Total Body Workout

After a big dog walk to start the day, I hit the gym for a new workout program...here's how it went down:

1A) Narrow Stance Squats (3x3 + 3x10)
1B) Cable Rotator Cuff (4x12)

2A) Military Press (4x8)
2B) RDL (3x8)

3) Bulgarian Split Squat (1 set only)

Unfortunately that workout lasted an hour...I did a lot of warm-up sets for the squats and military press.

Felt strong...liked this workout.

After the workout I had a chocolate milk and walked home. Then another tour with the dog. For lunch, I tried (for the first time ever) putting apple slices (Granny Smith) and asparagus in an omelet (with mushrooms, cheese, and spinach). It was a "great success!".

Give it a try,

Craig

PS - You now have access to over 37 different TT workouts...

...I've opened up the vault.

Click here to view ALL of the TT Monthly Workouts

7-Day Diet Plan for Fat Loss

Lots of exciting stuff in this week's 7-Day Diet Plan for Fat Loss. We're going to cover the latest diet study (with hidden messages), cool TT2K9 workouts, the 3 foods you can't eat, the truth about Starbucks and red bulls, and a link to me flexing my guns...





Allright, lets get started helping you burn fat!



If you want to listen to the TT podcast, here's the link.

=> Click here to listen to the fat burning TT podcast

Monday – March 2
So the latest diet study came out, and the researchers are saying...





"It doesn't matter what type of diet you use...they all work."





Okay, cool...but there are two more important hidden lessons the researchers gave us...





1) You simply need to find the right diet for your personality...it could be 6 meals per day or Brad Pilon's Fasting Program. Just choose whatever you can stick to...





2) Social support determines your success! The study found that the more often a subject attended counseling sessions, the greater their success. So don't try and do this on your own. Get help. Hang out with friends who will support you.





Now to review Workout A of TT2K9
1A) DB Chest Press (8)
1B) DB Row (12)



2A) Chin-up (6)
2B) KB 1-Arm Shoulder Press(8)



3A) Decline Close-Grip Pushup (15)
3B) Inverted Row (15)



4A) KB 1-Arm Swings (30s/side)
4B) Run in Place (30 seconds)

Tuesday
Do something fun for your 30 minutes activity...heck, you could laugh 30 minutes straight at these pictures of me flexing in my living room...



=> Click here to see my results with Turbulence Training for Life

Wednesday
Now for the TT Workout B 2K9. Another classic lower body-abs session.



1A) DB Split Squat (8)
1B) Stability Ball Rollout (8)
2A) DB RDL (10)
2B) X-Body Mountain Climber (10)
3A) KB or DB Swings (45 secs)
3B) Stability Ball Jackknife (15)



Interval Workout #1

That's a cool program...and so is my latest workout.



1A) Rtr Cuff Warmup
1B) Narrow Squat (3 RM)
2A) Military Press
2B) RDL
3A) DB Bulgarian Split Squat
3B) Abs

Thursday
Another day of 30 minutes of fun, easy activity. But more importantly, the 3 foods you must NOT eat if you want to lose fat.





1) Processed foods from a bag or a box. For example, avoid breakfast cereal - some give you the same amount of sugar as you get from a can of Coke!





2) Carbohydrate snacks (Seriously, who has ever been satisfied by a granola bar? No one! They just make you want more!)



3) Liquid calories - But you already knew that, right? Well if so, why are you still sucking back all that sugar each morning with a glass of OJ?

Friday
Let's take a look at TT 2K9 Workout C...It's the "so-famous-its-infamous" 10x10 Dumbbell Complex.



1) DB Bulgarian Split Squat
2) DB Shoulder Press
3) DB Step-up
4) DB Chest Press
5) DB Row
6) DB Lunge
7) DB Swing
8) DB Shrug
9) DB Incline Press
10) DB Squat

Saturday
Time for Social Support Saturdays.





If you skipped the 10x10 but want a challenge to do with a friend, check out the latest 300 workout version I filmed.



Click here for a home gym 300

Sunday
Take a couple of hours to plan, shop, & prepare. Wash everything, cook up some stuff, make some chili or stew. Get prepared.





And now for the truth about caffeine...on the call, I reveal that a Grande Starbucks contains 330 mg of caffeine...that's equal to MORE than 4 Red Bulls. C'mon! Do you need that? I don't want to hear you "crashing" on a caffeine come-down. So keep your intake low...remember - caffeine is a drug!

Next week!
• More transformation tips
• March Madness Circuits
• Diet tips





Now go burn some fat this week,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Looking for one of my old Turbulence Training Workouts?

You can now pick and choose and take home your favorite Turbulence
Training workouts for less than 10 bucks.

Check out the Turbulence Training archives here:

=> Click here to browse the Turbulence Training Library - its loaded!

March Madness Circuits...for $1

The March TT Workouts of the month are Crazy!

It's March Madness, baby!

Now I must warn you, these are advanced workouts...

...but you'll love them if you are ready!

And if you aren't currently a TT Member, you can get a 7-day sneak peak pass for only a buck.

Yep, for just ONE dollar you can access the TT Member's area and download the TT March Madness Circuit Workouts AND Videos...

Grab your $1 seven day pass here:

=> http://www.ttmembers.com/public/352.cfm

If you don't like the membership area, you need to cancel before the 7 days are up.

But I know you'll love it!

Once you're inside the member's area with your $1 pass (or if you are already a TT Member), go to this page to download the NEW March Madness Circuit workouts.

=> Click here to download the Circuit Workouts & Videos

Oh, and if you hurry, you'll also get the February workout before the end of the month.

You'll burn fat like MAD with these advanced workouts,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Grab your $1 seven day pass before I take down this special March Madness offer.

=> Click here to get the hot new circuit workout for $1

Healthy Eating Plan: One Big Secret to Ensure Your Weight Loss Succees

Today's healthy eating plan article comes from Australian Fitness Expert, Daniel Munday. It covers that controversial topic of "grains" in your diet...let's see what the expert from down under is saying...(and we're interested to hear your feedback as well - post your comment below).

Healthy Eating Plan: One Big Secret for Weight Loss Success

By Daniel Munday

Hands up everyone who is sick of the same old, run of the mill healthy eating plan information that comes from health professionals trotting out the same old tips time and time again. Yeah, I thought so. Me too.

 

This big secret is something that will send your fat loss results over the edge and can be the plateau breaker if you have been following a relatively healthy eating plan and training routine for a while now but are still looking for that little slimmer midsection.

 

Your biggest enemy on your quest for fat loss results is wheat.

 

Surprising as it may seem, most people whether they know it or not, actually have intolerance to wheat and the side effects of consuming anything with wheat in it are not pretty.

 

Have you ever had way too much gas that it becomes embarrassing, especially after eating something that you thought was healthy? Or that bloated belly that won't go away despite the amount of interval training and other weight loss workouts that you do? Yeah, me too.

 

That's the two big warning signs that your body doesn't respond well to wheat and no matter how hard you try, you are just not going to shift that last little bit of stubborn belly fat.

 

What foods actually contain wheat?

Unfortunately most processed foods contain wheat so that rules out all of the so called "healthy" cereals and nut bars, protein bars, and breakfast bars that are pushed by athletes, celebrities and dieticians who really should know better.

 

Bread also contains wheat and is far from being part of anybody's healthy eating plan. Even the grain bread that is supposed to be good for us is full of processed ingredients that are making our population fatter and fatter.

I have lost count of the amount of people that I have trained, myself included, who have experienced phenomenal fat loss results from taking this evil food out of their diets.

 

For those of you who are used to having your cereal and toast in the morning, the perfect alternative is some eggs or if you cannot stomach a hot breakfast, why not try some Greek yoghurt with fruit and add in some nuts for extra protein.

 

A perfect lunch time alternative to your sandwich is a salad filled with plenty of vegetables and a protein source like chicken breast, or you can even throw in a tin of salmon, tuna or even mixed means on top to give you some protein.

 

If you love a good pasta for dinner why not try the gluten free pasta. It tastes exactly the same as normal wheat pasta and you can still have your Italian fix without sabotaging your weight loss results.

 

Even though your wheat habit may be tough to break, I promise you that you do break the wheat cycle you will be shedding the body fat faster than ever before and giving up that slice of bread each meal will be more than worth it when you can look down and see the new, streamlined version of yourself. Trust me on this one!

***************

Thanks Daniel. Again, goes against what the "politically correct" dieticians will tell you, but we ain't about being "PC" here!

Learn more about Daniel by visiting: www.DanielMunday.com

March Madness Circuits Turbulence Training Workout

It is madness I tell you, March Madness!

March Madness Circuits Madness!

Click HERE for the March 2009 program

These all-new fat burning circuits will help you get lean, burn belly fat, and build that coveted athletic look in short, but FUN workouts.

NOTE: These are Advanced Workouts!

Discover the fat burning power of the March Madness Circuits!

You'll get...
- The Power Circuit
- The TT Pre-Fatigue Ab Circuit
- The 5-Minute Bodyweight Interval Training Session
- The KB-BW 10x20 Circuit
- The TT DB-BW Strength Circuit
- A NEW, unique TT Timed Bodyweight Interval Program

It's madness I tell you!

Back of the Body Workout

Back to the weights today, and I hit a cool "back of the body workout".

In my new program, I'm using a system from Joe Kenn's "Strength Training Playbook" which is a common-sense, yet innovative way to train athletes, especially large groups of athletes.

Smart dude. Quick read.

=> Click here to check out this book

Today's workout...

1) Deadlift

2) Overhead Squat

3A) Good Morning
3B) Pistol
3C) Pullup

Done. Then walked home on a nice day...good to see the temperature well above freezing and the sun is still out at 6pm.

Got home and filmed some cool videos for www.TTMembers.com

New youtube video coming tomorrow,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Want to check out the new MADNESS workouts?

=> Click here to discover all of the details about the TT March Madness Circuits

The Best Diet for Burning Belly Fat

This might be the coolest fat burning diet article ever, if you can call a diet article "cool". You're going to love the Ninja-analogies in this belly fat burning article...

******************************

The Best Diet for Burning Belly Fat

By Brad Pilon
Author, Fasting for Fat Loss

There are hundreds if not thousands of fat burning diets on the Internet. And, each diet claims to burn belly fat better and faster than the next.

They all SOUND reasonable, and of course they all talk about their 'massive amounts of scientific evidence so how do you tell which is the best fat burning diet for you?

Here are my three Ninja 'Fat Loss Assassin' tests for determining if a diet has any value:

1) Does it know the vital first rule of the 'Diet Martial Arts'?

In other words, does it create some form of caloric restriction?

If it doesn't, it's no good. If you want your diet to be a true 'fat assassin' and kill body fat in its sleep then you have to be in a calorie deficit (spending more calories then you are consuming) and the easiest way to do this is to simply eat less.

Most likely, this is common sense to you, but you would be surprised how many diets promise to burn AMAZING amounts of body fat while actually allowing you to eat MORE (No exercise necessary…of course)

2) Does it have Ninja-Like Flexibility?

A fat burning diet that is too restricting lacks flexibility. If it has two hundred and six rules you must follow and a long list of foods you can and cannot eat, chances are you will not be able to stick to this diet for an extend period of time.

If a diet can't bend to the demands of your life, it will snap. If it lacks flexibility, it's no good.

3) The Warrior Test

Any diet can be a good fat FIGHTER, waging a quick 3-day attack on fat before it burns out and dies on the battlefield.

However a true Warrior lasts the entire Battle…Your diet should be something you can follow for months, if not years. Noticeable fat loss doesn't happen overnight, and that's why any diet we choose to follow MUST have longevity. It has to last.

If it's a super-crash diet, it may give you great results in the short term, but it will lack longevity, and thus it will fail you.

If your diet passes the Ninja test, if it is skilled in the diet Martial arts, has the necessary flexibility and longevity, then it's the right diet for you.

Look for the simplest, easiest and most practical way to reduce calories and burn body fat that fits into YOUR unique lifestyle. This will always be the best fat burning diet for you.

Diets don't have to be complicated to work.

In fact, the simpler the diet is, the better the chances that you will see long term success.

******************************
Thanks Brad!

=> Click here for more nutrition help from Brad Pilon

Turbulence Training, a near 6-minute mile, and the 1000 Calorie Cardio Shocker

Yesterday I hit the gym and played around with a few exercises and superset combinations for the April "Awesome Abs" program.

 

At the end of the workout, I said, "What the heck, let's see how fast I can run a mile."

 

My result? 6:08.

Not bad for a guy who hasn't done "cardio" in 10 years!

 

Just goes to show you that you can stay fit without long, slow boring cardio...as long as you are doing Turbulence Training.

 

I also noticed that even though I ran a mile as fast as I could, I barely burned 100 calories in 6 minutes (360 seconds).

 

On the other hand, it's so easy to consume 1000 calories in less than 1000 seconds.

 

So you can't depend on cardio for fat loss. It's all about diet and Turbulence Training.

 

=> Click here to try out Turbulence Training for less than 5 bucks

 

Get more results in less time with TT,

 

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

 

PS - Big News!

 

...that Turbulence Training is now available in German!

 

Körperfett abbauen und Muskelmasse schaffen mit dem Turbulence Training!

 

Ha!

 

The site looks hilarious in German...especially the line about "sein Hund Bally".

 

Check out this site and share it with your German-speaking friends around the world...

 

=> http://www.TurbulenceTraining.de

Powerful Success Story

A powerful Turbulence Training success story...

*********

"Craig you have literally been the driving force in my life to lose so much weight, eat the way I am supposed to, and feel better about my life. I started out weighing 250lbs, being sick and tired of being sick and tired and desperate without any light.  

I then stumbled upon you on the Men's Health and your workouts and articles looked so simple I was in awe.  Well, that was 60lbs ago, and now I'm 190lbs and feeling better about life, waking up every morning and enjoying my day without fear.  I still have a long way to go (about 20-30 more lbs) but because of my past success I have found so much strength and encouragement in my life.  

As soon as I wake up in the morning I read your blog because it provides so much encouragement and I say to myself everyday, "Wow, Craig really does believe in me" and I know I can do it.  Even your blogs of just a few lines have encouraged me to go throughout the day and make small changes in my life, so much so that I started my own blog just to track myself and have a visual representation.

I figure if it's good enough for Craig Ballantyne then it's good enough for me. So I started blogging at http://davidsbestshapejournal.blogspot.com/ and I sort of hit a plateau right now for a couple of weeks.  I know I will push through and get through this though, with your help, and again I cannot say how thankful I am to you. If you are ever in Seattle, WA and would like a free lunch shoot me an email."
David Sandhu

************

David wins a free 1-Year Platinum TT Membership for his powerful success story.

If you have a success story, please email us or post it in the comment section of this blog.

Thanks!

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Click here to get started with Turbulence Training

6 Meals Per Day vs. Fasting for Fat Loss

So you might be thinking...

 

"How can Craig Ballantyne recommend that we eat "6 meals per day" and then also recommend "fasting"?"

 

These diets couldn't be more different from one another.

 

And that's true.

 

But it doesn't mean they both don't work, because they do.

 

On the one hand, you have the folks who are very regimented and organized and like to control their meals right down the last
calorie.

 

And that's fine and good (to a point, as long as they don't take it to the levels of Obsessive-Compulsive Eating).

 

I personally eat 5-8 meals/snacks per day (and most of them are shared with Bally the Dog - he loves apples, pears, peanut butter, avocado and almost anything else he can get his sneaky little paws on).

 

1) Breakfast (Blueberries, Pecans, Coconut flakes, Peanut butter, and sometimes a banana - all mixed up in a bowl & Green Tea)

 

2) Brunch (4 egg omelet with lots of vegetables and a bit of cheese - with salsa on top, plus a pear & Green Tea)

 

3) After workout (chocolate milk)

 

4) Late lunch (a combo of salad, nuts, fruit, raw vegetables, hummus)

 

5) Dinner (chicken breast or Amy's Organic Chili with vegetables)

 

6) After dinner snack (almonds & dried apricots, or an apple or pear plus almond butter)

 

But a lot of folks can't do that...either mentally, physically, or practically.

 

You either have no interest in eating that often, or you can't do it because of your busy job and home full of kids who need your attention.

 

Other folks roll their eyes at sticking to such an eating frequency or having to count their 6-meal calories on nutrition tracking software.

 

And those people tend to gravitate to Brad Pilon's fasting for fat loss program.

 

I like it too. In fact, I'll be doing a fast every week for the next 8-12 weeks during an experiment (more details to come when it's all over!).

 

If you don't want to deal with the hassles of mega-meal planning and calorie counting, grab your copy of Brad's revolutionary program.

 

=> Click here to view your copy of Brad's program

 

And find the right diet for your personality,

 

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

 

PS - Today is the last day...

 

...to view Brad's free video on protein myths and to grab your bonus copy of "How Much Protein?" - his shocking new report.

 

=> Click here to view Brad's controversial report on Protein

How to Get Sexy Arms with Female Specific Workouts

In today's guest article, you'll discover how to get sexy arms with female specific workouts. These 3 tips come from fellow Canadian trainer, Rylan Duggan, who is an expert at helping women "go sleeveless". Check out his site at GoSleeveless.com

How to Get Sexy Arms

By Rylan Duggan RK, BHK, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

WARNING: For women's eyes only (and sample workout below)

Although every woman wants to have washboard abs and a tight butt, how often are you really going to show these body parts off to the rest of the world?

With trips to the beach aside, probably not all that often right?

So what's the body part that grabs people's attention and let's them know that you have an incredible body?

What body part stands out and says "I'm HOT!" without having to walk around in skimpy clothing, baring a bunch of skin?

Your sexy arms of course!

Think of it this way: whether you are dressed for the office, the gym, or a night out on the town, your arms are out there for everyone to see.

I'm not going to sugar coat this and tell you that people aren't judging you, because the sad fact is, they ARE.

And it's your sexy arms that tell people in 3 seconds or less whether you have a great body or not.

So how can you get sexy arms like Angelina Jolie, Madonna, or Kelly Ripa?

Better yet, how can you get sexy arms like these stars, but WITHOUT a personal chef, dietitian, trainer, and herd of assistants at your beck and call?

Follow these three simple steps to sexy and you will be on your way:

Step 1 - Build The Muscle

Most women spend waaaay too much time on long cardio sessions, killing themselves trying to lose an extra pound or two, but never spending enough time with a serious strength training plan.

Here's the problem with this course of action: If you only ever focus on losing body fat, your arms will look worse!

Even some of the leanest women in showbiz have bat wing arms and droopy skin because they have neglected to build and sculpt the muscles in their arms.

Don't let this happen to you!

Start a strength-training program that emphasizes building, toning, and defining the muscles in your arms before you do anything else.

Step 2 - Burn The Fat

If you don't burn the fat away from your arms, then regardless of how much you sculpt and tone your arms, nobody will ever know. You have to get rid of the layer of fat on your arms if you ever want them to really stand out in a crowd. You cannot do this by spending hours on cardio and exercise classes that take months to show any visible difference.

Likewise, you can't get lean, sexy arms by just doing arm exercises - this is spot reducing, and no, it doesn't work.

What you can do is start a cardio and strength training program designed to torch body fat rapidly, and you will not only lose body fat from your arms, but the rest of you as well.

Step 3 - Burn Lots of Calories

You can tone and define your arms by losing body fat and building muscle, but if you don't burn loads of calories, it will be a never-ending task to try and maintain them. You MUST burn more calories if you ever want to keep sexy arms without starving yourself, and without spending hours in the gym each day.

The unfortunate fact is, that even the slightest increase in body fat will show up immediately on your arms.

You need to turn your body into a 24/7 fat burning and muscle building furnace that is working even when you aren¹t.

How To Put it All Together

If you want to get sexy arms, then you need a program that will burn fat, build muscle, and burn loads of calories all the same time; while putting specific attention on the arms to bring out maximum definition and sculpting.

The great new is this: Any program, like the Go Sleeveless program, that accomplishes all three of these goals will not only sculpt your arms, but will also melt fat from your entire body, shrink your waist and stomach, and tighten and define your whole body.

Here's a sample workout...

Superset #1 (repeat twice)
1A) Narrow-Width Incline Pushups (8-10 Reps)
1B) Mountain Climbers (20 reps)
Rest 30-60 seconds

Superset #2 (repeat twice)
2A) Dumbbell French Press (8-10 Reps)
2B) Weighted Bench Step-Ups (20 Reps)
Rest 30-60 secondsInterval

Cardio Workout (repeat three times)

Skipping: 2 minute round – as many as you can (try to get at least 100 in 2 minutes)
Rest 30 seconds
Shadowboxing: 1 minute round - throw at least 100 punches (left jab + right straight)
Rest 30 seconds

There is no reason that you have to put the rest of your body on hold while you work on creating a set of sexy arms that will stop traffic.

*************
Thanks Rylan!

=> Click here for the Go Sleeveless workouts

24-Hour Fat Burning Fast & Diet

So I've decided to do an experiment...I'll give you all of the details in a few weeks, but it involves me doing a 24-hour fat burning fast once per week.

 

In fact, I wrote out my first 24-hour fast diary below.

 

Now most people think fasting is crazy...but it's not.

 

In fact, fasting is becoming more and more mainstream everyday. I spent the weekend at a seminar, and after my talk on Sunday morning, I heard from several people who were fasting for fat loss.

 

It's so simple. So easy. And frankly, you'll find that you have more mental energy and you'll save 2-3 hours per day by not having to prepare food and clean up after it.

 

Here's my 24-hour "fat burning fast" diary.

 

Sunday, 10pm - Finished late dinner at Inde Bleu in Washington, DC (had scallops, lamb chops, and berries for dessert...(skipped the cheesecake).

 

Monday, 7am - Wake-up

 

8am - Workout (walking lunges, rotator cuff cable work, BB RDL, cable chop, seated narrow grip row, plank and side plank)

 

10am - Started to feel hungry

 

11am - Went to airport. Not hungry.

 

12pm - Sitting in airport lounge surrounded by really good smelling - and healthy - airport food. Someone beside me had a chicken breast salad with a southwestern sauce.

 

(Yeah, I know that sounds strange to say good food in an airport, but it's true! There is really no good reason to eat bad food at airports anymore. There are lots of healthy options.)

 

3pm - Arrive back in Toronto and run errands at home. Staying busy made me forget about food.

 

5pm - Felt hungry while waiting for Bally the Dog to get dropped off from doggy camp. Drank Green Tea.

 

6pm - Walk with Bally through west-end Toronto. No hunger. Followed by quick doggy wrestle and then some deep breathing to reduce stress and increase sense of calm. Very relaxing.

 

7pm - Drank another Green Tea while preparing for Tuesday's emails and newsletters, and answering questions on TT forum.

 

9pm - End of fast, 1 hour early, but didn't want to eat too late before bed. Snack of raw vegetables and hummus followed by 1 pear, 1 banana, 1 apple.

 

9:30pm - Time to take Bally outside for a minute and then off to sleep. Only 3 more days till I head to LA for the weekend.

 

So that's how my latest 24 hour fat burning fast went...it was good.

 

If you want to discover everything you need to know about fasting for fat loss, you must visit this fasting website:

 

=> Click here to discover the secrets of fasting for fat loss

 

It will give you the power OVER food,

 

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

 

PS - Brad Pilon is one of the world's experts on fat burning fasts...

 

...and on how much protein we really need.

 

=> Click here for Brad's free video on protein

How Much Protein Do You Really Need?

So Friday night I'm in the hotel lounge getting ready to go out for dinner, and I got suckered into a debate with a bodybuilder.

 

Ugh.

 

Even worse, the conversation was about protein.

 

Double-ugh.

 

So I had to listen to the bodybuilder rant and rave about how you need hundreds of grams of protein per day to build muscle.

 

But that's not true.

 

You don't need...

 

- to eat hundreds of grams of protein per day

 

- to eat chicken breast and cans of tuna at every meal

 

- to drink a single protein shake

 

(I haven't had a protein shake since the winter of 2006).

 

In fact, my friend Brad Pilon just wrote a shocking new book about exactly how much protein we need to change our bodies.

 

I read it 2 weeks ago on a quiet Friday night and I loved it. It answers all of your protein questions, from "how much should I eat" to "how much protein can I digest at one time".

 

=> Click here to view Brad's new book

 

Don't believe the protein hype,

 

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

 

PS - Brad is a reformed protein-addict...

 

...You'll laugh at how obsessed he once was with protein...and how he's now leaner and healthier without massive amounts of protein in his diet.

 

=> Click here to view Brad's new book

7-Day Fat Burning Guide & Workout Plan

Do you want to lose belly fat this week? If so, then you'll love this 7-day fat loss guide full of workout tips, motivation, inspiration, and mindset shifting.

Click here to download the 7-Day Fat Loss Audio Guide

Let's get started with the Transformation Tip of the Week.

In order to transform your body you must get out of your comfort zone. As Kekich Credo #1 says…

“People will do almost anything to stay in their comfort zones. If you want to accomplish anything, get out of your comfort zone. Strive to increase order and discipline in your life.

"Discipline usually means doing the opposite of what you feel like doing. The easy roads to discipline are…

• Setting deadlines

• Discovering & doing what you do best & what’s important & enjoyable to you

• Focusing on habits by replacing your bad habits and thought patterns, one-by-one, over time, with good habits and thought patterns

Those are 3 easy ways to get in a fat burning mindset. So set deadlines to take action, discover the diet and exercise program you like best (and that works), and focus on creating better habits every day using the Ballantyne Baby-Step System (BBSS).

Monday Workout
TT Workout A 2K8
(Click here to download TT2K8 in the TT Member's area)

1A) DB Forward Lunge – 8 repetitions per side (2-0-1)
No rest.
1B) DB Incline Press – 8 repetitions (3-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

2A) DB Row – 8 repetitions per side (2-0-1)
No rest.
2B) Stability Ball Leg Curl – 20 repetitions (1-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

3A) DB Deep Step-up – 8 repetitions per side (2-0-1)
No rest.
3B) Decline Close-grip Pushups – As many reps as possible (1-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Interval Training Workout A

This is one of the programs that makes Turbulence Training the greatest and fastest fat loss program in the world.

Tuesday
You have to listen to the call for this section…I blow the doors off the “definition of health and fitness” and the “Cardio mentality”.

It will offend some, upset many, and challenge everyone.

I’ll cover cardio and health, longevity, true fitness, fat loss, and athletic performance.

Click here to listen to the crazy cardio call!

Wednesday
TT Workout B 2K8 (January 2008)

1A) DB Squat – 12 repetitions (3-0-1)
No rest.
1B) DB Triple Press – 6 repetitions per position (2-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

2A) Inverted Row with Feet on Ball – 15 repetitions (2-0-1)
No rest.
2B) Plank with Elbows on Ball (30 seconds)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

3A) DB Close-grip Floor Press – 8 repetitions (2-0-1)No rest.
3B) DB Pullover – 8 repetitions (3-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Interval Workout – 1-Arm Kettlebell or Dumbell (DB) Swings

• 2 warm up sets of 6 reps per arm with 30 seconds of rest between sets.
• 5 sets of 15 reps per arm with 30 seconds of rest between sets.
• 5-minute walking cool-down.

Thursday
Alright, I’m off to LA, but will get my 30 minutes of activity, probably doing bodyweight exercises.

Click here for the 10 best bodyweight exercises

Friday
There’s one more workout from TT2K8 to go over…

1A) Chin-up – As many repetitions as possible (3-0-1)
No rest.
1B) DB 1-Arm Shoulder Press – 8 repetitions per side (2-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

2A) 1-Leg Squat – 8 repetitions per side (3-0-1)
No rest.
2B) DB Fly – 10 repetitions (3-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

3A) DB Chest Supported Row on Incline Bench – 12 repetitions (2-0-1)
No rest.
3B) Ab Wheel or Stability Ball Rollout – 8 repetitions (3-0-1)
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Interval Training Workout B

Saturday
Everyone ready for “Social Support Saturdays”?

I’ll be in LA at a seminar, a really busy schedule, so again, I’ll be hitting bodyweight stuff…probably a hotel room workout. Check out the hotel room workout I’ve put on the site at:

=> www.bodyweightcardio.com

And grab your copy with the new 3-pay payment plan.

Sunday
Take some time to plan, shop, & prepare and get your groceries done and meals prepared. And if you have a chance, watch this cool video tour of the “farm” where I grew up.

=> http://tinyurl.com/CraigsOldHouse

Next week, we are going to cover the legendary TT2K9!

You are going to love it!

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

10 Best Beginner Bodyweight Exericses

Hey, coming to you from Washington, DC. Just wrapped up the first day of a big seminar, learning how to serve you better.

Nutritionally, I've been right on during this travel, unlike the businessman I saw at the Toronto Airport eating a chocolate bar and chugging a coke.

Bad idea.

I bet he felt terrible by the time the flight landed. On the other hand, I felt great because I packed some apples and cashews. Even if I didn't pack those, I could have bought raw almonds and some fruit at their airport. There is no excuse to eat bad on the road.

Then last night I had dinner with Susan Hill (I'm working on a golf project with her) and Vince DelMonte (formerly skinny vinny). I had a grilled chicken breast with an Italian vegetable salad. Haven't had artichokes, white beans, and olives in a salad before. Great stuff.

So this morning I hit a great workout in the gym. 2nd best hotel gym I've ever used. Heavy dumbbells, bench press, pull-ups, awesome.

But...even though there were 25 people in the gym at 6:00am, I was the only one lifting. They were all on the ellipticals...you know what I think about that...

However, that wasn't the worst thing I saw in the gym...

Instead, it was another classic case of the well-meaning, but incompetent trainer. He was working with a beginner, overweight woman and they went through a round of machines first. That's fine. I won't grumble too much about that. But then he had her do lunges.

Why, why, why do trainers insist on making unqualified folks do lunges?

My favorite line was when he told his overweight, beginner, un-coordinated client that, "it's okay to fall over doing lunges, it means your muscles are doing more work".

Right, just like its okay to get in a car crash, because now you get to use your bumper!

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.

Is it any wonder why I'm trying to change the industry with the Turbulence Training Certification and Fat Loss Revolution.

I'll be teaching trainers a better way of training clients for more results and fewer injuries.

Here are the 10 best beginner bodyweight exercises I would have used with this woman instead of advanced athletic movements and
generic machines.

1) 1-leg lying hip extension

2) Plank

3) Stability ball leg curl

4) Side Plank

5) Stick-up

6) Low Step-ups

7) Bird Dog

8] Kneeling or Incline Pushup

9) Stability Ball Hip Extensions

10) Beginner Inverted Row

Check out some of these exercises in video workouts here:

=> http://www.BodyweightCardio.com

In a future email I'll give you my full progression of lower body and single-leg bodyweight exercises that will take a beginner from clutz to lean, athletic pro.

Coming soon.

Until then, stay strong, just say NO to cardio, and train safe.

Bodyweight to the rescue,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

10 Best Bodyweight Exercises

I'm off to Washington today...but not to ask for a bailout!

Instead, I'll be there to speak to business-folks about how they can transform their bodies and lives in just 90 days or less using the Turbulence Training Lifestyle and my "Baby Step Kick-Start" methods.

I guess you could say I'll be helping them give their bodies their own bailout!

And while I'm there, I'll be doing bodyweight exercises in my hotel room and down in the hotel gym, using my new Hotel Room Workout DVD's and maybe even some "TT Bodyweight Cardio".

I'll be using my best advanced bodyweight exercises, and I wanted to share those with you...so here they are:

The Top 10 Advanced Bodyweight Exercises

(The 10 Best Beginner Exercises will come in tomorrow's email.)

1) Pull-ups (If you want to build muscle, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how hard pullups can work your chest!)

2) 1-Leg Squats (This is advanced, but you can practice by squatting back onto a bench.)

3) Spiderman Pushup (A TT classic! I know you love them!)

4) Inverted Rows (Most folks neglect their upper backs, but you won'tif you use this powerful exercise.)

5) Bulgarian Split Squats (This exercise might bring out the most "curses" directed at me from folks doing TT workouts!)

6) Chin-ups (Again, this doesn't just work your back, but your chest, biceps, and even your shoulders.)

7) Decline Push-up (You can make this harder by doing close-grip or spiderman versions.)

8] 1-Leg Stability Ball Leg Curl (Your hamstrings have to work as hard as possible in this one...great for building a better backside.)

9) Stability Ball Ab Rollout (My current favorite ab exercise.)

10) Burpees (Way better than long, slow cardio for fast results.)

If you want to see how to use those exercises in a fat burning workout, grab your copy of the Ultimate Bodyweight DVD package here:

=> Click here for the Ultimate Bodyweight Fat Burning Solution

Beginner exercises to come tomorrow,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Finally, we've added a Payment-Plan method for the BodyweightDVD package...

...You'll pay 3 monthly payments of only $82.33 to get all of the DVD's and Manuals, and a 1-Year Platinum TT Membership.

Grab your copy here:

=> Click here for the TT Bodyweight Payment Plan

(Just click on "Payment Plan" in the top right hand corner.)

Bodyweight Workouts Vs. Cardio Workouts

If you are sick of using the cardio machines or if you don't have any equipment to use for a workout at home, then you are going to love these three bodyweight exercises for fat loss.

For years, men and women have been getting bored of long, slow cardio, and frustrated because they weren't getting weight loss results. Recently, interval training for fat loss has become popular because it is fast, fun, and effective.

But even people who do interval training on machines find that can get boring and expensive (to go to a gym or to have a machine at home).

So what can you do for fat loss when it's minus 5 degrees outside and you're stuck at home without any equipment? Is your only option to use a Jane Fonda workout tip from the attic (oops, you don't have a VCR anymore, so that option is out!).

Good news! You can do bodyweight workouts. In fact, bodyweight workout programs are going to be a huge fat loss trend in 2009 because they work fast, you can do them at home, and they cost no money to get started.

You can use bodyweight circuits to replace traditional cardio fat loss workouts and fat burning interval training. This is great for folks who train at home without a cardio machine to use for traditional intervals.

A simple bodyweight circuit goes like this. Choose 3 lower body and 3 upper body exercises and alternate between lower and upper body exercises until you have done all 6 exercises. Then rest 1 minute and repeat as much as you can in 15 minutes.

For example, you could start with bodyweight squats, followed by pushups, lunges, stick-ups, step-ups, and the plank. That's pretty simple, and depending on your fitness level, you could do anywhere from 5-50 repetitions per exercise. Of course, you could also choose harder versions of each exercise.

The next level of bodyweight circuit workouts for fat loss adds two exercises to the regular six exercise circuit. In this case, you'll add a quick movement at the start and at the end of the circuit.

So here's a more advanced bodyweight workout for weight loss at home.

Start with jumping jacks, followed by prisoner squats, close-grip pushups, split squats, bodyweight rows, 1-leg lying hip extensions, and mountain climbers, finishing with running in place for 20 seconds. Again, rest 1 minute and repeat 2-4 more times for fat loss depending on how fit you are. The first time doing this, do only 2 circuits.

Finally, the third and most difficult way to do bodyweight workouts for fat loss is to used timed bodyweight intervals. In this case, you'll do a bodyweight exercise for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of holding a tough position. For example, with bodyweight squats, you'll do 20 seconds of squatting followed by a 10 second hold in the bottom position. You'll repeat that up to 8 times, but sometimes only 2-4 times depending on the exercise. Then move on to the next exercise.

This is tough stuff!

Here's an example of a timed bodyweight interval fat loss circuit workout. First, do 20 seconds of bodyweight squats followed by a 10 second hold in the bottom position for 10 seconds. Repeat that 8 times. Then do 20 seconds of pushups followed by a 10 second hold at the top of the pushup position. Repeat that 2-4 times. Do kneeling pushups if you must.

Finally, finish with a plank-side plank combination. Do 20 seconds of the plank, then 10 seconds side plank on your right side, then 20 seconds plank and 10 seconds side plank on your left side.

Repeat that sequence 4 more times. You'll find this mini-circuit to be a great challenge, even if you are fit.

If you are a beginner, start with the easier bodyweight circuit at the start of this article or work with a personal trainer to learn these exercises and their proper technique. Always train conservatively and be safe.

But that's how you do bodyweight workouts for fat loss with no equipment in the comfort of your own home in just 20 minutes and without spending any money. That's a pretty darn good deal!

Click here for more bodyweight cardio workouts

Buff Dudes, Hot Chicks, and the Hardest TT Workout Ever!

The TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks program contains the "Hardest TT Workout Ever!". Go ahead, give Workout C a try and let me know what names you call me!

The timed bodyweight intervals kick butt - and burn fat fast.

Plus, you'll get extra supersets, more abs, shorter interval workouts and as I mentioned, your first chance to do my timed bodyweight interval training programs.

Overall, Turbulence Training for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks is a classic upper-body, lower-body split with extra total body ab exercises, more resistance training for muscle sculpting, and shorter, but harder interval training workouts make for a unique twist on the Turbulence Training program.

But this workout is only available to ALL TT Members until the end of February...then it goes into the Platinum Member's Library.

Click here to get started with TT for Buff Dudes & Hot Chicks

Tour of Where It All Began...

Hey! Here's a little video I filmed for you on Ballantyne's Day Weekend of the home where I grew up...where I started working out with my York Universal weight machine, and where I did the first Turbulence Training-style Bodyweight program back in 1994!

It's a cool little video...plus, Bally the Dog plays best supporting comedic dog in this one, acting crazy like always...

Lower Body Workout

This was my last week for this lower body workout...next week I'm switching it up to 3-day, total body workout program (legs-push-pull in each workout). But today, I got up early (6:30am), went to the dogpark with Bally the Dog and then hit the Stratford YMCA for squats.

Started with Snatches first, then overhead squats. Just one real set of each with a bunch of warm-up sets. Then into...

1A) Wide-Stance Squats (3x6)
1B) Face Pulls (3x10)

2A) Olympic Squats (4x8)
2B) Pullups (14, 8, 7, 5)

That was it. Then back home for another dog walk. Bally went for a swim after chasing a muskrat into the river behind my parents house. He loves the cold, the snow, and the water. Crazy dog!

Back to the big city now,

Craig

PS - I have a really neat video for you tomorrow...watch this space...

Or...

Follow me for all the details at www.TurbulenceTwitter.com

Sunday Morning in the Gym

It's really cute to see folks my mom's age getting "into fitness" and working out, and especially seeing the women doing resistance training at the gym, BUT...

...it's disappointing to see that so many trainers (or magazines) have shown these keen folks poor exercise form, useless exercises, and ridiculous workout programs.

And now these folks are keen to show their friends, and the gyms are full of 65 year old men and women beginners doing exercises and workouts they shouldn't be doing.

It's going to give resistance training a bad name...because in a few short months they'll have shoulder impingment injuries from doing bench dips, narrow grip upright rows, and smith machine presses.

I'm also not sure why a trainer would give an overweight 50 year old woman a workout consisting of dumbbell chest flies, 3 biceps exercises, and 3 triceps exercises. But that's another workout I saw today.

Whatever happened to good old kneeling pushups progressing to real pushups?

Why do beginner, overweight, 50-65 years young men and women need to be following workouts used by steroid abusers from Muscle and Fiction?

Here's a better beginner's workout you can do at home...while lying on the floor!

5 Reasons Why the Term "Cardio" is Lame

"Cardio" is the "Economic Stimulus Bill" of the fitness world. You can put your hopes in it, but generally it isn't going to do anything for you, and it will just waste your time and resources.

Most people don't realize that there was "life before cardio". People used to exercise outdoors. They participated in sports. They played games - outside! - with their family and friends. They used their feet or bicycles for transportation (rather than driving 15 minutes to the gym to go do "cardio").

So here are the top 5 reasons why I think the term "cardio" is lame.

1) People hate doing cardio.

Have you ever met a person who smiled when they said, "Oh, I have to go do cardio now." (That's not the same as the excitement an endurance athlete gets when they go "training". That's different from "cardio". Endurance athletes don't call their workouts, "cardio".)

NOTE:
So if you are a runner, and you love to run, and you tell me (with a smile), "I'm going out for a run", then that's cool by me. Nothing wrong with that. But if don't like to run, and you tell me (with a pout), "I'm going out for a run because I have to get my cardio", then I say, "Boooooo to that". Life's to short to hate your workouts!

2) People mistakingly believe that 30 minutes of half-assed cardio (which is what most people do) will help them lose weight.

But it won't. It just wastes their time. People are obsessed with the calorie counters on machines. I truly believe this is how folks get hooked and obsessive compulsive with cardio...because all they can think about is how many calories they have burned, and how much food that means they can eat.

"Cardio" does not promote healthy relationships with food.

3) People think you have to "cardio" (i.e. go to a gym and exercise on a machine that doesn't go anywhere) for 30 minutes in order to be healthy.

You don't have to do "cardio" to be healthy. There is so much more to health than 30 minutes of "cardio". Your diet is more important for your cardiovascular health than your exercise regime. Plus, as long as you're active each day (doing manual labor, "cardio", playing sports, or lifting weights), you're doing enough to meet the minimum required amount of exercise for cardiovascular health.

4) People think "cardio" will help them with sports performance or their short, burst fitness (like climbing stairs).

It rarely does.

In fact, the guy who does "cardio" in preparation for his basketball, soccer, hockey, or Ultimate Frisbee league is going to be sorely disappointed by how slow he is - and by how he lacks sports-specific fitness as much as all the guys who just lifted weights all off-season. Plus, doing traditional "machine cardio" does not prepare you for sports-specific movements or speed of movement, so you're just as likely - if not more likely - to get injured during the early season.

5) It signifys a waste of time, inefficiency, and a sheep-like mentality towards doing something just because everyone else is doing it.

Seriously, if you were from another planet and you came down to earth and went into a big commercial gym and look at the "cardio" section, pardon me, the "cardio theater" section, you'd smile to yourself and say, "wow, this planet is going to e easy picken's".

"Cardio" is also lame because people use cardio as a time to catch up on their magazine reading and TV watching (and now Internet and email time). That about says it all. Workout time is not multi-task time.

So what should you be doing instead if you want to sculpt your body, burn fat, lose your belly, and get lean before summer?

You should skip the "cardio" (let's not ever use that phrase again) and focus on total-body, multi-muscle resistance training and interval training exercises to help you build "everyday" strength and fitness (like the ability to carry groceries or children, or climb 3 flights of stairs as fast as possible).

Plus, with these total body workouts, you'll save time and get more health benefits than you will with straight "cardio". (Sorry to use that term again.)

Helping you get more results while saving time and money,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - If you want the best, fastest, and most effective fat burning workouts that you can do at home...

...(without the indignity of driving to a gym to use a sweaty, disgusting "cardio" machine), then grab your copy of Turbulence Training for Fat Loss.

Click here for a $4.95 Trial Offer of Turbulence Training for Fat Loss   

5 free ab & bodyweight workouts

This week...some free ab and bodyweight workouts for you as we cover the Turbulence Training 2K7 program...man, there were a lot of options in that program!

Here we go with this week's 7-day fat burning tips. You can listen to the full phone coaching call here:

=> Click here to listen to the call

Monday, February 16th
This week's transformation tip is to consider Fasting for Fat Loss.

Sure, it sounds a little crazy, and you have 1001 excuses not to do it, but consider this. The first two TT Contest winners both used regular fasting to burn fat.

Heck, I even did the January Turbulence Training seminar while fasting from 6pm to 6pm. This allowed me to skip lunch and do an hour long q'n'a session with attendees. You'll find you get more work done while fasting.

Check out my friend Brad Pilon's Eat Stop Eat program (plus, he has a shocking new protein book coming out tomorrow!) Visit his site to be the first to know about it...

Now it's time to dissect a workout...lets go into the vault for Turbulence Training 2K7.

Workout A
1A) Barbell or DB Squats
1B) DB Incline Press

2A) DB Row
2B) 1-leg Bench Squat (tricky, but effective)

3A) DB Swings
3B) Squat Thrusts with Pushups (tough!)

Optional TT Ab Circuit Training
Optional Interval Training

Tuesday
You can do the optional ab circuits on your off days. Here's the beginner level ab circuit from 2K7...

1) Plank (30 second hold)
2) Mountain Climber (5 reps per side)
3) Side Plank (15 second hold per side)
4) Bird Dog (3 reps per side with a 5 second hold at the top)

For the top 10 minimal equipment ab exercises, check out my latest article...

=> http://tinyurl.com/10bestabs

You'll be surprised!

Wednesday
Another TT 2K7 session, this time...

Workout B
1A) Pullups
1B) DB Bulgarian Split Squat

2A) DB Chest Press or Bench Pres
2B) DB Step-up

3A) Alligator Crawl or Mountain Climber (The Alligator is a unique ab exercise.)
3B) DB Siff Squat

Optional Abs Circuit
Optional Interval Training

Thursday
Here's an advanced level ab circuit from TT 2K7.

1) Plank with Arms on Ball (30 second hold)
2) X-Body Mountain Climber (12 reps per side)
3) Side Plank (30 second hold)
4) Stability Ball Jackknife (15 reps)

Friday
A nice strong TT Workout to finish off the week.

Last week, on Friday the 13th, I hit the gym and it was crazy busy! I still managed my regular workout, but if you ever find yourself in a busy gym...consider this bodyweight circuit:

1) Prisoner Squat
2) Jumping Jacks
3) Back Extension
4) T Pushup
5) Stability Ball Leg Curl
6) Burpee with pushup

Finally, on Friday nights, that's when I would start fasting for fat loss, if I was using the program. I've done three of these weekend fasts now, and they are easy. Check out www.CraigsWeekendDiet.com for more info.

Saturday
Time for Social Support Saturdays!

Why not put together a little "Workout Challenge Group" that meets every week to do a session and then hang out and chat about healthy eating and living over a coffee or Green Tea and healthy food?

That will help you reach your goals.

Your challenge workout group could start with this Advanced Ab Circuit from TT2K7. But remember, this is and ADVANCED workout - not for beginners.

1) Pushup Plank Hand Touch (10 reps per side, move slowly)
2) Grasshopper Pushup (5 reps per side)
3) Stability Ball Rollout (8 reps - replaces the Stability Ball Crunch I had in there originally - no more crunches needed)
4) Stability Ball X-Body Mountain Climber

Sunday
Plan, shop, & prepare day!

This week, make it your goal to eat at or above 90% compliance with your diet plan. Find out why by listening to this week's call:

=> Click here to listen to the call

Next week: The 10 Toughest Bodyweight Exercises

Until then, have fun and stick to your diet and workouts with social support.

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Keep an eye out for...

...nutrition expert Brad Pilon's controversial new book on protein. He skewers the supplement industry's marketing that has you convinced that you need more than 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.

(They even fooled me on that one for a while!)

But Brad covers the truth in his book, and shows you there is ONE supplement that actually does WORK for building muscle...

Interesting stuff.

Visit this website to be alerted of when his new book is ready:

=> Click here for the Protein Controversy Book

January TT Success Story of the Month!

Derek Murphy is the January 2009 Turbulence Training Success Story of the Month, and wins a 1-Year Platinum Turbulence Training Membership. Congrats Derek! Here's his inspiring story...

********
"I am now beginning week 6 of the 12 week TT contest. I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for the progress you've made in the way I look and feel in just 6 weeks!  

As I start this week, the half-way point, it amazes me that I've already lost almost 10 lbs. in just 5 full weeks.  

I started at 215 lbs. and now I'm about to break a plateau that I thought was previously unbreakable: I'm approaching 200 lbs!  The little needle on the scale is hovering just above 205 right now!  Come on!  

My initial TT goal was to see a "1" in front of my weight number at the end of the 12 weeks.  I've cinched my belt tighter by one notch, and I'm probably going to have to drop my waist size down the next time I buy some pants.  

I went from being a guy who never considered trying on anything other than an XL shirt to wearing L and even a couple of (very) old Mediums that were still tucked back in my closet.  But even more important than my outside (and I'm not going to lie...it's important!) is what's happening inside my body.  

One year ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (which runs in my family) and put on medication.  I weighed in at around 235 lbs.  

I've struggled with my weight at around the 220 lb. mark my whole adult life.  I always thought this was my natural plateau.  

What I didn't realize until last year is that I was killing myself slowly.  I gave myself high blood pressure because I was choosing to deal with everyday stress by eating fried, greasy food, washing it down with lots of beer and soda, and typing on my computer keyboard was pretty much the extent of my daily exercise.  

I read Men's Health, I studied exercise and nutrition in my spare time.  I had no excuses.  The information is out there and you can choose to use it or not.  I was choosing not to use it at the expense of my weight and my health.  

Well, over the course of this last year it's been a great journey back to healthy living and eating.  Back at the beginning of the summer, I went through Men's Health's Belly Off program, and I had some success with that: dropping from around 225 to about 215.  

But it was that 215-220 range that I kept hovering in.  I realized this was due to two things: I wasn't using intervals training effectively and I still wasn't eating right.  I'd given up the fried, fatty foods but I was still going overboard on starchy carbs.  

Then, I found you and TT, and through you I found Isabel De Los Rios and a different way to eat.  I still enjoy some whole grain cereal and bread, but now I don't eat any starchy carbs after lunchtime and no eating after 7pm!  

Combine that with adding intervals training to the TT Bodyweight Program, and I've lost as much weight in 5 weeks as I did in 5 months doing it the "old way" of long, slow boring cardio.  

Oh, and I did all of this without going to a gym, without lifting a single weight, and without using one piece of machinery!  I take my workouts outside when I can and use things around me as a makeshift gym (like jumping up to grab the edge of my back deck to knock out my chinups).  

By using my own bodyweight for resistance and combining that with smart intervals training, the fat is melting off.  My blood pressure is back to normal and I've kicked the meds to the curb...don't need them anymore!  

Thanks for Turbulence Training and for putting all of this info out there, Craig.  I can't wait to see what happens in the next 6 weeks.  Looking forward to sending in my final picture and essay to you then!"
Derek Murphy
Charlotte, NC

Click Here to Get Started with Turbulence Training

3 Ballantyne's Day Gifts for You - Last Chance!

Can you believe what Jillian Michaels, star of the show, "The Biggest Loser", said about me and Turbulence Training?

She said, "If you want to get six pack abs, you need to get Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne!".

Don't believe me?

It's true. She said it on her radio show in LA last January. And you can see why they pay her the big bucks, because she knows what works for burning belly fat and helping you get 6-pack abs.

So we aren't going to argue with Jillian Michaels. After all, she seems pretty tough. In fact, we're going to take her advice and give you a really good reason to grab your copy of Turbulence Training for your abs.

So...it's time for the annual "TT Ballantyne's Day Sale" to help you get your abs out of hiding in time for summer!

Until Friday, February 13th at 10pm EST, you'll save $10 on the Turbulence Training for Abs program AND you'll get THREE free gifts.

Gift #1) Turbulence Training 2K9
Featuring the now infamous 10x10 Dumbbell Circuit, the TT2K9 program features all of the best fat burning exercises I discovered in 2008.

Gift #2) Turbulence Training for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks
A classic upper-body, lower-body split with extra total body ab exercises, more resistance training for muscle sculpting, and
shorter, but harder interval training workouts...including the HARDEST TT workout ever designed.

Gift #3) A free 3-month Turbulence Training Membership (retail value $89.85)!

And not only do you get these 3 gifts if you grab your copy today, but you also save 25% on the Turbulence Training for Abs Package. But hurry, this sale ends at 10pm (EST) tonight!

=> Click here to grab your copy & gifts before the sale ends tonight!

You'll be the BIGGEST loser of belly fat in your town,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Today is the LAST DAY of the Ballantyne's Day sale!

Because we are off to celebrate Ballantyne's Day tomorrow.

So grab your copy of Turbulence Training for Abs today and save 25% off while also getting 3 free gifts, including a 3-Month Turbulence Training Membership.

PPS - Normally, a single month's TT membership costs $29.95...

...but you'll get 3 months freee PLUS all of the TT for Abs belly fat burning workouts for only $29.95 when you take advantage of my Ballantyne's Day Sale.

Grab your copy and 3-month TT Membership here before the sale ends:

=> http://www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com

10 Best Ab Exercises

Here are the 10 best ab exercises that you can do without cables, ab crunches, or sit-ups. You don't need any fancy ab exercise infomercial gadgets and you won't get a pain in the neck from doing these exercises (like you do when you perform hundreds of crunches and sit-ups).

These abdominal exercises require little equipment. It's mostly just a stability ball and your bodyweight that is necessary, although you'll be surprised by one abdominal exercise in the mix that requires dumbbells. These exercises are intermediate and advanced, and can easily be put into short workouts (like the 6 minute abs workout).

So here they are...the top 10 ab exercises that you can do with almost no equipment...and none of them require dreaded crunches!

1. Plank with your arms on the Ball (30% more effective than plain ol' planks, according to Men's Health magazine)

2. Ball Rollouts (probably my favorite ball ab exercise)

3. Hanging Knee Raises (classic exercise that most folks do wrong...but if done right, will work your abs safely and effectively)

4. DB Renegade Row (this is the biggest surprise on the list...but it works your lower obliques incredibly hard)

5. Ball Jackknife (always a tough one for beginners to get the hang of...but when they do, they get a lot of six pack ab benefits)

6. Ball Jackknife Rotation (a tougher version of the jackknife)

7. Ball Jackknife-Pushup Combo

8. X-Body Mountain Climber (one of my favorites...so simple yet so effective)

9. X-Body Mountain Climber with Hands on Ball

10. X-Body Mountain Climber with Feet on Ball (an even more effective version of the regular X-Body mountain climber)

All of those exercises are in the programs at:

=> Turbulence Training for Abs

More top ten exercise lists coming soon,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - I've added a BIG NEW free bonus to the Turbulence Training for Abs package...

...Not only do you get the workouts, the nutrition bonus from Isabel De Los Rios (with meal plans!), my motivation secrets, and 3 free months in the TT membership, but you also get the January and February TT Workouts of the Month.

Plus, you'll save 25% when you get started before the end of Friday.

=> Click here to save money and get six pack abs

2009 Version of a 300 Workout

Hardest Turbulence Training Workout Ever

Well, here it is...the program formerly known as the "Hardest TT Workout Ever" (until this month's Workout C from "TT for Buff Dudes & Hot Chicks" de-throned it).

This workout is from the original 4-week Turbulence Training for Abs monthly program I put together back in September, 2007.

NOTE: This is not a beginner's workout.

DOUBLE NOTE: Even if you are advanced, just do 1-2 sets of each exercise your first time through this program. Or at least make sure you don't watch any funny movies for 3-5 days. Train safe!

TT for Abs Workout B

- Start with the bodyweight warm-up circuit

Superset #1

1A) DB Bulgarian Split Squat - 8 reps per leg (2-1-1)

- 30 seconds rest

1B) Elevated Pushup - 12 reps per side (2-0-1)

- Rest 1 minute before repeating 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Superset #2

2A) Pull-up - 8 reps (4-0-1) OR Inverted Rows - 15 reps (2-0-1)

- No rest

2B) Bear Crawl - 10 steps in each direction

- Rest 1 minute before repeating 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Superset #3

3A) DB Swing - 20 reps (1-0-1)

- No rest

3B) Burpees - 10 reps (fast)

- Rest 1 minute before repeating 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Ab Circuit

A) Turkish Get Up - 10 reps per side

- No rest

B) Plank - 60 second hold

- No rest

C) Side Plank - 40 second hold

- Rest 1 minute and repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

No intervals. (Aren't you lucky I'm so nice?)

And if you liked that workout, you'll love ALL of the Turbulence Training for Abs programs that you can get for 25% off at:

=> www.TurbulenceTrainingforAbs.com

I'm having a Ballantyne's Day weekend "I Love My Abs" sale just for you. But HURRY, the sale ends on Friday, February 13th!

Check out the two free bonus workouts you get with the abs programs too,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Forget about chocolates...

...get some abs for Ballantyne's Day this year instead!

Your sweetie will love seeing you chiseled and sculpted like a Greek God or Goddess after you get through with these workouts.

Grab your copy at 25% off here before Friday, Feb 13th at 10pm EST:

=> Turbulence Training for Abs

3 Bodyweight Workouts for Fat Loss

If you are sick of using the cardio machines or if you don't have any equipment to use for a workout at home, then you are going to love these three bodyweight exercises for fat loss.

For years, men and women have been getting bored of long, slow cardio, and frustrated because they weren't getting weight loss results. Recently, interval training for fat loss has become popular because it is fast, fun, and effective. But most people do interval training on machines, and that can get boring and expensive (to go to a gym or to have a machine at home).

So what can you do for fat loss when it's minus 5 degrees outside and you're stuck at home without any equipment? Is your only option to use a Jane Fonda workout tip from the attic (oops, you don't have a VCR anymore, so that option is out!).

Good news! You can do bodyweight workouts. In fact, bodyweight workout programs are going to be a huge fat loss trend in 2009 because they work fast, you can do them at home, and they cost no money to get started.

You can use bodyweight circuits to replace traditional cardio fat loss workouts and fat burning interval training. This is great for folks who train at home without a cardio machine to use for traditional intervals.

A simple bodyweight circuit goes like this. Choose 3 lower body and 3 upper body exercises and alternate between lower and upper body exercises until you have done all 6 exercises. Then rest 1 minute and repeat as much as you can in 15 minutes.

For example, you could start with bodyweight squats, followed by pushups, lunges, stick-ups, step-ups, and the plank. That's pretty simple, and depending on your fitness level, you could do anywhere from 5-50 repetitions per exercise. Of course, you could also choose harder versions of each exercise.

The next level of bodyweight circuit workouts for fat loss adds two exercises to the regular six exercise circuit. In this case, you'll add a quick movement at the start and at the end of the circuit. So here's a more advanced bodyweight workout for weight loss at home.

Start with jumping jacks, followed by prisoner squats, close-grip pushups, split squats, bodyweight rows, 1-leg lying hip extensions, and mountain climbers, finishing with running in place for 20 seconds. Again, rest 1 minute and repeat 2-4 more times for fat loss depending on how fit you are. The first time doing this, do only 2 circuits.

Finally, the third and most difficult way to do bodyweight workouts for fat loss is to used timed bodyweight intervals. In this case, you'll do a bodyweight exercise for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of holding a tough position. For example, with bodyweight squats, you'll do 20 seconds of squatting followed by a 10 second hold in the bottom position. You'll repeat that up to 8 times, but sometimes only 2-4 times depending on the exercise. Then move on to the next exercise. This is tough stuff!

Here's an example of a timed bodyweight interval fat loss circuit workout. First, do 20 seconds of bodyweight squats followed by a 10 second hold in the bottom position for 10 seconds. Repeat that 8 times. Then do 20 seconds of pushups followed by a 10 second hold at the top of the pushup position. Repeat that 2-4 times. Do kneeling pushups if you must.

Finally, finish with a plank-side plank combination. Do 20 seconds of the plank, then 10 seconds side plank on your right side, then 20 seconds plank and 10 seconds side plank on your left side. Repeat that sequence 4 more times. You'll find this mini-circuit to be a great challenge, even if you are fit. If you are a beginner, start with the easier bodyweight circuit at the start of this article or work with a personal trainer to learn these exercises and their proper technique. Always train conservatively and be safe.

But that's how you do bodyweight workouts for fat loss with no equipment in the comfort of your own home in just 20 minutes and without spending any money. That's a pretty darn good deal!

Click here for more bodyweight workouts