Here's a classic interview from the TT files...
Click here for the Fat Loss Wars: CB vs. Cosgrove
Find out the injury rate that often occurs in the first 6-weeks of an aerobic training...and better methods for your fat loss programs...
CB
Monday, July 31, 2006
Female Fitness Volleyball Blog
Keeping with the female fitness news, I recommend checking out April's blog here...
TT Bodyweight Female Fitness Volleyball blog
She's a serious beach volleyball player, and is using the Turbulence Training Bodyweight Workout right now. Read about her workouts in her blog. Also great links to other female volleyball players and sites...
CB
TT Bodyweight Female Fitness Volleyball blog
She's a serious beach volleyball player, and is using the Turbulence Training Bodyweight Workout right now. Read about her workouts in her blog. Also great links to other female volleyball players and sites...
CB
Extreme Cardio
It's amazing the lengths that people will go to, or worse, think they have to go to in order to lose fat.
And some people end up taking their fat loss activities to extremes. Making unhealthy, ineffective, and excessive choices.
For example, one reader emailed me about the 7 hours of cardio she did per week. She wondered why she wasn't losing ANY fat. That is an extreme amount of slow and steady cardio.
Something I would never advise for a fat loss program.
Another reader wrote in about the pitfalls of her excessively low calorie diet...
"I'm on the weight loss track again. I found I wasn't eating enough calories (1000 kcal/day). Filling up on veggies is good (and I love them), but they don't have the calories. Eating walnuts/almonds helped get me there. Eating 1500+ is where I need to stay to lose weight and keep my energy up. I've dropped about 3 pounds this week."
Holly G.
Inside most people, there is going to be the urge to do more, eat less, or obsess even further about food and exercise when you are trying to reach a fitness or fat loss goal.
But taking eating and working out to the extremes is more often counterproductive, and in the long-run, downright unhealthy.
And the unfortunate thing is that the reader that emailed me about her 7 hours of ineffective aerobic training, was skeptical of Turbulence Training, because she didn't think it contained enough cardio.
But really, how much could be enough for this woman? 7 hours wasn't getting her any results.
What did she want? 10 hours?
We need to understand that cardio is not the be-all and end-all of fat loss programs. There are many ways to burn fat and calories, not just by spending 60 minutes on an elliptical machine.
Here's female fat loss done right...
"Craig, my husband has been a client of yours for almost 2 years and during that time he has been encouraging me to follow some of your workouts. I am a 44 year old mother of 3 children, so the time I have available for exercise is limited.
I decided to give one of your workouts a try and I was amazed with the results. I lost a lot of bodyfat and added a lot of lean muscle, in only 8 weeks! Most important, I actually developed a 6 pack, something I thought I could never achieve.
I am not sure how I accomplished so much since my workouts are only 3 days a week and I spend only 3 hours total time, including core for an entire week. I feel stronger than I ever have and I am in the best shape of my life.
I transitioned over to the TT for Women workout and the progress continues. It is hard to believe that such a simple workout that requires such little time can have so many results. I did not expect these results at my age.
It amazes me that I will be 45 in June with 3 kids and I am 5'4" weighing 114 lbs (lean) now.
I wanted to send you a few photos to show you the "after" results. These pictures show the progress after a total of 12 weeks on your programs. I do not have any "before" pictures, but I can assure you they did not look like this. Thanks for everything!"
Annabelle L Ridgefield,CT
See her photos at the bottom of this page
If you want to try female fat loss the right way, I have just the workout for you...and at a low, low cost.
I created a 4-week Turbulence Training for Women program to get you started, and hooked, on losing fat the right way.
Click here to get started
No worries about bulking up with this workout,
CB
P.S. This offer is only available till Wednesday at 9pm...
Then the price goes up. It is only $10 until August 2nd, at 9pm. After that, it is $15.
Click here to get started
And some people end up taking their fat loss activities to extremes. Making unhealthy, ineffective, and excessive choices.
For example, one reader emailed me about the 7 hours of cardio she did per week. She wondered why she wasn't losing ANY fat. That is an extreme amount of slow and steady cardio.
Something I would never advise for a fat loss program.
Another reader wrote in about the pitfalls of her excessively low calorie diet...
"I'm on the weight loss track again. I found I wasn't eating enough calories (1000 kcal/day). Filling up on veggies is good (and I love them), but they don't have the calories. Eating walnuts/almonds helped get me there. Eating 1500+ is where I need to stay to lose weight and keep my energy up. I've dropped about 3 pounds this week."
Holly G.
Inside most people, there is going to be the urge to do more, eat less, or obsess even further about food and exercise when you are trying to reach a fitness or fat loss goal.
But taking eating and working out to the extremes is more often counterproductive, and in the long-run, downright unhealthy.
And the unfortunate thing is that the reader that emailed me about her 7 hours of ineffective aerobic training, was skeptical of Turbulence Training, because she didn't think it contained enough cardio.
But really, how much could be enough for this woman? 7 hours wasn't getting her any results.
What did she want? 10 hours?
We need to understand that cardio is not the be-all and end-all of fat loss programs. There are many ways to burn fat and calories, not just by spending 60 minutes on an elliptical machine.
Here's female fat loss done right...
"Craig, my husband has been a client of yours for almost 2 years and during that time he has been encouraging me to follow some of your workouts. I am a 44 year old mother of 3 children, so the time I have available for exercise is limited.
I decided to give one of your workouts a try and I was amazed with the results. I lost a lot of bodyfat and added a lot of lean muscle, in only 8 weeks! Most important, I actually developed a 6 pack, something I thought I could never achieve.
I am not sure how I accomplished so much since my workouts are only 3 days a week and I spend only 3 hours total time, including core for an entire week. I feel stronger than I ever have and I am in the best shape of my life.
I transitioned over to the TT for Women workout and the progress continues. It is hard to believe that such a simple workout that requires such little time can have so many results. I did not expect these results at my age.
It amazes me that I will be 45 in June with 3 kids and I am 5'4" weighing 114 lbs (lean) now.
I wanted to send you a few photos to show you the "after" results. These pictures show the progress after a total of 12 weeks on your programs. I do not have any "before" pictures, but I can assure you they did not look like this. Thanks for everything!"
Annabelle L Ridgefield,CT
See her photos at the bottom of this page
If you want to try female fat loss the right way, I have just the workout for you...and at a low, low cost.
I created a 4-week Turbulence Training for Women program to get you started, and hooked, on losing fat the right way.
Click here to get started
No worries about bulking up with this workout,
CB
P.S. This offer is only available till Wednesday at 9pm...
Then the price goes up. It is only $10 until August 2nd, at 9pm. After that, it is $15.
Click here to get started
Sunday, July 30, 2006
New Female Fat Loss Program
Turbulence Training for Women 4-Week Workout
A 4-Week Routine that dozens of my personal female training clients have used lose fat, and get the lean, sexy arms that stand out at parties.
One weekend my favorite client returned to Portland, Oregon, for a surprise birthday party.
And not only did she have a great time, but she was also the envy of the party among all the other women.
She wore a sleeveless dress, and she has the kinds of arms that make other women whisper behind her back, "How did she get those arms?"
If you want to induce jealousy in a crowd of women, having lean legs and toned triceps is about the fastest way to do so. And to get that type of body, the new Turbulence Training for Women is the fastest way to do so.
By using a time-tested combination of bodyweight exercises, and low-volume, high-intensity set of free weight exercises, you'll boost your metabolism (as proven by research studies on women using the same principles) and burn fat from the back of your arms, front of abs, and all around your thighs.
This program includes TWO 4-week workouts. One is for beginner/intermediate female fitness levesl, and the second workout is for more advanced female fitness levels. (So for beginners, it's really an 8-week program).
The program also comes with exercise descriptions and photos to help you get the most out of each 45-minute workout. That's right, just three core workouts per week, lasting 45 minutes and you'll be ready to razzle and dazzle everyone at the next summer event you go to.
Click HERE to get started
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, M.Sc.
Author, Turbulence Training
P.S. This product is only available for the month of August...so don't miss out. Get started now and you'll be making great impressions as long as the weather lets you wear sleeveless shirts and bare midriffs.
P.P.S. LIMITED TIME OFFER
The price is only $9.99 for until 9pm on Aug 2nd. After that, the price jumps up to $15.99. Either way it's a steal, but why not spend that extra 6 bucks on a casual tank top to wear around the house and show off your defined arms...
PPPS - Here's Annabelle's proof that Turbulence Training for Women works!
"It amazes me that I'll be 45 with 3 kids and I'm 5'4" weighing 114 lbs now (lean). Thanks again for an amazing result! I love it!!!"
Annabelle Logan
Click here for the program
A 4-Week Routine that dozens of my personal female training clients have used lose fat, and get the lean, sexy arms that stand out at parties.
One weekend my favorite client returned to Portland, Oregon, for a surprise birthday party.
And not only did she have a great time, but she was also the envy of the party among all the other women.
She wore a sleeveless dress, and she has the kinds of arms that make other women whisper behind her back, "How did she get those arms?"
If you want to induce jealousy in a crowd of women, having lean legs and toned triceps is about the fastest way to do so. And to get that type of body, the new Turbulence Training for Women is the fastest way to do so.
By using a time-tested combination of bodyweight exercises, and low-volume, high-intensity set of free weight exercises, you'll boost your metabolism (as proven by research studies on women using the same principles) and burn fat from the back of your arms, front of abs, and all around your thighs.
This program includes TWO 4-week workouts. One is for beginner/intermediate female fitness levesl, and the second workout is for more advanced female fitness levels. (So for beginners, it's really an 8-week program).
The program also comes with exercise descriptions and photos to help you get the most out of each 45-minute workout. That's right, just three core workouts per week, lasting 45 minutes and you'll be ready to razzle and dazzle everyone at the next summer event you go to.
Click HERE to get started
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, M.Sc.
Author, Turbulence Training
P.S. This product is only available for the month of August...so don't miss out. Get started now and you'll be making great impressions as long as the weather lets you wear sleeveless shirts and bare midriffs.
P.P.S. LIMITED TIME OFFER
The price is only $9.99 for until 9pm on Aug 2nd. After that, the price jumps up to $15.99. Either way it's a steal, but why not spend that extra 6 bucks on a casual tank top to wear around the house and show off your defined arms...
PPPS - Here's Annabelle's proof that Turbulence Training for Women works!
"It amazes me that I'll be 45 with 3 kids and I'm 5'4" weighing 114 lbs now (lean). Thanks again for an amazing result! I love it!!!"
Annabelle Logan
Click here for the program
Supplements
I'm not going to ramble on too much about supplements, and all the whacky behind the scenes stuff that goes on in determining the often over-inflated prices and questionable products on the shelves, but I do have one thing to say about your supplement use...
But first, if you are interested in all the nitty gritty details about which supplements work, as well as some shocking secrets about supplement quality, visit the Supplement Insider's website here: http://www.muscle-insider.blogspot.com/
Now onto my tip for you:
IF you are going to use supplements for muscle growth or fat loss, use ONLY one at a time.
That is the only way that you will be able to determine whether or not the supplement worked for you.
You can't take 4 different supplements at the same time and then conclude that only 1 of them worked. How can you tell? You can't.
So if you really want to figure things out, you can only change one variable at a time.
Granted, I still think you'll be lucky to find even one supplement that works.
Supplements are no replacement for hard work (pictured),
CB
7-Day Guide: Truth about diet soda
Are the rumors about diet soda true? Read on...in your 7-day guide to success...
Monday
TT workout. It's Monday, and your beat from the first day back at work, and you have a lot of stuff on the go this week, and perhaps even a vacation you have to plan for next week. So just focus on the basics today. Do each exercise in the first superset 5 times instead of 3. Do 6-8 reps per set. Do 3 intervals, and get on home to better things.
Tuesday
30 minutes of activity. I've talked a lot recently about getting the right brand of fish oils, and I've gotten it on good authority that the Omega line from Greens+ is a reputable brand. I picked up some Omega-Joy (a more concentrated product, which means I need to take fewer capsules).
Wednesday
TT workout. Just a reminder to review your gym clothes and shoes to see if you need new attire. If you run, make sure that you are running with proper footwear. Change them frequently, after every 350 miles of running.
Thursday
30 minutes of activity. If you have an I-pod and listen to it while training, download an episode of from www.thefitcast.com to listen to and learn from.
Friday
TT workout. Then de-stress. Rent a funny movie or record your favorite, funniest TV shows during the week and watch them on Friday night. Chances are, you need to laugh more. It's good for you.
Saturday
30 minutes of activity, check in with your social support group. But at your meeting, avoid the diet soda. To learn why you should avoid this, check out Adam Campbell's story here:
Why Adam Gave Up Diet Soda - and you should too!
Sunday
Plan, shop, and prepare.
If anyone knows of any good cookbooks, aside from Gourmet Nutrition by John Berardi & John Williams, please let me know so that I can pass this info on to others.
Eat, drink and be healthy,
CB
P.S. TT Members get more
If you want more TT workouts, TT for Women, TT for athletes, or even more TT for Mass, as well as my other female specific e-books, make sure you check out the TT Membership area here.
Previous customers get $100 off the regular price.
"I want to thank you for your unrelenting email messages highlighting the importance of training smart, eating well and working towards a purpose. After buying one of your products, then another, and finally wising up and becoming a TT Member, I have never felt better or leaner. I never had the gains I've obtained using your workout programs by doing the typical gym routine. I'm more in tune to my body than ever before. I've always been on the "leaner" side, but now realize that I was just a "skinny fat" person. My lbm was much higher than what it should have been given that I was not really heavy. In the past year, I have dropped 10 pounds, but more importantly, I have gone from around 22% lbm to close to 18% lbm - all at the age of 46. I attended my son's graduation from Texas A&M a couple of weeks ago. I was blown away when I was asked by a young gentleman if I was my son's sister. When I told him I was his mother, the look on his face was priceless. Anyone can better their physique and health by committing to your fantastic workout programs and cleaning up poor eating habits. I highly recommend to anyone to try one of your workout programs and becoming a TT Member. Membership has perks - access to everything you've ever created. What a goldmine!"
Dawn Carter
Monday
TT workout. It's Monday, and your beat from the first day back at work, and you have a lot of stuff on the go this week, and perhaps even a vacation you have to plan for next week. So just focus on the basics today. Do each exercise in the first superset 5 times instead of 3. Do 6-8 reps per set. Do 3 intervals, and get on home to better things.
Tuesday
30 minutes of activity. I've talked a lot recently about getting the right brand of fish oils, and I've gotten it on good authority that the Omega line from Greens+ is a reputable brand. I picked up some Omega-Joy (a more concentrated product, which means I need to take fewer capsules).
Wednesday
TT workout. Just a reminder to review your gym clothes and shoes to see if you need new attire. If you run, make sure that you are running with proper footwear. Change them frequently, after every 350 miles of running.
Thursday
30 minutes of activity. If you have an I-pod and listen to it while training, download an episode of from www.thefitcast.com to listen to and learn from.
Friday
TT workout. Then de-stress. Rent a funny movie or record your favorite, funniest TV shows during the week and watch them on Friday night. Chances are, you need to laugh more. It's good for you.
Saturday
30 minutes of activity, check in with your social support group. But at your meeting, avoid the diet soda. To learn why you should avoid this, check out Adam Campbell's story here:
Why Adam Gave Up Diet Soda - and you should too!
Sunday
Plan, shop, and prepare.
If anyone knows of any good cookbooks, aside from Gourmet Nutrition by John Berardi & John Williams, please let me know so that I can pass this info on to others.
Eat, drink and be healthy,
CB
P.S. TT Members get more
If you want more TT workouts, TT for Women, TT for athletes, or even more TT for Mass, as well as my other female specific e-books, make sure you check out the TT Membership area here.
Previous customers get $100 off the regular price.
"I want to thank you for your unrelenting email messages highlighting the importance of training smart, eating well and working towards a purpose. After buying one of your products, then another, and finally wising up and becoming a TT Member, I have never felt better or leaner. I never had the gains I've obtained using your workout programs by doing the typical gym routine. I'm more in tune to my body than ever before. I've always been on the "leaner" side, but now realize that I was just a "skinny fat" person. My lbm was much higher than what it should have been given that I was not really heavy. In the past year, I have dropped 10 pounds, but more importantly, I have gone from around 22% lbm to close to 18% lbm - all at the age of 46. I attended my son's graduation from Texas A&M a couple of weeks ago. I was blown away when I was asked by a young gentleman if I was my son's sister. When I told him I was his mother, the look on his face was priceless. Anyone can better their physique and health by committing to your fantastic workout programs and cleaning up poor eating habits. I highly recommend to anyone to try one of your workout programs and becoming a TT Member. Membership has perks - access to everything you've ever created. What a goldmine!"
Dawn Carter
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Mile; Part 7
Today I decided to see if I could run the mile in under 6 minutes on the treadmill.
Result?
Success.
5:58.
Could have pushed for a few seconds less, but this is a good start.
Remember though, running on the treadmill is easier than running outside...so I can't be too proud of myself, but it is decent for not having done any formal running or endurance training in literally years.
It seems I have retained a huge percentage of the fitness I had in my early 20's thanks to hard strength training workouts.
Being strong helps runners. I can just feel it with each stride...and remember, I'm powering over 190 pounds with each stride. I'm not a 145 pound marathoner.
So to all the runners out there, get strong in the back of your body (posterior chain) and your times will go lower!
A good exercise to start with? Back extensions with the ball (pictured).
CB
Friday's Workout
Friday's workout was almost all upper body...and was a good one.
1A) Chin-ups (3x10)
1B) Back Extension on Ball (3x20)
2A) Barbell Shrug (3x12)
2B) Cable Lift (2x15) -- really hits the glutes if you add the squat movement
3A) Reverse EZ Bar Curl (3x8)
3B) Triceps Pressdown (4x8-10)
4A) DB Standing Curls (3x8)
4B) Dips (1x15)
Again, just a fun workout. More of a throw-back to the bodybuilding days I went through as a kid.
Good times,
CB
Check these out...
There are a lot of people doing a lot of wonderful things to help you reach your fitness and fat loss goals...
Today, I want to let you know about other sites, seminars, and sign-ups that will accelerate your progress as well as educated and entertain you.
1) Muscle Myths: Exposing the Supplement Industry
My friend Brad Pilon is writing an e-book on the Supplement Industry, and I recommend signing up for his informative newsletter here
When you order his e-book in September, you'll also get a free copy of my latest Mass-building 8-week workout.
There will only be 2 ways you can get that all-new Mass-building workout & Muscle Myths supplement book (but this package won't even cost 20 bucks):
a) By being a Turbulence Training Member.
b) By ordering a copy of Brad's ebook.
Sign-up for his updates and you'll be alerted when his book, "Muscle Myths", and my next monthly mass workout, is ready.
Click here for the sign-up form.
2) September Strength Seminar in Sunny California
This seminar will feature John Berardi, Alwyn Cosgrove, Eric Cressey and others, on September 16-17th, 2006.
Visit this site for more info:
http://www.lastrengthseminar.com
3) Amazing Abs, Amazing Articles
Fitness, fat loss, & bodybuilding expert Tom Venuto runs http://www.amazingabdominals.com/.
The latest issue of his online magazine features articles on:
Lower ab training
Post-workout nutrition
And some of Zach Even-Esh's power ab movements.
Check out this site.
4) Female Fat Loss Success Stories
As I mentioned yesterday, I downloaded a recent Rachel Cosgrove fat loss presentation and I was extremely impressed by the success stories.
You can download Rachel's presentations and other presentations from the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2006 meeting HERE
CB
Today, I want to let you know about other sites, seminars, and sign-ups that will accelerate your progress as well as educated and entertain you.
1) Muscle Myths: Exposing the Supplement Industry
My friend Brad Pilon is writing an e-book on the Supplement Industry, and I recommend signing up for his informative newsletter here
When you order his e-book in September, you'll also get a free copy of my latest Mass-building 8-week workout.
There will only be 2 ways you can get that all-new Mass-building workout & Muscle Myths supplement book (but this package won't even cost 20 bucks):
a) By being a Turbulence Training Member.
b) By ordering a copy of Brad's ebook.
Sign-up for his updates and you'll be alerted when his book, "Muscle Myths", and my next monthly mass workout, is ready.
Click here for the sign-up form.
2) September Strength Seminar in Sunny California
This seminar will feature John Berardi, Alwyn Cosgrove, Eric Cressey and others, on September 16-17th, 2006.
Visit this site for more info:
http://www.lastrengthseminar.com
3) Amazing Abs, Amazing Articles
Fitness, fat loss, & bodybuilding expert Tom Venuto runs http://www.amazingabdominals.com/.
The latest issue of his online magazine features articles on:
Lower ab training
Post-workout nutrition
And some of Zach Even-Esh's power ab movements.
Check out this site.
4) Female Fat Loss Success Stories
As I mentioned yesterday, I downloaded a recent Rachel Cosgrove fat loss presentation and I was extremely impressed by the success stories.
You can download Rachel's presentations and other presentations from the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2006 meeting HERE
CB
Friday, July 28, 2006
Turbulence Training Membership
Today I reviewed everything that Turbulence Training Member's get in their membership package...the list is dizzying! Check it out...
My Turbulence Training Reports
· Turbulence Training for Fat Loss
· 1 Hour Turbulence Training Audio Interview
· Turbulence Training 6-Month Bodyweight Manual
· Turbulence Training For Mass
· Turbulence Training for Women
· The Intermediate Turbulence Training Beach Body program
· The Advanced Turbulence Training Beach Body program
· Turbulence Training for Firefighters
· Turbulence Training for Police Officers
· Turbulence Training: Hot Zone Fat Loss Program
Monthly Turbulence Training Workouts
· September 2005: 4-Week Fat Loss Plan
· October 2005: Original 4-Week Bodyweight Workout
· November 2005: Barely Legal 4-Week Mass-Gain Workout
· December 2005: Ultimate Holiday Fat Loss Workout
· January 2006: Fat Loss in a Busy Gym Workout
· February 2006: Fusion Fat Loss Workout
· March 2006: Turbulence Training for Athletes
· April 2006: Fusion Muscle Building Workout
· May 2006: How to Gain 15 lbs of Lean Mass
· June 2006: TT Hardcore Fat Loss Workout
My Workout Manuals
· The Beginner's Guide to Fat Loss
· The Get Lean Manual
· The Executive Lifestyle Manual
Other Female Training Manuals
· The Secrets of Female Strength & Conditioning
· ShapeShift - How to Develop the Athletic Look
· The Simple Way to Lose Weight
· The Executive Lifestyle Manual for Women
· Get Lean for Women
Other Collaborations & Bonus Reports
· Mission: Abdominals – by Tom Venuto
· Boost Your Testosteron – by Christian Finn
· Strength Coach Interrogations – by Alwyn Cosgrove
Advanced Training Articles
· How to Determine Exercise Selection & Exercise Order
· The Best Number of Sets for Muscle Gain, Fat Loss, & Females
· The Science of Repetitions
· Program Design Critique
· Program Design Lesson
Athlete Manuals
· The Rugby Speed Manual
· The Rugby Strength Manual
· The Rugby Pre-Season Speed and Interval Workouts
· Young Male Alpine Ski Strength Program
· Young Beginner Female Basketball Strength Program
· Young Advanced Male Rugby Strength Program
· The New Young Athlete - 8 Week Mass Gain Program
Strength & Bodybuilding Workouts
· 4-Week Advanced Bodybuilding Program
· Weekend Warrior: Get Buff While Becoming a Better Downhill Skier
· How to Bench Without Shoulder Pain
· Max Your Bench Press: Part A (Weeks 1-12 )
· Max Your Bench Press: Part B (Weeks 13-24)
And all for $197 (or less if you are a previous customer!).
And here are just a few of the upcoming additions:
· The Muscle Myths “Tell-all Supplement E-Book”
· A new 8-week Turbulence Training for Mass Program
· New Bodyweight Workouts
· New Beginner Fat Loss Workouts
· New Advanced Fat Loss Workouts
· A new workout each month – guaranteed.
· In-depth reports on reducing stress & anxiety, while improving your cardiovascular health.
http://workoutmanuals.com/Turbulence-Training-Membership
CB
Early to Rise
One of my favorite online newsletters, as well as one that I write for from time to time, is www.earlytorise.com.
It's a daily email containing tips on business, health, and financial planning. In Friday, July 28th's message, it included an excellent article on how much money you'll actually need in retirement to support your lifestyle.
But it wasn't your run-of-the-mill article or recommendations...I highly recommend that article and getting yourself a daily, free subscription to the email newsletter.
www.earlytorise.com
CB
It's a daily email containing tips on business, health, and financial planning. In Friday, July 28th's message, it included an excellent article on how much money you'll actually need in retirement to support your lifestyle.
But it wasn't your run-of-the-mill article or recommendations...I highly recommend that article and getting yourself a daily, free subscription to the email newsletter.
www.earlytorise.com
CB
Are You A Diet-Cokeaholic?
Are you a diet-cokeaholic? Addicted to diet-cokeahol?
If so, take a look at why Men's Health editor Adam Campbell decided to give up the bubbly, after drinking almost a gallon per day for years...
Why you should give up on diet soda
Personally, I've never been a diet soda person. I don't rely on caffeine of any kind - I've never had a coffee in my life.
But if you drink diet, caffeinated sodas to stay alert, Adam gives you a good reason to switch to Green Tea.
CB
Controversial Fat Loss Expert Speaks Out!
Today we finish up where we left off yesterday...with the remainder of an interview between strength coach Jason Ferrugia, and fat loss expert Alwyn Cosgrove.
(Thanks to Jason at www.j1strength.com for letting us use this interview.)
Alwyn doesn't hold back with political correctness, so let's let him loose...
JF: First of Alwyn, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us today. I want to talk to you about fat loss and hear some of your thoughts on this much debated subject. First of all what are some of the biggest misconceptions out there about dieting and training for fat loss? What do most people do wrong?
AC:
There are two main mistakes Jay - and it might seem like a contradiction but it's really true.
The first is making too many changes to your program and diet - in other words, you stop doing the most effective exercises and rep ranges, and cut your calories or carbs way too much.
Everything that works to build muscle - activate as much muscle mass as possible, multiple muscle groups with good form and decent weight - will also burn a s***load of calories and create "metabolic disturbance" - this is perfect for fat loss phases.
The other main problem I see is people not changing anything BUT diet. The recent trend has been "Training doesn't change at all - just your diet."Really?How does the diet change?"Set protein at 1g per lb and fat at 30%. The rest comes from carbs"
Hmmm. So your fat loss program and your sports conditioning programand your hypertrophy program are the same exercises, same protein,same fats, the only difference is the amount of carbs?
Then you probably don't have too many before and after pics to support yoursystem do you, you training genius?
JF: Hahaha, great point. What are some of the biggest time wasters when it comes to training and dieting for fat loss?
AC:
The biggest ones are very low calorie diets (they just slow metabolism down too much) and low intensity steady state aerobics.
You need to keep the "furnace" (your metabolism) cranking. The goal as I call it is "metabolic disturbance" - burn as many calories through training as possible but use a system that will elevate metabolism through EPOC significantly for several hours.
Low intensity cardio (even on an empty stomach) just doesn't fit in there.
JF: How does the weight training which you prescribe for a fat loss client differ from that of some one who is trying to get bigger or stronger? Or does it remain the same and you just change the diet and add in more cardio?
AC:
It depends on the client and the amount of fat to lose really.
With the beginner/intermediate client I have NEVER seen these massive amounts of muscle loss that everyone is afraid of on fat loss programs. With these groups I use upper-lower supersets with slightly higher rep brackets.
With more advanced clients muscle loss can be a problem - but it is easily offset by doing 1-2 heavy sets of 4-6 reps as your first couple of exercises and then moving into a similar program as described above.
JF: I like that idea.
AC:
I've been experimenting recently with an undulating periodization approach for more advanced fat loss clients and it has been extremely effective. It's going to be the focus of Afterburn II.
JF: What are your favorite methods of cardio/energy system work for losing fat?
AC:
Interval training is obviously the way to go, but I like to use non-traditional methods of doing so - i.e. bodyweight circuits, sled dragging, barbell complexes etc. Again it's all about creating that metabolic disturbance that I was talking about.
Walking on the treadmill has its place - but it's not in one of my fat loss programs.
JF: Is there a difference in the way you train females for fat loss versus the way you train males for fat loss?
AC:
Not really although I tend to see more pure beginner females than I do males. So that alters the programs somewhat.
***
In my opinion, Alwyn Cosgrove is head and shoulders above the average fat loss personal trainer. In fact, he has written THE book on Program Design for personal trainers. And Alwyn was handpicked by Ryan Lee to be the keynote speaker at the best Personal Training Industry seminar this year.
Visit Alwyn's site to improve your workouts and your program design skills
So there you go,
CB
P.S. I just reviewed a recent presentation by Alwyn's wife, Rachel...
And I was amazed by the success story transformations that Rachel's female clients made in such a short time. I'll share the link to that presentation in tomorrow's email.
It will show you that there are NO LIMITS for women when it comes to changing your body.
Get the mental barriers out of your head and get focused on positive change.
Until then, check out Rachel's website: http://www.rachelcosgrove.com/
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Thursday's Lower Body Workout
Worked out with my strength coach buddy again today, doing some lower body work:
1) Front Squat - Worked up to a lowly 3RM (Note to self - do more front squats - and if you know how to properly do this exercise, replace your normal squats with it for a training phase - your abs and thighs will thank you).
2A) Barbell Lunges (2x5)
2B) Glute Ham Raise using Stability Ball (2x12)
Not enough time to get any more done. But still productive, even if only for the reminder about the need for more front squats.
CB
Turbulence Training RSS Feed
If you subscribe to RSS feeds through your Yahoo or MSN account, here is the RSS url you'll want for Turbulence Training:
http://turbulencetraining.blogspot.com/rss.xml
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry, just keep checking back to see the blog everyday...at least 3 new posts on fitness, fat loss, and training every day.
CB
http://turbulencetraining.blogspot.com/rss.xml
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry, just keep checking back to see the blog everyday...at least 3 new posts on fitness, fat loss, and training every day.
CB
Mile Part 6
Tuesday, Mile Training Workout. Again, the goal is to run a 6-minute mile on the treadmill.
My Nike Free 7.0 shoes (pictured).
But today I increased the speed, and decreased the duration of the intervals.
I ran at a 5:30mph pace, which was 10.9mph on the treadmill (Zero grade/incline).
I did two 2-minute intervals with 1 minute rest between each.
I started a third interval but decided to stop halfway through...no point in going overboard. I was actually pretty happy to have completed the full second interval.
For more info on training to improve your mile time, visit Adam Campbell's blog here:
http://thefitnessinsider.menshealth.com/
CB
Your Workout Questions Answered
Here are the answers to some of your more pressing questions sent in by readers this week...
(<==== me & the pooch answering your questions)
Q: I need to be in my best shape for September 1st. What is the best interval program I can follow to lose the last bit of fat by that day - using machines only?
Answer:
No problem, here's what you need to do for the next 4 weeks.
First, you'll use 2 different interval workouts. You'll have Workout A and Workout B, and alternate between them. If you train intervals 3 times per week, follow this schedule:
Week 1: A, B, A
Week 2: B, A, B
And so on.
(Note: Each interval workout is to be done on a different day...do not do them both on the same day.)
For workout A on the treadmill:
- Warm-up for 5 minutes.
- Run 60 seconds.
- Walk 60 seconds.
- Repeat for 6-8 intervals.
- Cool down for 5 minutes.
- Warm-up for 5 minutes.
- Work for 30 seconds.
- Rest for 60 seconds.
- Repeat for a total of 6 intervals.
- Finish with 3 sets of 10 burpees with 30 seconds rest between each.
- Cooldown for 5 minutes.
Q: Can you please answer this...If you have knee issues (i.e. patella tendinitis), should you be doing lunges? I've been told that people with bad knees should avoid stationary lunges, and that squats are better?
Answer:
I would start with floor-based lower-body exercises such as hip bridges (aka hip extensions) and ball curls (you can find those in the beginner bodyweight workouts) prior to using standing lower body exercises.
Build up the strength of your glutes and hamstrings and then progress to standing "wall squats with the ball" (the ball is placed between your back and the wall). If pain free, you can move on to free squatting. And from there, to low step-ups, higher step-ups, then to split squats, and then to lunges.
Over this time, your posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, etc.) will get strong and this should reduce knee pain.
As well, lose fat to reduce overall stress on the knee joint, and eliminate inflammatory foods (i.e. processed foods) from your diet that also contribute to knee pain.
Q: Why does so much fitness information seem to contradict other fitness information?
Answer:
Great question.
Here's my opinion:
http://turbulencetraining.blogspot.com/2006/07/big-fitness-complaint.html
And to finish off, here's part of an interview between Jason Ferrugia and Alwyn Cosgrove (thanks to Jason at http://www.j1strength.com/ for letting me use this...).
I will have more of Alwyn's interview tomorrow.
JF: What kind of diets do you prefer for fat loss and how do you determine what to prescribe to a given client?
AC:
I like to use a low-JUNK diet for fat loss.
It ends up being low carb, as most of the crap people eat come from refined carbs, but in reality
I never restrict fruits and vegetables, or good carbs.
A lot of stuff gets written about how many grams per pound etc, and how many calories pre and post workout..and to be honest most of the people writing this stuff are clearly not working with anyone real.
An average fat loss client arrives at my gym typically eating 2 meals a day and about 30g of protein (and no breakfast). So am I supposed to cut their calories? And add training to it? No way.
I just recommend that these people eat 4-5 meals per day from a list of "approved" foods (ie proteins, vegetables, oatmeal etc) and try to hit a higher protein intake. The diet then builds itself without having to focus on numbers. Calorie control is important, but it's rarely an issue with beginners in my experience.
There you go, let me know if you have any additional questions,
CB
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Big Fitness Complaint
One of the biggest complaints about fitness information is that people find a lot of it to be contradictory.
Now I can't blame people for wanting simple answers that everyone agrees upon...
But tell me, in what industry does everyone give you the same answers from all the experts, agreeing on every subject?
Politics? - Nope.
Real estate? - Nope. Houses are better. No, condos are better. No, renting is better because all real estate is overpriced.
Investing? - Nope. Put your money in stocks, the market always goes up. No, invest in real estate. No, hide it under your mattress - all the bankers are crooks!
The Legal System? - Yeah, right.
Haircuts? - Nope. Long, short, colored, bleached, curled, straightened?
Medical? - They are called second opinions for a reason.
Childcare?
Movie Reviews?
Sports analyses?
Education?
Grade 2 Math? - Yes! Finally, we have found an industry where everyone agrees on the same solution to every problem.
My point (and I do indeed have one...):
Fitness advice is like any other set of advice from any other field. It is based on facts and biased interpretations of said facts.
Sometimes the experts will be right, sometimes wrong. But if they are good, and leave as much as their bias out of the decision as possible and go solely based on physiology and on the individual's physical traits, then the expert will be right more than they are wrong.
Until the perfect world exists where all fitness experts agree, you have to think critically about the information you are given, just as you would in any aspect of life.
CB
Jersey Shore Fat Loss
If you want to stand out on the Jersey shore in the summertime, then you have to have the abs.
My buddy, Jason Ferrugia (pictured), has been making his living helping men and women lose fat, build muscle, and get lean for the summer.
So I picked Jason's brain for some of his advanced "Jersey" fat loss tips.
And even if you don't plan on competing in any hot body contests this summer, Jason's tips can help you bust through your fat loss plateaus and fit into a swimsuit from a time years ago when you were much leaner (hopefully the suit is still in style!).
First up, I asked Jason what he thought about post-workout carbohydrates in a post-workout drink. Do we need to focus on carbohydrates after workouts when we are trying to lose fat?
Jason says...
It depends. If its an athlete or body builder type that needs to maintain muscle mass or even try gaining it while simultaneously losing fat I usually like protein powder and maltodextrin.
If they have trouble getting or stayin lean, we will go with powdered sweet potatoes as the carb source in the shake.
Now if they you are the average person that simply needs to lose fat, I will just have them eat a regular, healthy meal after training or if they have to have a shake due to time or schedule issues it will be protein mixed with berries.
With the other 2 cases above as well I like to have them get the fruit in there too. Even though your ability to store carbs blah, blah, blah is higher after a workout that doesn't mean that pouring sugar into your post-workout shake won't make you fat.
That's why I prefer other sources than glucose and dextrose and all that junk.
So you still have to choose your sources carefully.
CB: Good stuff. What about the timing? When should we be eating after training?
J says...
If you are training for fat loss you should be finishing up each weight training workout with some circuits or intervals. Those can be rather nauseating and sometimes it's tough to choke anything down immediately afterwards any way.
I usually recommend waiting 20-30 minutes after finishing up with your intervals before drinking a shake or eating a meal.
Of course we want to prevent muscle loss when dieting but I really don't believe that catabolism sets in immediately after training and that you will be worse for ware if you do not have a shake shortly after training. You could actually wait an hour and still be fine.
CB: Thanks J. What are some interval training substitutions are you using to burn fat fast for your clients?
J says...
Here's one post workout circuit.
- Db swing
- Db split squat
- Seated side med ball throw
Do this after your heavier strength training. That way you get the metabolism benefits of the strength work and the interval-like circuits at the end of the workout.
Jason has more great muscle-building, fat-burning, athlete-training workouts at www.j1strength.com
CB
The Dark Side of Cardio
Please visit my website, www.TurbulenceTraining.com to pick up your special report, "The Dark Side of Cardio & Other Ineffective Fat Loss Methods"
CB
Pro Nutrition Help
Nutrition is more important than training.
There, I said it. In fact, I've admitted it all along. It doesn't matter how good the Turbulence Training workouts are, you won't get maximum results without the right nutrition.
So I've gone to Chris Mohr, Ph.D., to get his advanced fat loss tips. He's spilled the beans in the following interview. I strongly suggest signing up for his newsletter here: http://www.mohrresults.com/
And in addition to this interview, Dr. Mohr is working as we speak on putting the final touches on an all new nutrition section for the Turbulence Training package. This should be ready for next week.
If you are a previous customer or a TT Member, you'll get access to this as soon as it is available.
On to Part 1 of your professional nutrition help interview...
CB: For fat loss, what kind of shake is best after weights? Do we need high-carb, sugar shakes?
CM:
I still think this is an important meal to get some carbohydrates in to fuel you for your next workouts, since carbohydrate intake is likely low throughout the remainder of the day.
Even during a fat loss phase, I recommend folks get at least a 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein.
CB: But what about sugar specifically? If a client is 35, 5'10", and 21% body fat, does he need sugar in his post-workout drink?
CM:
I do still think simple carbs are important during this recovery period.
Carbs don't have to be the enemy---if the rest of your carb intake is mainly veggies, the post workout simple carbs will be a Godsend. You'll suck that right up, you'll feel stronger, and have better subsequent workouts. You should be training hard enough to be able to lose the fat...it's not all about the carbs.
I would go 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein...around 30:30 of a combination of malto/glucose/sucrose or any high GI ingredients with a whey isolate and/or hydrosylate.
CB: Does post-workout nutrition change for interval training?
CM:
I believe it does, because while you're exercising at a high-intensity, the amount of glycogen depletion and protein degradation that's going on is lower than with a longer duration, intense weight workout.
It is still an important time for feeding (after exercise), but I wouldn't recommend the same high intake of carbs:protein as I would after a tough weight workout.
Like before, go with the 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein - that is, of course, unless you were just out there doing intervals for an hour (but then you'd basically be superhuman).
CB: What are your thoughts on eating before bed?
CM:
This is a time I like a protein and fat meal, to help slow the digestion of those nutrients during a time when it's likely you will be breaking down some muscle tissue.
I am "ok" with some carbs, but if you do eat them, focus on veggies or something similar and don't sit down to a Thanksgiving meal and then immediately close your eyes.
CB: Everyone seems to know the general protein rule for gaining muscle (1g per pound bodyweight), but how much protein do we need when trying to lose fat?
CM:
This is suffice for losing fat as well. Maintaining this intake, with a moderate fat intake as well, will help provide the necessary nutrients since you want to lose as much fat as possible, yet maintain as much lean body mass as possible.
You can't get around the fact that weight loss does take some reduction in calorie intake (or very high amount of calorie expenditure), so focus your intake on lean proteins, healthy fats, and always think fiber, not carbs.
CB: Give us one of your "secret" advanced fat loss nutrition tips...please!
CM:
Losing fat without the addition of intervals is like riding a bike through sand - sure it will work, but your progress won't be nearly as fast.
Replace all simple carbohydrates with their high-fiber counterparts, and make sure you're eating at least one vegetable each and every meal.
CB: What do you think of "calorie cycling" diets - where you drop your calories for a couple of days, then bump them up, etc. Is there any research to support this approach?
CM:
To my knowledge it's all anecdotal.
Theoretically, it seems as if it may work; however, it would be near impossible to design a well controlled study to test the theory.
With that said, it's hard to make specific recommendations because there's nothing to base it off of.
CB: And let's finish off with your thoughts on fish oil - dosage, quality, etc.
CM:
They kick ass---general health, 2-4 g/day. Elevated TG I would go higher, increasing in a stepwise manner, up to 8g or so (not a blanket statement, but individualized). Always speak with MD first since it does decrease clotting time...contraindicated if on blood thinning medications.
Preliminary research with weight loss shows it's promising---2-3 studies to my knowledge. I do believe higher quality fish oils are important. Fish oil shouldn't give you fishy burps or taste fishy at all.
Two favorites are Nordic Naturals and Carlson. Fish oils are screened very well for mercury and other contaminants, particularly ones like NN and Carlson.
CB: Thanks Chris. This is great. I look forward to adding your nutrition knowledge to my Turbulence Training workouts...I guarantee that this combination will help everyone lose fat and gain muscle.
I've got more nutrition interviews on the way,
CB
P.S. Don't forget...
In early August, all past, present, and future users of the Turbulence Training manual will have access to Dr. Chris' nutrition plan for fast and effective fat loss.
Click here to get started with Turbulence Training.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Monday's Workout Part 2
A buddy called and asked if I wanted to head out for a workout, so I jumped at the chance...and we decided to do upper body...that would give me a chance to finish what I started yesterday.
All we did was...
1) Incline Barbell Press
2) EZ Bar Triceps Extension
And a lot of chatting about nutrition and training.
But the real lesson of today's training sessions is the importance of a training partner, as well as a good training environment. No matter what your goal, it helps significantly to be in an environment conducive to your goals.
If you bodybuild, training in a powerlifters gym might not be best, and vice versa.
Makes me realize I am going to have to change training environments if I want to reach my goals.
CB
Photoshoot part 2: Fitness Magazine Inside Scoop
As I mentioned last Friday, I recently spent 2 days monitoring a photo shoot for one of my upcoming workouts for Maximum Fitness. Its' a mass training program, and it's really good, if I do say so myself.
Here's something interesting about some of the models you see in the mags.
Some claim to barely workout at all. Now at first that sounds ridiculous, but after talking with them further, here's how it breaks down:
Most of the fitness models are not that big, usually about 5'8"-5'10", and weigh about 175. Not huge by most standards. In the past, most of these guys were actually much bigger and more muscular, so they actually lost weight to get into modeling (unfortunately for them, they remain far too big for fashion modeling).
So that leaves them with plenty of muscle. All they need to do is keep off the fat, and maintain their abs. And for someone that knows what they are doing with nutrition and fitness, that doesn't require a lot of working out.
So what good does this do you?
I think there is a very important lesson for guys that want a beach body to take from this...
To get a good body that you can have for decades:
1) Gain muscle first - even a little more than you think you'll want
2) Lose the fat
3) Easily maintain your body for months, years, and decades.
This is almost the exact opposite approach taken by most fitness magazine readers.
Most readers are impatient and want abs now. So while they only weigh 150 pounds, all they focus on is losing the last 5 pounds of fat. So after 4 weeks they find themselves at 145 pounds, but still need to lose another 3 pounds of fat - because the abs just won't show up.
And so on and so on goes the cycle until all of their family members are asking, "are you sick", "whats wrong with you", "why don't you eat something"?
The better approach is outlined above, and has some pretty good anecdotal support based on the fitness models I've spoken with this year.
CB
Here's something interesting about some of the models you see in the mags.
Some claim to barely workout at all. Now at first that sounds ridiculous, but after talking with them further, here's how it breaks down:
Most of the fitness models are not that big, usually about 5'8"-5'10", and weigh about 175. Not huge by most standards. In the past, most of these guys were actually much bigger and more muscular, so they actually lost weight to get into modeling (unfortunately for them, they remain far too big for fashion modeling).
So that leaves them with plenty of muscle. All they need to do is keep off the fat, and maintain their abs. And for someone that knows what they are doing with nutrition and fitness, that doesn't require a lot of working out.
So what good does this do you?
I think there is a very important lesson for guys that want a beach body to take from this...
To get a good body that you can have for decades:
1) Gain muscle first - even a little more than you think you'll want
2) Lose the fat
3) Easily maintain your body for months, years, and decades.
This is almost the exact opposite approach taken by most fitness magazine readers.
Most readers are impatient and want abs now. So while they only weigh 150 pounds, all they focus on is losing the last 5 pounds of fat. So after 4 weeks they find themselves at 145 pounds, but still need to lose another 3 pounds of fat - because the abs just won't show up.
And so on and so on goes the cycle until all of their family members are asking, "are you sick", "whats wrong with you", "why don't you eat something"?
The better approach is outlined above, and has some pretty good anecdotal support based on the fitness models I've spoken with this year.
CB
Truth About Fat Loss
Today I want to cover some basics in reply to one of the over 3000 emails I received last week about Turbulence Training.
To start, here are some questions from a wonderful woman who seemed to be a bit, overwhelmed, I guess you might say, due to the never-ending barage of fat loss and fitness information that exists today.
Here we go...
Q: Do I have to eat egg whites and wheatgrass and other weird stuff to lose fat?
Answer:
No, you don't have to eat either of those foods to succeed. However, you certainly have to eat a lot of vegetables and lean protein sources, but there are many options. And without exception, you have to give up fast food.
Fat loss does not come without some sacrifices. You have to give up some treats and you have to work hard during your exercise session.
Be consistent, and you'll succeed.
Q: Is raw food better or cooked food better?
Answer:
You don't have to use a raw food only diet to achieve your health and fat loss goals.
Both are fine, but a completely raw food diet is not necessary. Eating high quality foods all the time is most important.
In fact, you shouldn't even worry about a raw food diet until all of the junk is out of your existing diet.
Most of us live in cities surrounded by convenience foods. So you have to work against the trends and focus on avoiding the temptations. Once you, and all beginners, have your eating plan in place, than you might consider eating more raw vegetables instead of cooked. But that is a minor point at this time.
Q: Is it necessary to "Detox" my body?
Answer:
I don't think so.
For many people, it sounds like a miracle. A detox to get rid of all the toxins in your body.
But trust me, 7-days of detox does not undo 40 years of eating poorly. You have to focus on changing your lifestyle, not quick fixes.
And in my opinion, no one can EVER completely detox their body. With each breath, you take in particles besides the natural molecules found in the air. With each breath, your body is undergoing metabolism which produces many of the "waste byproducts" that a detox is supposed to "flush" from your system.
That's just the way your body works.
If you want to detox, do this long-term detox:
Q: My family uses Weight Watchers and struggles with all the point-counting and faux foods. Do I have to do this?
Answer:
I don't like the Weight Watchers system. Not enough focus on real foods, too much focus on saving points that permit junk food.
Clearly the system does work for some, but I don't think it gets people thinking positively about eating as healthy as possible.
It all seems to be focused on getting to that piece of chocolate cake that your points allow.
Q: I wanted this to be a "summer of change" for my family...but things aren't going as planned. Help?
Answer:
Don't get too stressed. Summer is not over, in fact there is more than half of it left. Spend the rest of the summer, and better yet, the rest of this year and your life, focused on making healthier choices.
Forget about quick fix detoxes, Weight Watcher point counting, and your old nutrition choices, and start working 1 change per day towards a new nutrition lifestyle.
You are young, your sister is young, your mom is young, and your daughter is young. You all have long, healthy lives in front of you.
Cut out 1 bad food today, and replace it with a good food. Take out a Pop-Tart, replace it with an apple.
Q: So much conflicting information. Some say carbs are bad, others say they are okay. Some say cardio is best for fat loss, but you say it isn't. What is the truth?
Answer:
Yes, there is a lot of conflicting info, but that's the same way every industry is...
No one can argue this...
Eat fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Avoid junk food.
To start getting healthy and losing weight, simply pick an activity you like do and do that three times per week. This will allow you to burn calories while having fun. Start easy in the first two weeks, to give your muscles time to adapt to the demands. That might mean only doing 10 minutes per day in the first week, then 20 minutes in the second week.
Do a structured strength training workout twice per week for 20-30 minutes per session. Get professional help to design your program. That is all you need to take care of your body and improve your ability to do daily activities. To really change your body, you probably need more strength training.
If you want the most results in the least amount of time, use Turbulence Training.
So start today by focusing on making 1 improvement in both your nutrition and fitness.
No soda at lunch today.
No chips in the grocery cart tomorrow.
Get up and do something for 10 minutes today.
Consistency is the key, and you'll have a long, healthy life to live,
CB
P.S. Upcoming Member Updates...
In the first weeks of August, I'll be updating the Member's section with a nutrition update from a Guest Author, a supplement e-book from a Guest Author, and a new Mass gaining workout from CB.
Check out the TT Member's section today...and don't forget, previous customers get at least $100 off your Member's upgrade.
Email me for your discount link...
To start, here are some questions from a wonderful woman who seemed to be a bit, overwhelmed, I guess you might say, due to the never-ending barage of fat loss and fitness information that exists today.
Here we go...
Q: Do I have to eat egg whites and wheatgrass and other weird stuff to lose fat?
Answer:
No, you don't have to eat either of those foods to succeed. However, you certainly have to eat a lot of vegetables and lean protein sources, but there are many options. And without exception, you have to give up fast food.
Fat loss does not come without some sacrifices. You have to give up some treats and you have to work hard during your exercise session.
Be consistent, and you'll succeed.
Q: Is raw food better or cooked food better?
Answer:
You don't have to use a raw food only diet to achieve your health and fat loss goals.
Both are fine, but a completely raw food diet is not necessary. Eating high quality foods all the time is most important.
In fact, you shouldn't even worry about a raw food diet until all of the junk is out of your existing diet.
Most of us live in cities surrounded by convenience foods. So you have to work against the trends and focus on avoiding the temptations. Once you, and all beginners, have your eating plan in place, than you might consider eating more raw vegetables instead of cooked. But that is a minor point at this time.
Q: Is it necessary to "Detox" my body?
Answer:
I don't think so.
For many people, it sounds like a miracle. A detox to get rid of all the toxins in your body.
But trust me, 7-days of detox does not undo 40 years of eating poorly. You have to focus on changing your lifestyle, not quick fixes.
And in my opinion, no one can EVER completely detox their body. With each breath, you take in particles besides the natural molecules found in the air. With each breath, your body is undergoing metabolism which produces many of the "waste byproducts" that a detox is supposed to "flush" from your system.
That's just the way your body works.
If you want to detox, do this long-term detox:
- no fast food
- no foods containing trans-fats
- no fried meats
- no smoking
- eat only whole, natural foods (organic if possible)
Q: My family uses Weight Watchers and struggles with all the point-counting and faux foods. Do I have to do this?
Answer:
I don't like the Weight Watchers system. Not enough focus on real foods, too much focus on saving points that permit junk food.
Clearly the system does work for some, but I don't think it gets people thinking positively about eating as healthy as possible.
It all seems to be focused on getting to that piece of chocolate cake that your points allow.
Q: I wanted this to be a "summer of change" for my family...but things aren't going as planned. Help?
Answer:
Don't get too stressed. Summer is not over, in fact there is more than half of it left. Spend the rest of the summer, and better yet, the rest of this year and your life, focused on making healthier choices.
Forget about quick fix detoxes, Weight Watcher point counting, and your old nutrition choices, and start working 1 change per day towards a new nutrition lifestyle.
You are young, your sister is young, your mom is young, and your daughter is young. You all have long, healthy lives in front of you.
Cut out 1 bad food today, and replace it with a good food. Take out a Pop-Tart, replace it with an apple.
Q: So much conflicting information. Some say carbs are bad, others say they are okay. Some say cardio is best for fat loss, but you say it isn't. What is the truth?
Answer:
Yes, there is a lot of conflicting info, but that's the same way every industry is...
No one can argue this...
Eat fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Avoid junk food.
To start getting healthy and losing weight, simply pick an activity you like do and do that three times per week. This will allow you to burn calories while having fun. Start easy in the first two weeks, to give your muscles time to adapt to the demands. That might mean only doing 10 minutes per day in the first week, then 20 minutes in the second week.
Do a structured strength training workout twice per week for 20-30 minutes per session. Get professional help to design your program. That is all you need to take care of your body and improve your ability to do daily activities. To really change your body, you probably need more strength training.
If you want the most results in the least amount of time, use Turbulence Training.
So start today by focusing on making 1 improvement in both your nutrition and fitness.
No soda at lunch today.
No chips in the grocery cart tomorrow.
Get up and do something for 10 minutes today.
Consistency is the key, and you'll have a long, healthy life to live,
CB
P.S. Upcoming Member Updates...
In the first weeks of August, I'll be updating the Member's section with a nutrition update from a Guest Author, a supplement e-book from a Guest Author, and a new Mass gaining workout from CB.
Check out the TT Member's section today...and don't forget, previous customers get at least $100 off your Member's upgrade.
Email me for your discount link...
Monday, July 24, 2006
Monday's Bench Workout
Not a full workout today due to time constraints. All I was able to was the first superset of my workout. But you know what, that is okay, and it was still productive.
So apply that to your workouts. If you ever only have 15 minutes, just remember that you can still make a difference.
Here's what I did...
1A) Wide-grip Bench (Worked up to a 6RM)
1B) Y's, T's, and Rear Delt Raises (3x12)
[The Y-Raise is pictured - although that is not me in the photo. The Y-Raise trains the lower trapezius muscle, an area often neglected by most weightroom exercises. Training this area tends to help eliminate sore upper backs from bad posture. Photo courtesy of Bill Hartman.]
That's it. Then a one hour session of Qi-Gong.
CB
Triceps Kickbacks - Stop the Insanity
Yesterday while I trained, a woman came into the gym after just completing her daily run. She grabbed some dumbbells and did seated triceps kickbacks.
If you can picture the technique, you'll see why she was set up for no gains before she even started.
Picture this:
Sit with your arms hanging by your sides (as if they were holding dumbbells). Now lean your chest forward about 30 degrees. Now swing the hands forward as if doing a dumbbell curl, and then extend them back as far as you can (as if doing the kickback).
Now take a look at where your hands end up. Then take a look at how high they have traveled (remember, resistance is only applied when you move a dumbbell against gravity - not when you move it parallel to the floor).
So she would have worked her muscles for about two inches. Very ineffective.
And even when kickbacks are done properly, they are hardly effective.
Kickbacks tend to be more common among women then men. I don't know exactly why...but neither men nor women should limit themselves to such an inefficient exercise...not when you have total body calorie burner, strength building exercises like pushups at your disposal.
One of my favorite clients, who has moved back to Portland, OR (I miss you Amy!), had without exception, the best arms in the gym.
She could do 15 pushups, nose to the ground. We never once did triceps kickbacks.
Pick your exercises wisely, and your body will change in less time than ever,
CB
Sunday's Squat Workout & Warmup
20-minute warm-up of bodyweight exercises (overhead squats with broomstick, lunges, dynamic hamstring stretches, sumo squats, and then many sets of squats progressing up to my working weight)
1A) Narrow Squat (3x8)
1B) Plank with Forearms on Ball (3x90seconds)
2A) Overhand grip RDL plus Shrug (3x12)
2B) Kneeling Side Plank Crunch (3x20)
3A) Glute-ham Raise on Ball (2x15)
3B) Cable Lift (2x15)
My warm-up lasted 20 minutes before I was ready to do my first set of squats. This helped me to properly prepare my hips so that I could get perfect depth on the squat without feeling tight in my hips. The warm-up helped me increase my range of motion in my muscles and joints.
In contrast, another gentlemen came into the gym, immediately put a plate on each side of the bench and did his three sets and left.
I'm glad he didn't get hurt, and to be honest, he probably won't suffer an acute pec injury doing things that way, BUT...
over time, he might end up with a problem in his shoulder joints due to his "no warm-up" approach.
He should warm-up, starting with the bar.
Even guys that bench 500 pounds have no shame in starting with the bar (to see the training logs of 500+ pound benchers, visit www.elitefts.com).
So add a couple minutes of specific warm-up sets at the very least, if you are doing no warm-up at all.
CB
Sunday, July 23, 2006
World Gut 2006
World Cup 2006 may have ended 2 weeks ago, but the World Gut continues to grow.
While it seems that the media insists on labeling obesity as a North American problem, here are the summaries of 4 studies from around the world that I reviewed this morning:
It is not just the USA, or North America, or traditional Western countries that are getting fatter. It is the entire world.
So no matter where you are from, if overweight is a common attribute in your family, start fighting fat by simply doing something, anything, to get moving. Pick an enjoyable activity and do it at least 3 times a week.
You don't have to be a gym rat to stay at a normal weight,
CB
While it seems that the media insists on labeling obesity as a North American problem, here are the summaries of 4 studies from around the world that I reviewed this morning:
- Italian children, aged 2-6, are more obese than ever before. The prevalence of overweight and obesity of Italian children was almost identical to that reported in children living in the United States (32% vs. 32.7%, respectively).
- Over 52% of Portugal's population is now overweight. Granted, that is not the 65% of the USA, but the number has increased 3% since the late 90s in Portugal.
- Children in Greece are more overweight than ever, all because they are no longer eating according to the "Mediterranean Diet".
- And finally, research from China shows that the indirect costs of obesity (missed work days, lower productivity) are harder on business than the actual direct costs of obesity (paying for health care).
It is not just the USA, or North America, or traditional Western countries that are getting fatter. It is the entire world.
So no matter where you are from, if overweight is a common attribute in your family, start fighting fat by simply doing something, anything, to get moving. Pick an enjoyable activity and do it at least 3 times a week.
You don't have to be a gym rat to stay at a normal weight,
CB
Typical Training Session
This is from Alwyn Cosgrove's latest newsletter
Alwyn recently put together a book called Strength Coach Interrogations ...and he interviewed me along with 20 other strength coaches. Lots of great info in it...
Here's one of the q's from my interview...
AC: Can you describe a typical training session consist of for your clients?
CB:
My Turbulence Training system can be adapted for any goal and any experience level.I call the warm-up, Athletic Movement Training, and others might use the term "dynamic warmup" or "dynamic flexibility".
We use a general bodyweight warm-up to start, always trying to incorporate as much of the body as possible into each exercise. So for example, we would do a circuit of bodyweight prisoner squats (to include the upper back muscles), some type of pushing movement (pushups - modified to the trainee's level of difficulty), and some type of pulling movement (focusing on shoulder blade retraction).
All exercises are "core exercises" - as we brace the abs and activate all of the core muscles while doing all exercises in the entire workout.
For an athlete, the number of exercises in the Athletic Movement Warm-up will increase in comparison to a client looking for fat loss or muscle gain, and will even differ depending on the amount of speed and agility training to be done in the athletes workout.
Then we work on actively increasing the range of motion for any problem spots - and this is individual to the client. So it depends on what we have learned from their assessment and previous training sessions. If any work needs to be done on the foam roller, we do it now. Same with any exercises that are required for this individual in terms of injury prevention (i.e. rotator cuff exercises or other small muscles - again, determined through assessment and from previous workouts).
Next, it is onto the strength training, using the TT principles. Efficient and effective exercises are paired with other non-competing efficient and effective exercises in supersets. The repetition range, number of sets per superset, and rest intervals will vary depending on the clients goals but all are picked to create the appropriate level and type of turbulence in the person's body to stimulate the correct physical change.
I prefer to stick with a lower repetition range than that normally found intraditional bodybuilding programs. Therefore, I find it very easy to make a client stronger. All you need to do is stick to the basics. Metabolic conditioning and/or fat loss intervals will follow the strength training. We will complete the session with stretching for the tight muscles only.
Another consideration - we won't apply aggressive stretching to a muscle that was trained hard during this session, or a muscle that is to be trained hard on the following day. We will only do light stretching for that particular muscle group.
CB
7-Day Guide: Success Tips
The difference between those that succeed fast and those that take a long time to succeed (if they do so at all) is a structured plan.
A structured plan will get you places faster. Whether you are driving across the country on holiday, or trying to lose 5 pounds of fat while gaining 5 pounds of muscle, a plan will get you their quicker.
So what's your plan?
If you don't have one, let me help. We'll start with your 7-day guide to success...
Monday
TT workout. In this workout, double the rest time between exercises in your first superset only.
This will allow you to recover more and perform more reps for each exercise. This extra rest is most beneficial for strength. And down the road, every little bit of strength will help you get results faster.
Tuesday
30 minutes of activity. Last week, you reviewed your supplements. This week, learn more about supplements from "The Muscle Insider" here:
http://www.muscle-insider.blogspot.com/
Wednesday
TT workout. Use bodyweight intervals today. Simply choose 4 relatively easy bodyweight exercises (2 upper and 2 lower), and alternate the upper and lower body exercises in a circuit. Do 10-15 reps per exercise, rest 30 seconds, then repeat up to 4 times.
Thursday
30 minutes of activity. If you want a little more guidance or even a goal for your non TT workout days, why not try to improve your mile. Check out Men's Health editor Adam Campbell's Mile blog here:
http://thefitnessinsider.menshealth.com/
Friday
TT workout. At the end of your workout, add your favorite exercise done for 3 sets of 8. Remember, TT workouts should also be fun, not just effective.
Saturday
30 minutes of activity, check in with your social support group. If you haven't checked in with one of the professionals in your support group in over 6 months (i.e. doctor, nutritionist, or trainer), make an appointment with one for as soon as possible.
Sunday
Plan, shop, and prepare.
If you haven't done so already, check out the post "How to Save on Groceries" here.
Eat, drink and be healthy,
CB
P.S. TT Members get more
If you want more TT workouts, TT for Women, TT for athletes, or even more TT for Mass, as well as my other female specific e-books, make sure you check out the TT Membership area here. Previous customers get $100 off the regular price.
"I want to thank you for your unrelenting email messages highlighting the importance of training smart, eating well and working towards a purpose. After buying one of your products, then another, and finally wising up and becoming a TT Member, I have never felt better or leaner. I never had the gains I've obtained using your workout programs by doing the typical gym routine. I'm more in tune to my body than ever before. I've always been on the "leaner" side, but now realize that I was just a "skinny fat" person. My lbm was much higher than what it should have been given that I was not really heavy. In the past year, I have dropped 10 pounds, but more importantly, I have gone from around 22% lbm to close to 18% lbm - all at the age of 46. I attended my son's graduation from Texas A&M a couple of weeks ago. I was blown away when I was asked by a young gentleman if I was my son's sister. When I told him I was his mother, the look on his face was priceless. Anyone can better their physique and health by committing to your fantastic workout programs and cleaning up poor eating habits. I highly recommend to anyone to try one of your workout programs and becoming a TT Member. Membership has perks - access to everything you've ever created. What a goldmine!"
Dawn Carter
A structured plan will get you places faster. Whether you are driving across the country on holiday, or trying to lose 5 pounds of fat while gaining 5 pounds of muscle, a plan will get you their quicker.
So what's your plan?
If you don't have one, let me help. We'll start with your 7-day guide to success...
Monday
TT workout. In this workout, double the rest time between exercises in your first superset only.
This will allow you to recover more and perform more reps for each exercise. This extra rest is most beneficial for strength. And down the road, every little bit of strength will help you get results faster.
Tuesday
30 minutes of activity. Last week, you reviewed your supplements. This week, learn more about supplements from "The Muscle Insider" here:
http://www.muscle-insider.blogspot.com/
Wednesday
TT workout. Use bodyweight intervals today. Simply choose 4 relatively easy bodyweight exercises (2 upper and 2 lower), and alternate the upper and lower body exercises in a circuit. Do 10-15 reps per exercise, rest 30 seconds, then repeat up to 4 times.
Thursday
30 minutes of activity. If you want a little more guidance or even a goal for your non TT workout days, why not try to improve your mile. Check out Men's Health editor Adam Campbell's Mile blog here:
http://thefitnessinsider.menshealth.com/
Friday
TT workout. At the end of your workout, add your favorite exercise done for 3 sets of 8. Remember, TT workouts should also be fun, not just effective.
Saturday
30 minutes of activity, check in with your social support group. If you haven't checked in with one of the professionals in your support group in over 6 months (i.e. doctor, nutritionist, or trainer), make an appointment with one for as soon as possible.
Sunday
Plan, shop, and prepare.
If you haven't done so already, check out the post "How to Save on Groceries" here.
Eat, drink and be healthy,
CB
P.S. TT Members get more
If you want more TT workouts, TT for Women, TT for athletes, or even more TT for Mass, as well as my other female specific e-books, make sure you check out the TT Membership area here. Previous customers get $100 off the regular price.
"I want to thank you for your unrelenting email messages highlighting the importance of training smart, eating well and working towards a purpose. After buying one of your products, then another, and finally wising up and becoming a TT Member, I have never felt better or leaner. I never had the gains I've obtained using your workout programs by doing the typical gym routine. I'm more in tune to my body than ever before. I've always been on the "leaner" side, but now realize that I was just a "skinny fat" person. My lbm was much higher than what it should have been given that I was not really heavy. In the past year, I have dropped 10 pounds, but more importantly, I have gone from around 22% lbm to close to 18% lbm - all at the age of 46. I attended my son's graduation from Texas A&M a couple of weeks ago. I was blown away when I was asked by a young gentleman if I was my son's sister. When I told him I was his mother, the look on his face was priceless. Anyone can better their physique and health by committing to your fantastic workout programs and cleaning up poor eating habits. I highly recommend to anyone to try one of your workout programs and becoming a TT Member. Membership has perks - access to everything you've ever created. What a goldmine!"
Dawn Carter
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Saturday - The Fun Workout
Every friday or Saturday I do a fun workout. Stuff that I just plain like to do.
Today:
1A) Incline Bench Press
1B) Chin-ups
2A) Reverse Curls (3x8)
2B) Triceps Pressdowns to forehead (3x8) --- these are modified pressdowns that look like you are doing standing "skullcrushers"
3) Standing Staggered-stance 1-Arm DB Curls (4x6-8)
Half mile run with the pup, and that was it,
CB
Intervals - Beginner or Advanced?
Here's something I read in another newsletter that I completely disagree with:
"Interval training is exercising at a high intensity for a short period of time followed by a longer duration of lower intensity exercise. It is beneficial for people with less time availability, but should only be recommended for those already at a high level of fitness."
(italics mine)
I use interval training with every level of fitness.
For a beginner, if you can only walk at 3.5mph on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then your intervals would be done at 3.7 or 3.8pmh for 1-2 minutes. Then go back down to 3.3mph.
That is an interval.
An interval is not only sprinting at full speed up a hill.
So not all intervals have to be "high-intensity interval training" - also known as HIIT. One of the many terms in the fitness industry that should be banned for overuse, along with:
- clean eating
- periodization
- hGH
- overtraining
- catabolic
among others.
Keep it simple,
CB
Friday, July 21, 2006
Mile: Part 5
Today I ran more intervals.
First I did some bodyweight squats, lunges, waiters bows, spiderman lunges to warmup the hips and leg muscles.
Then...
- 3 intervals
- 3 minutes per interval
- 10mph
- 90 seconds between intervals
Lifting tomorrow.
CB
Some Good Reading - Cosgrove on Fat Loss
Another interview from the archives at CBAthletics...this time, an interview with Alwyn Cosgrove...
http://www.cbathletics.com/issues/101.htm
Take these words to heart and apply them to your body comp goals...this approach could make or break your success:
AC says:
The single most important part of the process is goal setting. They need to really want to get amazing results and be prepared to do whatever I ask to get them. It's not that hard to get the results -- it's building that overwhelming desire that counts.Most people think -- "Well - this cake won't hurt me will it?" I get my clients to think, "Will this help me or not? Is this a positive step or not?" Once you get that -- you're a hit. After that -- it's reverse goal setting as I'm sure you know a lot about, and at that point I do a full functional screen to assess any weak areas that may need special attention.
Remember that: Everything you do takes your closer to OR farther away from your goals.
- If you choose to really stress about something in your life, the stress could impair your fat loss.
- If you choose a beer instead of water or unsweetened ice tea after you mow the lawn, you know the consequences.
- If you choose to sleep through breakfast, then grab a quick glass of orange juice before you head out for Saturday errands, you'll be hungry, tired, and fatigued all day.
CB
P.S. Get more info from Alwyn here...
Testosterone Supplement Scams...
Another great post by supplement insider Brad Pilon over at his blog. Yesterday he discussed the unparalleled hype over the mystical Tribulus Terrestris ingredient...
Find out the real deal on all the hocus-pocus hokey-pokey that companies do around their testosterone-boosting products...
Click here: Testosterone boosting truth
I'll have other comments on supplements and fitness magazines later tonight,
CB
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Maximum Fitness Photoshoot: Day 1
A little background...
Maximum Fitness is a Canadian fitness magazine for men. It's similar to MH and Men's Fitness.
Maximum Fitness (MaxFit) is published by the same company that does Oxygen and MuscleMag. And MaxFit used to be called AHF (American Health & Fitness).
For each issue (they do 4 or 5 per year), I write the main workout for MaxFit. And each time I do so, I have to go out to the magazine photoshoot and make sure the exercises for the workout are done correctly.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure how widely distributed this magazine is across the USA. But, you can at least check out some of the stuff online (although they don't post my workouts) here: www.maxfitmag.com (you will find a leg training bit from Alwyn Cosgrove).
Anyway, at these photo shoots, I coach the model and am also able to flip through some of the latest fitness magazines, all while the poor model is photographed for 8 hours.
Fitness modeling is a tough job.
Imagine performing multiple sets of 3-5 reps per exercise, for up to 20 exercises over the course of an 8 hour shoot, and having to hold the bottom position of each exercise for up to 10 seconds (or in the case of a chinup, the top part of the exercise).
These guys are spent at the end of the day. And sore the next day, even though the weights are generally much lighter than they normally lift (and yes, all of the weights are real!).
Too bad the poor model, (a great guy named Zach Titus from Montana), has to come back and do it all over again tomorrow - in order to finish up all the exercises for the workout.
So on Friday, again, I'll be back out in Mississauga (a suburb of Toronto) making sure Zach has perfect form on every exercise so that our readers know how to do the exercises correctly.
By the way, the latest edition of Maximum Fitness should be in stores now. And in this issue, there is a sports theme. So the workout I designed is to help men improve their strength and conditioning for sports (and women - even though its a guys mag, I wouldn't change the workout too much for a woman with the same goals).
And to finish off, here's an answer to one of the most common questions about magazines:
Q: Why are there so many ads?
Answer (that I basically stole from www.LouSchuler.com):
The more ads you have, the more content you can put in the magazine. So even while most of the advertised supplements don't even work, and sometimes are called out as bogus by the magazine articles, it is these supplement ads that allow for the magazine to exist in the first place.
More to come tomorrow,
CB
Audio: How to Gain Muscle & Lose Fat at the Same Time
Part 2 of my audio interview with Kyle Battis can be found here:
http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html
In it, I give a pretty thorough argument for why it is possible to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously.
There are 3 situations where it is possible, and 1 situation where it is almost impossible.
Check it out. I also discuss supplements, program design, and ab training.
CB
http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html
In it, I give a pretty thorough argument for why it is possible to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously.
There are 3 situations where it is possible, and 1 situation where it is almost impossible.
Check it out. I also discuss supplements, program design, and ab training.
CB
Wednesday's Workout
Finally getting a chance to post this...this week has been the busiest work week in my life. But I'm glad for that.
Wednesday I was in the gym to do lower body repetition day. Here's how it went down.
1A) DB Split Squat (3x6)
1B) Good Morning (3x15)
2A) Bulgarian Split Squat (3x15) --- pictured
2B) Back Extension on Ball (3x20)
3A) Shrug (3x12)
3B) Cable Lift (3x15)
Good workout. A little sore today, but not bad. Might have more soreness tomorrow, as the leg soreness usually hits closer to 48 hours after training.
CB
How to get strong
Here's a link to one of my favorite interviews...with Jim Wendler.
http://www.cbathletics.com/issues/121.htm
CB
http://www.cbathletics.com/issues/121.htm
CB
Magazine Shoot
Out at a magazine photoshoot today at Maximum Fitness. Sorry if I don't get to your emails right away!
cb
cb
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
mmm....Meat
Just finished snacking on some spicey, organic jerkey that I pick up each week from the Healthy Butcher here in Toronto: http://www.thehealthybutcher.com/about_us.html
Another great source for organic produce in Toronto is Beretta Organics:
http://www.berettaorganics.com/
Organic food is grown without synthetic herbicides, pesticides, hormones, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The benefits of organic are debateable. I'm not going to run around screaming that you're going to die if you don't eat organic foods.
BUT...
It probably is a healthier approach, and there certainly have been instances when I've noticed signficantly better taste of the food when eating organic (especially certain fruits).
Do your own taste testing,
CB
Another great source for organic produce in Toronto is Beretta Organics:
http://www.berettaorganics.com/
Organic food is grown without synthetic herbicides, pesticides, hormones, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The benefits of organic are debateable. I'm not going to run around screaming that you're going to die if you don't eat organic foods.
BUT...
It probably is a healthier approach, and there certainly have been instances when I've noticed signficantly better taste of the food when eating organic (especially certain fruits).
Do your own taste testing,
CB
#1 Best Selling Author - CB
Waiter, a cup of your finest Green Tea please, I'm celebrating...
I'm officially a best selling author...
Today Turbulence Training achieved the #1 position in the Sports-Training Category on www.clickbank.com
Thanks to everyone for joining the Turbulence Training Lifestyle.
Look for more workouts, programs, and info to improve your health and fitness from me in the near future.
CB
Check this guy out - Underground S&C
Listen to Zach Even-Esh interviewed by Dave Tate.
http://elitefts.com/audio-video/zach.mp3
If you are a coach or want to train athletes or are an athlete yourself, here's some valuable info on both business and working out.
CB
http://elitefts.com/audio-video/zach.mp3
If you are a coach or want to train athletes or are an athlete yourself, here's some valuable info on both business and working out.
CB
Mile Part 4
I caught a break in the action late Tuesday and was able to slip out to do another mile training session...I didn't have a lot of time, but I did:
- Two x 3-minute intervals at 10.0 mph
- Separated by 90 seconds of rest.
That would indicate that my ability to run a faster mile is limited by what is known as "central factors" (delivery of oxygen to the tissues).
Contrast that with the training results of Adam Campbell over at Mens' Health - see his post here and his plan here
Adam is fatiguing in the legs - that is peripheral fatigue - and relates to oxygen extraction at the muscle level and oxygen utilization. He is even training to focus on this limitation.
Now there are two explanations for the differences between Adam and myself
1) Adam's run is harder, b/c he is doing it outside on the road, while I'm using a treadmill (could that make it easier on my legs -possibly).
2) Individual physiology.
I dunno.
Whichever, it makes for an interesting comparison.
CB
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Tuesday's Bodyweight Training
The last couple of days have been crazy...since my TT promo began on Monday morning, I've received close to 2500 emails. I've been doing my best to get through them...fortunately, today was a bodyweight training day, so I was able to do my bodyweight training right here in the office.
here's what I did for just two circuits:
cross crawl (20)
Sumo squat (15)
spiderman Pushup (6)
Side step (6)
waiters bow (10)
Spiderman Lunge (10) ===> pictured
1-Leg RDL (8)
Inverted Row (12)
Not the hardest circuit in the world, but as I said, things have been crazy here and i needed to get back to work.
But this does show you that you can do bodyweight almost anytime, anywhere.
CB
Fooled by Fitness Myths
I can understand why the average person believes most fitness myths. These misconceptions generally promote an easy way to success, such as drinking cold water with lemon juice in it will help you burn fat and lose weight. Why wouldn't someone want to believe that?
And hey follow that logic, add a little lemon juice to a frosty beer and it's not really 150 calories per bottle, is it?
So it's easy to believe and pass these myths to your friends. And they make great soundbites for newspaper articles written by journalists with no scientific IQ.But what I don't understand is how any trainer can believe these myths, and worse, insist on passing them on to hundreds and thousands of clients.
Here's some junk that I read recently in another trainer's newsletter."Catabolic foods burn up more calories than they supply. Catabolic foods are the opposite of Anabolic foods. For example a medium sized apple (which is catabolic), would provide an average of 85 calories, however your metabolism would require an additional 99 more calories to metabolize it. To help maintain your weight it is helpful to eat a minimum of ten servings of catabolic foods each day. "
Okay, so if I do the math correctly...then if I eat 10 apples per day, I would actually have a net loss of 140 calories?Someone better tell the sports nutritionists about this before they recommend an apple as a good post-exercise carbohydrate source.By using this "catabolic food" logic, I would starve to death if all I had to eat was apples or other catabolic foods.
Now don't get me wrong, these trainers are recommending the right foods (fruits and vegetables), but calling any food "catabolic foods" or a "negative calorie" food is just plain wrong.
But I guess it sounds much more "exciting" and sells more books.
Another classic myth...
"A pound of muscle burns an extra 50 calories per day."
When you do the math for someone that puts on say, 20 lbs of muscle, you realize there is no way that their metabolism is going to go up 1000 calories (20lbs x 50 calories).That would make it very difficult to maintain muscle mass.
In addition, look at any physiology textbook and it will tell you that about 70% of a human's total energy expenditure is due to the processes within the organs of the body.
Charts from these texts break it down even more:
Your brain uses 20% of that energy.
Your liver uses around 25% of that energy.
And your muscles around 18% of that energy.
So your muscles use about 20% of the total energy in your metabolic rate.
Now let's say that your body is about 40% muscle. So in a 200 pound guy, he would have 80 pounds of muscle.
If each pound of muscle burned 50 calories...
He should have a metabolic rate of 2000 calories from muscle alone! And according to our figures above, that would only be around 15-20% of his total metabolic rate contribution.
So his total metabolic rate would be around 10,000 calories. If a pound of muscle burned 50 calories per day.
The bottom line: Simply adding a pound of muscle does not automatically increase your metabolic rate by 50 calories.
Like the catabolic food claim, it sounds good when you are talking about 1 pound of muscle, or 1 apple having the effect, but when you do the numbers...it's clear that it cannot be true.
Of course, I'm not saying that building muscle is worthless - it is essential for health and looking good, but I've watched too many people justify eating "treats" and extra calories because of their gains in muscle (and supposed massive gain in metabolism).
Just realize 1 pound of muscle is not a magic bullet for boosting metabolism - it's really the work that it takes to get their that will have much more benefit!
Don't believe everything you read,
CB
P.S. The basics work.You can believe that.
And that is what Turbulence Training is...the basics put together in a way that will save you the most time and get you the most results.
But the package isn't basic. No way. In fact, I've put together a great package for you over at www.turbulencetraining.com, but the deal ends tonite at midnight.
And hey follow that logic, add a little lemon juice to a frosty beer and it's not really 150 calories per bottle, is it?
So it's easy to believe and pass these myths to your friends. And they make great soundbites for newspaper articles written by journalists with no scientific IQ.But what I don't understand is how any trainer can believe these myths, and worse, insist on passing them on to hundreds and thousands of clients.
Here's some junk that I read recently in another trainer's newsletter."Catabolic foods burn up more calories than they supply. Catabolic foods are the opposite of Anabolic foods. For example a medium sized apple (which is catabolic), would provide an average of 85 calories, however your metabolism would require an additional 99 more calories to metabolize it. To help maintain your weight it is helpful to eat a minimum of ten servings of catabolic foods each day. "
Okay, so if I do the math correctly...then if I eat 10 apples per day, I would actually have a net loss of 140 calories?Someone better tell the sports nutritionists about this before they recommend an apple as a good post-exercise carbohydrate source.By using this "catabolic food" logic, I would starve to death if all I had to eat was apples or other catabolic foods.
Now don't get me wrong, these trainers are recommending the right foods (fruits and vegetables), but calling any food "catabolic foods" or a "negative calorie" food is just plain wrong.
But I guess it sounds much more "exciting" and sells more books.
Another classic myth...
"A pound of muscle burns an extra 50 calories per day."
When you do the math for someone that puts on say, 20 lbs of muscle, you realize there is no way that their metabolism is going to go up 1000 calories (20lbs x 50 calories).That would make it very difficult to maintain muscle mass.
In addition, look at any physiology textbook and it will tell you that about 70% of a human's total energy expenditure is due to the processes within the organs of the body.
Charts from these texts break it down even more:
Your brain uses 20% of that energy.
Your liver uses around 25% of that energy.
And your muscles around 18% of that energy.
So your muscles use about 20% of the total energy in your metabolic rate.
Now let's say that your body is about 40% muscle. So in a 200 pound guy, he would have 80 pounds of muscle.
If each pound of muscle burned 50 calories...
He should have a metabolic rate of 2000 calories from muscle alone! And according to our figures above, that would only be around 15-20% of his total metabolic rate contribution.
So his total metabolic rate would be around 10,000 calories. If a pound of muscle burned 50 calories per day.
The bottom line: Simply adding a pound of muscle does not automatically increase your metabolic rate by 50 calories.
Like the catabolic food claim, it sounds good when you are talking about 1 pound of muscle, or 1 apple having the effect, but when you do the numbers...it's clear that it cannot be true.
Of course, I'm not saying that building muscle is worthless - it is essential for health and looking good, but I've watched too many people justify eating "treats" and extra calories because of their gains in muscle (and supposed massive gain in metabolism).
Just realize 1 pound of muscle is not a magic bullet for boosting metabolism - it's really the work that it takes to get their that will have much more benefit!
Don't believe everything you read,
CB
P.S. The basics work.You can believe that.
And that is what Turbulence Training is...the basics put together in a way that will save you the most time and get you the most results.
But the package isn't basic. No way. In fact, I've put together a great package for you over at www.turbulencetraining.com, but the deal ends tonite at midnight.
Ooops!
bit of a mixup on tonights teleseminar...there was a scheduling problem and we have to delay the 2nd teleseminar to Wednesday at 9. That does give you more chance to send in your questions here:
http://www.askthefitnessexpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html
Don't forget to listen to round 1 as well.
CB
http://www.askthefitnessexpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html
Don't forget to listen to round 1 as well.
CB
Listen to this...
Yesterday I did a one hour Turbulence Training teleseminar with Kyle Battis...
And he's posted it for you.
Listen to it here
Enjoy.
CB
Canned Hoodia Spam
Everyday the spammers try to pull the Hoodia over your eyes with their fat loss pill emails.
I just received another spam email about this "amazing" weight loss pill...and it reminded me about my friend Brad Pilon's post on his supplement blog about this latest scam.
So if you want the straight goods that you can pass along to your family, friends or co-workers when you hear them asking about Hoodia, get it here:
http://muscle-insider.blogspot.com/2006/07/hoodia-on-radio.html
And also check out his insider tips for buying protein at:
http://www.muscle-insider.blogspot.com/
If you want the straight goods, always go to the man on the inside,
CB
I just received another spam email about this "amazing" weight loss pill...and it reminded me about my friend Brad Pilon's post on his supplement blog about this latest scam.
So if you want the straight goods that you can pass along to your family, friends or co-workers when you hear them asking about Hoodia, get it here:
http://muscle-insider.blogspot.com/2006/07/hoodia-on-radio.html
And also check out his insider tips for buying protein at:
http://www.muscle-insider.blogspot.com/
If you want the straight goods, always go to the man on the inside,
CB
Qi-Gong, Anxiety, & Stress Relief
Every Monday I spend an hour with my Qi-Gong instructor. It is a form of Tai Chi.
The purpose is for stress relief, dealing with anxiety, and improving breathing patterns.
Here's an article if you are interested in more info:
http://www.newstarget.com/019425.html
CB
The purpose is for stress relief, dealing with anxiety, and improving breathing patterns.
Here's an article if you are interested in more info:
http://www.newstarget.com/019425.html
CB
Monday, July 17, 2006
Smash Fat Loss Plateaus
Is your fat loss progress slowing down? Are you stuck at the same weight, the same body fat, or the same pant size?
Inevitably, everyone comes across a fat loss plateau. For some, it sticks around longer than others, but no matter how long it lasts, a fat loss plateau is always frustrating.
According to fat loss guru Tom Venuto, one way to burst through plateaus is to increase the intensity of your training.
After all, if you aren't getting results, it might simply mean that your training is not stimulating your body to change (so you can't expect last month's program to work again this month - that's why the Turbulence Training reports always recommend changing your program every 4 weeks).
In addition to changing my client's fat loss programs regularly, we use another TT training rule every workout to make sure that they are continuing to get results and avoid the dreaded fat loss plateaus.
The rule: Try to set a personal best in each workout.
Now the personal best can be accomplished in any weight exercise, bodyweight exercise, or even interval/cardio exercise.
For example, for many of my female clients, we are often trying to set new records in different kinds of push-ups and chin-ups. Recently I challenged one female client to get 15 chest-to-the-floor real pushups. I knew she had it in her. And she did. 15 perfect pushups, smashing her old record by two. It's no surprise she has the best, leanest arms of almost any woman in the gym.
And even if you are having a lousy day, and don't have much energy, you can still try to set a personal record in a low-intensity ab exercise like the plank or side plank.
The great thing is that even with a normal 6-exercise TT workout, there are at least 36 opportunities to set a new personal best.
First, you could set it in any of the 6 exercises.
Second, there are at least 3 ways to do every exercise. So you could have a record for close-grip bench, medium grip bench, and wider-grip bench.
Third, you can set a repetition record or a weight record. I.e. You could aim to get 2 more reps than last week in your db row exercise, or you could use a heavier dumbbell (all with good form, of course).
So that's at least 36 possible ways to set a record with your strength training. And that doesn't even count the ways that you could set a personal best in your interval training (increasing the distance covered, the time of the interval, the speed of the interval, or the number of intervals).
You can even set a new record by completing one of the bodyweight circuits faster than ever.
All it has to be is one personal best per workout. Keep a little spreadsheet at home and record your exercises, all the variations, and your rep record and weight records, and the date on which you set the record. Come back to that every week to update it and motivate yourself for your next workout.
The "personal best" rule will increase your motivation and sense of accomplishment and get you back on the fat loss track. At the end of each workout, you'll know that you still achieved progress - even if the scale hasn't changed in a couple of days.
Join the Turbulence Training revolution and find out just how good you can be,
CB
P.S. Only 48 hours left to get Tom's incredible Mission: Abdominals report...
and the 3 other time-sensitive bonuses from www.TurbulenceTraining.com - get over there today!
"I just wanted to let you know that I have been using your Turbulence Training program diligently since December 2005 and am very impressed by the results I am achieving. As a physician with a particular interest in sports medicine and injury prevention, I find your program to be a superior approach to permanent weight loss and muscular development.
The information you provide has a sound basis in all of the latest medical research surrounding exercise physiology and the science of muscle growth. I find your programs to be dynamic and the variety of fitness regimes you offer really minimize the possibility of falling prey to plateaus.
As a very busy professional with constant career and family related demands, I find that Turbulence Training is an efficient, highly effective and most of all, fun way towards achieving my fitness goals. I am very grateful to you for this. Keep up the excellent work. Through Turbulence Training, you are changing the lives of many people!"
Dr. Shayne Ladak Resident in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation McMaster University
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