Some Notes About This Morning’s Group Training Session
Submitted by Got Strength? Blog
I had a ton of fun today with one of my small group sessions. I work with this group of three ladies at a local park. They all work together and have been doing these small group sessions with me for a bit over a year. Over that time I’ve seen tremendous improvement in each one and have enjoyed watching them progress. All three came to the table with different backgrounds, abilities, and challenges. They’ve all improved their weak points a great deal.
Today, after a good dynamic warm-up, we did the following:
Three stations:
-Overhead Lunges with a Mini-band
-Standing Dumbbell Overhead Ladders
-Sumo Squats to Stretch
-The Overhead Lunger traveled the length of a large picnic area at the park, about 150 feet or so. They were the governor, in that the other two athletes performed their exercises at a regular pace as long as it took the lunger to make it down and back.
This cycle was repeated four times total.
We then spent about 20 minutes working on some sprinting drills including Paw Drills and Hand Sprints. The ladies have been running for a while, and while all have become much more athletic, none are or have been competitive athletes in quite a while. They also have never been taught proper running technique. I thought that was time for a change and they are all about it. So today we started on some technique drills. After getting the hang of it the improvement was immediate.
The intensity of the session was down a little bit today given all of the instruction, but I that’ll change for the next time! I just wanted to reiterate that it’s never too late to start learning new things and new skills. These ladies should be an inspiration to everyone looking to improve their health, physique, and athleticism.
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Bodyweight Ab Workout Today
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
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
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Male Survey: All the Important Answers
Which body part would you most want to tone up and show off?
My abs 58.6%
My chest 20.1%
My arms 15.4%
My legs 3.1%
Other 2.8%
Question 2
Which toned body part do you think women appreciate the most?
Abs 54.9%
Chest 20.5%
Arms 17.1%
Legs 2.2%
Other 5.1%
AskMen.com conducts a comprehensive male survey which provides some intereresting answers.
3 More Diet Tips
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
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.
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
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Eating with the Enemy
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
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 (60×8) 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
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My Fitness Hut Is Featured at Stanford Wellsphere
Submitted by My Fitness Hut Blog
Wellsphere.com is a leading health and wellness site that focuses on total health and fitness. As I have mentioned before many times—-IF YOUR BODY IS A TOTAL WRECK, IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU “LOOK HOT” FOR A WHILE! Wellsphere.com seeks to help people achieve great health and great looks! That’s why I highly endorse this site!
I am honored to be a featured blogger on Wellsphere.com and Stanford.Wellsphere.com in the sports and exercise communities!
This is a quote by Dr. Geoff Rutledge at Stanford Medical School:
“I was searching for the best medical bloggers when I discovered your blog at sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com. I want to tell you I think your writing is fantastic — I really liked your post on vision performance, “Athletes Need Excellent Vision Performance”. My name is Dr. Geoff Rutledge, and I’ve taught and practiced Internal and Emergency Medicine for over 25 years at Harvard and Stanford medical schools. I’m also the Chief Medical Information Officer at Wellsphere, where we are building a network of the web’s leading health bloggers, and I think you would be a great addition.”
Folks, Wellsphere.com and Stanford.Wellsphere.com make up one of the finest sites out there! Bookmark it and visit it often!
If you want more exercise and nutrition tips, subscribe to my weekly Fat Blaster eNewsletter!
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You Get The Body You Exercise For!
Submitted by My Fitness Hut Blog
Two days ago, I heard yet another advertisement for a quick weight loss pill or powder! It promised results “the easy way!” After 100 years of weight loss history, doctors and fitness professionals agree that the best solution for fat loss and weight loss is proper nutrition and regular exercise.
How about common sense? Name one thing in life worth having that didn’t take alot of hard, smart work? Is your health worth the hard work? So, the next time you hear about one of these new weight loss pills or powders, just ask yourself the simple questions. You will come up with the same answer every time! Have a good workout today!
Subscribe to my weekly Fat Blaster eNewsletter if you want more exercise and nutrition tips!
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Diet for Six Pack Abs
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
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
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It Takes Time To Permanently Rebuild Your Body
Submitted by My Fitness Hut Blog
There are no quick fixes for building your lean and toned body! Forget the commercials that say “Lose 15 pounds in 10 days….” You will put that weight back on (and more) because your body composition (less fat, more lean muscle mass) has not changed! And, the weight you lose that quickly is mainly lost muscle and not lost fat. You need to build a body that will give you good health and one that will last through the years of your life. If you rush the fitness process, it won’t work!
To improve core strength, overall strength, flexibility and balance, you need a program that will build your body for health and physique. It’s not going to help you much if your body looks good (for a while) but your health and quality of life is a total wreck! Exercise hard and smart. Build a foundation for your body.
STABILIZATION – Correct your muscle imbalances, joint dysfunctions, postural distortion patterns, improve kinetic chain (human movement system) integrity and reconditioning/rehabilitation.
STRENGTH - Improve your stabilization strength/endurance and increase muscle growth and strength.
POWER - Enhance neuromuscular efficiency, increase power production, increase speed strength and create neuromuscular adaptations throughout the entire range of motion.
The training program should be Multi-Planar (sagittal, frontal, transverse), Multi-Joint (exercises such as bench press, squats, lunges), Multi-Dimensional (stabilization, strength, power) and Proprioceptively Enriched (high neural demand).
There are no shortcuts to building the healthy, lean and toned body you need!
My Fitness Hut’s Fat Blaster Athletic Training System gives you the results you WANT and NEED!
Do you want more exercise and nutrition tips? Subscribe to my weekly Fat Blaster eNewsletter!
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Consumer Report: Getting Past the Fat Loss “Dip”
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
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
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Getting Past the Fat Loss “Dip”
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
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
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Do Crunches Hurt Your Neck?
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
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
95×5
135×5
“Real Sets”
175×3
185×3
Supersets
Warmup
Bench -> 45×12, 95×8, 135×8, 185×8
Good morning -> 45×10, 95×8, 135×8
1A) Bench -> 205×3x8 (3 second eccentric)
1B) Good Morning -> 185×3x8
2A) Inverted Row -> 3×15 (3 sec eccentric)
2B) Overhead Squat - 75×3x5
Short workout, had to get home.
Off to Vancouver tomorrow,
Craig Ballantyne
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Ab Exercise Triset
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Have you tried the 3 exercise Ab Triset on Page 30 of the NEW TT for Abs Home Abdominal Workouts yet?
Aye-yi-yi!
Your abs will get worked really hard without crunches or sit-ups. In fact, I’ve set it up so you do…
-> One exercise to stretch and contract your abs through a much greater range of motion than crunches, and that makes the exercise more powerful
-> A follow up exercise that combines endurance with a diagonal movement to work your obliques harder - and safer - than any twisting crunch could.
-> A finishing exercise that works your six pack and all of the small muscles that keep your low back safe and pain free.
And then you rest and do it all over again two more times!
There are great ab trisets in each of the TT for Abs workouts, but I think you’ll like that one the most.
Get THREE sample ab workouts at:
=> http://www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com
Work your abs hard without crunches,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
PS - Don’t miss my article that REVEALS…
…the 5 Six Pack Ab Workout Myths…
=> Click here for ab workout mistakes
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
TT for Abs is Now Available
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
I’m really impatient, and couldn’t wait any longer to get the NEW TT for Abs Home Abdominal Workout program into your hands…
…so I released it a few hours early.
But hurry, only the first 100 copies come with an extra special FREE gift for you worth $59.85…
Grab your copy here:
=> http://www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com
You’ll get 5 new TT for Abs workout programs including…
1) The 4-Week Beginner Introduction to CRUNCH-FREE Ab Workout
2) The 4-Week Intermediate Level ANTI-CRUNCH Ab Workout
3) And THREE Advanced 4-Week Home Abdominal Workouts
PLUS, you’ll get…
4) The “TT Abs 300″ Workout Challenges (including one for beginners, intermediate, and advanced fitness levels)
5) The Bodyweight Abs program that you can do anytime, anywhere, without a single piece of equipment. (This program comes with beginner and advanced versions too!)
All that, AND STILL MORE, including…
a) The Advanced Ab Nutrition Meal Plans for Men & Women
b) The 5 Motivational Secrets to STOP Cheating on Your Diet and Never Skip Another Workout Again
AND FINALLY, I’ve added THREE more 4-week programs to sweeten the deal and keep you burning fat for another 2-3 months. When you grab your copy before Wednesday, July 23rd at midnight, you’ll get:
1) The NEW “Hot Zone TT Fat Loss Workout”…
…showing you how 4 simple exercises hit all the fat burning hot zones of the body and help you boost metabolism and burn more belly fat.
2) “Bikini Ready Abs”…
…from America’s #1 Fat Loss expert for Mom’s, Holly Rigsby, giving you another “IN-HOME” fat burning abdominal workout you can do with minimal equipment.
3) The Big 5 Fat Burning TT Circuit Workout…
…revealing one of the most popular and innovative fat burning workouts I have ever put together. If you love burning fat withcircuits, you’ll love this simple 5 exercise solution to getting rid of stubborn belly fat.
WHEW!
That’s an incredible offer, but its only here for 3 days…
But remember…
1) Only the first 100 copies get the extra 3-Month TT Membership bonus worth $59.85
2) The “Biking Ready Abs”, “Hot Zone Fat Loss”, and “Big 5 Circuit Workout” are only available as FREE GIFTS for the next 3 days. Theyare gone after Wednesday, to be put back in the workout vault for Platinum TT members only.
Check out TT for Abs for all of the details on this Limited-Time Special Offer:
=> http://www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com
So save time and money by grabbing your copy today. But hurry, this Special Offer expires and VANISHES - Poof, just like your belly fat will - at midnight on July 23rd.
Never do crunches again,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Abs Workouts
P.S. The bonuses are gone after July 23rd.
And ONLY the first 100 copies get the 3-Month TT Membership bonus.
So don’t wait, those will probably be gone before noon on Monday!
Visit this link to get in on this limited time offer:
=> http://www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
TT vs 50 minutes of abs?
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Today was one of those days where I felt tired and weak at the start of the workout, enough to make most people skip the workout all together. Fortunately, I know from experience that once you get started, you start to feel better and stronger (due to catecholamine hormone release - aka adrenaline).
So if you are struggling, just force yourself to go to the gym and get started, as you get moving, your brain and body will kick into gear to catch up to your committment.
While I trained, a girl was in the gym doing abs, including several lame exercises where she stood on two inflatable discs and did stuff like triceps pressdowns. Laaaaaaaaaaaaame.
She also did a ton of ab exercises. Poorly.
In my world, she could have done 1-2 total body ab exercises from my NEW abs workout program in about 10 minutes and been done with it…rather than the 50 minutes she wasted. But then again, in her mind, anything that takes less than an hour is probably not a real workout (she was still there when I left 50 minutes later).
Alright, so I did an extra long warm-up to get going…
General Bodyweight Warm-up
Bodyweight squats - 10
Pushups - 10
Shoulder Circles - 10 per side
Waiter’s Bow - 10 per side
Some warmup exercise from Bill Hartman’s Inside Out DVD - 10 per side
1-Leg RDL - 8 per side
Hip Flexor stretch - 20 seconds
Chest Stretch - 20 seconds
Neck circles - 5 per side
Then specific warm-up sets for the squat:
Bar x 12
95×8
135×8
185×6
225×5
275×3
This is probably a 10 minute warmup.
TT Original Workout B Supersets
1A) Squats 3×8 - 300 pounds
1B) Chin-up + Knee up - 13,9,7
2A) BB Bulgarian SPlit Squat 1×8 - 145 pounds
2B) Plank with arms on ball - 50 seconds
3A) BB Row 3×8 - 175
3B) Stability Ball X-Body MC 3×10
That was it. Things got better as I went on. I moved this workout up a day because I’ll have probably have two days of no exercise -besides walking - this week due to travel and meetings.
Scale alert - I also realized I’ve lost a lot of fat - my scale weight is waaaaaaay down…time to force some extra calories…shouldn’t be hard this week, as I’ll be eating in restaurants from Tuesday to Friday in Vancouver. Probably lots of sushi.
Stay strong,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
PS - The CRUNCH-FREE workout program will be available tonight…probably around 10pm at:
www.TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Saturday Afternoon Kettlebell Workout
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Did lots of stuff out at the ranch today in the heat with an afternoon kettlebell workout.
Long warm-up. Things are feeling good. Grip is a little weak.
70lbs snatches - 10 per side, 8 per side
53 lb snatches - 15 per side
1-arm OH walk with 53 - 35 yards, 2 sets
70lb 1-arm swings - 13, 10
(At this point i had to sprint after the dog who ran off after a bicyclist going down the road…he got about halfway out the lane, ran into the wheat field, and came back. Fortunately. Then I took him down to the crick for a dip in the water, then back up to finish the workout.
We had his doggy pool filled with water, but he only wants to go in the river. Oh yeah, and earlier he ate a bunch of watermelon really fast and then puked it up. If you own a dog or you watched the episode of Family Guy where Brian takes Meg to the high school dance, you know what happened next…)
Back to the workout…
Figure-8 farmer walks with 70 - 2 sets of 50 steps
53 lb 1-arm OH press - 1×8
1-Leg RDL with 53 - 1×8
70lb 1-arm swings - 8
I think that was it. This is about as strong as I got with the kettlebells last year, but I’m 1-month ahead of schedule. I’m going to start making my kettlebell workouts a little longer now, doing more exercises.
I might look up an RKC out in BC this week depending on my schedule,
craig
PS - Kettlebell Meltdown Fat Loss program is coming soon!
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Client Fitness Question of the Week, 3
Submitted by My Fitness Hut Blog
Many times, people are trying to “get into shape” and they just start lifting weights and running. There is no set program to achieve fitness results. Well, this often leads to little or no results and a host of injuries. Look at this client question:
Client Q: Some muscle areas on my body are more developed than others. How can I correct this problem?
Mark’s A: We all start with a body type due to heredity. A fitness assessment is important because the personal trainer identifies postural weaknesses and muscle imbalances. The fitness program is then tailored to fit the individual’s needs. Without this assessment, you are “shooting in the dark.”
Achieving optimal muscular fitness requires flexibility, strength, endurance, power, and speed. These components should be included in an integrated training program. Because of lifestyle habits, the dominant side of the body develops more than the non-dominant side. And, if certain patterns or muscular actions are performed repeatedly, muscles develop more in either the front of the body or the back of the body. As a result, some muscles become tight, lengthened or weak.
An integrated training program focuses on 3-dimensional muscular balance. This will help overall strength, prevent injuries and enhance everyday living. Opposing muscle groups should be in balance. For example, the quadriceps group/hamstring group should be in balance (or the quads should not be significantly stronger than the hamstrings). Research has proven that inadequate hamstring strength contributes to knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.
To avoid developing muscle imbalances or to correct muscle imbalances, you should do the following:
1) Have a postural assessment performed by a fitness professional. This assessment will indicate where your muscles are tight, weak or lengthened. It will also indicate patterns of postural dysfunction called postural distortion patterns. Distortion patterns occur because the structural integrity of the kinetic chain (human movement system) is compromised due to the misalignment of one or more of its components.
2) Develop a comprehensive flexibility routine.
3) Weight training should focus on the total body to avoid muscle imbalances.
Do you have a fitness question? Just email it in! People want to know the answer to your questions!
Need more nutrition and exercise tips? Subscribe to my weekly “Fat Blaster” eNewsletter!
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Wasted Workout
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Before I tell you about one of the hottest and stickiest gyms I’ve ever trained in, I want to point out that some girl just wasted 10 minutes of her life lying on a gross old gym mat on a grungy floor doing crunches and reverse crunches. The poor girl. Neither exercise has any real benefit on anything…those moves won’t change her mid-section, burn any fat, or improve her lower back health.
Those 10 minutes were a complete and utter waste of time.
Especially when you consider where she was doing it…
I’ll be honest, I train in a really disgusting gym. It stinks, it must have been 1000% humidity or something in there, nobody wipes anything down, the change rooms are gross, and the members are a little odd.
But the dumbbells are heavy. There are 3 squat racks (and 4 bench presses!). And lots of iron. So it’s fine by me, but not sure why you’d want to do crunches anywhere near that floor. Or any floor.
(Click here for CRUNCH-FREE ab workouts)
As for my workout, my shirt was soaked within 5 minutes of getting in there. And drenched by the time I finished my deadlifts.
Strength work
Overhand Grip Deadlifts - 365×1, 275×2x8
Supersets
1A) DB Bench Press - 95×3x6
1B) BB RDL - 225×2x8
2A) Pistols - 2×6 (terrible…the heat and the other leg work ruined my performance at this point)
2B) 1-Arm Standing DB Shoulder Press - 55×8, 60×6
That’s it.
Kettlebells tomorrow.
And next week I’m off to a seminar in Vancouver and to see if the city is as beautiful as the hippies say it is,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
PS - The 1st 100 folks who grab TT for Abs on Monday…
…get an extra bonus worth $59.85.
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Testimonial of the Month?
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Sometimes folks mean to forward my emails, with comments, to one of their friends, but they hit “reply” instead of “forward”…so I end up getting the message (which is often very revealing!)…
Take this email I received yesterday in reply to one of my newsletters, which I’m quite sure was meant to go to someone else…I’m taking these 11 words as a compliment (and Mark B. - the author of these words - is in the running for TT Testimonial of the Month!).
******
This guy is a f*****g machine…check out his ab exercises!”
******
Check them out indeed!
The CRUNCH-FREE six pack workout era starts Monday.
Click HERE to get put on the Early Bird Notification List for the Crunch-Free Workouts
Find out what a Spiderman Pullup is on Monday,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Abs Workouts
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Site Update
Submitted by Got Strength? Blog
Ok, after having some issues with my previous hosting company I am down a website. This blog is fine, but www.wilkinspower.com has been out of commission for a week. This has given me an opportunity to do some site redesign, which is going on behind the scenes. As of now there’s an incomplete shell up, but the site is slowly coming back online!
It’s ugly, but it works (for now), so check it out!
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Abs 300 Workout Sneak Peak
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
My abs have been sore for over two days now, just because of one exercise from my upcoming TT For Abs Home Adominal Workout Program.
=> Click Here for that advanced ab exercise
It’s also in my Advanced TT Abs 300 Workout, which is one of the bonuses in the Home Abdominal System.
If you’re a TT Member, you can check out my training journal on the forum to see the FULL Advanced TT Abs 300 workout here:
=> Click Here for the Advanced 300 Abs workout
(scroll to the bottom of my training journal)
Just remember, that workout is ADVANCED.
For beginners, here’s the Beginner TT Abs 300 Workout.
- You can do this workout once every 4 weeks. It will take 20-30 minutes.
- Go through the circuit TWO times to complete the “300″.
- Rest as much as needed between exercises.
Cross Crawl - 10 reps per side
Plank - 20 second hold
Prisoner Squat - 10 reps
Side Plank - 15 second hold per side
Mountain Climber - 10 reps per side
[Beginner} Inverted Row - 10 reps
Stability Ball Rollout - 5 reps
1-Leg Hip Extension - 10 reps per side
Spiderman Climb - 5 reps per side
Chop - 10 reps per side
[Kneeling] Pushup - 15 reps
Bird Dog - 5 reps per side
Stability Ball Leg Curl - 10 reps
Plank with Arms on Ball - 10 second hold
More CRUNCH-FREE ab workouts to come next week when I release that program.
In the meantime, get your FREE abs workout report and get put on the Early-Bird Notification List for the TT for Abs program by clicking HERE
Stay strong,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Six Pack Ab Workouts
PS - Want to say GOODBYE to CARDIO and CRUNCHES & still get abs?
Good! Me too.
And that’s why I designed the TT for Abs Home Abdominal Workout System so that you don’t have to go through the dishonor of lying on your back and pounding out hundreds of crunches in vain trying to get a six-pack.
(Not that crunches even work anyways…)
This NEW program will be released on Monday, July 21st, and the 1st 100 copies comes with an EXTRA-SPECIAL bonus.
In the meantime, get your FREE abs workout report and get put on the Early-Bird Notification List for the TT for Abs program at TurbulenceTrainingForAbs.com
PPS - Platinum TT Members get a FREE copy of the new TT Abs program.
Click HERE to become a Platinum TT Member
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Bodyweight Ab Workouts
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Today I put a couple of clients through the soon-to-be-released TT Bodyweight Abs Workouts (workouts you can do anywhere - including a hotel room - without any equipment). One did the beginner version and one client did the advanced version.
Both were “just right”, exactly how Goldilocks would have liked it if she was looking for a bodyweight ab program.
Not too hard, not too easy, but just hard enough.
One of my favorite bodyweight ab exercises that uses absolutely no equipment at all is the “X-Body Mountain Climber” (Cross Body Mountain Climber - but it looks cooler when you use an X).
• Brace your abs. Start in the top of the push-up position.
• Keep your abs braced, pick one foot up off the floor, and slowly bring your knee up to your opposite elbow. Do not let your hips sag.
• Keep your abs braced and slowly return your leg to the start position.
• Alternate sides until you complete all of the required repetitions.
After those workouts, I did the TT for Abs 300 Intermediate program. That’s a bonus workout that can be done at the end of the 4-week Intermediate phase of the TT Home Abdominal Workouts program - or at the end of any 4-week Intermediate/Advanced TT workout. Or really, once a month if you are an “intermediate” or “advanced” fitness type.
After doing this one, Goldilocks might have sent it back, because it was pretty hard. But if you are looking for a challenge, you’ll love it.
Finished with some overhead KB walking (holding the KB at arms length overhead). No swings or snatches today, rest day for the grip strength and foearms.
Turbulence Training Original Workout A tomorrow.
Got a sweat on today,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Home Abdominal Workouts
PS - If you are a Platinum TT Member, the NEW Advanced Nutrition Guidelines are available for download…
Click here for the advanced Men & Women fat burning meal plans
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Strengthen Your Core and Glutes: Pushup Plank With Leg Lift
Submitted by My Fitness Hut Blog
For some of you, a change in the routine crunches and reverse crunches is needed to ramp up your exercise program! Try this exercise the next time you are working out. You don’t need any equipment, just your body. The pushup plank with leg lift is a great exercise to strengthen your core and glutes.
1. Start by lying face down on the ground. Place your hands underneath your chest.
2. Form a plank using your hands and toes as pillars. Keep your torso in line with your hips. Do not bow your back.
3. Maintain a straight back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground. Brace your torso as if someone is going to punch you in the gut.
4. Lift your right leg and hold for 3-5 seconds. Do the same with your left leg. That is one repetition. Do 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions with each leg.
Go for it!
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Daily Fat Loss Motivation
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Some fat loss motivation for you today…
I hear from a lot of folks who had a bad “diet day” yesterday, or their workout didn’t go as planned…and even from folks who are struggling to get going…
So I just wanted to say…
“Keep on trying to do a little better every day. Always try to be better than yesterday. Take that attitude, and give it the best you got! And if you had a bad day yesterday, kick it to the curb and stay strong! Today is another chance for you to show the world who’s the boss. I know you can do it!”
Here’s to starting a new healthy habit today,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Click Here for Turbulence Training for Fat Loss
PS - Don’t Wait!
Whatever positive change you want to make in your life, start TODAY!
Whether it is looking for a new job, repairing a relationship, eating better, or starting an exercise program, there is no better time to start than right now. Good luck and let me know how things turn out!
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Kettlebells & Bodyweight Abs
Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog
Today’s workout started with kettlebells. After a quick, but thorough warmup, I went straight to snatches with the 53lb’er, doing:
3×15 per side
3×5 per side
All done without rest, and without putting the kettlebell down…working my way up in endurance. The other day I did one set per side of 21 reps each. My hands/grip strength are the weak point right now. My weak, weak little hands.
I finished with another set or two of 10 reps per side. After kettlebells, I went to the gym to try my SOON-TO-BE-RELEASED “TT Abdominal 300 Workout (Advanced Version)”. This was a tough 30-minute workout, made harder by the fact that my abs feel like they have bullet holes in them thanks to yesterday’s workout.
NOTE: The COMPLETE Turbulence Training for Abs Home Abdominal Workout package will be released on Monday, July 21st.
This might be the only CRUNCH-FREE six-pack abs training program that you can do at home. It is ANTI-CRUNCH, ANTI-GYM, and ANTI-SITUP (and of course, ANTI-CARDIO, but that goes without saying, right?)
The new TT for Abs system includes…
1) 12-Week Turbulence Training Home Abdominal Workout Program
2) The Turbulence Training Abs “300″ Workout Bonus (Beginner, Intermediate, & Advanced Levels)
3) The Bodyweight Abs Workout You Can Do Anywhere - Even at a Hotel - Without Any Equipment (Beginner & Advanced Versions)
4) The Bodyweight Abdominal Exercise Index
5) My 5 Motivational Secrets to Keep You From Cheating or Quitting
6) The Advanced Nutrition for Abs Meal Plans from Isabel De Los Rios, Holistic Nutritionist
(And a few other time-sensitive bonuses…visit www.turbulencetrainingforabs.com to be put on the Early-Bird Notification List).
As I mentioned, my abs are sore, sore, sore! All because I did a