20-Minute Workouts

Back at New Year's, Toronto Trainer Chris Lopez gave me an advanced fat burning 20-minute workout that was one of the best programs I've come across in a long time. TT Members were loving every minute of the 20-minute resistance workout for fat loss.

There may be no luckier - or busier - man alive than Chris Lopez. He's the father of 4 beautiful girls (ages 9, 4, 2 & 4-months). As a result of his above-average fertility prowess and his work as one of Toronto's most in-demand trainers, Chris is also the world's busiest dad.

Today, Chris is here to help out other busy mom's and dad's (and dog owners!) who need to lose fat while on the go-go-go.

CB: Chris, I don't have any kids, let alone 4 daughters. So tell me about the day-to-day fitness and fat loss challenges of busy parents.

CL: 
Time and nutrition are the biggest obstacles to success. 

If you're trying to eat clean and healthy, it's tough to stay on track when there are cookies and chips in the house. 

Now I know people say that you shouldn't be feeding that stuff to your kids, but I live in the real world. All kids, at some point, enjoy their treats and I'm not one to deprive them of that.

The key for both of these struggles (lack of time and nutrition) is preparation - having a plan. You need to know when your time to train will be (for me, it's 20-minutes around lunch time) and when
your meal prep time is (Sunday afternoons).

Find the time, book it and try not to deviate from that.

CB: OK, so what workouts are best for busy parents who want to lose fat?

CL: 
Busy parents have to keep it SIMPLE.

The basic moves (squats, deadlifts, lunges, pushes, pulls) are the most effective. Using those movements with challenging resistance will always trump any move you can do on a wobble board or BOSU ball. 

The basics, coupled with fat burning intervals (sprints, barbell complexes, hybrid exercises, tabatas or body weight circuits) will give even the busiest mom or dad amazing fat loss results.

I never have more than 20 minutes per day to burn fat, so I alternate between resistance workouts and fat burning interval workout days.

Also, with the limited time, INTENSITY plays a huge roll.

But QUALITY beats QUANTITY every time.

I also limit my rest time to no longer than 60 seconds between sets to get more done in less time.

CB: What equipment and space do you need for your workouts?

CL: 
I'm at the point right now where I could train a client in an 8x8 foot space...imagine something the size of an empty elevator. All you need is your bodyweight and a space that big. 

CB: Any equipment?

CL:
Sure, a chin-up bar is a plus, and if you're in a gym, that's even better, but you can still burn a ton of fat without equipment.

While many of my clients have decent home gym equipment, for the ones that don't, I get them to buy a chin-up bar and I bring a kettlebell and a medicine ball for their workout. 

By far though, my favourite piece of equipment is a set of blast straps. 

CB: Yeah, I have a set of those. Great stuff.

CL:
They're so versatile. 

I can hook them up to a chin-up bar, a set of goal posts on a soccer field, I've even rigged them to the roof rack of our mini-van.

CB: What's a mini-van? Nevermind. Tell me the best exercises you use, and tell our readers about some of the most overused exercises you see people wasting their time with.

CL:
Compound movements are the best ones to use (sorry for the trainer lingo...by compound movements, I mean squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses, rows, chins and their variations). 

These, by far, cause the most "Turbulence", as you might say.

One of my favourite exercises is using a combination of these exercises with a barbell in a hybrid lift.

Over rated exercises, I find, are the ones that use only one joint, such as lateral raises, knee extensions, cable cross-overs - these are all fine and good if you're a bodybuilder or have a lot of time to spend in the gym. 

But I don't have one client who has that kind of time.

And truthfully, all my clients, and myself, would rather be spending that time with their families. 

CB: Do you use any exercises that most other trainers overlook?

CL:
Too many trainers neglect the importance and effectiveness of bodyweight exercises. 

Classic push-ups, chins, bodyweight squats and pistols are by far my favourites and are staples in all of my client's workouts, even for beginners. They may appear difficult, but there are a lot of ways to modify the exercise to accommodate a beginner's strength levels.

And everyone that does my bodyweight workouts LOVES them.

CB: So what is your key to the succes of all your busy parent clients who stay so lean and fit?

CL:
The key is the QUALITY of work. 

Do the things that will give you the most bang for your buck. 

CB: As a busy dad, you've told me that you'll work out anywhere, so give me a story about the strangest place you've worked out?

CL:
Funny you asked, the mini-van came in handy on this one. 

I was on my way to picking-up my 9-year-old from school one day this past spring. I had a really long day - I trained 9 clients that day in a 10-hour span - and was pretty much spent. 

I was in for an even longer night with either a soccer game or practice in addition to making dinner for the family (what can I say, I like to cook). I knew I had to get an endorphin rush to make it through the rest of the evening and I hadn't trained myself at all. 

So I got to the school early and set-up shop in the parking lot. 

CB: You worked out in the parking lot at your kid's school?

CL:
I had my blast straps, a 54lb kettlebell, and my sled.  

I started with some mobility drills and a bodyweight circuit and then started training hard. 

I hooked up my blast straps to one side of the roof rack and opened the sliding sliding door of the van on the other side. I set up a superset of kettlebell snatches & push-ups and then another of
inverted rows and pistols. I was really working hard and managed to build-up an audience of kids looking out their classroom window.

When I was done, my daughter came out of class and I had her sit on the sled with the kettlebell and did some drags for my metabolic work.

CB: For all the parents out there that aren't as fit as they want their kids to think, what is the best way to do interval training?

CL: 
One of my favourites is using a Tabata protocol with kettlebell swings. 

(Ooops, there goes my trainer lingo again...a "Tabata" is a series of eight 20-second intervals followed by a 10-second rest. So you go 20-on, 10-off, and do that 8 times for a total of 4 minutes.)

That's "4-minutes from hell with a kettlebell". But nothing beats sprinting on a track, in my opinion. 

And all parents will love this one...

Doing a bodyweight circuit in the bathroom while the kids are having a meltdown is great stress relief. And burns fat too. Sometimes you just gotta do what you can to get away.

CB: You workout in the bathroom a lot?

CL:
Not really.

I'm lucky because there are 2 or 3 schools in the neighbourhood with great outdoor facilities where I can do intervals. There's just something about getting out in the sun and doing your workout. When I'm out there, I'll usually go more for distance than for time. 

I'll start off with 400m runs and do 2 or 3, then drop down to 200m and do 3 or 4 and finish with 3 or 4 100m sprints (if I have anything left in the tank). Those 200's really take it out of you - so that's obviously not a beginner program. Safety first!

CB: Safety first indeed.

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

Bench Press Tip

Today's bench press tip is this...If you are doing bench press and only going half-way down, just stop. Stop doing bench presses and find another exercise.

If you are not going to do the full range of motion bench presses because you think its bad for your shoulder, then just do something else. Stop looking like a dork who thinks he has a big bench press but doesn't do the exercise properly.

Go do dumbbell presses, or pushups, or something else. But stop with the fake bench pressing.

That was one of the questionable things I saw in the gym. I guess I should call these posts, "Lessons from the Gym" but that title is lame. If you have something better, please let me know. "Stupid Pet Tricks" is already taken by Letterman. 

During my workout today, I really didn't see anything hideous, but I did see something I wish you were there to see...

In the cardio area, there were two overweight girls on elliptical machines. Their workouts looked awkward, un-coordinated, and about as effective as sitting on a couch.

Beside them was poetry in motion.

An actress from the Stratford Festival, was running on the treadmill with perfect posture. She looked like an Olympic athlete. Lean, slim, powerful, strong, fit, graceful. I could go on and on.

It was the perfect contrast between the two machines.

I promise you this: If you give up the elliptical machine and learn to become more athletic and run  and move like an athlete, you will lose more fat and become the lean, strong, fit person you desire to be.

If you don't, I fear you will struggle with weight loss, remain un-coordinated, and never reach your goals.

Girls can and should do pushups, chinups, bodyweight rows, 1-leg squats, kettlebell exercises, sprints, and anything and everything boys do. That will get you far better results than elliptical machines, cardio classes, spinning, and weight machines.

If you are struggling, I take full responsibility for not saying this earlier. I've been too lenient with folks who ask for exemptions.

Drop the elliptical, and take up the athletic.

I know this will upset a lot of people. Frankly, I hope it does and motivates you to become more athletic.

If you have sore knees, lose weight with nutrition and build up lower body strength with my floor-based bodyweight exercises. Get rid of your sore knees and move onto athletic based training. Your body will improve much faster than staying in the elliptical comfort zone.

Now onto my workout...my modified version of Turbulence Training 2K3, workout A. Frankly, this workout was almost too much upper body work for me...I'm not into those types of workouts anymore...but I know a lot of you love them.

Warmup
Prisoner Squat
Pushup
Forward Lunge
Shoulder Rotations
Neck Rotations
Some stretches, and a few other things too hard to describe.

Specific Warmup
Bench press - 45x15, 95x12, 135x10, 185x6, 225x1
Single leg exercises - 3x10

Strength
Bench Press - 235x3x5

TT Supersets
1A) Chinups (stop 2 reps short of max) - 12, 8, 6
1B) Pistols - 15, 7

2A) DB Incline Press - 80x2x8
2B) Snatch Grip BB Row - 185x3x8

3) 3-Minute Arms (another good one today!)

Train for performance and your body will change dramatically,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - Strength training and interval training are the keys to burning fat and sculpting a lean athletic body...

Click Here to Get More Results with Turbulence Training

July 2008 Turbulence Training Testimonials of the Month

Two Turbulence Training Success Story Winners this month...and a couple of runners up. The "Champions" win a 1-year Platinum TT Membership, and the runners-up get a 3-month membership added to their current membership.

Let's start with our runners up, both women...

1) She's got her pre-pregnancy flat stomach back...

"I have been doing the yummy mummy turbulence training 4 week fitness routine and it is WONDERFUL!  I haven't had this much energy since way before I had my two children.  After I had them I gained about 10 extra pounds that I couldn't seem to shake.  I have tried many other exercise routines but they never yeilded any real results.  Since I started this work out (which is really quick and easy to do, even with a 2 year old and a 4 year old) I feel great.  And after only 3 WEEKS I have to say, I look great.  My whole body is toned.  My stomach is flatter than it was when I got married 8 years ago.  My love handles have mysteriously melted away.  My husband can't keep
his hands off  I will definately be recommending this to all my mommy friends. Thanks again for helping me get my body back!  If I knew it was going to be this easy I would have started a long time ago."
Christy Germaine

2) She's lost 7 pounds with TT at 61 Years young

"Dear Craig, so I did join your TT lifestyle and am very glad that I did. I learn a lot from it.Started with great success to do my shopping only on perimeters of all stores,eat mostly row and fresh veggies and fruits(I am so glad on your point of view on eating fresh  fruits ).I started with intermediate workout and already see results. Beside loosing 7 lbs. I also lost one inch from my chest and hips and two inches from my waist.I think its just great.I missed last TT transformation contest,but will keep an eye on maybe next one.I also really enjoy your support on-line, your newsletters and pictures of your cute dog and your abs.I need to mention to you,that I am not a youngster.I am 61 years young,quite fit and happy with positive outlook on life,so your program is just great for me.Thank you for your great motivation."
Monika Kowalczyk

And now for the co-winners of the TT Success Story of the Month.

1) Derek Kendig Lost 15 Pounds and 5% Body Fat

"I have been using Turbulence Training for about 3 months now and am ecstatic with the results. As a full-time graduate student I spend long hours in the lab and many of those hours involve stationary work and sitting hunched over a desk at a computer. I was in a rut physically and needed something to get me back in shape and give me some more energy.

Luckily in my off hours I researched fat loss methods I stumbled across Craig's TT program which was exactly what I was looking for. Short yet very effective workouts that can fit into anyone's schedule based on methods proven in scientific studies can be useful to anyone, regardless of fitness level.

As Craig says if the workouts don't seem hard enough than you are probably not using enough weight, but you can even start at the bodyweight level if you have not worked out in awhile. Plus, 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 (Click Here for the TT forum) , 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

2) Mark McCain Used the TT Belly-Off Program

"It was Dec. 31, 2007, and I saw in the mirror the effects of holiday indulgences on my waistline. I wasn't significantly overweight compared to the average American which is not a standard to be proud of but I was at an all-time high weight for me of 169 pounds on a 5 foot 6 inch frame. I subscribe to *Men's Health* **magazine, where I noticed the Belly Off Program designed by Craig. I signed up that day.

My goals were: 1) a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.92, 2) a body mass index of 25, and 3) body fat of 12 percent.

I religiously completed the eight-week Bodyweight 500 Belly Off program and was astonished at the results. In all my years of regular exercise, I've never experienced a change in fitness like this. I lost 11 pounds in eight weeks. Most of the weight was shed from my mid-section, which is just what I wanted. My arms and chest became better defined, and I started to see abs, on a 47-year-old guy! I was psyched to continue the progress.

Since completing the Belly Off Program, I've continued with the diet, and I've used workouts from Craig's Turbulence Training program, changing the routines every month. I'm now down to 152 pounds, for a total weight loss of 17 pounds, and have achieved my body mass index goal. I lost 3.5 inches on my waist and 2.75 inches in my hips. I'm not quite at my waist-to-hip ratio goal, but that's okay because I've lost inches in my hips. I don't have a reliable measure of my body fat percent, but my pants are loose enough to satisfy me that I've made great progress there, too.

I can't believe how successful Craig's programs has been for me. It's the best decision I've made for my fitness since I committed to regular exercise two decades ago. Thanks Craig!"
Mark McCain

Congratulations to everyone who is burning fat and gaining muscle with Turbulence Training.

Let me know your success story this month,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - If you are a current TT customer, you can get a HUGE discount on your 1-Year Platinum TT Membership.

Just ask for details when you submit your TT Testimonial.

Contact Turbulence Training HERE

Training Recovery Week

The training recovery week recommended after roughly every 12 weeks of Turbulence Training often causes a lot of confusion. Should you stop training for the entire recovery week? Decrease the weight? Decrease the number of workouts? What should you do in a recovery week?

Well, I apologize, and I take the blame for the confusion. I will certainly update the TT for Fat Loss manual soon with clearer instructions.

In the meantime, here are some great comments from TT Member, Mike Cheliak, and then a few points and an example from me below.

From Mike (www.mikecheliak.com)

"A number of members are really getting "stuck" on this 12 weeks then a week off thing. Although you should really aim for that time schedule, a week off (or a light week of just easy activity) should happen when and if you feel gassed and have poor quality workouts. For some members who are just starting with a program, you shouldn't feel like the 12 week window is hanging over your head. If you feel your workouts are suffering, take a few days or even a week and just do some basic physical activity (walking, hiking, biking and even light jogging). Don't use this rest as a crutch or as an excuse not to challenge yourself, but rather use it to refocus. If you are making it to the 12th week, then it is advised to "unplug" for a week in order to let your growing muscles heal! After my last week of rest, I went back to the gym and lifted heavier, harder and with more intensity and that should be your goal!"

*****
Great points Mike, I will update the manual with some of your comments.

Other things to consider.

1) Most of the time life schedules enough breaks for us already.

Sometimes we don't need to force one, if we have missed half a week of training due to vacation. But if we miss a lot of training due to work or family stress, then yes, stick to the recovery week.

2) In simplest terms, the recovery week is simply where you do less than you did last week.

Thats all. Just do less. Or do something different.

Sample ideas:

a) Do all the workouts but only 1 set per exercise.

b) Do all the workouts but only 1-2 sets per exercise and use 25% less weight or reps.

c) Do only 1 hard workout.

d) Do 2 practice workouts of your next program using 50% of your normal workout weight.

e) Take the entire week and only do easy bodyweight exercises, walking, and stretching.

f) Try new things at a moderate intensity level.

g) Go on holiday. Walk a lot. Forget about "workouts". Eat well, enjoying only quality treats, not chips and fries just because you are on holiday. For more about eating quality food - including ice cream - read Brad Pilon's article here: The Truth About Ice-Cream

He's truly a sane voice in the crazy, obsessive compulsive world of nutrition where the world gets advice from processed-carbohydrate-addicted overweight nutritionists.

3) Practice your next program.

The first week of any new program should always be performed at a lower intensity and volume than normal, so that you avoid excess soreness and learn the movements. See "d" above.

Hopefully that clears things up,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - But you can still workout while traveling!

From Kettlebells to Bodyweight Ab Exercises, watch this blog for my training journal entries and you'll see how I lose fat gain muscle while hop-scotching from city to city. 

Bad Personal Trainer, Bad!

Okay, today's bad personal trainer fitness follie comes from a perky female trainer who was having her female client do bench presses.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind when personal trainers have women do bench presses - if they are ready. I generally will let women bench press when they can do 15 real pushups. And it was great when my girls would get excited about hitting 75, 85, or 95 pounds for sets of 8. Even had one girl hit 135. And no, they didn't get bulky.

Anyways, back to today's trainer. Here was her advice to her client...

"Never use clips on the end of the bar when you bench press, because if you get stuck at the bottom position, you can just tip the bar to one side and the weights will fall off and then you can tip the bar to the other side to get the rest of the weights off. Just be careful."

Genius advice. Call your lawyer now.

Listen, if that thought even comes to mind when you are training your client, just STOP doing bench presses and use dumbbell presses. Or more pushups.

But don't give the client the green light to dump the weights during a bench press. Get them to do something safer instead. Doesn't that just seem like common sense?

Ah well, so it goes in the personal trainer circus...

Here was my workout...Last day on the Original TT Workout. The legendary 2K3 program is next.

Warmup

Prisoner Squat
Forward Lunge
Shoulder Rotations
Upper back thingy from Bill Hartman
BB Row
BB RDL
BB OH Squat
Pushups
Hip Flexor Stretch
Chest Stretch
1-Leg RDL

OH Squat 65x2x5 (Had a pro strength coach by the office this week and we got talking about the Functional Movement Screen, and he explained why he uses OH Squats in almost every workout, as either a warmup or real exercise, so I'll be using them more often)

Workout
Power Clean 185x3

1A) Bench Press - 225x7,6,6
1B) Good Morning - 195x2x8, 135x12

2A) Seated Row - 210x3x8
2B) OH Squat 95x3x5

3) 3-Minute Arms Superset (Another dandy one here)

Train safe,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - You don't need to bench press to lose fat gain muscle

...but no matter how many times people "dis" the bench press, it's still a good time.

Craig Ballantyne Fat Loss Interview

I was recently interviewed on fat loss by Lincoln, Nebraska fat loss expert, Ed Scow at www.FatLossToGo.com.

Ed: How did you get into the fat loss & fitness industry?

Answer:
Like most folks in the fitness industry, I played a lot of sports when I was younger. That led to weight training. From there, I realized I wanted to be a strength coach in professional sports.

I went to school for Kinesiology, which then led to a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology. Along the way I studied what made a good NHL Strength Coach (they had Master's Degrees and were Certified Strength And Conditioning Specialists - CSCS).

I also started training athletes, along with men and women for fat loss. Then I started working with Men's Health in 2000. And I invented Turbulence Training in 1999, and finally put it online in 2001. The rest is history.

ES: You were on the forefront of fitness experts telling everyone that cardio, as a means to lose fat, is very over-rated and that there are other, better ways. Why is that?

Answer:
Back in 1998-99, I was but a lowly grad student, studying the effects of androstenedione (the supplement taken by the mighty baseball player, Mark McGwire during his record-breaking home run quest in '98).

In my study (which was published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology for any science nerds like myself out there), we had guys use the supplement and go through a couple of weight training sessions. By February of '99 I was stuck in the lab, analyzing the blood samples using some fancy radio-active isotopes.

And when I say stuck in the lab, I mean STUCK. I'd get there at 7am, and record my last data point at 11pm. Sixteen hours of mad science. And if I wasn't there, I was downstairs in the medical library, studying papers on testosterone and training.

Now coming from a very athletic background, this sedentary lifestyle didn't sit well with me. But there I was, studing for a degree in Exercise Physiology and left with no time for exercise.

Or so I thought.

Fortunately, I actually had a 50 minute window once per day of "down-time" while the lab's gamma-counter analyzed blood samples.

That left me 50 minutes to get to the gym (5 minutes across campus) and get a workout in the remaining 40 or so minutes. I knew that if I applied my studies to the workout, I could get maximum results in minimum time.

As a former athlete, I knew that I had to find a way to stay fit and to avoid the fat gain that comes with working long hours in a sedentary environment. And I also had to stay true to the high-school bodybuilder I once was, so there was no way I was willing to sacrifice my muscle to one of those long-cardio, low protein fat-loss plans that were popular at the time.

Instead, I had to draw on my academic studies and my experiences working with athletes as the school's Strength & Conditioning Coach.

I knew that sprint intervals were associated with more fat loss than slow cardio, and I knew that you could also increase aerobic fitness by doing sprints (but you can't increase sprint performance by doing aerobic training).

So clearly, intervals were (and ARE!) superior to long slow cardio for fat loss.

I had seen first hand the incredible results of sprint intervals in the summer and fall, as the athletes made huge fitness improvements and shed winter fat in a short time using my interval programs. I knew that intervals had to be the next step in the evolution of cardio.

The biggest benefit of intervals? A lot of results in a short amount of time. I knew that I only had 40 minutes to train, and therefore I could only spend 15-20 minutes doing intervals.

ES: Interval training sounds intimidating to a lot of people, can you clear up some of the misconceptions?

Answer:
Everyone can do interval training for fat burning. Even beginners.

For beginners who usually exercise for 30 minutes at 3.5 mph on the treadmill, their interval workout would be to go for 1 minute at 3.8mph and then recover for 2 minutes at 3.0 mph. That's it. Repeat 6 times.

Interval training doesn't have to be sprinting for your life. It just needs to start off harder than normal...and progress from there.

ES: What do we need to know about strength training for fat loss?

Answer:
My clients lose a lot of fat with fat burning full body workouts because of my self-experimentation back in 1999.

I knew that a high-volume bodybuilding program wasn't going to cut it - I just didn't have time. But in the past year I had read so many lifting studies, that I knew exactly what exercises I needed to do to maximize my lifting time in the gym.

Those exercises were standing, multi-muscle, movements such as squats, presses, rows, and plenty of other standing single-leg exercises. I knew that those exercises would bring me far more results than those people sitting on machines would ever achieve.

And I also knew that I had to lift heavier than the average Joe or Jane Gym-goer lifts. I just knew that doing lighter weights and high-reps wasn't going to cut it.

And a research study from 2001 later showed that I was right - when women did 8 reps per set, they had a significantly greater increase in post-workout metabolism than if they did 15 reps per set.

So I had my plan. Bust my tail over to the gym, through the cold, dreary Canadian winter afternoon, and do a quick but thorough warmup (specific to my lifts - none of that 5 minutes on the treadmill waste of time).

Once I got through the warm-up, I did as many sets as I could in the remainder of the 20 minutes for strength training.

At that point, I knew that supersets were the only way to go if I wanted to maximize the number of sets I could do...so the non-competing superset of Turbulence Training was put in place.

By non-competing, I mean that the 2 exercises in the superset don't interfere with one another. So you can use upper and lower body exercises together, or pushing and pulling exercises. Just be careful not to use two grip-intensive exercises together in a superset - otherwise, one exercise will suffer, if not both.

And then I followed up the strength training with intervals, as I knew these had to follow the lifting, otherwise it would not be the correct exercise order. Remember, intervals first leads to premature fatigue. Lift first, cardio later. Forget that old wives tale about doing cardio first to burn more fat. That's junk.

You know, I remember the exact day and exact workout that this all came together into the Turbulence Training program. It hit me as I was finishing my intervals. I knew I had found something that was like fat loss magic.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to put it in a pill. But I've been able to put it down on paper in all of the TT manuals.

ES: Personally I hate cardio and don't even do a lot of interval training using cardio machines anymore, so what do you think is the best "replacement" for cardio for someone who wants to lose stomach fat?

Answer:
Here is my list of preferred ways to do your intervals, ranked in order from best to worst, based on my experiences...

1. Sprinting outdoors (and hills might be the absolute best)
2. Strongman movements (Farmer's walks, tire flips, car pushing)
3. Bodyweight interval circuits
4. Treadmill running
5. Stationary cycle (upright preferred)
6. Stairclimber
7. Rower
8. Swimming (only works for competent swimmers)
9. Elliptical & Crosstrainer machines

ES: Your program is very similar to mine in that we don't use a lot of crunches, sit-ups, or the traditional "abs exercises" to work the abs, so how should people work their abs without doing those exercises?

Answer:
If you want to have a flat stomach or 6-pack abs, you never have to do another crunch or sit-up ever again.

In fact, the truth about abdominal crunches is that they are useless, ineffective, and even damaging to your spine. The latter fact is covered in great detail by Dr. Stuart McGill in his book, "Ultimate Low Back Fitness & Performance". His research will shock you (and the scare the bejesus out of you) if you are one of those gym-rats who spends 30 minutes on abdominal crunching type movements.

I found out crunches are useless the hard way, spending ten minutes per day on crunches back in my 3rd year of University, but to no avail. They didn't do anything for my abs.

That year I stumbled across interval training and total body abdominal exercises. Finally, it was these training secrets that helped me change my torso from regular fit college-aged male into cover-model six-pack abs worthy.

TT for Abs is the ANTI-CRUNCH, ANTI-CARDIO six pack system,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

P.S. For more total body ab exercises...

...grab your copy of my NEW TT for Abs Home Abdmoinal Workout System.

=> TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com

Turbulence Training Road Tour

I'll have "On the Road Again" by Willy Nelson stuck in my mind for all of August (and some of September too).

Next week I'll be in NYC for a seminar and then I'm off to Boston to see an old client and then to have high energy trainer David Jack, a Men's Health expert and the author of the new Belly Off Program, put me through a workout.

The following week I'm off to Vail, Colorado to film an abs project with Mike Geary, author of The Truth About Abs. And then the next day I'll head to Aspen to meet with another client and even do some mountain biking with him.

The 5th city in my travels is Stamford, Connecticut. I'll be presenting at a business seminar for Fitness Experts. The seminar runs from Sept. 18th to 20th and all the big names will be there...

-> Ryan Lee
-> Alwyn Cosgrove & his amazing wife, Rachel
-> Dax Moy
-> Brian Grasso (Youth Fitness Expert)

And many more, including the top Kettlebell Experts in the World.

If you are a personal trainer, chiropractor, physiotherapist, or Bootcamp instructor, or even an aspiring trainer, this will be one of the most important weekends of your life.

Click Here to Discover the Details of the Seminar

It's going to be super high-energy and inspirational.

I look forward to seeing you there,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training Hot Zone Workout

PS - The TT August Workout of the Month is ready!

Login to www.TTMembers.com to download the "Turbulence Training Hot Zone Fat Loss Workout" today...

...and get ready for a 2-workout bonus program in September, including my "3-Minute Arms" workouts...featuring dozens of 3-minute arm workout variations you can do to "supplement" your TT workouts.

You asked for it, so you got it!

Squat Tip of the Day

Here's a tip to all aspiring personal trainers and/or guys trying to impress their girlfriends by teaching them to squat...

"If you don't know how to squat properly, or if you've never squatted before, don't bother trying to teach someone else how to do it."

I've watched more than one trainer - who I know has never barbell squatted before - try to teach clients how to squat. It's sad. Shameful, really.

Plus today, while I was in the gym, I watched a guy try to teach his girlfriend to squat. First of all, the bar was set at chin height. And then they wondered why she had such a difficult time trying to get it off the rack. Anyways, it didn't get much better from there...although it was funny to see that the girl actually had better squat form than the "teacher" boyfriend.

Anyways, that wasn't the only stupid thing I saw in the gym today, but it was probably the most notable. On to my workout...

Turbulence Training Original Workout B

Warmup
Forward lunges
Waiters Bow
Pushups
Shoulder Rotations
Neck Rotations
Hip Flexor Stretch
Side Stretch
Chest stretch
Y-Squat

Overhead Squat - 45x8, 55x5

Squat - 45x10, 135x10, 185x6, 225x5, 275x3

Supersets

1A) Squat - 315x3x8
1B) Chinup with kneeup - 14, 8, 6

2A) Barbell Split Squat - 165x8
2B) Barbell Row - 175x3x10
2C) Barbell Shrug - 175x3x12 (just decided to throw this in)

That was it...skipped out on 3-minute arms because arms were still slightly sore from Monday.

Squat right or don't squat at all (and definitely don't teach it!),

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Grab your trial offer of Turbulence Training and follow me in the 2k3 program that I start next week...

Click Here for the Turbulence Training Trial Offer

5 Best Kettlebell Exercises for Fat Burning

Here are the top 5 kettlebell exercises for fat burning from RKC Troy Anderson...

************
The Top 5 Kettlebell Exercises

By Troy Anderson
SmokeTheFat.com

#1 - Kettlebell Snatch

The snatch is far and away the most athletic lift there is, when
done well it is borderline artistic.

Not only that but it takes hell of a lot of different muscles
firing in sequence, ultimately burning some series calories and fat.

The kettlebell snatch allows the beginning enthusiast to experience
this movement, much quicker than would be possible with a barbell
and more fluidly than with a dumbbell.

I love this drill I personally try to get in 25 snatches per arm
per day.

#2 - Turkish Get-up or The Get Up (TGU)

If I only had one drill that would give my clients everything they
need this would be the one. 

- Upper body Strength
- Shoulder Mobility & Stability
- Leg Strength
- Flexion and Rotational Trunk Strength
- Hip/Pelvis Mobility
- High Volume of Work

All that fits the needs of 90% of all my clients.

Plus it develops one of the 6 Points of Fitness that I identify as
critical, and that is the ability to get you body up off the
ground.

Due to the dynamic demand of this drill it really requires that one
stays engaged with what it is that they are doing; this built in
benefit will allow the client to get the most strength and fat loss
benefit possible.

#3 - 2-Hand swing

This drill is #3 because of its quick and simple implementation. I
know of fitness coaches that use the 2 Hand swing as 1 of 2 primary
drills that use with their clients. 

Think about that - only two kettlebell drills and the 2 hand swing
is one of them, and they get really excellent results.

The shear volume of work that can done is astounding, as we know in
the fat loss world that more intense work = more fat loss.  

Along with that there is another little secret many often
overlooked about the 'swing' and that is the dynamic stretch you
get on the hip flexors, a very tight area for many of us.

#4 - The Double Kettlebell Front Squat.

My clients absolutely hate this drill, so much so that they
actually beg to be able to do barbell back squats.

If that doesn't tell you something about this drill I don't know
what does. 

The two great things about this drill are:

A) Any time we hold a weight on the front side of the body to squat,
it just makes squatting properly so much easier. Specifically that
act of pushing your 'hips back'.

B) Again because the weight is on the front side of the body, you
have to engage your core/trunk to a significant degree otherwise
the weight will pull you forward and down.

Pretty slick and your abs just get smoked doing this drill.

You end up getting an awesome leg and ab workout all at once.

#5 - Kettlebell Overhead Press

(I actually prefer double kettlebell overhead press, but single
KB's work well too)

The best thing about the kettlebell overhead press is that when
done well it is a:

- Dynamic shoulder mobility drill, this is due the way the
kettlebell sits it naturally allows the shoulder to move through a
very 'open/unrestricted'  range of motion.

- Along with that one that when the kettlebell is press properly it
is very much a total body movement even more so performed with
doubles.

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

Troy uses these fat burning Kettlebell exercises in the TT-approved
"Smoke the Fat Kettlebell Program".

Claim your copy here:

=> SmokeTheFat.com

PS - Don't miss Troy's Sample Kettlebell Workout in the TT Member's area here:

=> Click Here for Troy's Sample KB Workout

Smoke the Fat with Kettlebells

It is FINALLY here. A little late, but you know the old saying.

Troy Anderson and Josh Henkin's "Smoke the Fat Kettlebell Program" is now ready to help you...well, smoke the fat of course!

For months, I've been training with kettlebells...as I like to do when the weather gets a little warmer here in Toronto.

I do a big bodyweight warm-up, then swings, getting progressively heavier (I have a 35, 53, and 70lb kettlebell), and then move into Kettlebell snatches, overhead walks, and sometimes finish with high-rep swings or 1-arm farmer walks.

And with all of my traveling last week, I'm overdue for a KB workout, and will hit one just before lunch today.

But so many of you email in asking for kettlebell programs and more info on the lifts I'm doing that I practically begged Troy to create a program. So together with Josh, they cooked something up down in the Arizona desert where they both live and train men AND women with kettlebells.

Yes, women use kettlebells and still look lean and feminine, as you can see on the cover of Troy's workout program.

Plus, it comes with a DVD of the exercises, because a lot of this stuff will be new to you. And yes, there is also a beginner's
program for anyone new to hard workouts, let alone training with kettlebells. So grab your copy of the first Fat-Loss specific kettlebell program that shares the Russian Fat Burning Secret...

It's a workout that is Turbulence Training approved!

Click Here to Smoke the Fat

Say "Nyet" to belly fat,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. How can the Russian Kettlebells work for elite special forces AND Hollywood movie stars?

Usually, those two groups go together about as well as Karate and Pilates, but celebrity trainers from Pavel Tsatsouline to Missy Beaver in Hollywood are ALL using Kettlebells to help their clients Smoke the Fat off their bodies.

Click here to smoke YOUR fat with Kettlebells:

=> http://SmokeTheFat.com

3-Minute Arms

This is the last week for the Original TT Workout...2k3 is next.

Warmup

Prisoner Squat
Waiter's Bow
Forward Lunges
Shoulder Rotations
Neck rotations
Prisoner Squat
Waiter's Bow
Shoulder Mobility
1-Leg RDL
Side Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Chest Stretch
Neck Rotations

Supersets

1A) Overhand Grip Deadlift (295x8,6,6)
1B) DB Chest Press (95x7,6,5)

2A) Pistol (13, 8)
2B) DB 1-Arm Standing Shoulder Press (65x2x6)

3-minute arms

In response to all those folks who want more arm training in their TT workouts, I'm actually putting together a bonus ebook called 3-minute arms. I did one of the routines today...and it was twice as good as I expected it to be.

This will be ready in September...

It will be great, until someone comes up with 2 minute arms,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - People are submitting their transformation photos already!

Only a few weeks till the final deadline, and we already have a couple of girls with ABS in their after photos!

Check them out on TT members in the Transformation forum.

Breakfast

Typical morning meals.

First, the omelet with vegetables and sometimes steak, a little bit of Mrs. Renfrow's Salsa - love that stuff, plus an apple, green tea, and water in my fancy little metal water bottle thingy that everyone is getting now.

Second is the bowl of pecans and blueberries. At night, I'll eat this same snack with a little bit of organic whipping cream.

Last Vancouver Walk & Workout

It's been a great trip to Vancouver - the city is as great as everyone says it is - but it's time to head home. Finished up one more walk and a workout today at the Steve Nash Sports Club.

Last night I walked all the way over to Kitsilano Beach that I'd heard so much about. Very nice. I'd definitely hit that place if I lived here. I covered a lot of the city but didn't make it over to North or West Vancouver...I just ran out of time. But the tourist part of the city is clean, friendly, safe, and full of beautiful people. So it gets the Turbulence Training seal of approval.

Oddly enough, yesterday I had the worst sushi I'd ever had...in a city famous for its sushi. Weird. Toshi Sushi in Toronto sets the bar for good sushi for me.

Today's workout went down at the Steve Nash Sports Club in downtown Vancouver. That place was huge. I didn't know they had that many elliptical machines in the world, let alone one gym. But it also had squat racks and heavy weights. Not very busy at this time, so the workout went smooth.

It was a good workout, even though I squatted in running shoes, which is stupid because they are built for shock absorption and with an elevated heel, not what you want for squatting. I usually wear converse but didn't pack them.

Bodyweight Warm-up

Bodyweight Squats
Lunges
Pushups
Shoulder Rotations
Neck rotations
Bodyweight Squats
Good morning with the bar
Squats with the bar
2 chinups
Chest stretch
Hip flexor stretch
Side stretch

Squat Warmup

95x12, 135x8, 185x8, 225x6, 275x3

Supersets

1A) Squat - 300x3x8
1B) Chinup with knee up (neutral grip) - 12, 8, 6

2A) BB Bulgarian Split Squat - 155x2x8
2B) BB Row - 185x3x8, 135x10

That was enough. No kettlebells this week, but I'll get to them on Sunday.

Now to plan my snacks for the airport and airplane,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - The fat loss kettlebell program is now ready!

Click Here for the Kettlebell Fat Loss program

Bodyweight Ab Workout Today

Busy day today, going to a lot of seminars and meetings, so I woke up early (5:30am) to do the TT for Abs Bodyweight Workout in my hotel room. You can do every single exercise without equipment...no need for a bar to do rowing or bench to do stepups. Everything is equipment free.

I went through one round of each workout - doing only one round of each superset. So I did...

-> Beginner Workout A

-> Beginner Workout B

-> Advanced Workout A

-> Advanced Workout B

No intervals, just the strength training part. I might go for a long walk later tonight through another part of Vancouver. Or maybe, just maybe, a hike up Grouse Mountain. Depends on how the day turns out.

I also did a lot of stretching...my tight areas include chest, left hip flexor region, and right low back. So in addition to all the warmup exercises I did 2-3 rounds of stretching for those areas.

I did the beginner workouts as an extra warm-up, because it takes me a while to get moving in the morning.

Overall good times, and then a good breakfast of almonds, dried cranberries, dried apricots, smoked salmon, pineapple, melon, berries, and Green Tea.

I could get used to this Fairmont place,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Bodyweight ab exercises

3 More Diet Tips

Just got back from a long, and I mean looooong walk around Stanley Park here in Vancouver.

How long was it?

It was so long you could even say I just did a long, slow (but not boring) cardio workout. Heck, I even had lunch and got some training tips from a marathon runner today.

Have I gone mad? No, it's not that. Not yet, anyways.

But if you want to learn more about the exercise tips the runner and I exchanged (plus how my daily workout was ruined AND saved by Hammer Strength Machines), you can read the full story on my blog.

=> Eating With The Enemy

But through all these adventures I've been sticking to the TT Advanced Nutrition Guidelines. And here are 3 more practical diet
tips to help you eat for fat loss:

1) Make NO Excuses at the Buffet Dinners...

...On Tuesday evening, there was a seminar reception buffet dinner.

It featured pasta, beef tenderloin, lots of breads and cheeses, seafood, vegetables, and fruit. Lots and lots of food. Plenty of opportunity to overeat...or eat well. And it was easy for me to stick to the raw vegetables, smoked salmon, crab, shrimp, and fruit. A free meal should not be a free for all meal.

2) Do not eat dessert for breakfast.

Somehow, it became socially acceptable, recommended even, to eat dessert for breakfast.

-> Muffins are just cake without icing.

-> Poptarts are just pie slices you can stick in a toaster.

-> Cereals are just pieces of crackers you drowned in milk.

None of these have many redeeming qualities. Stick to real food instead.

3) Eat more fruit and less pizza

Today on my way to Stanley Park, I knew I needed to pick up a snack. Lunch was light (see my blog), and I knew the walk was going to be long. I thought briefly about getting a slice of pizza, but I take my position as a nutrition role model to you quite seriously. And even though I could have "snuck" the pizza in and not mentioned it here, I don't like to be hypocritical. So I found a grocery store/fruit stand and grabbed two bananas and a bag of local blueberries.

Much better.

This is a choice that you can make too. Believe it or not, you'll actually like it. And you'll feel 10x's better choosing fruit over
grease. Both physically and mentally.

**************
Bottom line
**************

The REALITY of the situation is this...

Eating takes about 5 minutes per snack, maybe 15 minutes for a meal.

That's it. And often even when we "give in" to a craving, it doesn't take us long to have that craving again. It's not like eating ice cream today takes our mind off ice cream for the next 151 days. Nope. Ice cream is right back in our heads tomorrow. Or even later today.

The old saying, "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" is pretty accurate. It really is ONLY a moment on the lips. Eating is not a 3 hour orgy of the senses. It's really over in a few short minutes. But your body and belly fat are there with you 168 hours per week, week-in and week-out.

Keep this reality in perspective, and it will help you make better nutrition choices.

A moment vs. a lifetime, which will you choose?

Since its Thursday, the unofficial start to the weekend for many folks, I had to get this message out to you today...so keep this in mind at happy hour, at softball, at the neighbors BBQ, or wherever you end up that tempts you to cheat beyond what you need. A little reward is fine when it fits the plan, a lot of cheating is only going to ruin all your other hard work.

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. For more motivation and inspiration to avoid cheating on your diet...

...get your FREE copy of my "5 Motivation Secrets" when you claim your TT for Abs Home Abdmoinal Workout System.

=> TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com

"Craig, you've really impressed me. Turbulence Training For Abs is truly a complete system for burning fat and carving out your
midsection! I'm in awe over the workout plan. The advanced program will take fat burning to a whole new level. Not to mention that your abs won't know what the heck hit them! What stands out the most to me are your 'Abs Motivation Secrets'. You nailed it buddy! This one component of your program is going to increase the success rate of Turbulence Training For Abs
tremendously."
Scott Tousignant
Creator of Unstoppable Fat Loss

Eating with the Enemy

Today I had lunch with a marathon runner - more on that below...

But first, my workout was both ruined and saved by Hammer Strength equipment.

I got a tip on a local hardcore bodybuilding gym here in downtown Vancouver, and walked over this morning for my regular TT Original Workout A.

However, when I realized it was located on the 2nd floor, I knew I was in trouble (because no gyms located on 2nd floors ever allow you to deadlift - because it irritates the people below). Also, the gym was filled with Hammer Strength machines, and dumbells that only went to 70.

But, since I often tell you to make lemons out of lemonade and do what you can no matter what the situation, I knew I had to quit complaining and get to work. So I had fun with the Hammer Strength equipment.

Ironically, they even had a deadlift hammer strength machine. It was fun to use...very similar to using a trap bar for deadlifts.

I paired that with "iso-lateral incline press" hammer strength machine.

I even ended up doing a few extra sets for fun. I'll feel it tomorrow...the combination of a new exercise and the extra volume will ensure that.

NOTE for beginners: Any time you start a new program with new exercises, cut back on volume - meaning do one set instead of three. For me, I can get away with a little extra volume on new exercises because my muscles are used to lots of exercise. So do as I say and not as I do in this situation.

I finished with pistols (12) and DB 1-arm shoulder press (60x8) for 2 sets.

After my workout, I met up with a college buddy who is a serious marathoner...he recently broke his foot in a freak running accident (not a "dark side of cardio" overuse injury) and wanted me to show him a bunch of single-leg exercises he could do for the other side.

I cautioned him about doing too much work for the uninjured limb, but research does show that training one side of your body helps maintain strength on the other side of your body. In these studies, untrained, yet healthy people have one arm put in a cast, and then train only the other arm. After several weeks, they find that even the arm put in the cast can gain strength.

All due to freaky neurological adaptations (when your brain sends instructions to one side of the body to lift a weight, the "non-exercising" side gets some of the same instructions).

Anyway, I showed him...

- Reaching Lunges

- Pistol squats

- 1-leg deadlifts

- 1-leg RDLs

And some upper body and total body ab exercises like:

- mountain climbers

- x-body mountain climbers

- stability ball mountain climbers

- spiderman pushups

- grasshopper pushups

Afterwards, we talked about marathon training, how strong someone needs to be to run a marathon, abdominal and posture training for marathons, interval training for marathons, and nutrition for marathons.

Pretty interesting stuff.

Strength training for marathons is a catch-22.

We concluded that the more strength and muscle you have, the less likely you are to get chronic overuse injury. (Based on experience, no hard science to back that up).

But here's the paradox...

The more muscle you have, the slower you will be.

My friend has an extra 10-20 pounds on muscle on him (due to being a power sport athlete in high school and college) compared to his running buddies who are walking sticks.

Being lighter and skinnier allows them to run hills faster, but also leaves them prone to more injury.

At least, that's our take on it.

After, we hit up a Cactus Club restaurant in downtown Vancouver for lunch. I had cedar-plank grilled salmon and vegetables, including beets - which I think i've never had in a restaurant before.

I think I'll hit Stanley Park for a long walk before dinner.

So there you go...who knew I could learn so much from a "cardio" expert.

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Last chance to get your time-limited bonuses with TT for Abs tonight!

The promotion ends at midnight.

Click HERE for Turbulence Training for Abs  

Diet for Six Pack Abs

I've been up since 3:30am, endured a 5-hour flight from Toronto to Vancouver, and a full day of a seminar, but I still have enough energy to write you this email. Thanks to sticking with my six pack abs nutrition, and avoiding airport and airplane food, I haven't gotten sluggish.

In fact, I'm writing this from a restaurant in the historic Gastown District of Vancouver, about to have an organic greens salad with pear, toasted wlanuts, and a little feta cheese, plus grilled calamari.

No Turbulence Training workout today, but I'll stay active walking today and hit a TT workout tomorrow morning. I can't wait. I actually had to hold myself back from training today. I wish you felt the same way. I really do.

We'll talk more about how you can get that "I like to workout!" mindset in the future.

But today, on to nutrition.

The truth is, nutrition is so easy. (Once you realize how hard it is.)

Ouch. You probably didn't like that, did ya?

But with practice, and using my "baby step" method of getting better everyday, you can build a better nutrition mindset as well.

For me, I started my early morning off with raw vegetables, and then a half cup of blueberries in a little bit of real, organic cream.

I also had an apple before getting on the plane, and then 2 hours into my flight, I had a big snack of organic nuts and dried fruit.

A much better choice than the greasy breakfast sandwich, a bag of heavily oiled and salted nuts, and a Coke consumed by the guy beside me. It's as if he didn't know - or care - that the flight was 5 hours long and so he didn't prepare ahead.

(I wouldn't give the guy a hard time, but c'mon, he was reading a copy of Muscle'n'Fiction magazine. Either find something better to read - which isn't hard - or eat the part.)

The truth is that he could have prepared better. Heck, everyday we all can prepare better. So that's your job today, tonight, tomorrow and forever, is to prepare to avoid being left with no other options.

All you need to do is spend 10-15 minutes on Sunday looking at your week...what obstacles do you need to plan for so that you can avoid diet disasters?

For more information on my eating style that helped me get better abs at age 33 than age 23 (and meal plans to take all the work out of your diet preparation), grab a copy of the NEW TT for Abs Home Abdominal Workout program and go through the Isabel De Los Rios.

Isabel's guidelines and meals are right on track with how I've been eating for the last 2 years - and you've seen the results of that.

One more thing...

Its important that you know something.

If I can do this, you can do this.

You see, I'm a reformed picky eater. Didn't eat salad till I was 24.

No spinach till 29. No asparagus till 26. Just had my first taste of avocado in 2007. The only reason I like broccoli as a kid was because I drowned it in butter.

Heck, I didn't even let different foods on my plate touch one another until I was 23.

But over time I tried new things and worked to take baby steps and eat better everyday.

If I can do it, you can do it.

Nutrition is the most important factor for fat loss,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training For Abs Home Abdominal Workouts

P.S. Get your fat burning meal plans for men and women...

...and 3 other FREE GIFTS that you get if you grab your copy of TT for Abs before Wednesday, July 23rd at midnight.

Click HERE for Turbulence Training for Abs & the Nutrition Meal Plans Bonus

Consumer Report: Getting Past the Fat Loss "Dip"

Getting Past the Fat Loss Dip

Every night when we hit the sack, I first have to get Bally, my puppy dog,
off the bed so I can get in.

Once settled in, he jumps back on the bed, circles around 3-4 times and then
flops down in the cutest little curled up position. And he always lets out a
big sigh when he does.

As if it was a big chore.

Once he's done his little bedtime song and dance, I sometimes read for a few
minutes. Lately it's been this little book called, "The Dip" by a guy named
Seth Godin.

It's all about how the biggest results are often achieved after a period of
struggling. But many people quit during the struggle, and never achieve
success.

You might be able to relate - this is very true of fat loss, working out,
and eating right.

After all, it's not too bad to get through the morning or even the early
part of the afternoon without 'cheating' on your diet.

But late in the afternoon our diet becomes a struggle. And while sitting
around after dinner it is practically impossible for some folks to resist
the siren's call of the cookies and chips.

But those who make it through the struggle WIN. They end up eating fewer
calories and losing fat for the day.

Same with our workouts.

The warmup is fine, and the first few sets are tough, but manageable.

But as we go on, some folks want to quit. But often it is the last set, the
last rep, the last effort that gives us the most results.

If we didn't experience discomfort and fatigue - and make it through it all -
we wouldn't change our bodies.

We have to get through what Seth calls, "the dip". As he says, "It is human
nature to quit when it hurts."

And human nature is why you see more lard bodies than hard bodies.

The two worst things you can do when you are in "the dip" are...

a) Quit (that's obvious)

b) Jump from program to program (because each time you jump, you are
starting over again - always give a program a full 4-week trial period to
see if it really works for you)

If you can make it through the dip, you win.

But how do you beat the dip when the struggle is so hard?

By reminding yourself of how good life will be on the other side of the dip -
how good things will be once you make it through the struggle.

You must remind yourself that you can get to a point where you'll prefer
whole, natural foods over junk food; that you'll look forward to your
workouts, rather than find any excuse to blow them off.

You must have the right mindset.

You must learn to stay strong.

And get help from your social support.

Let me know how I can help you,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, TT for Abs

P.S. In the past 11 months I've discovered powerful secrets...

...about how to use motivation, inspiration, and social support to help keep
more Turbulence Training users on track.

To help them burn the belly fat they've been struggling to lose for weeks,
months, and years.

And I've put all those secrets together in my new ebook bonus, "The 5
Motivational Secrets to Getting (and KEEPING) Flat Sexy Abs and Burning
Belly Fat Permanently"

PPS - Don't miss the 3 other FREE GIFTS that you get if you grab your copy
before Wednesday, July 23rd at midnight.

=> Click HERE to get the TT for Abs program including the Motivation & Time
Limited Bonuses

Getting Past the Fat Loss "Dip"

Every night when we hit the sack, I first have to get Bally, my puppy dog, off the bed so I can get in.

Once settled in, he jumps back on the bed, circles around 3-4 times and then flops down in the cutest little curled up position. And he always lets out a big sigh when he does.

As if it was a big chore.

Once he's done his little bedtime song and dance, I sometimes read for a few minutes. Lately it's been this little book called, "The Dip" by a guy named Seth Godin.

It's all about how the biggest results are often achieved after a period of struggling. But many people quit during the struggle, and never achieve success.

You might be able to relate - this is very true of fat loss, working out, and eating right.

After all, it's not too bad to get through the morning or even the early part of the afternoon without 'cheating' on your diet.

But late in the afternoon our diet becomes a struggle. And while sitting around after dinner it is practically impossible for some folks to resist the siren's call of the cookies and chips.

But those who make it through the struggle WIN. They end up eating fewer calories and losing fat for the day.

Same with our workouts.

The warmup is fine, and the first few sets are tough, but manageable.

But as we go on, some folks want to quit. But often it is the last set, the last rep, the last effort that gives us the most results.

If we didn't experience discomfort and fatigue - and make it through it all - we wouldn't change our bodies.

We have to get through what Seth calls, "the dip". As he says, "It is human nature to quit when it hurts."

And human nature is why you see more lard bodies than hard bodies.

The two worst things you can do when you are in "the dip" are...

a) Quit (that's obvious)

b) Jump from program to program (because each time you jump, you are starting over again - always give a program a full 4-week trial period to see if it really works for you)

If you can make it through the dip, you win.

But how do you beat the dip when the struggle is so hard?

By reminding yourself of how good life will be on the other side of the dip - how good things will be once you make it through the struggle.

You must remind yourself that you can get to a point where you'll prefer whole, natural foods over junk food; that you'll look forward to your workouts, rather than find any excuse to blow them off.

You must have the right mindset.

You must learn to stay strong.

And get help from your social support.

Let me know how I can help you,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, TT for Abs

P.S. In the past 11 months I've discovered powerful secrets...

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To help them burn the belly fat they've been struggling to lose for weeks, months, and years.

And I've put all those secrets together in my new ebook bonus, "The 5 Motivational Secrets to Getting (and KEEPING) Flat Sexy Abs and Burning Belly Fat Permanently"

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Do Crunches Hurt Your Neck?

There's a guy at the gym where I workout that has the worst, most "spastic" form of anyone I've ever watched exercise.

He does these weird swinging arm curls, the jerkiest pullups in the world, and worst of all "neck crunches" (that are supposed to be ab crunches - I think?).

You have to wonder how this guys neck isn't killing him every night after his workouts. His form is brutal. Not that he'd really be getting that much benefit from perfect crunches anyways. After all, he does about 50 of these neck-nods in a row. And most people can do 20, 30, or more crunches in a row.

But why would anyone expect to get results from doing the same thing 50 times in a row?

Oh well, just another one of the weird things I see when I workout...

Actually, there was one other thing I watched go down today that I don't quite understand.

A big buff personal trainer met with a new client. It was clearly their first session. Trainer stands there asking the client a bunch of questions, all while he's eating a sandwich. In the weightroom. The new guy wants to lose some weight. The trainer gives him some nutrition advice, and then says, "Okay, today's chest day."

To a beginner who needs to lose about 50 pounds.

Chest day.

That poor guy probably can't even turn his steering wheel right now, his arms are probably too sore. I remember I felt that way when I did my first chest day at age 16 at the YMCA. But I was a dumb kid. Not paying $50-$100 to a professional to help me lose weight. No one who is 50 pounds overweight needs to do a full chest day on their first day in the gym.

Anyways, on to my workout...

Warm-up

Squats into toe raise - 10
Prisoner Squat - 10
Pushup - 10
Forward Lunge - 10
Arm Circles - 10
Neck Circles - 5
Waiter's Bow - 10
Hip flexor stretch
Shoulder mobility move - 10
Chest stretch
1-leg RDL - 8
Pushups - 10

Strength

Warmup
Power Shrug

Power Clean
95x5
135x5

"Real Sets"

175x3
185x3

Supersets

Warmup

Bench -> 45x12, 95x8, 135x8, 185x8
Good morning -> 45x10, 95x8, 135x8

1A) Bench -> 205x3x8 (3 second eccentric)
1B) Good Morning -> 185x3x8

2A) Inverted Row -> 3x15 (3 sec eccentric)
2B) Overhead Squat - 75x3x5

Short workout, had to get home.

Off to Vancouver tomorrow,

Craig Ballantyne