time stresses most people out for many reasons - whether it's a lack of time to prepare good food, exercise, or be with your family.

That's why I created Turbulence Training to be the most efficient and effective fat loss program out there.

The warm-up is applicable to your workout, not some 5-minute waste of time on the treadmill.

The strength training supersets shave minutes off your wait time.

And the intervals cut your cardio in half, or more.

"I think TT is awesome. I have seen a serious change in my overall body composition. In 12 weeks I've gained a lot of muscle and have lost about 10 lbs, but inches are flying off."
Gordon M.

"The TT workouts are excellent! You have literally changed my life! I got completely burned out on single body part training and long periods of cardio. It just isn't conducive to my life given that I work full time and have a spouse. I'm already lean but I want to maintain a high level of health and have a fit, athletic look. I have to admit that I was skeptical because the workouts were so short, but even after the first workout my skepticism disappeared in a hurry. The time flies by at the gym and the workouts have eliminated a lot of stress because if I got stuck at work and couldn't get to the gym for "leg day" it would mess up my training schedule for the rest of the week. I also like having the option to do some body weight circuits plus I have a full range of dumbells and a ball at home so I can get my workouts in at home."
Janet M

About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visitwww.TurbulenceTraining.com

How an Overweight Man Changed His Life with the Turbulence Training Fat Loss Workouts

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

How a 50-Year Old, Former 2-Sport College Athlete got in the Best Shape of His Life

Todd Thompson emailed me 4 years ago with the goal of getting back into shape by losing a lot of body fat with fat loss workouts. Since then, Todd's been a great client, using the right workouts (Strength training plus interval training) with great success. Todd made such a triumphant return to healthy living with fat loss workouts that he even developed a website dedicated to men's health.

In this interview Todd shares his tips and tricks to getting the most out of your fat loss efforts and lifestyle changes. These will come in handy on those days that you don't have the motivation or direction to train. Todd's the true definition of a "Turbulence Training Fat Loss Success Story" and I'm proud to have worked with him.

CB: What impact does Turbulence Training have on your energy levels?

Todd Thompson:
I find I have a lot more energy when I'm in full training mode, and I use heavy weights and supersets almost exclusively in my weight training. My energy levels seem to be directly associated with how much excess fat weight I carry around, and this keeps it off better than anything I've tried.

Of course, I follow proper eating guidelines as well, and this goes a long way toward keeping me filled with the right foods. It's basically hard work plus clean eating. It's the efficiency of strength and interval workouts that makes it more appealing to me than any other routine I've followed for any length of time.

CB: What time of day do you train and how do you structure your meals around this training time?

TT:
Craig, as you may recall, when I started getting into shape last year, after a 25 year layoff, I made the commitment to work out the first thing every morning so that nothing would get in the way of my training.

After reaching my weight loss goals last year, and working it into my schedule differently, I moved my workout time to early evenings, right after I get home from work. I eat my regular noon meal, something like cottage cheese or tuna with some good carbs, and then I have an afternoon snack of high protein content.

Then, when I get home from work, the first thing I do is drink a half serving of a protein shake, or eat some cottage cheese. This gives me about a 30 minute time period before I get my clothes changed and head off to the gym, which is perfect for digesting it.

I hit the weights hard, which takes about 40 minutes, and then I get on the elliptical or bike for my HIIT (interval training). As soon as I get off the machine, I drink a protein shake. I'm usually finished with the whole thing around 6:30 p.m. At that time, my wife and I usually have dinner. On workout days especially, I make sure my evening meal has some excellent protein choices, low fat, and good carbohydrates.

CB: What nutrition tips work best for you?

TT:
I'm no expert on nutrition, but my experience this past year is that I need a little more carbohydrates than what a lot of the newer nutrition programs are recommended.

When I drop carbohydrates to a minimal level, it does seem to have an effect on my energy levels. I think of carbohydrates as an energy provider, and on workout days, I make sure I get enough carbohydrates to get my energy level where it needs to be for my workout.

CB: So overall, what is your impression of strength training and interval training?

TT:
It keeps it from getting boring, and I have a bit of a creative streak in me. This seems to keep things interesting. No matter what workout I'm doing, the strength and interval program is the design I use.

There are three basic things I do, no matter whether or not the exact exercises are called for:

1. Do 18-22 sets, emphasizing full body. Sometimes, I may emphasize certain muscle groups for an entire workout, but that's rare. I usually make sure there is some impact on every muscle group at each workout.

2. Do "superset" style without a rest period between sets within each superset. Each superset is designed as a push-pull superset, or sometimes just the use of opposing muscle groups. I like push-pull supersets best.

(CB note: Here's a tough push-pull superset that you can do in a crowded gym or at home - DB Presses & DB Rows)

3. Every workout ends in an hour or less and is capped off with a very intense HIIT session. I don't let myself feel guilty if I only have time to do a 12 to 15 minute HIIT. The intensity is so great that I don't have to worry about whether I'm working hard enough or not.

CB: Do you have a favorite part of the workout?

TT:
It's basically a flurry of non-stop activity, so I don't really think about favorite parts. However, I think I enjoy the various forms of rows that I employ. Your program calls for Seated Cable Rows and DB Rows, and I have gotten so much stronger in these that I probably have to say I enjoy these most of all.

Truly, though, getting finished each day is what I like best. I always do a full body assessment of how I feel after each workout.

Seldom do I walk away from a workout thinking I could have worked a little harder on any one muscle group. When it's done, I'm spent. Maybe, it's just because I turn 50 years old this year, but I've talked to a lot of younger guys who are doing strength and intervals as well, and they say the same thing.

CB: How do these workouts compare to others that you have done in the past?

TT:
The intensity is awesome. From the time I drink my pre-workout shake until I finish HIIT an hour or so later, it's like I'm heading down the field on a long run, and I'm not going to let anyone keep me from scoring. I don't stop for anything. If an area is being used, I just go to the next superset and pick the other one later in the workout.

I think the benefit is that it is very time-efficient and manageable, and it's really hard to get bored with it.

CB: What are the health benefits you have achieved in your return to training?

TT:
In short, I have better health, stronger muscle (and more of it), great cardio endurance for my every day life, and I'm looking good.

Altogether, these benefits have helped me enjoy my life a lot more, and that's the ultimate benefit as far as I'm concerned.

My life is much better disciplined now, and even when I cheat on my eating, I don't worry about it any more. I know the commitment is strong, and I'll get back. This has caused me to enjoy life to the fullest. Recently, I got into an elite musical performing group, and I find that I have much better stamina than before, and a whole lot more motivation to succeed and to live a better life.

Recently, you were made aware that I had given my body a break for a month or so. That went on a lot longer than I intended, and consequently, I put on about 10 pounds. I must say, however, that I knew all I had to do was start back on my workouts, and it would all come back to me.

CB: Thanks Todd, and keep up the great work with your fat loss workouts.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training    www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Turbulence Training Fat Loss Interview

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

This interview covers Turbulence Training for Fat Loss in-depth. Craig Ballantyne, the author of Turbulence Training, was recently interviewed by strength coach, Jason Ferrugia. Here is some advanced fat loss information.

JF: First of all Craig, I’d like to thank you for agreeing to do this interview. To introduce yourself to our readers could you tell us a little about your background?

CB:I’m a strength coach (CSCS) in Toronto and I write for Men's Health, Oxygen, and Maximum Fitness magazines. I have worked extensively with young athletes and I train 3 of the players on Canada’s National Rugby team.

I’ve also developed my own training system that has been featured in the magazines, and I call it Turbulence Training (www.TurbulenceTraining.com). The goal is to get maximum results in minimum time, no matter what the goal (mass, fat loss, or athleticism).

Turbulence Training (TT) uses a combination of the basic, most effective lifts, structured in time-saving supersets, as well as interval training. It’s based on research, but I’m not going to claim that it’s any magic secret or rocket science. It is simply about getting things done quickly in a logical order. It’s amazing how complex some trainers have made training when it is generally such a simple process to achieve your goals.

Men and women looking to lose fat love it because it fits their often hectic schedules. Three 45-minute strength & interval sessions for fat loss are a lot easier to fit in rather than five 1-hour cardio sessions. And the bodyweight workouts I have, you can get done in the time it usually takes you to get to the gym and back.

JF: Your Turbulence Training system is one of the most effective training systems I have ever seen. Could you briefly describe the thought process that went into creating Turbulence Training and what makes it so effective and time efficient?

CB:In grad school, when I had no time to train, I had to find a way to get results, fast.

That’s what almost everyone wants and needs these days, and it doesn’t matter if they want to gain muscle or lose fat. I was working 15-16 hours in the lab but still trying to get in my workouts. I realized that I couldn’t do marathon sessions, but I wasn’t about to sacrifice muscle or get fat.

Fortunately, the results of my training studies along with my review of some other research studies, confirmed my experiences that high-intensity training was the way to go. Use only squats, deadlifts, presses, split squats, rows, and similar exercises to get the maximum results in minimum time.

By training with multiple sets of low reps (6-8), and using intervals, you apply the most metabolic turbulence to the muscles. That burns a ton of fat and calories in the workout, and after. That is the key. Light weight, high reps, and slow-steady cardio don’t cause you to keep burning a lot of calories after the workout. And this approach also helps you do the next to impossible; gain lean mass while losing fat.

Another important component of TT is variety. I change the workouts frequently, every 3-4 weeks. That means rotating the exercises, putting in new variations (you can still create an endless number of workouts with variations on the basic lifts, as well as the advanced bodyweight exercises).

That’s the nuts and bolts of my Turbulence Training philosophy.

JF: I know you are a big fan of interval training. What are your favorite methods of interval training?

CB:Sprinting is the best method, without a doubt. So whether it’s running intervals on the track, uphill sprints, or treadmill running, that’s clearly the most effective method. Moving your own bodyweight over a distance is the true definition of work, and that can be done at a high intensity.

Strongman methods are also top-notch. Pushing the truck, pulling the sled, flipping the tire, these are all great ways to do your interval training.

A little word of caution here though, as both sprinting and strongman training methods can be very intense, so you do need to warm-up more than adequately. Don’t just jump into sprinting outside or you could strain a muscle. And be conservative with the volume. If you haven’t done truck pushing intervals in 6 months, or ever, don’t do 5 or 6 of them because you’ll be puking your guts out. That being said, both of these methods are great because you are doing a lot of work in a short amount of time.

My next two favorite methods are bodyweight training and cycling. Both can be done with less need for an extensive warm-up, but both will really help you slash the fat.

I’ve been on a big bodyweight kick over the past year and it includes some very tough bodyweight interval circuits. It’s great “real-world” conditioning for athletes, and everyday people. The bodyweight workouts and circuits can be humbling, but build “everyday” strength.

I’m also partial to stationary cycling. Because you are cycling against a resistance you can do a lot of work. Doing a lot of high-intensity work means burning a lot of energy during the training the session and after (what I call putting your body into Turbulence). Just be careful with overuse injuries on the bike…as being in that hunched position can be rough on the low-back and can tighten up the psoas and rectus femoris muscles.

Rowing is okay for interval training. And simple walking at faster speeds or inclines is perfect for beginners. Remember that interval training is relative. What is an interval for me might not be an interval for you, or for Lance Armstrong.

Elliptical training machines are useless for intervals. These things are one of the biggest wastes of space in commercial gyms today.

As far as timing goes, there is no one best interval length for fat loss. I use everything from 20 seconds to 3 minutes for the length of the work interval. For the shorter sprints, I use 60-90 seconds rest, and for the longer aerobic intervals (i.e. 2-3 minutes) you would rest an equal amount of time as the work interval lasted. These are excellent not only for fat burning but for improving sport-specific conditioning.

One thing that has never made sense to me is the Tabata protocol for intervals (and if you don’t know what it is, don’t worry about it). The rest intervals are too short to allow high quality work…and that’s what Turbulence Training is all about – quality over quantity.

JF: Why is interval training so much more effective than regular steady state cardio?

CB:Many reasons. But specfically, we choose quality over quantity.

1. It’s at least 200% more efficient, if not more. You can get the same or better fitness and fat loss improvements in half the time.
2. It builds real-world fitness. How many times each week do you do a 20-second stair climb? Compare that to how many times you run 30 minutes continuously (not including training)? The fact is life activities are short bursts of intensity, not long, slow bouts of continuous activity. The same can be said for most sports. So it quickly becomes clear which training method is better.
3. Intervals build anaerobic and aerobic fitness. Cardio builds only aerobic fitness.
4. Intervals build sport-specific fitness. Put a typical marathon runner on the basketball court and he’ll get beaten every time because he doesn’t have sport-specific fitness.
5. The health benefits of interval training are the same as you get from traditional cardio training. But again, the workouts are shorter.

JF: You favor a rep scheme that is lower than most typical fat loss programs. Could you explain why this is?

CB:When you diet, you have to give your muscles a powerful stimulus to grow or maintain their current size. If you train with light weight and high reps, you don’t stimulate muscle growth and you don’t hit as many muscle fibers. The result will be a loss in muscle mass.

So in the TT workouts, we work in the 6-8 rep range for the first two supersets. The third and final superset of the workouts will often use 10-12 reps in order to stress all the metabolic processes in the muscle. That means the most “turbulence” and the most calories burned in and out of the training session.

JF: How much time does some one need to dedicate to training each week to achieve a great physique?

CB:Fortunately not as much as most people think. You can do really well with 3 hours of structured training. However, you have to live the fat loss lifestyle for 167.5 hours per week (allowing 30 minutes per week for a “cheat” meal).

If you pick efficient lifts (like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows), you don’t need to lift more than 1-2 hours per week for fat loss. And you can get great interval training results in three 20-minute sessions. Then you just have to concentrate on your nutrition. Plan ahead, shop correctly, and prepare your meals in advance.

For mass, cut out the intervals, do 4 sessions of 45 minutes per week, and you’re set. Spend the rest of the time concentrating on your muscle-building nutrition.

JF: What are the two or three biggest mistakes most people make in their quest to lose bodyfat?

CB:Following politically-correct workouts and nutrition programs. By that I mean, slow-cardio marathon sessions followed by light weight, high rep weight training. Fortunately, there are a lot of great Internet sites giving good info for men, and even the magazines are catching on and giving good programs.

Unfortunately, women still get terrible fitness advice (one of the recommendations that upsets me the most is the suggestion to lift soup cans or water bottles – like that is going to help any woman under the age of 75).

As far as nutrition goes, the politically-correct recommendations still include a lot of carbohydrates, and generally these articles don’t even recommend the right carbohydrates. If you want to lose fat fast, get carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables first. These should be eaten at every meal. Cereal bars, rice cakes, and juices have no place on any weight loss program, if you want the weight lost to be fat.

JF: There’s six weeks left until the fourth of July; in that time how big of a difference can some one make in their physique?

CB: If someone knows what they are doing, or trains with someone that knows what they are doing, they can make incredible changes. Just look at bodybuilders. Look at the difference they make in 6 weeks. But again, they aren’t following politically correct recommendations. Don’t get me wrong though, just because you aren’t doing the politically-correct weight watchers diet doesn’t mean that you are doing anything unhealthy.

So in my opinion, both beginners and advanced physiques can make dramatic changes in their bodies in only 6 weeks. Overweight guys that eat like crap can probably lose 20-30 pounds of fat if they turn things around dramatically. And any guy that is around 15-18% body fat can develop an incredible set of abs and hit single-digit body fat in only 6 weeks.

JF: Where can people read more about you and your training methods? Do you have any new projects, etc.?

CB:I have lot’s of big projects coming up, Jay. And I could go on forever about this stuff, so if your readers have questions, feel free to contact me through my site.

I keep on adding programs to my member’s section atwww.TurbulenceTraining.com and I’ll be focusing on more hardcore fat loss workouts, muscle-building programs, and my bodyweight training pet projects. Seems like the hardcore fat loss programs are in greatest demand, so I’m working on those right now.

So all that, and I plan to continue taking Turbulence Training to the masses to help people get more results in less time.

Ab Workouts Slow Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Not only are most traditional ab workouts a waste of time, but they also slow your fat loss efforts. Each workout you spend crunching takes time away from more effective fat loss methods - such as interval training.

That's right, the common man's (and woman's) ab workout taken from Shape magazine or Muscle'n'Fitness often hurts their fat loss program more than it helps it.

Remember - I'm in the business of getting you the most fat loss in the least amount of exercise time...so I have little room in my
program for traditional ab crunches (with the exception of using
basic ab exercises for beginners who need to learn to use their ab muscles after a lifetime of inactivity).

Instead, I focus on exercises that build a 6-pack AND burn a lot of calories at the same time. That's why I'm a big fan of making EVERY exercise an ab exercise (by bracing the abs in every movement), as well as using total body ab exercises (such as Mountain Climbers, the Spiderman Lunge/Climb, and the Stability Ball Jackknife).

These exercises use far more muscle mass than a traditional crunch. In fact, some of the total body ab exercises are "interval-like" in nature, helping to put more metabolic turbulence on the body, and as you know, that's what burns calories during AND after the workout.

Now of course you know that you can't spot reduce the fat on your body - so doing an endless number of crunches not only does little for you in terms of losing fat, it also wastes your time in your quest for a 6-pack.

Here are a couple of strategies to maximize your workout time when your goal is to get lean, and get down to a low-enough body fat percentage to see your abs in as little workout time as possible:

(If you've got 2 hours a day to workout, by all means, do whatever your heart desires...but I don't think many of us that live in the real world have that kind of time.)

A) First, simply cut back on your ab training - If your goal is to
simply lose fat, gain a little muscle, and just look as good
possible, then you can't spend 30 minutes on abs everyday. You can build your 6-pack by doing less than 30 minutes of ab exercise per week.

I'm convinced that no one (not even a fitness model or pro
bodybuilder) needs more than 30 minutes of ab training per week.

In fact, at the photoshoots I supervise for the fitness magazines,
I get to talk to a lot of fitness models and what they tell me
about their training routines might shock you. Most of them don't train nearly as frequently as you or I might think.

Instead, they've worked hard over the years with the basic lifts to build their body, and now many of them simply use nutrition and maintenance workouts to keep their abs showing.

B) Second, replace your crunches with the total body ab exercises I mentioned earlier. Also, if you have access to a cable machine, you can do weighted ab exercises such as kneeling cable crunches.

C) And finally, if you are doing intervals for fat loss as I
recommend, you can use the following approach to increase the
difficulty of your ab and interval training. However, this is an
advanced method only. Beginners should stick to the TT guidelines in their manual.

During your interval workout, perform an ab exercise during your active recovery period. For example, if you are doing running intervals on a treadmill...

Run for 60 seconds at your work interval speed. Immediately stop the treadmill, get off, and go into a set of 20 Mountain Climbers. Climb back on the treadmill and start it up for your next interval. Repeat for 3-6 intervals.

You can also use basic spinal stabilization "ab exercises" such as
the plank, side plank, or advanced plank versions (i.e. plank with your arms on the ball) to train your spinal stabilization while under heavy breathing stress. I learned this technique from Dr. Stuart McGill.

Remember: Always train safe, with good form, and be conservative. Don't try to be a hero in the gym, but you should safely challenge yourself in each workout.

Stick to the Turbulence Training Guidelines if you don't know where to start.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training  www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Cardio Can Kill

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

I'm not a big fan of long cardio, especially extreme bouts of cardio - i.e. running marathons.

Just this past weekend a 41-year old man died running one of the Toronto marathons. Last year, same thing. These are not the first, nor will they be the last men to die running a marathon.

And for what?

To run an irrelevant distance for no reason at all. I don't see any logical reason for most people to run a marathon. Particularly when you are a 40-year old father of a young family. You can be fit and healthy with far less exercise time, as long as you train with far better exercise choices.

Sure, you can say you are pushing the boundaries of your human performance...but I doubt that is any consolation for the family of thes two men.

No matter how "type A" someone is, or how driven they are to perform in a marathon, simply being able to run a marathon proves nothing. And it can have disastrous consequences. Not too mention the many smaller negative consequences of:

a) A waste of hours of your life spent away from your loved ones while you pound the pavement

b) Sore knees, chronic back pain, and blistered feet

c) Money and time wasted in the physiotherapist's office

d) An improperly trained body (i.e. weak back of the body, no upper body strength, overuse injuries)

e) A level of fitness that has limited carryover to real world needs (carrying groceries & other objects, outsprinting an attacker, manual labor, etc.)

So please, if you insist on running marathons, do yourself and your family a favor and:

1) Get a full physical from your doctor. This goes without saying for anyone on an exercise program over the age of 30, but running marathons is another reason not to neglect your physical exams.

2) Pay close attention to your body during the race. Wear a heart rate monitor, and exercise conservatively, drink the right amount of fluids (but not too much as that can be the cause of death in long runs), and just plain be careful. A marathon is hardly a reason to risk your life.

Now, here's more bad news.

Cardio has been killing fat loss programs for decades.

Why?

Because almost all of the exercise science studies performed in the 70's through the early 90's were done on distance running.

From there we got the messages that:

i) To lose fat, you had to do long, slow endurance training. Clearly, we know this is false. Nutrition is the most important aspect of fat loss.

ii) That we should eat a high-carbohydrate diet. This message, while generally true for endurance athletes, was broadly applied to fat loss. So we were subjected to that hideous low-fat, high-carb phase in the 90's where we were urged to eat Snackwell low-fat cookies with no regard to the sugar and calorie content.

iii) Beginners should get out on high-volume, walk-run programs. Now while it is important to get people out and exercising, high-volume activities for underprepared beginner muscles are going to cause injury fast. And that's what happened to most people that tried to take up running.

iv) Too many cardio enthusiasts had the wrong mentality of, "If I go for a 5 mile run, I can have some juice and cookies as a reward". Needless to say, that didn't help anyone lose fat.

The end result?

This high-cardio, high-carb approach to fitness and fat loss left many men and women with thunder thighs, saddle bags, and chronic running injuries.

Fast-forward to this decade, and the mainstream media is finally starting to see the benefits of strength training and interval training for both fat loss and the cardiovascular system.

Not too mention people are finally getting their nutrition right. And it's so simple:

- lots of fruits and vegetables (rarely does anyone get enough)
- lean protein
- healthy fats
- fiber-rich low-glycemic carbohydrates

Dr. Chris Mohr gives dozens of options for each in the TT Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.

So eat right, train right, and be safe.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training     www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Cardio is NOT the Key to Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Do you have questions about Turbulence Training? How it works? What's in the workouts? Or even what does it mean?

Recently one of the UK's top trainers, Paul Mort from
PrecisionFitness.co.uk, interrogated me on the Turbulence Training system. Here's our q'n'a...

Q: First, can you tell us the basics about Turbulence Training?

Answer:
Turbulence Training is the result of years of study in the gym and in the research labs and library. From personal experience, I've found there is only one way to get the most fat loss and workout results in the least amount of time - you must increase your training intensity.

With the right workout, you can get more fat loss results in less
workout time. Period. That is the one and only goal of this
training program. A better body in fewer workout sessions, and
shorter exercise bouts.

That means:
a) Shorter interval workouts instead of long slow cardio workouts

b) More challenging strength training exercises, such as advanced bodyweight exercises and some traditional strength training free weight exercises

If you have two hours to spend in the gym everyday, you can feel free to stick to the same relatively ineffective and inefficient
program of long cardio and light weights. But if you are like most
men and women and have 45 minutes (or less) on only three days of the week to workout, then Turbulence Training will work wonders for you.

Male or female, almost everyone I see in traditional fitness centers could benefit from increasing the challenge in their workout. And they can also benefit from getting in and out of the gym faster.

So that's what led me to Turbulence Training. It's simple, no B.S., no-fluff, just-the-basics, results-oriented training. You don't need fancy gym machines or even an expensive gym membership. If you have a bench, a ball and some dumbbells at home, you are set. 

Q: Okay so we're clear it's a e-book training program package that will melt bodyfat fast, what makes it so effective?

Answer: 
Most people are so darn hung-up on burning a specific number of calories on a cardio machine, that they don't care how long they spend in the gym.

But big deal. If you burn X calories over 30 minutes in the gym
doing cardio, but don't boost your post-exercise metabolism, you're wasting the other 23.5 hours to burn a lot more calories.

And that's what happens with slow, steady workouts that never
change. Sure you burn a few calories in the gym, but there is no
"turbulence" on the body to increase your metabolism outside of the gym.

Instead, by using challenging strength training, and choosing
intervals over monotonous cardio, research has shown that your post workout metabolism is significantly greater. And an increased metabolism for an entire 24 hour period is what gives people results.

It's like putting money in the bank. It makes you more money even while you sit at home or sleep! That's the power of a more
challenging workout.

And Turbulence Training workouts, and other "challenging" workouts are always exponentially more enjoyable than staring at a TV (or worse a wall) when "doing your time" on a cardio machine. You can get this great "metabolic turbulence" in a boot camp, with bodyweight, at home with dumbbells, or even in a busy gym.

Nothing is more effective than Turbulence Training if you only have 45 minutes, three times per week to workout. 

Q: In my opinion, resistance training, both with free weights and bodyweight is the key to losing bodyfat, for our readers that are still unsure about this could you give me your opinion on my this statement?

Answer: 
Strength training is just one key for fat loss, it is essential to
maximize your metabolism, and it is absolutely, positively
paramount to building the best body of your dreams.

For those that doubt, start with bodyweight training. Not only is
this method of strength training effective at helping you sculpt
your body, but it is also empowering to your self-confidence and
100% applicable to your daily living.

Everything from carrying groceries to "seks" will be easier if you are stronger in the bodyweight exercises. Your mobility and stamina will increase, so that you will be able to carry your children to bed easier, you will be able to do yardwork with less fatigue, and you'll literally improve your "zest for life" simply from mastering your bodyweight strength.

All of these benefits without touching a single free weight...but
if you do go with free weights, you'll take your fitness to an even
greater level.

Research from the 2001 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine showed that female subjects boosted their post-exercise metabolism to a greater level when they did 8 reps per exercise, rather than 12 reps.

So low rep, strength training is best for boosting metabolism. It
will get you more results in less time because it will continue to
work while you recover.

Q: I'm always telling people that aerobic exercise is useless for fat loss, does you agree with this? And why?

Answer: 
Aerobic exercise is certainly inefficient for fat loss.

By that I mean, the benefits pale in comparison to the fat loss you can achieve in less time with interval training. Most people would be able to cut their workout time in half simply by using intervals rather than aerobic exercise.

Now I've witnessed a few people lose fat and maintain a beautiful body with aerobic exercise, but these have been limited to: young University-aged males that also did 4 days of heavy strength training, who had no "life" stress and plenty of time on their hands to train up to 10 hours per week (not counting recreational sports).

But does that sound like your average gym-goer's lifestyle?

I doubt it. If it does, where do you live? I want to move there!

So next time you go to the gym, do this admittedly un-scientific
test...Take a visual survey of the "cardio" area and the strength
training area. Where are the best bodies?

In the strength training area, no doubt.

And in fact, we can also find a lot of beautiful bodies in the Yoga
and Pilates area. Why? There's certainly no "fat burning" cardio
zone going on there. So what gives?

Nutrition.

Nutrition is the #1 factor in fat loss. It trumps any fat loss
program, no matter how good it is. Yes, even my beloved Turbulence Training will not be 100% effective if someone continues to eat chips and pints as their meals.

That's why I spent almost 500 quid to have Dr. Christopher Mohr put together an easy-to-follow, healthy, fat loss nutritional guidebook to go along with the Turbulence Training workout package. It has diet plans for both men and women.

So Paul, getting back to the original question.

There are far more efficient ways to change your body.

Eat for fat loss, and do some form of strength training to sculpt
your body. When you take care of your nutrition and eat according to Dr. Mohr's guidelines, your body will be like modeling clay in your hands...and the exercises you choose to do with sculpt it. If someone continues on with aerobic exercise, the improvements will be negligible.

So that's why you don't see cardio in my structured program. If
someone wants to do a family bike ride or play a game of football on the weekend, by all means go ahead. But it is far too
inefficient to get put in my main workouts.

Q: What about somebody that isn't a member of a gym? Can they still benefit from Turbulence Training?

Answer: 
Absolutely. As mentioned earlier, all you need is a bench, a
Stability Ball (aka - Physioball), and a set of dumbbells. A pullup
bar would be a bonus, if you are strong enough to use the pullup
and chinup exercises.

I've done many of the bodyweight exercises outside, as obviously you don't need any equipment to do many of the novel ab, leg, and pushing exercises. Heck, I bet you use many of the exercises in your boot camps and you know how little equipment is needed for a hard workout.

Think back to the days before the glitzy chrome-and-machine gyms.

People were still able to get fit with free weights andbodyweight.

And good nutrition certainly doesn't need a gym membership.

Q: And lastly, I meet a lot of people who seem to have tried every diet going, tried classes, gyms and DVDS, what makes Turbulence Training different from these?

Answer:
Most people train in their comfort zones. And while a lot of
programs require a lot of effort (those classes are no joke), most
programs lack an effective level of intensity.

By intensity, we are talking about working closer to your maximum level of effort.

Sure, a set of 15 repetitions to failure for triceps pressdowns is
tough, but it's not truly intense. Compare that to doing a set of 8
pushups - which for many people is much more intense - and now you are using your entire body a lot harder. Thus, the turbulence on the body is much greater. And your body will have to work harder after training to recover - and that's what increases your metabolism - and allows you to burn fat all day, rather than just for 20-30 minutes.

And dont' worry, even if you can crank out dozens of pushups, there are a few variations in the Turbulence Training program that will give even the savviest gym veteran an intense workout.

The same goes with the cardio vs. intervals. If you switch to
intervals, you'll notice changes in days. And that's not hyperbole. I've heard it time and time again from TT users...they feel and see changes within 48 hours once they switch their workouts and start using the TT Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.

Stay consistent with the plan, and you're gold!

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training  www.TurbulenceTraining.com