Cosgrove & Ballantyne Talk Turbulence

This is from Alwyn Cosgrove's latest newsletter

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 total body workouts and work as much of the body with each exercise as possible. 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 in traditional 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.

I take a big picture approach to training. Pick exercises and techniques that are efficient and effective. That way, people will get in and out of the gym in as little time as possible. Therefore, they can spend more time training their sport skill or more time enjoying their life. You don't have to live in the gym to get great results. You just need a great program.

For beginners, here's what you need to succeed:

• Get your nutrition in order
• Get strong
• Train with intervals

If you are lean, strong, and fit, there isn't much that can stop you,

CB

P.S. Dozens of other trainers use Turbulence Training for their clients AND for themselves...

To get more TT, become a Member today.

"Craig, I just wanted to let you know that I've been using your Turbulence Training System to whip myself back into shape after a vacation and too much time in front of the computer getting a couple of projects completed and I've dropped 10.2 lbs. of bodyfat in the last 28 days. As a fellow fitness professional I can safely say that it's the best and most efficient approach to improving body composition that I've come across."

Pat Rigsby

President

The Fitness Consulting Group
Click here for a MUST READ for Personal Trainers

 

"I implemented your ideology into my training programme late last year and saw immediate results. Within a matter of weeks, I was able to complete near maximal sprints of 30 seconds with only 30 seconds rest with relative ease. I was getting so fit I was able to complete many more than the 6 sets of sprints prescribed in your manual! It works that well. It's no wonder I 've passed this effective, well thought out programme onto the people I train at my university's gym, and they love it! It decreases the amount of time needed to train, eliminates the boredom accompanied with steady state exercise, and maximises fat loss and strength gains, which from my experience, is exactly what people want. One guy I train has lost a stone and a half (21 lbs) using the programme and he only uses the gym 3 times per week compared to the 5 times he used to before using your ideas. Well-done mate."

Craig Bunting, CSCS, London, UK