Couple of workouts dow

Got a couple of TT HP 3.0 workouts down.

One will pre-exhaust with pushups, and another (in the next phase) will hit heavy presses followed with a unique EMOM pushup challenge. Good times. That workout humbled me.

There's also a good lower body session in the works, and one conditioning workout is in the books. 

But remember, these workouts are high-performers, busy men and women generally over 35 looking to gain a little muscle and lose fat. They aren't for the 25 year old hard core crossfitter. That never was me and never will be ... besides the 25-year old workout boat left my dock a long time ago, lol.

Stay tuned for more TT HP 3.0 updates.

--

Craig Ballantyne

Author, The Perfect Day Formula

PS - The 2018 Perfect Life Retreat is Nov. 8-9th in San Diego

    

Still figuring things out

Quick check-in...

I'm still out in the lab, running tests, trying new training methods, and building out the new TT HP 3.0

TT for High Performers

It's still going to be built for building muscle and losing fat, but will also include everything I do to sleep better, travel 200 days of the year at 10% body fat while eating amazing steakhouse dinners, visiting 5 new countries every year, and keeping anxiety attacks far, far away. 

Basically, TT for James Bond types ... but without all the shoot-em-ups & car chases.

Sorry, you can't have everything. 

:)

Talk soon,

Craig

Big News - September 2018

Hey, I'm going to be MIA for a few weeks or months here...

... But in September of 2018, TT returns.

Talk soon,

Craig

--

Craig Ballantyne

Author, The Perfect Day Formula

PS - The 2018 Perfect Life Retreat is Nov. 8-9th in San Diego

    

Salt Lake Turbulence History and San Diego Training

Catching up on some travels and workouts today.

On Sunday I returned to Salt Lake City, Utah.

It was on a flight from SLC to Toronto, all the way back in 2001, when I came up with the name, Turbulence Training.

I forgot how amazing Utah is, and how nice the people are everywhere.

They are even nicer than people in North Carolina. WOW!

The trip was fantastic, and I spoke at a company called Skipio, visited Sundance ski resort, and then had to leave town on Tuesday morning.

No real workouts of note were done.

Fortunately, I did an afternoon upper body session in San Diego on Tuesday:

1A) Pushups
1B) Face Pull

2A) DB Press
2B) Pullup

3A) DB Row
3B) Triceps

And then a squat workout early this morning...

1A) Squat
1B) Box Jump

2A) Good Morning
2B) Mobility

Very sweaty. The gym was really hot... and even humid.

Strange weather for SD.

Now I'm off to do a coaching session with fitness model and former NFL punter, Steve Weatherford, from the NY Giants.

It's going to be a great day!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Haters are really hurting.

They lash out at you to protect themselves.

Don't let them get to you!

Anonymous Critic = Anonymous COWARD

Don't feed the trolls.

Stay focused on making an Impact and having an Influence.

Be positive. Stay strong. Push on.

--

Craig Ballantyne

Author, The Perfect Day Formula

Get Your Friends of Craig Workshop Discount

    

Toronto Time and Workouts

Thursday was an off-day. I took the train from the farm to Toronto, and just walked around for about an hour. That included a little stroll over to see my sister and have a big family dinner.

Friday was busy, and I only had time for a pushup workout in my hotel room before a big Perfect Life Workshop... one of our best ones yet.

Today is going to be a deadlift workout.

1A) Deadlift
1B) Box Jump

2A) Hang Clean
2B) Glute-Ham Raise

3A) Squats (light)
3B) Ab Rollout

Tomorrow I fly to Salt Lake City for a bunch of meetings on Monday. On Tuesday morning it's down to San Diego for two Perfect Life Workshops and then Fitness Business Summit.

Party time!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Success is simple once you accept how hard it is. Once you admit that achieving your goals requires hard work & sacrifice, then you will be psychologically prepared to do the work & make the sacrifices. Then it's just a matter of taking action on a proven plan.

Upper Body and Deadlift DOMS

Hmmm. So I was not as sore as I expected today.

Certainly some DOMS, and definitely different compared to normal deadlifts.

But not as severe, for lower or upper, as I expected.

That allowed me to have a good pressing workout today.

Here's what went down:

1A) Pushups ... this superset wasn't just a warm-up, but sets close to failure
1B) Band Pull

2A) DB Chest Press
2B) DB Shrug

3A) DB Triceps Extensions
3B) DB Hammer Curl

Good times. No tweaks.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
"If you hate to see the hate in the world... Do good. Before you post that snarky insult on Facebook just to get "Liked", think about the consequences, and do good. Before you make or share the attack ad, realize that it only makes things worse, and do good.

Do good. Now, forever, and always. Do good.

Strange Deadlift Workout and Superset

Strange thing happened in today's workout.

It was another session with 3-4 second eccentrics.

I did 3 sets of deadlifts at 315 for 5 reps with a 3 second lowering phase and a 1 second pause at the bottom.

In the 3rd set, the first rep came off the floor easier than every other rep.

Very interesting.

Maybe it was a fluke.

Should be some interesting upper back DOMS on Tuesday AM.

Full workout went like this:

1A) Deadlift
1B) Email... seriously. haha.

2A) Barbell Hip Thrust
2B) Hang Clean (light, long time since I've done these)

Great workout.

Latest podcast with Bedros on advice for millennials & our younger "usn's"
=> https://www.earlytorise.com/046-advice-millennials-younger-self/

And today's kickbutt mindset tip:
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Don't dwell on past mistakes, that gets you nowhere. Focus on what you can & will do today, tomorrow, & the rest of your life, and all of the great things that will happen because of your actions. Get strong, be strong, stay strong

You will need to make hard, uncomfortable choices in the short-term in order to have long-term success, progress, and happiness. But don't worry, it'll only hurt a bit right now, but you'll feel better for a long, long, long, long time.

Shoulders and Back

Pretty good garage gym workout today.

Slow 3-4 eccentric tempos on everything... makes for lighter weights, but less trouble, and good pumps.

Eventually builds up to decent weights in last exercises or last sets. So it's not all baby weights.

Lots of old-man warmup before this.

1A) BB Shoulder Press
1B) Band Pull

2A) Close-Grip Incline Press
2B) DB Row

3A) Ball Rollout
3B) Hammer Curl

Before the workout I was answering some reader Q's... shared this with someone struggling to improve on video:

It's how I 'tricked' myself into having more energy on-stage and in my video presentations ... and this was tough, because my introverted, low-key tendencies are very strong! :)

=> https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&v=QOaNvlb_hgM

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
"People are always blaming circumstance for what they are. I do not believe in circumstance. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstance they want and if they can't find them they make them." - George Bernard Shaw

Squats and Eccentrics

Fun session today at the local YMCA.

Yesterday was an off day with some long walks and a basic yoga routine.

Today was back under the bar for the slow rep training (3-4 second eccentric on all reps but the jumps).

1A) Squat
1B) Box Jump

2A) Leg Press for Fun'n'Games
2B) Leg Curl

Tomorrow is a Meathead upper body session in the garage.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tips:
"Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass." – Paul Meyer #fridayfeeling

Never feel sorry for yourself. Instead, go out and help someone. Turn your moping into mentoring. The best thing you can do is to make everyone around you better.

And one for yesterday:
Happy 1st.

Shed the old and embrace the new. ...

It's easy to get complacent in life. But you must fight it, Fight it, FIGHT it. Never rest on past accomplishments. Never stop getting better. We will never be done. Push yourself to make the most of your gifts.

Invasion of the Bodybuilder into my Baby Weights Workouts

Another great garage gym workout using my new "baby weights" philosophy stolen from Vince Delmonte and IFBB pro, Ben Pakulski.

Basically, I do a lot more warm-up, and high-rep sets before pyramiding up in weight and down in reps.

Gosh, I sound like an article from a 1993 FLEX magazine, but the workouts are good times.

Today...

1A) Pushups - 4x20 at 3-0-1 tempo
1B) Band Pull - 4x25 with pause at chest

2A) DB Chest Press - Worked up to 80x2x10 after 50x15, 60x15, 70x12
2B) BB Snatch Grip Row - 4x20

Today's Kickbutt Mindset TipS:
Stop doing things that don't matter. Release the guilt, the fear, the doubt, the 'unworthiness', and get rid of the handcuffs holding you back from focusing on your 5% and doing what really matters in life.

" Every right decision I've ever made has come from my gut. Every wrong decision I've ever made was a result of me not listening to my inner voice. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. That lesson alone will save you, my friends, a lot of grief." - @Oprah

Good stuff all around,

Craig

PS - Pay it forward. Think of 3 people you can connect with and help. Reach out to an old mentor and thank them. Contact an old friend. Send flowers to someone you love... or an Edible Arrangement to a colleague. Renew relationships. Rekindle your connections.

Garage Gym Training in May in February

Garage gym workout special today with the garage door OPEN.

Crazy. 11 degrees Celcius and sunny.

It's like May in February.

1A) Deadlift
1B) Pogo jumps (taking it easy on volume because of the sore calf)

2A) Shrugs
2B) Barbell Hip Thrust

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Your life is amazing. Now go make life better for others. You have the resources to get people what they want. So do it. Put others first. Share your abundance. You lose nothing by giving. You only gain and grow.

Discipline and Squats

Here's another pre-workout blog post.

Yesterday I led a workshop with some successful Toronto-area entrepreneurs, including some gym owners, nutritionists, and part of the team from Precision Nutrition. It was killer.

Now I'm packing up to head home to the farm - and ol' Bally the Dog - but first, Imma gonna hit a squat workout at Bang Fitness.

It'll go like this:

1A) Squat
1B) Box Jump

2A) Barbell Split Squat
2B) Glute Ham Raise

Good times will be had if my discipline is high. I guess.

Then a quick visit with ol' J-Roc, and a drive home.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Short term pain from discipline equals long-term gain from progress. Long-term pain comes from lacking short-term discipline.

Steaks and Bench Presses for a True Canadian Meathead

Fun times last night with a Meathead crew at a fancy steak joint here in Toronto. I was with Brad Pilon, Michael Delmonte, Greg O'Gallagher, and a couple of other chats and we had some interesting conversation.

I also had 6 oysters, an A5 Japanese steak, a baked potato, and sauteed spinach. That's my "uniform" meal for a steakhouse ... where I get lots of food but not an insane amount of calories. I imagine this is about 1250.

Today's training was decent:

1A) Pushups
1B) Upper Back Mobility

2A) Bench Press
2B) Shrugs

3A) Dips
3B) Eccentric Neutral Grip Pullups

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tips:
Criticism is a way for the attacker to protect themselves from what it is they are lacking...whether it is talent, integrity, confidence or happiness. Attacks "on you" are a way to protect their own ego. Brush off the negativity and keep going.

Craig Ballantyne

Published by Craig Ballantyne · 3 hrs · 

Back in Toronto

Whew! Big trip is over. Back in Toronto.

Landed yesterday afternoon in late March weather... there's hardly a snowflake to be seen.

After a hilarious midnight fire alarm at the hotel (where I tried to unplug the alarm clock to make it stop, LOL), I woke up early and dominated my morning routine.

Then it was off to Bang Fitness for a workout:

1A) Deadlift
1B) Handstand Pushup

2A) Glute-Ham Raise
2B) Ab Wheel

20-minute walk each way to and fro.

Now for dinner tonight with Brad Pilon!

He's been on a vegan diet for three years... and we're going to a steakhouse.

HA!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Set your workouts as appointments - as commitments that can not be broken under ANY circumstance. Respect the commitment you made with yourself. And don't forget to schedule non-negotiable date nights and fun time, too.

PS -

Hold everyone in your life to higher standards. Here is a great list from Bedros Keuilian, the CEO of Fit Body Boot Camp, on the high standards to have in your life:

Do not tolerate...

- poor work ethic

- time theft

- gossip

- people who flake

- passive aggressive behavior

- pessimists and skeptics

- doing the bare minimum

Expect and give...

- loyalty

- high standards

- team work

- a "can do" attitude

- speed of implementation

- hard work

- optimism

- attention to detail

Birthdays and Bench Presses

Fun day. I'm going to pay for it tomorrow.

But first, a quick recap of yesterday.

It was Joel Marion's daughter's birthday. Lily was turning 7.

They had 90 people to the party, and I had a really deep discussion with Vince Delmonte about fatherhood, selling, fitness, faith, and family. It was probably our best discussion in the 10 years I have known him.

Got back to the hotel around 8, woke up at 4, and got back to Joel's around 10 (after a 45 minute walk over).

Then it was brunch, followed with this workout:

1A) Pushups
1B) Face Pull

2A) Bench Press
2B) Cable Row

3A) 1-Arm DB Press
3B) Iron Cross

Then 20 sprints while playing tag with Joel's daughters.

My Achilles tendons are going to be tight tomorrow!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Craig Ballantyne

Admin · 12 hrs

Ben and Brandon and Ballantyne

Saturday morning's workout was another step in my evolution as I continue to stumble through the jungle and muddled world of "what next" with my training. I spent this week with Ben Pakulski and Brandon Lilly (a guy who plans on rowing 100,000 meters in one day!), legends of bodybuilding and powerlifting, respectively, and they both gave me valuable insights/ideas.

Plus, I hurt another muscle (my right calf) while running treadmill intervals on Wednesday morning. Geez louise.

If you've ever watched a video of Ben train, he uses very slow tempos ... like 5-8 second eccentrics (lowering) and 3 seconds in the lifting phase (among many, many training techniques). His workouts don't look that "fun", but they are effective and he has few injuries for a (former) pro bodybuilder.

This influenced me for today's hotel gym lower body workout:

1A) DB Split Squat with a 5-0-2 tempo
1B) Stability Ball Leg Curl
1C) Cable Abs
1D) Eccentric Calf Raise (eccentric-only sets are often recommended by muscle therapists to assist healing)

2A) DB Hip Thrust
2B) DB RDL

Nothing was "pulled" or "tweaked" in this workout.

Now for a few miles of walking over to see my friend, Joel Marion.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Make a list of 10 important people in your life. Beside each name write 1 thing you can do for them today. Start with the most urgent connection and do this now. Tomorrow, take care of the next. Do this every day until you've gone through your list.

Workshop in Tampa

Amazing Perfect Life Workshop in Tampa today at an absolutely awesome gym, MI40. The gym is owned by Ben Pakulski and it is one of the best I have ever been in.

I've done a couple of hotel gym workouts over the past few days, and won't have much to report until Saturday.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
"Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly." - Julie Andrews

Life is simple when you live it the hard way, through structure and discipline. There is a great, and lasting, reward from living a life of virtue and value.

And ...

Two of best buds talking about building confidence, personal growth, and eliminating self-doubt. @Bedros Keuilian @vincedelmonte

=> https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-vince-del-monte-podcast-show/id1307123574?mt=2&i=1000402365384

If you are missing any of these from your life...
•
Amazing people... Productivity systems... 10X thinking... Knowing where to start... Mastery of your day... Deep personal growth... A detailed fast start action plan for your big goals and dreams... And no-excuses accountability to a coach that cares about you and your success...
•
Then you need a day like today.
•
Just finished another game-changer Perfect Life Business Mentoring Workshop with 6 high performers at MI40 Gym in Tampa with @ifbbbenpak and @brandonlilly3 and @advancefit crew.
•
It was my honor and privilege to guide them from turning their big, beautiful ideas into reality.
•
The best is yet to come for all of them... as everyone enters the magical 2.0 stage like so many of my other clients, @jasonphillips_in3 and @jayferruggia and @vincedelmonte
•
My mission is to do the same for YOU that I did for these legends today.
•
Send me a DM about my next workshop coming to a city or country near you.

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Benching and Ballantyne's Day

Great day yesterday with the team at ETR in our Denver office. Filmed lots of videos and doing more today.

We have a really proactive team and it's so wonderful to have them find the solutions for our problems.

Always hire people smarter than you so that you can stand on the shoulders of giants!

Today's workout was very old-school TT meatheadish...
 
1A) Bench Press
1B) Band Pull

2A) DB Press
2B) Seated Row

3A) Curls
3B) Triceps

Tomorrow is BALLANTYNE'S DAY. Hurray!

I'll be flying out to Tampa for a couple of seminars and a weekend with Joel Marion and family.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

What's your favorite Tony Robbins quote?

Here are some great ones from my IG friends...

joe_arko - "Raise your standards"

ryanholderman - "People are rewarded in public for what they've practiced for years in private!"

@dofflp - divorce your past and marry your future!

coachjoshmiller - If you can you must, if you must you can.

amberlilyestrom - "Life is not happening to us, it's happening for us."

tabare_sotomayor - "Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more."

PS - And one from Ol' CB:

"Everything you do takes you closer to or further away from your goals"

Denver Intervals are Tough

Yesterday morning I flew from Phoenix to Denver. Had a great nap and it was like a time machine.

Ran some intervals at altitude and learned the hard way that the Mile High City is well named.

This morning I was up early and hit the gym for:

1A) Deadlift
1B) Box Jump

2A) RDL
2B) 1-Leg Hip Extension
2C) Abs

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Face up to your struggles, tackle them head on, and overcome adversity every day. Whatever is in your way, you're stronger than it, you're tougher than it, and you're going to beat it.

And this
=> https://www.earlytorise.com/12-steps-to-controlling-your-life/

And this:

No matter what obstacles you are facing, no matter what resistance you are fighting, follow this simple plan to get you back on track and to keep you focused.

Control what you can 
=> Be the best YOU that you can be.
=> Follow the habits of a high-performer (diet, exercise, sleep, breathing, gratitude)
=> Plan, prepare, execute, reflect, improve ... Plan, prepare, execute, reflect, improve... and continue this virtuous cycle every day
=> Action Beats Anxiety & Motion Beats Meditation... Don't get stuck "inside" your head
=> Do the work, for "work is holy"

Cope With What You Can't Control
=> Identify a trigger that gets you back on track... when you start to think about a problem you can't control, go talk to someone (at work) or call a friend on the phone for counsel
=> Go for more walks... you think better when you are moving and away from your work station
=> Diet, exercise, sleep, breathing, and gratitude... => Breathe deeply and slowly to lower your blood pressure and reduce stress
=> Plan and prepare 2 solutions for every obstacle you can expect to come your way
=> Prepare tonight for a perfect morning tomorrow

Concentrate on What Counts
=> Family first
=> Serve your customers, lead your team
=> Do unto others as you would have others do unto you
=> Spend time with good people that do not lead you into temptation
=> Give time, energy, love, and money to others... Get out of your head and give to others

--

Craig Ballantyne

Author, The Perfect Day Formula

Get Your Friends of Craig Workshop Discount

    

Meathead Back Workout

Ha, last night was so fun.

Bedros and I arrived in Phoenix around 7pm and instead of eating dinner, we went right to the gym and I followed his old school Meathead training plan.

What a blast.

And I also trained conservatively enough to avoid hurting myself!

1A) Pulldown
1B) Seated Row

2A) DB Row
2B) Pullup (Admittedly, I skipped this and did TRX fallouts instead... to protect my elbows... my back was pretty beat by this time anyways)

3A) Funky Hammer Strength Row
3B) Shrugs (while he did BB Rows)

I know, crazy, right?

But good times!

Also here's a new fitness/productivity podcast

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
The #1 secret to amazing all-day energy is to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

Do this for the next 21 days. If you stay up late, stick to your wake-up time and have a 20-minute mid-day nap to make up for it and go to bed earlier the next night. This habit is a key to your success.

Rock on,

Craig

PS -

Everything that happens to us – good and bad – is our personal responsibility.

We can blame no one but ourselves for our circumstances in life. We can rely on no one else to save us.

The choices we've made have brought us here, and only the choices we make and actions we take can change our place in life. Accept the consequences of each and everything you do, and commit to doing the right things, right now, for your right life.💫

"Be an ACTION TAKER, not just an info gatherer. Don't talk. Do. Get out of your comfort zone. Fail forward. Take personal responsibility. Those that don't take action will be in the same place a year from now, only older. You are different. You take action. You want a better life, and you deserve it, now go out and get it." – Bedros Keuilian💪

#business #passion #entrepreneur #action