5x5 Deadlift Workout

Today I worked out at the good ol' Stratford YMCA and did deadlifts.

After my warmup (bodyweight squats, lunges, pushups and stretches, plus overhead squats with the barbell), I did Power Cleans, working up to 1 set of 185 for 3 reps.

Then I did the deadlifts for 5 sets of 5 with 315 pounds. In the first set, I did 3 reps with a double overhand grip. An old high school buddy who is now currently an NHL linesman was there, and we talked about his in-season workouts.

These guys are just like any other business traveler...too many cities and too many small hotel gyms inadequate for dumbbell exercises and too cramped for bodyweight exercises. But there are solutions...you just have to be creative with bodyweight exercises.

Finished my total body workout with Good Mornings (200x8) and dumbell chest presses (90x9), and then 3-minute arms. A real good 3-minute arms variation today. Lots of fun.

TT 3-Minute Arms comes out in 10 days,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Join TT Members today to be the first in line for TT 3-Minute Arms

Proven Fat Loss Diet

Everything you need to know about nutrition was taught to you by your mother.

-> Eat more fruits and vegetables.
-> Don't drink soda.
-> Take your own lunch to school or work.
-> Don't spoil your dinner with cookies or other mindless munching.
-> Plan your meals. Avoid fast food.

All those old classics are still great tips today.

But for most folks, we really do know what we need to eat to burn fat, but for some reason we still struggle with it.

For example, I spent the weekend with many TT users, and the topic of diet struggles came up over and over again.

In times like these, I always refer people to the type of nutritionand diet guidelines that I now use to help me keep my body fat lower than ever, so I can sport my 6-pack abs year round.

I follow a diet very low in grains, and SUPER-high in fruits and vegetables, just like the plan recommended by my own personal nutrition consultant, Isabel De Los Rios.

Not only has Isabel helped thousands of men and women to lose bellyfat, she also has her own POWERFUL personal story that explains howshe overcome BAD diet advice to lose fat and get more energy.

Isabel has more info for you about her diet plan and the 5 biggest diet myths at:

=> http://www.ProvenFatLossDiet.com

This is the step-by-step nutrition solution you've been looking for.

Use the eating plan that helped me get my abs,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - You MUST download Isabel's Nutrition Guide because it contains:

-> Dozens of online resources to get the best fat burning foods for you and your family

-> Over 61 pages of delicious, yet healthy recipes

-> The controversial metabolic typing test that might be the secretto your dieting success

-> Dozens of pages of meal plans to show you EXACTLY what to eat toburn belly fat

Click Here for the Proven Fat Loss Diet

Strength Training is Like Juggling

Strength training is like juggling. What do I mean? See below...

I have to travel tomorrow so I worked out on back to back days with TT 2K3. I did my modified version, of course, which has more emphasis on one strength exercise at the start of the workout.

Warm-up
Barbell Squat with empty bar
Good Morning with empty bar
Lunges
1-Leg RDL
Chest Stretch
Hip Flexoer Stretch
Side Stretch

Overhead Squats - 45x5, 65x5, 95x5, 115x5

Squat Warmup Sets - 135x10, 185x10, 225x8, 275x3

Strength Sets
Squat - 315x5x5

Supersets

1A) BB Forward Lunge - 145x8
1B) Side Plank - 60s per side

2A) BB RDL - 225x2x10
2B) Plank - 60 seconds

Not bad. Still off from my best strength back in 2004 when I could do 315x12. I'm doing 5 sets of 5 now, because I'm practicing the skill of squatting.

Most people neglect to realize that strength training is like juggling. It is a skill. You learn to get better at it by improving your muscular control and the amount of force that your muscles can produce. A lot of it depends on your nervous system, not just your large muscles.

Because strength training is a skill, that's why women can get strong without getting "bulky". They are improving their "mind muscle connection" as old-school bodybuilders like to say.

More on that some other time,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Download your trial copy of Turbulence Training here  

Swedish Weight Loss Secret

For years I've been yelling and screaming about the importance of online social support (i.e. having Internet weight loss buddies).

And finally, after all these years, the Swedes have proven this weight loss secret (and no, it's not just "eat fewer Swedish meatballs").

Researchers at the world famous Karolinska Institute wanted to find out why some men and women succeed at weight loss while others don't.

They studied many men and women using an Internet Weight Loss Club, and found that the people who used the site the MOST also LOST the most weight.

That means that going online for social support in your weight loss program is one of the most IMPORTANT things you can do.

You might not have the perfect home life, office environment, or workout buddies, but chances are you will find someone to help you on an Internet weight loss forum.

And the truth is, you won't find another Internet Weight Loss Club as positive and helpful as you'll find at www.TTMembers.com.

We're there to help you lose weight and inches. See below for another of our TT Member Success Stories.

Stay strong with our help,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - Don't FORGET!

On September 15th, NEW member fees will be put in place to join for access to all of the Turbulence Training workouts and videos.

"I have been using Turbulence Training for about 3 months now and am ecstatic with the results. The workouts require minimal equipment, you get great nutrition information and you get access to the online forum which is invaluable. Being able to actually communicate on almost a daily basis with the person who created the program is one of the best parts of TT, and there are plenty of other people on the site with tons of useful information who may have gone through similar experiences.

Since starting the TT program I have dropped 15 lbs, more than 5% bodyfat and over 3" from my waist. I feel great and my energy levels are through the roof. I even feel this extra energy spilling over into other aspects of my life and making them better as well. All I can say is thanks CB not just for the fitness change but a great lifestyle change."
Derek Kendig

Click Here to Join a PROVEN Weight Loss Club

TT2K3 & Busy Mom Workout

Back to the gym here in Toronto for Week 3 of my Turbulence Training 2K3, modified for my specific goals. Below, you'll also find my latest 15 minute workout for busy moms.

But first, my workout...

Warm-up
Lunges
Pushups
Shoulder Rotations
Stickups
Squats
Waiter's Bow
Chest Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Side Stretch

Bench Press Warmup - 45x15, 95x12, 135x10, 185x6, 225x1

Strength Exercise

Bench Press - 245x5, 4, 3

Supersets
1A) Pistols (1-Leg Squats) holding 10 pound dumbbell - 2 sets of 8
1B) Chinups - 12, 8, 7

2A) Wide-grip Barbell Row - 185x3x8
2B) DB Incline Press - 85x2x7

3) 3-Minute Arms

Click Here to watch my Youtube Pistol Video

Good workout...

And now for the 15-minute workout I gave my "busy mom" client to do at home...

Bodyweight Circuit for Busy Moms
-> Go through it 3 times. No rest between exercises. Rest 1 minute at the end of the circuit.

Bodyweight Squat - 15 reps
Stability Ball Leg Curl - 15 reps
Pushup - 20 reps
Step-up - 10 per side
Reverse Lunge - 10 per side
Stability Ball Jackknife (hands on the floor, feet on the ball, roll the ball in and tuck your knees into your chest) - 12 reps
Jumping Jacks - 30

Click Here to Download More Workouts

Stay strong and be prepared,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Stuck in Airport

bad day today...stuck in the aspen airport...won't get home till midnight...but hopefully will get a cross-airport sprint in when i get to denver...wish me luck on making my connecting flight!

nutrition has been good...

breakfast - omelet, fish (not sure what kind), peppers, fruit (pineapple, raspberries, blueberries, watermelon), V8

lunch - grilled chicken salad, double meat, jimaca, salsa, black beans, avocado

snack at airport - raw cashews, red delicious apples, almonds

Hopefully getting some real food before flight from Denver to TO.

More importantly, hoping to MAKE the flight from Denver to TO,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, The Turbulence Training Lifestyle

Saturday 6am Workout

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." - Colin Powell

Today I got up at 6am, after heading to bed around 1:30am, went down to the hotel gym here in Aspen, and did a quick workout (while watching Roger Federer play the gold medal match of doubles tennis).

If an Olympian can work 6 hours a day in preparation for a competition that only happens every 4 years, then I can work 20-45 minutes every other day to get six pack abs and stay at 10% body fat and below.

If you want to succed with a fat loss program, consistency is key. So is hard work. It doesn't have to be a lot of hard work, but you must work hard in your workouts, and be consistent with your nutrition.

Remember: Nutrition is more important than exercise for fat loss.

More on that next week...but here's today's workout...

Supersets
1A) DB Split Squat - worked up to 65x8
1B) Decline Close-grip - 25,20,20

2A) Seated Row - 200x3x8
2B) 1-Leg Stability Ball Leg Curl - 3x10

3A) Ab Wheel
3B) DB Triceps Ext
3C) Underhand grip Pulldown

20 minutes and done. Now for consistent nutrition all day.

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Click HERE for Short Fat Loss Workouts

3 Transformation Stories

I just spent over 45 minutes in the TT Member's Transformation Forum reviewing the top Success Stories.

It's going to be a near-impossible task to pick the 3 winners again.

Even though it's my program, it's still incredibly difficult to believe that these results are real!

We've had more women lose over 21 pounds of body fat in this competition than in the last round. And there are still more than 7 days for new entries to come in.

Click Here to See the Transformation Photos

All that, and I've decided to squeeze in a THIRD TT Transformation Contest before the end of the year.

TT Transformation Contest #3

Start Date: Sunday, August 31st

Last Day to Enter: Sunday, September 14th

Final Day of Contest: Sunday, December 14th

Same rules apply. It's going to be a BLAST! You can enter by email or on the member's site. All you have to do is use the step-by-step TT workouts to change your body for life.

But first, we have to finish this Transformation Contest. You'll soon have your chance to vote for our Top 3 and over $3000 worth of prizes. More details to come...

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, www.turbulencetraining.com

7 Minute Abs? No one can workout in 7 minutes...

Do you remember the classic scene in "Something About Mary" where Ben Stiller and the crazy hitchhiker are discussing plans for a product called "7-Minute Abs"?

Hitchhiker: You heard of this thing, the 8-Minute Abs?

Stiller: Yeah, sure, 8-Minute Abs. Yeah, the excercise video.

Hitchhiker: Yeah, this is going to blow that right out of the water. Listen to this: 7... Minute... Abs.

Stiller: Right. Yes. OK, all right. I see where you're going.

Hitchhiker: Think about it. You walk into a video store, you see 8-Minute Abs sittin' there, there's 7-Minute Abs right beside it.
Which one are you gonna pick, man?

Stiller: I would go for the 7.

Hitchhiker: Bingo, man, bingo. 7-Minute Abs. And we guarantee just as good a workout as the 8-minute folk.

Stiller: You guarantee it? That's - how do you do that?

Hitchhiker: If you're not happy with the first 7 minutes, we're gonna send you the extra minute free. You see? That's it. That's
our motto. That's where we're comin' from. That's from "A" to "B".

Stiller: That's right. That's - that's good. That's good. Unless, of course, somebody comes up with 6-Minute Abs. Then you're in
trouble, huh?

[Hitchhiker convulses]

Hitchhiker: No! No, no, not 6! I said 7. Nobody's comin' up with 6. Who works out in 6 minutes? You won't even get your heart goin, not even a mouse on a wheel.

Stiller: That's a good point.

*************
A good point indeed.

Listen, 8-minute abs, 7-minute abs, 6-minute abs, it doesn't matter.

Because we need to remove our focus AWAY from abs, and over to total body exercises and interval training that help us burn the belly fat.

Ain't gonna be no abs, no matter how many minutes we spend on them, if we still have too much body fat.

So you need to set-up your abs workouts like this:

Bodyweight Warm-up (3-5 minutes)

Fat Burning Supersets with Total Body Ab Exercises Built In (15-20 minutes)

Belly Fat Blasting Interval Training (15-20 minutes)

That's it. Let's be realistic, no one is getting abs by doing crunches and other ineffective ab exercises for 7, 21, or even 45
minutes.

If you want six pack abs, like mine, you need to do short, burst exercise workouts to burn belly fat and you'll get your six pack on the side.

Toss the 7 minutes of crunches, and do Stability Ball Rollouts, X-Body Mountain Climbers, Pull-ups with Knee-ups, Stability Ball
Jackknives, and other total body ab exercises for six pack abs.

Helping you get a flat stomach,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training for Abs

PS - Want to say GOODBYE to CARDIO and CRUNCHES & still get abs?

Discover more total body ab exercises in my new TT for Abs Home Abdominal Workout program.

"I have high expectations from you because we know that your "standard" is to over deliver but I just can not believe where you have gone with the TT for Abs! I just downloaded my copy and I LOVE IT! And the nutrition guide follows the exact science for getting lean, athletic physiques!"
Rob Yontz, MFT, CFN, True North Fitness & Health

=> Click Here to Try TT for Abs for Less Than $5

Coming Soon! Three New TT Programs

I've always loved September.

Here in Southern Ontario, there is a certain feeling of excitement in the air...as kids go back to school and young men and women head off to University about to have the time of their lives.

The mornings are a little crisper, a little fresher before the sun heats up. Fall Fairs pop up all over the small towns, and farmers get ready to reap the rewards of their hard work.

September is a big, big month. Gone are the lazy days of summer.

And I've got a LOT in store for you in September at www.TTMembers.com.

Check this out...

1) You are going to get THREE (not just one) workouts of the month in September. One will be for muscle-building, another one will be for fast female fat loss workouts, and the 3rd will be my long awaited 3-minute arm routines.

2) My first "real" book will be released and I'll be doing every thing that I can to get it to #1 on Amazon.

3) The THIRD Turbulence Training Transformation Contest will start.

It's going to be crazier than the first day of school!

I can't wait to share all these new workouts and my book with you.

Want to know the title of my book?

You're going to love it, it's called...

"Just Say NO to Cardio".

Classic!

Plus, there is a FREE GIFT inside for everyone.

Oh, and one more IMPORTANT thing...

With all the new programs, my NEW and improved techniques, the extra contests, additional workout systems (such as TT for Abs), and some of my upcoming additions, the TT Member's Discount prices are going up on Monday, September 15th.

Here are the details...

1) If you are a current TT Member, your Membership Plan does NOT, and will not ever change. You are LOCKED IN at your low rate for life, unless you cancel.

If you are a current member, you don't have to take any action right now, you are set for life.

2) If you are not yet a TTMember, you can join before September 15th for only $19.95 for a BASIC membership or $197 per year for a PLATINUM All-Access Membership (and NO monthly fee).

3) But if you wait to join TT Members until AFTER September 15th, it will be $29.95 per month for a BASIC Membership or $197 to join the PLATINUM Level plus $39.95 per month.

I've got so much good stuff to come, it's going to rock.

Visit this link to LOCK-IN your discount TT membership:

==> Click Here To Join TTMembers.com

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - Join TODAY to save big bucks for life!

PLUS, I'll ship you a copy of the TT for Fat Loss DVD's when you become a Platinum TT Member.

Click Here To Join TTMembers.com

3 Olympic Predictions

Catch any of the Olympics yet?

What an exciting time!

You've got Michael Phelps and Dana Torres, the impossible-to-predict battle for Olympic Basketball Gold, Canada's superstar - Adam van Koeverden, the heart-warming and heart-breaking individual stories in gymnastics, and my favorite event, the 100 meter sprint.

I can't wait to see who will be this year's World's Fastest Man. (Personally, I'm hoping Tyson Gay pulls off a mini-upset.)

I've been studying many of the matchups, and here are my 2008 Summer Olympic predictions:

1) The Sprinters will have better bodies than the Marathon Runners

Not a real surprise here, as Marathon runners have been losing this battle since the inception of the Modern Games in 1896.

Sprinters, on the other hand, have lean, six pack abs physiques and use the training methods that will also help you get a better body, including multi-muscle resistance exercises and short, burst interval-type fat burning exercise. Just like Turbulence Training.

2) The Weightlifters will be strong because they use classic, multi-muscle exercises...

... not because they have been standing on a BOSU ball on one leg, while touching their nose with one hand and scratching
their butts with the other.

And in an Olympic Shocker, we'll see dozens of strong women who lift heavy weights and aren't "big and bulky". Instead, they are lean, athletic and have low body fat (and they don't do cardio either!).

3) The gymnasts will ALL have six pack abs...

...but not one of them has probably ever wasted training time doing crunches.

So those are my predictions, and I'm betting I'm 100% right on...

But that brings up the question, if that's how lean, fit Olympians train, then why do you see most folks in the gym doing...

a) long, slow boring cardio?

b) useless "balance" exercises that have no carry-over to real life?

c) hundreds and hundreds of ab crunches?

Listen, I doubt any TT readers are going to be competing in the Olympics, but it doesn't mean we can't train with the same
principles to help us lose fat and get six pack abs.

That's why I created the Turbulence Training for Abs Home Workout System, to help you burn belly fat, get fit, and have a flat stomach. All in the comfort of your own home.

Still skeptical?

Give the Turbulence Training for Abs Home Workout program a try for 21 days. If you don't like it, just let me know and you'll get all of your money back. There's no hassle for you. And I guarantee it will be the best ab workout you've ever done without crunches.

=> Click Here to Download your TT for Abs Trial Offer

Get inspired to be as fit and lean as you can be,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS

PS - Do you want TIGHT abs?

"I have been using the new TT Home Abdominal Workout Program for 2 weeks and I really like it. It has a different kind of push up in each workout, which I enjoy. There are 3 different workouts and each one takes about 45 minutes, including the interval training. My abs have been sore for 2 weeks! LOL Not "hurts to laugh" sore, but abs-feel-tight-all-day sore. A very good sore. And I haven't done a single crunch!"
Abby D., TT Member

Click Here to Try Turbulence Training for Abs

Do Your Workout Faster

Days like these are a reminder that everyone, even me, can do their workout faster. The person who runs my dog's daycamp was late picking him up, and that cut into my workout time - a LOT. I really only had 25 minutes...but I got all the important stuff done.

Heck, for some hedge fund guys and lawyers I know, 25 minutes for a workout would be a luxury.

Here's what I did today...and I'll follow it up with a suggestion on what to do if you only had 15 minutes.

My Warm-up (at home, waiting for the dog to get picked up)
Prisoner Squats
Lunges
Neck Rotations
1-Leg RDL
Chest Stretch
Prisoner Squat
Lunges
Hip Flexor Stretch
Chest Stretch
Side Stretch

Warmup Sets of Squats at Gym
45x15, 95x12, 135x10, 185x8, 225x5, 275x1

Strength
Squats - 300x5x5

Supersets

1A) Barbell Forward Lunge 135x8
1B) Side Plank - 60 seconds per side

2A) BB RDL - 225x12
2B) Plank - 60 seconds

That was it. After I had a chocolate milk, and then for lunch I had Amy's Organic Chili. Anyone else try this stuff out? It's great, and it's tough to argue with the ingredient list. My friends in Boston had it in their cupboard, so it must be available all over North America.

Okay, so if you only have 15 minutes to workout, here's what you could do:

Warm-up (3 minutes)
Prisoner Squat
Pushups
Forward Lunges
Any stretches you feel you need to do

Supersets (12 minutes)
1A) Dumbbell Split Squat - 8 reps per side (go easy in the first set)
1B) Decline Pushups - Go 2 reps short of failure (so if you can do 20, do only 18 reps per set)
Rest 1 minute and repeat that superset 3 times.

2A) Dumbbell Row - 8 reps per side (go easy in the first set)
2B) Stability Ball Rollout - 10 reps
Rest 30 seconds and repeat that superset 2 times.

There you go. 15 minute workout.

Cut the fluff from your workouts,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Want a diet & workout to build muscle and burn fat?

I've outlined my diet and a sample workout for you.

Click Here to download your plan to build muscle and burn fat

Sunday Morning Workout

Good workout today, with lots of folks doing things right. Guy beside me was doing Barbell RDL's with good form and a lean 45 year-old gal doing sets of 8-10 chinups.

I still saw some bad bench press technique (again, if you are only going to lower the bar 4 inches, find another exercise to do). Also, 90% of people at the gym who think they are doing "cleans", are really just doing reverse grip curls. Today a girl was doing dumbbell cleans with bad technique.

I'm not sure whether either of these improper exercises will cause an injury, but more effective exercises could certainly be used in place for both.

For my workout...

Warmup
Broomstick Overhead Squat
Pushups
Lunges
Shoulder Rotations
Neck Rotations
Upper back mobility
Chest Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Side Stretch

Bench Press Warmup Sets
45x15, 95x10, 135x10, 185x8, 225x1

Strength
Bench Press 245x5,3,3 and 225x5

SuperSets
1A) Chin-Up (Stop 2 reps short of max) - 12, 7, 6
1B) Pistols - 16, 7

2) DB Incline Press 90x4 (picked the wrong weight for that)

3A) OH Squat 105x5
3B) Wide Grip BB Row - 185x3x8

A little KB work as well.

craig

PS - Big Turbulence Training 2k3 lower body workout on Monday...

Gotta squeeze in an extra workout before I head to Aspen, Colorado on Wednesday to see a client...

Click Here to Download your copy of Turbulence Training & join me on TT2K3

Boston Workout

On Friday, I toured Boston by foot, logging a lot of miles...but also slipping in a workout. I started near the Boston Public Gardens and Boston Common area, worked my way up to Beacon Hill, then down by the Harbour. Back up to the financial district, and stopped in for a workout at a place called Equilibrium.

It was a good workout.

Deadlift - 335x3x5 (mixed grip)

followed by a superset

1A) Good Mornings - 200x2x8 (personal best this year)
1B) Lat Pulldowns - can't remember the weight...also it was one of the newer pulldown machines that uses handles and allows rotation of each handle

And then a "3-Minute Arms Superset"

2A) Barbell Curls - 95x3x6
2B) Triceps Pressdowns - 3x8-10

No rest...each set lasted about 20 seconds. A straightforward 3 minute arm workout.

Then back to my walking tour...looking for a place for lunch, I went back down by the harbour but ended up at the Beantown Bar for a grilled chicken sandwich. Then a big walk out to Fenway, and back up to where I was staying in Brookline. Then dinner at "the best sushi in Boston" at Uni restaurant. And it was good. Try the fish tacos!

Boston is definitely Turbulence Training-approved,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Back to Turbulence Training 2k3 on Sunday...

Click Here to Download your copy of Turbulence Training

Weight Loss for Women

Weight loss for women tips...fat loss for females -> Is it different than fat loss for guys? Do women need different weight loss tips? Here's a recent fat loss interview I did...

Hi Craig, could you first please give us your most important fat loss strategies for women?

Answer:
The first, and most important strategy, is to make sure all female clients are eating for fat loss.

Our basic recommendations are:

a) Use a site like Fitday.com to find out how much you are eating.

b) Improve the quality of your diet (i.e. eat more fruits and vegetables, and less processed foods and sugar).

c) At this point, if you aren't losing weight, you probably just need to eat less.

That's it for basic weight loss. For advanced belly fat loss, we'll start to look at eliminating pasta, bread, rice, and potatoes.

Combined with good nutrition, I design short, intense workouts that focus on bodyweight and dumbbell resistance exercises followed by short interval training workouts. No long slow cardio in my workouts.

And how is your Turbulence Training system is based on these?

Answer:
We start the workout with bodyweight exercises in a circuit as our warm-up. No useless "5-minutes on the treadmill" for us, since that is a waste of time.

After the bodyweight exercises, we do 20-minutes of superset resistance training, usually doing 4-6 exercises per workout.

Then we finish with 20 minutes of interval training, which can be done outside, inside on most machines, or with bodyweight or kettlebell exercises.


And how does Turbulence Training differ to others on the market?

Answer:
Mostly because we avoid cardio in our workouts, and because there are only 3 workouts per week.

So we exercise less, but harder when we do exercise. It's a big mindset shift, but it works really well for women because in my opinion, most women are not given the respect they deserve in terms of what they are capable of doing.

That means books, magazines, and trainers generally tell women to workout for a long time at a low intensity.

But while that works great for me (I'll explain in a second), it's terrible for women. So when they switch over to the more intense Turbulence Training workouts, they get results super-fast, and I look like a genius.

Craig you have helped both men and women drop body fat in the fastest time possible. Is there a big difference in how you would train women and men??

Answer:
No, not really.

There are some mental blocks I have to work around with women, so I'll use more bodyweight exercises, but the principles are the same, and eventually after I have convinced the female client of my superior methods, then the fat loss workouts for men and women will look almost identical. Of course, I always try to make things as individual as possible. But everyone does the
bodyweight warmup, the resistance supersets, and the intervals at the end.

Craig could you give us a few things you see women doing in the gym that really messes up their results?

Answer:
The biggest mess-ups are truly nutrition-based.

For example, if you do a long cardio workout and "justify" extra treats because you think you burned a lot of calories, then you are in trouble. You will not get anywhere.

In fact, one research study shows that doing cardio can cause people to eat more calories than normal, and they may even GAIN weight. So eating too much and depending too much on cardio are the KILLER mistakes.

Any last thoughts for Helping Women looking to drop Body Fat and Tone their Body?

Answer:
Just trust me.

I know my answers aren't politically correct, telling you that cardio is a waste of time, and that yes, you do need to be strict with your diet.

But if you accept that fat loss is difficult, that's when it becomes easy!

Because if you accept it is difficult, you realize that shortcuts don't work and that you don't deserve success you haven't earned. It's not your fault that you are in this fat loss mess, but if you work hard and follow the TT Nutrition Guidelines, you will succeed!

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Want to impress your friends and family at a reunion?

"The true test of Turbulence Training for me was during a anniversary/family reunion I attended last weekend. Everyone commented on how great I looked and wondered what I've been doing. Of course I told them about TurbulenceTraining.com. I have been using TT for the last six months and have been able to meet my first goal weight and maintain it. I am a stay-at-home mom of two preschool boys and I recently entered the world of politics by being elected as a school board trustee last fall. My time is limited but I always make time for exercise everyday. I also believe it sets a good example for my kids. Both of my kids have joined me from time to time in rounds of jumping jacks, running sprints outside and even burpees. I have my free weights and stability ball set up in the basement so that I can watch the kids play while I exercise. Turbulence Training totally fits my lifestyle and I always recommend it whenever someone comments on how great I look. Thank you, Craig, for all of your guidance and inspiration."
Rhonda Lafrance

To learn more about weight loss for women:
=> Click Here to Download Turbulence Training

Workout while traveling

I'm traveling again this week, so I need to do at least one hotel gym workout while traveling, and hopefully tomorrow I will get into a regular gym to deadlift. This morning I worked out in the hotel gym here in NYC, doing...

Supersets
1A) Wide Grip Seated Row - 3x8
1B) 1-Arm DB Standing Shoulder Press 3x8 with 55pound db's

2A) Narrow Grip Seated Row - 3x8
2B) DB Chest press - 1x20 with the 55's (That's all the gym had, although its' about 5 pounds heavier than most hotel gyms)

Then I walked down to Battery Park, then back up to Wall Street, across it, and then back to my hotel.

Last night I did an even longer walk...

I arrived in New York City last night around 5. We flew right over the city and it felt like we were only 10 feet above the skyscrapers. What an amazing view.

After a light dinner I started walking. That's what I do when I travel. I'll walk 12-17 miles in a day. I've done that in Sydney, Vancouver, Auckland, and Belfast, and I did several miles in Manhattan last night. In my opinion, I'd rather walk by ten buildings than go into one.

So I walked by the World Trade Center, amazed to see not much has changed since 2004, the last time I was at the site. On I went up through the always energetic Chinatown, the charming Little Italy, classy Soho, through the Village, and eventually made my way up to my favorite little place in Union Square, the Coffeehouse. After a stop there, I walked all the way back to my hotel down by the WTC.

Off to Boston later today,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - MSN.com just posted...

...one of my Mens' Health articles online...

Click Here for High Speed Fat Loss

This article features an interval training program and bodyweight circuit warmup.

Six pack abs exercise superset

Guest article today from Vince DelMonte...

The Best NO-CRUNCH Bodybuilder Ab Workouts

By Vince DelMonte
ShowOffAbs.com

Recently Craig challenged me to give you as many NO-CRUNCH ab exercise options as possible, since he thinks crunches aren't necessary.

I can see his point...so I took his challenge.

Let's start with an Intermediate Workout Program. I used this in my recent 6-week to 6-pack abs personal challenge...

1) Intermediate Abs Superset:

Perform 5-6 sets of this after your cardio workout or before or after your weight training workout:

A1: Supported (on a dip bar) Leg Raises
A2: Lying Leg Raises on a Stability Ball  - bend your knees to modify

Rest 60 sec max and do 5-6 sets to failure on each one (goal should be 15-20 reps on each)

This really emphasize the lower abs!

2) Best ab exericse?

If I could only do one.. I would have to go with weighted crunches with cables or hanging leg raises. If your grip fails you before your abs do then go with weighted cable crunches - NOTE: These are NOT traditional crunches. If your grip is strong enough then stick with hanging leg raises.

3) The Best Non-Crunch Movement?

Anything that had to do with wood choppers. 

Go from high to low, low to high and horizontal. Focus on full range of movement and speed before increasing the weight.

You can do these with cables (my prefernce) or medicine balls. These are also very functional and incorporate your shoulders, arms, gluts, hams, quads and get your heart rate up.

Helping you get "Show Off Abs",

Vince DelMonte
Click Here to see Vince show off his abs

Crunches & Cardio for Six Pack Abs

I used to think you needed to do crunches and cardio to get six pack abs. But that was a mistake, because you don't need crunches or cardio. So today we travel back in time to learn about my mistakes...

Yes, there was a day, way back when, when I thought that cardio and crunches were the way to six pack abs.

The year was 1997. (This'll take you back...do you remember where you were when...)

- Puff Daddy was at the top of the charts.

- E.R. and Seinfeld were the top TV shows.

- The English Patient won the Oscar for Best Picture.

- Princess Diana died tragically in a high-speed car crash.

- And Elton John had re-released Candle in the Wind in honor of her death.

- The first sheep, Dolly, was cloned.

- Tony Blair was elected Prime Minster of Britain.

- Brett Favre won his first and only SuperBowl.

And I got up almost every morning and did crunches and then went to the gym to lift weights and even do some cardio in my quest to lose that last bit of body fat and get a full six pack of abs.

How embarrassing.

But I get to blame college. Everyone made mistakes back then...I was young. Stupid. Naive. Immature. Too proud to ask for help. Heck, I was only 22 years old, but I should have known better...

Still, feel free to call me what you want, I definitely made some mistakes back then.

But hopefully I made all those mistakes so that you don't have to. If I only knew then what I know now. If I did, then in 1997...

=> I would have banned crunches from my program...something I didn't get around to doing until 2 years later.

=> I would have used pull-ups with kneeups, one of the best abs exercises I've ever done. But I never saw anyone do those back then. I would have done those once per week rather than crunches everyday.

=> I'd have gotten off the Stability Ball and used it for Stability Ball Rollouts, instead of Stability Ball Crunches.

=> I'd have used more interval training (at least I was doing some) and eliminated the long running workouts I did.

=> I would have done fewer exercises with more intensity, although I was getting very close to the Turbulence Training style workouts that I've created for you today.

=> I'd have spent less on socializing and more on fruits and vegetables (yeah, right?).

But I was doing a lot of things right back then...

Squatting, single leg exercises, low reps, supersets, total body exercises, and interval training 1-2 times per week.

So I was on the right track...and then in 1998 and 1999 I finally put all the science and my workout experience together in the first Turbulence Training-style workouts. But more stories on that some other time...

And here we are, 11 years later and I realize my mistakes from 1997 have played a big part in helping you burn belly fat today. Strange how things work out, isn't it? It's hard to believe some current TT members were only 10 years old back then!

So learn from my mistakes, and take a look at these 3 ab workouts I should have been using in 1997. Visit this page to download your free no-crunch abs workouts:

=> Crunch Free Ab Exericses

1997 was a heck of a year,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS

PS - Have you taken the Abs 300 challenge yet?

Last month I created the Abs 300 workout series, and TT users are finally putting those challenges to the test...Here's one TT
member's story...

"Last week I was in between programs and decided to give the new 300 Abs Routine a shot. I was going to start with the Beginner's version, but at the last minute decided to do the Intermediate Program...

HOLY SHIZZLE!!! My abs haven't been that sore in I don't remember when. I had to stop after the medicine ball chops (couldn't do last 2 exercises) because my core was so wiped out that I could barely stand up straight!

I started the Home Abdominal Workouts this week, with the Intermediate Routine. I'm looking forward to being able to do the
Advanced 300 Abs Routine after this is all said and done!"
WhiteHulk4, as posted on the TT Member's Forum

Click Here to Get TT for Abs and the Abs 300:

=> http://www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com

Crunches in High Heels

Here's another one for the history books...today at the gym I saw a girl doing crunches while wearing high heels. And yes, it seemed as awkward for her as it looked. I have nothing against high heels, but the crunches were useless...

My workout was not bad...moving on to the lower body/torso training Workout B of the Turbulence Training 2K3 program. I switched it up a little.

General Bodyweight Warmup

Prisoner Squat
Forward Lunges
Waiter's bow
Pushups
Shoulder Rotations
Neck Rotations
Groin Stretch
1-Leg RDL
Prisoner Squat
Forward Lunges
Chest Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Side Stretch

Specific Warmup

Overhead Squat - 95x3x5

Squat - 45x15, 135x12, 185x8, 225x6

Strength Sets

Squat 275x5x5

Supersets

1A) Forward Lunge 135x2x8
1B) Side Plank 2x45seconds

2) BB RDL - 225x10

3A) Plank - 2x60 seconds
3B) Stability Ball Leg Curl - 2x20

My legs will be sore tomorrow, even though I held back on the heavy weights today. It was the lunges that got them.

One last tip before I go...

If you are going to do cleans - or "what you think are cleans" - don't do them with a fixed barbell, and don't just reverse curl the weight from your hips to your shoulders. That is lame.

Either learn how to do it properly, or find something else to do.

You can't clean a body bar,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - I'm looking for a good gym near the World Trade Center area of NYC for Thursday...anyone, anyone?

Jay Ferruggia said there is a Gold's Gym near there but if you have a better idea, let me know.

PPS - If you want to join me on the TT2K3 workout...

... Click Here to grab your copy of Turbulence Training

5 Diet Secrets of a Busy Trainer

I know one former trainer that has 9 kids, and he's younger than I am...I guess we know what he did for cardio. Anyways...But that trainer is still not the busiest dad I know. That title belongs to Chris Lopez, a trainer I met in downtown Toronto several years.

Chris has 4 beautiful girls under the age of 10, trains clients all over the city, and does fast fat loss workouts that sometimes even include a mini-van. Long story. But how is Chris able to eat well with that schedule? What tips does he have for other busy parents (and dog owners!)?

**************
5 Nutrition Secrets of Busy Families
By World's Busiest Dad, Chris Lopez 
 
My schedule is as hectic as they come, so it's important for me to be prepared. 

Sunday is our family's ritual grocery shopping day. 

We plan our meals for the week on Sunday morning and then head out to the organic food market after breakfast. Then, I spend a couple of hours prepping in the afternoon while the kids are napping and my wife is watching football (she's a Packers fan...for the moment). 

I always try to keep emergency food handy - I have some apples, a bag of walnuts and a block of raw milk organic cheese as well as some lactose free chocolate milk (for post-workout) in the fridge of the studio where I train. 

My bags are packed with organic beef jerky and peperettes and wild salmon jerky as well. 

I also refill my water bottle every time I go to a client's house. 

Here are some of my favourite tips for dads w/busy days:

1. Stay hydrated. 

I try to drink 1/2 my bodyweight in ounces of water everyday (and that doesn't include the water consumed while I'm doing my own workouts).

2. Brown bag it. 

Pack your own food and snacks for the office and stick to a "feeding schedule" as much as possible. That way, you know what
you're eating and when you're eating it. If you have to go out for lunch, stick to (leafy green, cruciferous veggies, peppers) and lean proteins and pay attention to the way things are prepared (sauces on the side and nothing deep fried).

3.  Stock your desk drawer. 

Nuts, jerky and protein powder are some of the healthy "convenience" foods that won't perish in your desk.

4.  Eat breakfast. 

This is a must. It'll keep you energized at the beginning of the day. Try to prepare something the night before if you're one of
those "on-the-go" dads that always seem to be running a few minutes behind. I usually do a cup of cottage cheese, frozen blueberries and walnuts with a big glass of water and 3 fish oil caps.

5.   Feed often to stave off hunger and the 4 o'clock binge. 

I think it's universal in North America that around 4pm to go right to the vending machine and punch in the code for a Snickers bar or run down to the coffee shop for a cup of joe and a donut. But you can avoid that if you plan ahead.

If you feed yourself every 2 to 3 hours, you're less likely to have those cravings. And if you do have those cravings, follow tip
number #2 and/or #3 above and you should have a something handy to fight off the 4 o'clock vending machine munchies.

Here are some tips to avoid blowing your diet...

Avoiding the "snack" foods that the kids usually have is the first step. Put down the fries and onion rings. 

That unfinished bag of gummy bears? Throw it out. 

Get the soda out of the fridge. Don't eat the kids leftovers.

For me, the thing that clicked the most was my mindset towards food. 

I stopped looking at food as a way to find happiness or as a reward and tried to solely use it as a means to "fuel" my life.

When you approach feeding with that mindset - food for fuel and not satisfaction, then things start to become clearer and you'll start making better decisions about what you put in your mouth. I still eat the occasional slice of cheesecake (I love that stuff) and I'll have the Penne a la Vodka once a month. But, I'm happy with eating a homemade Greek Burger with a side of arugula salad and avocado because I know how good it is for my body. 

I'll get my "satisfaction" from the time I spend with my family or the time I spend once a week playing basketball with my buddies.

Grab a FREE COPY of Chris's 20-Minute Dumbell and Bodyweight Fat Blasters here:

=> Click Here for the Fat Blasting Workout

20-minute workouts without the leg warmers,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Chris has another FREE REPORT on...

"The 9 Life Secrets to STOP Wasting Your Time".

Grab it here:

=> Click Here to Save Time