Big 5 Exercises

There comes a time in your life when you probably think...

"This is it. This is my last chance to get it together and get back in shape again."

"And the longer I wait, the more out of shape I'll get, and the harder it'll be."

Part of that is true.

The longer we wait, the harder it gets.

So if you've been putting off exercises like burpees, kettlebell swings, box jumps, sprints, and clean-and-presses are great fat burning movements ... but they are very, very advanced.

If those are out of your league, I have something better for you today...

You're going to use my Big 5 Fat Burning Exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home and that don't require jumping or bouncing around at an intensity that is out of your league.

The "Big 5" movements are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and help you lose belly fat.

The Big 5 System allows for a huge number of exercises to be used, and therefore a lot of variety in your workouts. And don't forget, variety is one of the 3 main principles that explain why Turbulence Training works so well.

Here are the Big 5 movements, starting with the most important of them all.

1) Squat movements

This could be a bodyweight squat, goblet squat, dumbbell squat, or barbell squat.

The squat movement allows you to do a lot of mechanical work which is one of the keys to burning a lot of calories.  So that's the first movement in the "Big 5". Always start your Big 5 workouts with a squat. 

Please note: Lunges and split-squats also qualify as a "Squat-type" movement, even though you will also be able to use them in the Single-Leg Exercise category below. Sometimes the lines blur between movement types for such great multi-muscle exercises.

2) Pushing exercises

The next fat burning exercise to use is any type of push-up or dumbbell press or bench press or even standing shoulder press. Again, very large amount of muscle to be used in those exercises that burn a lot of calories.

Plus, using the "non-compete" principle of Turbulence Training, by using a pushing exercise next, we let our leg muscles recover (and often our grip strength too, depending on the first movement used).

3) Pulling exercises

The next movement is any type of pulling exercise, so it could be band pulls, bodyweight rows, TRX rows, chin-ups, pull-ups, or dumbbell rows. Any pulling motion works your upper back and some of your arms.

This is a powerful fat burning, muscle-building movement.

And at this time, you'd have gotten about 80-90% of your results. So if you are really crunched for time, you could stick to only the first 3 movement patterns. But if you want to put the finishing touches on your body and boost your metabolism even more, then you'll need the last 2 pieces of the Big 5 circuit.

4) Single leg exercises

This could be a dumbbell lunge or split squat or a reverse lunge or a single leg squat, anything that works one leg at a time. Because you're using the lower body, it's a lot of musculature.

This is a tricky movement to do right after the Pulling movement, because your grip strength will be fatigued from the rowing or chin-ups or whatever you did. So try to use a bodyweight only single-leg exercise, such as the lunge or 1-leg lying hip extension.

This would also be a great place for a single-leg stability ball leg curl, or an advanced move like the Bulgarian Split Squat.

5) Total body ab exercises

The final movement in the Big 5 circuit could be a mountain climber or a stability ball rollout.   

But you'll notice these aren't just basic crunches (you never need to do crunches again).

Instead, you're working your arms, legs, and torso. That's why you must use a total-body ab exercise to finish off the Big 5 circuit workout.

Those are all the exercises that you could use for the Big 5 movements.   

Fortunately, you have an endless variety of exercises and set-ups that you can choose.   

If you did those Big 5 exercises, you would have a total body workout, you'd have an incredible fat-burning, metabolism-boosting training session. Done 3 days per week with a little interval training after each circuit melts your belly fat off fast!

To recap, here are the Big 5 Movements:

• Squat
• Push
• Pull
• Single Leg Exercise
• Total Body Ab Exercise

One reader sent in a great success story about my bodyweight exercises...

"I purchased your program back in February 2015. At that time I weighed 185 lbs (I am 5'7" tall). I have faithfully used your program 4 to 5 days a week ever since. I currently weigh 158 lbs, and at age 59, my wife tells me I look buff! I am excited to take things up a notch using this short workout program that I know will keep me feeling great. Just wanted to share this with you, and to thank you. You are awesome!" – Chris C.

Get more bodyweight workout videos and lose fat fast

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS – Focus on this theme next week...

Theme of the week: PURITY. Focus on purity of health – nutrition, sleep, rest, recovery, massage, meditation, and prayer. Fight the negativity of the world by being positive, doing good things, living a pure and honest life, having integrity, helping others, and adding value to the world. That is all you can control. Meditate on the word PURITY for 5 min every day