What TT fat loss program to choose?

As mentioned in my earlier post, those of us intending to do the next challenge are discussing what programs we are going to do during the next TT challenge. Not an easy choice, with over... well, to be honest I have no idea how many there are and don't have time to count them all right now!

Most of the exercises within the workouts below require little or not equipment. If you currently have no equipment try to scrape together even just a mat, swiss ball and set of dumbells. If you come across an exercise that requires equipment you don't have and you can't improvise from what is lying around the house, just replace that exercise with another one that works the same muscle group. If you are not sure ask me and if I can't help you I will find out for you.

First time TTers

If you have never worked out, worked out very little in the past or are unfit it is recommended you start with the Turbulence Training For Fat Loss manual which includes several four week programs that you can work through as your fitness and strength builds up. This manual can be found in the Turbulence Training Basic Edition package. This is the manual that I have been working from so far.

Why not try a bodyweight program?

There are several to choose from. You can get them all in the Deluxe Edition of the Turbulence Training package or purchase them separately. Included among the many benefits of the bodyweight programs are:

• You don’t have to drive to the gym.


• No fancy or expensive equipment required


• You can train your whole body in only 30 minutes.


• You can train in your own home, a hotel room, outdoors, anywhere!


• Workout anytime – on lunch break, at night when the kids are asleep, early in the morning.


• Great for beginners


• The advanced exercises and workouts will challenge anyone. Just wait till you try the TT Bodyweight 500 Challenge!


• Safe and easy on your joints, and strengthens your lower back.


• These are not just plain old push-ups and sit-ups. The variety in these manuals is endless, with over 75 bodyweight exercises.

To find out more about these workouts go to the Turbulence Training website by CLICKING HERE. This is truly just the tip of the iceberg but will keep you busy for quite awhile!

Why doing the TT Transformation Challenge helped me to reach my goal

Where do I start! There are so many reasons why taking part in the Turbulence Training Transformation Challenge really helped me keep on track and get the results that I did. Here are some of them:

Made me accountable for my actions

We were required to post a regular journal of our experiences on the TT Transformation Challenge forum. I set a number of goals right at the start and one of those was that I would make an entry every single day of the Challenge, this included recording how many calories I had for the day and a break down of the percentage of carbohydrates, protein and fat I had for the day (another goal I set was to have 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat).

I also made a commitment not to be totally honest about my food in my journal. This was a really great incentive to eat healthily! There were so many times when I felt like a 'treat' and then remembered that I would have to tell everyone on the forum about it. The urge to eat the naughty food very quickly went!

Gave me the opportunity to learn from others

What I found interesting was that even though we were all from different parts of the world, different walks of life, male and female, we all seemed to have similar challenges. Hearing how another member dealt with yummy temptations with friends at a lunch date helped me when I faced a similar challenge a few days later.
There were days when I felt tired or a bit down, or was sick or injured and negative thoughts would creep into my mind. I would get home from work, check the forum and there waiting for me, would be amazing comments of support and encouragement from everyone.

It was helpful seeing what other people ate and how they approached the nutrition side of things. It was also great to be able to talk about the various exercises to make sure I was doing them correctly.

Gave me the opportunity to help others

It was great to be able to help others a little to achieve their weight loss goals as well. I know how much being overweight can impact on so many other areas of a person’s life and how hard it can be to lose that weight. I also know that more often than not most people who have put on weight are dealing with other underlying issues in their lives which makes committing to a healthy fitness and nutrition plan that much harder. Any help, even if it is just a little encouraging comment here and there, can make a difference.

Enabled me to have direct contact with Craig Ballantyne, the creator of the Turbulence Training system, whenever I needed to
Usually the author or creator of this type of program remains an illusive mystery. Not Craig. He was absolutely amazing at keeping up with how we were all doing and posting encouraging comments along the way. It was hard enough for me to find time to keep in touch with the small group of people I became friends with during the challenge, let alone every single participant. I think for the next one he is going to need to employ a mini-Craig! I am sure everyone will understand.

Gave me the extra motivation to get through the more difficult times I had during the challenge

I entered this challenge to help me get back into the habit of exercising regularly and to lose some weight. It was never my intention to 'compete' to win. Committing to the challenge, knowing that it was something official and knowing that friends and family were aware I was doing the challenge made me keep going in situations where ordinarily I definitely would have stopped and said I was going to 'start again on Monday' and 'Monday' may never have arrived.
Enabled me to learn so much about myself
For every kilogram (or pound!) I lost, I gained much more in the way of self-awareness, self-discipline and insight into who the real me is now.

As I said at the beginning, there are so many reasons why doing a challenge like this helped me get started on the road to reaching goals in so many areas of my life. Too many to list them all here!

Equipment needed for Turbulence Training workouts

The equipment that you need will vary depending on which workouts you choose to do. Some require just your body weight and others require various items such as a swiss ball, dumbbells, a mat etc.

So far I have completed three of the workouts, beginner level, Intermediate level and Advanced (Original) level. The equipment I have used for these workouts include:

Swiss ball

It is better to invest in a good quality swiss ball and make sure it is the correct size for you.

Dumbbells

I use dumbbell bars with separate weights so I can increase the weight as get stronger.

Mat

I use my yoga mat to provide cushioning for my knees (fold it up several times for press-ups) and elbows. My husband doesn't use anything, just does it on the carpet.

Blocks

I just use a couple of 3x2's on top of one another. Possibly not the safest option!

Step

I use a Reebox step but you could just use steps somewhere around the house such as a stairwell or stairs going up to your front door or deck.

Weight bench

A swiss ball works fine as a substitute for a weight bench for light weights but you will eventually need to get a bench (or start with a bench if you are already strong). For the workouts above you just need a simple bench if a swiss ball is not suitable. There are many different types of weight benches to choose from. I suggest you do a bit of research and visit a few fitness stores to find out which is the best bench for you. Cheap is not always better but you can get some really good quality, strong and stable weight benches for a reasonable price.

I currently use an old (8 years old) Golds Gym bench with cradles for a bar (for bench-presses) and attachments for leg extensions and leg curl. I am looking at upgrading to an Apex AX765 as it has a lat pulldown attachment, the back of the seat can be set at 90 degrees and the cradles can be used for squats (not designed for squats this but it is possible). The lat pulldown attachment can be removed for storage. The down side is that this bench is a lot bigger than the one we have now and it does not fold up. I have not seen any decent quality benches that fold recently. I think they may be extinct!

Weight gloves

I use gloves to stop my hands getting calluses. They are not essential.

Cardio equipment

What you use for the cardio part of the TT workouts depends on personal preference, budget and weather! You will also need to take into account any injuries or weaknesses.

I have a spin bike, elliptical trainer, mountain bike and my legs! Most of my scheduled TT cardio sessions are alternated between the bike and the elliptical. I also go for walk/runs for variety. Ideally, if you can afford a stationary bike then that would be my first recommendation. If you can afford a good quality spin bike then that’s even better. They are awesome. The elliptical is great for variety but you have to work quite hard to get up to the sort of intensity you need to for TT cardio sessions (don't be scared, you only have to get up there for a very short amount of time!). I would also love to get a rowing machine at some stage. They are great for working the entire body.

Other

- iPod or other type of mp3 player and great music!
- Folder and pen to put your workout schedule in and write up your workout each time
- Bottle for water

Putting together equipment for a home gym needed cost a lot. Look out for second hand equipment. A lot of people out there are not as committed to making exercise a lifestyle thing as you are! Gym equipment is always being upgraded so keep an eye out for 'last year's model'. Ask your friends. Chances are they have one or two pieces of equipment stashed away in the dark recesses of their garage or spare room that they might be keen to get rid of. I rationalize the cost for equipment with the fact that it would have cost way more for my husband and I to have been members of a gym for the past 10 years and that you can't really put a price on your health.

Obviously, if you join a gym then you will have all the equipment you need there.

If you have any questions regarding equipment feel free to ask me. Although I am not a fitness equipment expert, I have done quite a bit of research in the past to buy my own equipment.

Turbulence Training Fat Loss Interview

By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training

This interview covers Turbulence Training for Fat Loss in-depth. Craig Ballantyne, the author of Turbulence Training, was recently interviewed by strength coach, Jason Ferrugia. Here is some advanced fat loss information.

JF: First of all Craig, I’d like to thank you for agreeing to do this interview. To introduce yourself to our readers could you tell us a little about your background?

CB:
I’m a strength coach (CSCS) in Toronto and I write for Men's Health, Oxygen, and Maximum Fitness magazines. I have worked extensively with young athletes and I train 3 of the players on Canada’s National Rugby team.

I’ve also developed my own training system that has been featured in the magazines, and I call it Turbulence Training Turbulence Training. The goal is to get maximum results in minimum time, no matter what the goal (mass, fat loss, or athleticism).

Turbulence Training (TT) uses a combination of the basic, most effective lifts, structured in time-saving supersets, as well as interval training. It’s based on research, but I’m not going to claim that it’s any magic secret or rocket science. It is simply about getting things done quickly in a logical order. It’s amazing how complex some trainers have made training when it is generally such a simple process to achieve your goals.

Men and women looking to lose fat love it because it fits their often hectic schedules. Three 45-minute strength & interval sessions for fat loss are a lot easier to fit in rather than five 1-hour cardio sessions. And the bodyweight workouts I have, you can get done in the time it usually takes you to get to the gym and back.

JF: Your Turbulence Training system is one of the most effective training systems I have ever seen. Could you briefly describe the thought process that went into creating Turbulence Training and what makes it so effective and time efficient?

CB:
In grad school, when I had no time to train, I had to find a way to get results, fast.

That’s what almost everyone wants and needs these days, and it doesn’t matter if they want to gain muscle or lose fat. I was working 15-16 hours in the lab but still trying to get in my workouts. I realized that I couldn’t do marathon sessions, but I wasn’t about to sacrifice muscle or get fat.

Fortunately, the results of my training studies along with my review of some other research studies, confirmed my experiences that high-intensity training was the way to go. Use only squats, deadlifts, presses, split squats, rows, and similar exercises to get the maximum results in minimum time.

By training with multiple sets of low reps (6-8), and using intervals, you apply the most metabolic turbulence to the muscles. That burns a ton of fat and calories in the workout, and after. That is the key. Light weight, high reps, and slow-steady cardio don’t cause you to keep burning a lot of calories after the workout. And this approach also helps you do the next to impossible; gain lean mass while losing fat.

Another important component of TT is variety. I change the workouts frequently, every 3-4 weeks. That means rotating the exercises, putting in new variations (you can still create an endless number of workouts with variations on the basic lifts, as well as the advanced bodyweight exercises).

That’s the nuts and bolts of my Turbulence Training philosophy.

JF: I know you are a big fan of interval training. What are your favorite methods of interval training?

CB:
Sprinting is the best method, without a doubt. So whether it’s running intervals on the track, uphill sprints, or treadmill running, that’s clearly the most effective method. Moving your own bodyweight over a distance is the true definition of work, and that can be done at a high intensity.

Strongman methods are also top-notch. Pushing the truck, pulling the sled, flipping the tire, these are all great ways to do your interval training.

A little word of caution here though, as both sprinting and strongman training methods can be very intense, so you do need to warm-up more than adequately. Don’t just jump into sprinting outside or you could strain a muscle. And be conservative with the volume. If you haven’t done truck pushing intervals in 6 months, or ever, don’t do 5 or 6 of them because you’ll be puking your guts out. That being said, both of these methods are great because you are doing a lot of work in a short amount of time.

My next two favorite methods are bodyweight training and cycling. Both can be done with less need for an extensive warm-up, but both will really help you slash the fat.

I’ve been on a big bodyweight kick over the past year and it includes some very tough bodyweight interval circuits. It’s great “real-world” conditioning for athletes, and everyday people. The bodyweight workouts and circuits can be humbling, but build “everyday” strength.

I’m also partial to stationary cycling. Because you are cycling against a resistance you can do a lot of work. Doing a lot of high-intensity work means burning a lot of energy during the training the session and after (what I call putting your body into Turbulence). Just be careful with overuse injuries on the bike…as being in that hunched position can be rough on the low-back and can tighten up the psoas and rectus femoris muscles.

Rowing is okay for interval training. And simple walking at faster speeds or inclines is perfect for beginners. Remember that interval training is relative. What is an interval for me might not be an interval for you, or for Lance Armstrong.

Elliptical training machines are useless for intervals. These things are one of the biggest wastes of space in commercial gyms today.

As far as timing goes, there is no one best interval length for fat loss. I use everything from 20 seconds to 3 minutes for the length of the work interval. For the shorter sprints, I use 60-90 seconds rest, and for the longer aerobic intervals (i.e. 2-3 minutes) you would rest an equal amount of time as the work interval lasted. These are excellent not only for fat burning but for improving sport-specific conditioning.

One thing that has never made sense to me is the Tabata protocol for intervals (and if you don’t know what it is, don’t worry about it). The rest intervals are too short to allow high quality work…and that’s what Turbulence Training is all about – quality over quantity.

JF: Why is interval training so much more effective than regular steady state cardio?

CB:
Many reasons. But specfically, we choose quality over quantity.

It’s at least 200% more efficient, if not more. You can get the same or better fitness and fat loss improvements in half the time.
It builds real-world fitness. How many times each week do you do a 20-second stair climb? Compare that to how many times you run 30 minutes continuously (not including training)? The fact is life activities are short bursts of intensity, not long, slow bouts of continuous activity. The same can be said for most sports. So it quickly becomes clear which training method is better.
Intervals build anaerobic and aerobic fitness. Cardio builds only aerobic fitness.
Intervals build sport-specific fitness. Put a typical marathon runner on the basketball court and he’ll get beaten every time because he doesn’t have sport-specific fitness.
The health benefits of interval training are the same as you get from traditional cardio training. But again, the workouts are shorter.

JF: You favor a rep scheme that is lower than most typical fat loss programs. Could you explain why this is?

CB:
When you diet, you have to give your muscles a powerful stimulus to grow or maintain their current size. If you train with light weight and high reps, you don’t stimulate muscle growth and you don’t hit as many muscle fibers. The result will be a loss in muscle mass.

So in the TT workouts, we work in the 6-8 rep range for the first two supersets. The third and final superset of the workouts will often use 10-12 reps in order to stress all the metabolic processes in the muscle. That means the most “turbulence” and the most calories burned in and out of the training session.

JF: How much time does some one need to dedicate to training each week to achieve a great physique?

CB:
Fortunately not as much as most people think. You can do really well with 3 hours of structured training. However, you have to live the fat loss lifestyle for 167.5 hours per week (allowing 30 minutes per week for a “cheat” meal).

If you pick efficient lifts (like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows), you don’t need to lift more than 1-2 hours per week for fat loss. And you can get great interval training results in three 20-minute sessions. Then you just have to concentrate on your nutrition. Plan ahead, shop correctly, and prepare your meals in advance.

For mass, cut out the intervals, do 4 sessions of 45 minutes per week, and you’re set. Spend the rest of the time concentrating on your muscle-building nutrition.

JF: What are the two or three biggest mistakes most people make in their quest to lose bodyfat?

CB:
Following politically-correct workouts and nutrition programs. By that I mean, slow-cardio marathon sessions followed by light weight, high rep weight training. Fortunately, there are a lot of great Internet sites giving good info for men, and even the magazines are catching on and giving good programs.

Unfortunately, women still get terrible fitness advice (one of the recommendations that upsets me the most is the suggestion to lift soup cans or water bottles – like that is going to help any woman under the age of 75).

As far as nutrition goes, the politically-correct recommendations still include a lot of carbohydrates, and generally these articles don’t even recommend the right carbohydrates. If you want to lose fat fast, get carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables first. These should be eaten at every meal. Cereal bars, rice cakes, and juices have no place on any weight loss program, if you want the weight lost to be fat.

JF: There’s six weeks left until the fourth of July; in that time how big of a difference can some one make in their physique?

CB:
If someone knows what they are doing, or trains with someone that knows what they are doing, they can make incredible changes. Just look at bodybuilders. Look at the difference they make in 6 weeks. But again, they aren’t following politically correct recommendations. Don’t get me wrong though, just because you aren’t doing the politically-correct weight watchers diet doesn’t mean that you are doing anything unhealthy.

So in my opinion, both beginners and advanced physiques can make dramatic changes in their bodies in only 6 weeks. Overweight guys that eat like crap can probably lose 20-30 pounds of fat if they turn things around dramatically. And any guy that is around 15-18% body fat can develop an incredible set of abs and hit single-digit body fat in only 6 weeks.

JF: Where can people read more about you and your training methods? Do you have any new projects, etc.?

CB:
I have lot’s of big projects coming up, Jay. And I could go on forever about this stuff, so if your readers have questions, feel free to contact me through my site.

I keep on adding programs to my member’s section at www.TurbulenceTraining.com and I’ll be focusing on more hardcore fat loss workouts, muscle-building programs, and my bodyweight training pet projects. Seems like the hardcore fat loss programs are in greatest demand, so I’m working on those right now.

So all that, and I plan to continue taking Turbulence Training to the masses to help people get more results in less time.
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training

Why I think TT is the best fat loss system I have ever used

The best way to lose fat is by doing resistance type exercises so that you build muscle, increase your metabolism and therefore burn more fat. Building muscle doesn't mean getting big and bulky - unless that is what you want to do! Cardio is another important aspect of burning fat. I have tried many different ways to burn fat, gain muscle and improve my fitness over the years.

All of the programs I have tried in the past have required a minimum of three day a week, 45 to 60 minute resistance training workouts and at least four day a week long, slow boring cardio sessions. That has meant I have had to commit to exercising six days a week. I can do that for a short period of time but after a month or so I would start skipping workouts. I would begin to feel as though I was 'failing' and eventually I would lose motivation and give up. During the entire 12 weeks of the Turbulence Training Challenge I only missed five workouts, three when I was really sick and two when I was injured! I was also unwell throughout most of the challenge and had to deal with a number of personal issues. In the past this would have been enough to make me give up on whatever workout program I was doing. Because I only had to exercise three times a week it was easy to push myself to do them.

There are a lot of other activities that I enjoy doing such as walking, jogging, yoga, gardening, swimming... and well too many to list here! In the past I have never had the time or the energy to do any of these things when involved in a workout program. Now I have a whole four other days to do these things if I want to!

Craig does all the work in putting the programs together and all I have to do is do them. This leaves me free to focus totally on the nutrition side of things, which is a big enough challenge as I LOVE food!

Because new workouts are being introduced all the time and each workout is for only four weeks, I never get bored with them.

Using a workout system that is online gives me the freedom and flexibility to do what I want when I want to. I don't have to commit myself to being anywhere at a certain time or 'talk' about what I am doing if I don't feel like it.

Tomorrow I am going to tell you why I found taking part in the Turbulence Training Transformation Challenge was so helpful in achieving the results I have in the past 12 weeks.

What is Turbulence Training?

Ok. So there is the most painful part of this blog over and done with - my before and after pics are posted! This is the fat loss I achieved in 12 weeks, exercising only three days a week, for under an hour each day! Even more amazing, I was not very well through most of the the 12 weeks and therefore my self discipline with food and nutrition was not as good as it could have been. Today I am going to give you an overview of what Turbulence Training is.

What is Turbulence Training?

Turbulence Training is a workout system put together by Craig Ballantyne. The workouts are designed to achieve maximum fat loss and/or muscle gain in the minimum amount of time. They are varied, easy to follow, versatile and they work!

What do the workouts involve?

The workouts are a combination of resistance training and cardio.

There are workouts suitable for doing from home with minimum equipment (swiss ball, bench and dumbbells), others perfect for those of you who have absolutely no equipment or are on holiday, and all of the workouts are fine to use if you are a member of a gym.

How many times a week are the workouts done and how long are they?

Most of the workouts are completed only THREE times a week and are only 45 minutes long!