The Best Cardio for Fat Loss: Part 2

The Best Cardio Intervals for Fat Loss: Part 2

If you don’t have variety in your program, you are more than likely to end up at a fat loss plateau soon rather than later. Variety is one of the keys to keeping that fat loss coming.

So not only should you have variety within your training week (i.e. alternate between two different interval training workouts, rather than just doing the same interval workout each time), but you should also change these workouts every 4 weeks.

So you need to change your training program every 4 weeks. To modify your interval training workouts, you can…

switch exercise methods (and even use bodyweight exercises for intervals)

increase or decrease the length of the interval (while decreasing or increasing the intensity, respectively)

increase or decrease the number of intervals per workout

increase or decrease the rest time between intervals

First, let’s take a look at the interval methods. Here is my list of preferred ways to do your intervals, ranked in order from best to worst, based on my experiences…

Sprinting outdoors (and hills might be the absolute best)

Strongman movements (Farmer’s walks, tire flips, car pushing)

Bodyweight interval circuits

Treadmill running

Stationary cycle (upright preferred)

Stairclimber

Rower

Swimming (only works for competent swimmers)

Elliptical & Crosstrainer machines

Okay, so how long should you do intervals and how the heck do you do bodyweight exercises as interval training?

First, I stand by what I said in Part 1. There does not seem to be a “best” interval training program. But that is good because it allows us to use variety in our approach. (So perhaps the best interval training method is simply the one that changes every 4 weeks.)

Interval recommendations have ranged from 15 seconds (from Muscle Media waaaay back in the late 90′s), to 5 minutes (these are known as aerobic intervals). So let’s take a look at each interval recommendation and all those in between.

15 seconds

The great thing about 15 second intervals is that you’ll be able to work at a very high rate (almost near your maximum power output), as long as you get adequate recovery between work intervals. The downside is that it is very difficult to do 15 second intervals on machines, because it takes a long time to “build up” and “bring down” the machine settings to the correct speed.

If you decide to use these short, high-intensity intervals, you should do so only if you already have an above average level of fitness. Your rest interval should be at least 15 seconds long, and can be as long as 60 seconds. The longer you rest, the harder you will be able to exercise in each interval.

20 seconds on, 10 seconds off

This method is known as the Tabata protocol, after the Japanese scientist that published a study on this routine. It is very demanding (obviously), and while some trainers have suggested this is the best method for interval training, I don’t think there is any proof that you will get better results.

Clearly, the pro’s with this method (as well as the 15 second intervals) is that you’ll get your workout done faster (provided you do the same number of intervals as any other workout). Again, it would be very difficult to perform this type of interval training on a machine, due to the time lag as you increase or decrease the settings. And finally, these too should only be performed by above average fitness levels.

30 seconds

The Turbulence Training workouts tend to use a lot of 30 second intervals. Beginners will rest up to 90 seconds between intervals, while advanced fitness levels will rest 30-60 seconds. The longer (relative) rest allows you to work harder in each successive interval (i.e. you’ll almost be able to match your performance in the first interval with each following interval). Short rest intervals (as in the Tabata protocol) will lead to a dramatic drop-off in performance with each interval. You can easily do the 3-second intervals on any machine.

45 seconds

These intervals are proven for fat loss, in addition to being effective for many team sports (such as hockey, soccer, basketball, and rugby). I have used 45 second intervals extensively in both areas of training. Not only will these tax your muscles, they will also tax your will to complete each interval (if done at the right intensity). Use 45-90 seconds of recovery between intervals. Do 3-6 intervals per workout. Your fitness and fat loss will skyrocket.

60 second intervals

Similar to the 45 second intervals in benefits and toughness. Use 60-120 seconds of recovery between each.

120 second intervals

These are now officially aerobic intervals, and can be used for both fat loss and improving aerobic capacity for sports and running. A great way to achieve two fitness goals at once. Exercise for 2 minutes and then recover for 2 minutes. Repeat 6 times. These workouts take longer (obviously), but can have a role in changing your body and improving your performance.

5 minute intervals

Same strategy as with the two minute intervals. This really increases your workout time, so these are only used with serious endurance athletes.

Beginner vs. Advanced

If you are thinking that these intervals all sound “too intense” for you, please don’t worry. Interval training is all relative. You don’t have to sprint for your life in each type of interval. Instead, just work at a slightly harder than normal pace. By the end of the interval, you should be getting tired, but you shouldn’t be gasping for air. Start conservatively and you will get the hang of it.

For example, if you regularly use level 5 on the stationary bike for 30 minutes continuously, you might try doing a 1 minute interval at level 7. Try that for an interval workout and let me know how it goes.

My favorite intervals for fat loss are between 30-60 seconds. These have been the staple intervals in my Turbulence Training workouts since the first workout was designed back in 2001. But again, I think you will get your best fat loss results if you vary your interval training workouts – just like you must vary your strength training workouts.

Intervals are the secret to success,

CB

P.S. Do you need to lose a post-vacation belly?

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

Fat Loss Workouts for a Busy Gym

Gyms are busy. Too busy. And it is always busiest when you settle in for your fat loss workout with its awesome fat-blasting supersets.

I know it drives you nuts when you are trying to pair lunges and presses while someone is taking up valuable workout space chatting or doing some pointless fluff exercise. Why can’t they just get out of your way and let you finish your super effective TT workout?

Crowded gyms are such a big problem that I designed the following TT workout that helps you perform my trademark “noncompeting” supersets – the most effective way to lift for fat loss – without letting anyone get in your way. This new version of TT lets you get it done right, even in a busy gym.

The secret to this workout is the pairing of two exercises that can be done at the same bench and often with the same weights. So you won’t lose your spot between exercises. Camp out in your little area, work hard, and you’ll get lean and lose fat faster than ever.

NOTE: This workout originally ran in Men’s Fitness magazine, but I’ve actually improved the workout just for you!

Workout Guidelines

· Workout 3 days per week alternating between workouts A & B. Rest 1 day between sessions.

· In week 1, you will follow an A, B, A schedule. In week 2, a B, A, B schedule. In week 3, an A, B, A schedule, and in week 4, a B, A, B schedule.

· Each pair of exercises constitutes a “Superset”. In each Superset, do one set of the first exercise followed immediately by the next (1A & 1B) and then repeat.

· Rest 1 minute after completing the exercises in the Superset (i.e. after 1A & 1B).

· Repeat each Superset until you’ve completed a total of three sets of each exercise in the pair, then move on to the next pair.

· Use a 2-0-1 lifting tempo for all exercises (except for any holding exercises like the plank). Take 2 seconds to lower the weight, pause briefly, and then take 1 second to lift the weight.

· Finish each workout with stretching for the tight muscle groups only.

· For full exercise descriptions and photos, see the Turbulence Training manual.

Warm-up

· If you are limited by time, reduce the number of sets in the workout, but always perform the full warm-up.

· Never skip a warm-up.

o Perform this circuit 2x’s using a 2-0-1 tempo:

- 10 reps of bodyweight squats or step-ups

- 20 seconds for the plank

- 8 reps of kneeling pushups or regular pushups

- 10 reps of inverted bodyweight rowing exercise or band pull

- Perform 2 warm-up sets for each exercise in the first Superset.

- 1 set of 8 reps with 50% of the weight you will use in your “real” sets.

- 1 set of 8 reps with 75% of the weight you will use in your “real” sets.

Turbulence Training Interval Training Guidelines

· Research has shown that interval training is very effective for fat loss.

· It is recommended that the stationary cycle be used for interval training because it allows for an easy transition between work and recovery.

· Finish each interval workout with stretching for the tight muscle groups only.

Beginner Interval Workout:

· Warm-up for 5-minutes.

· Perform an interval by exercising for 30 seconds at a hard pace (at a subjective 7/10 level of intensity) – i.e. fast walking.

· Follow that with “active rest” for 90 seconds by exercising at a slow pace (at a subjective 3/10 level of intensity) – i.e. slow walking.

· Repeat for 3-6 interval repetitions. Finish with 5-10 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for a cool-down at a 4/10 level of intensity.

Advanced Interval Workout

· Warm-up for 5-10 minutes.

· Perform an interval by exercising for 30 seconds at a very hard pace (at a subjective 9/10 level of intensity).

· Follow that with “active rest” for 60 seconds by exercising at a slow pace (at a subjective 3/10 level of intensity).

· Repeat for 3-6 interval repetitions. Finish with 5-10 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for a cool-down at a 4/10 level of intensity.

Workout A

1A) Wide-stance Squat (8 reps)

- Set your feet 4-6 inches wider than shoulder width, your toes pointed forward.

- This superset works best if performed in a squat rack that also has a chin-up bar.

1B) Chin-ups (6 reps)

- If this is too hard, perform a Reverse-grip Lat Pulldown.

- Rest 1 minute and then go back to Squats.

- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

2A) Barbell Step-ups (8 reps per leg)

- Use a step that’s high enough so that your knee is bent 90 degrees.

- If you have to use DB’s for the step-ups, take an extra 30 seconds rest when going from the step-ups to the rows.

2B) DB or Barbell Row (8 reps)

- Keep your lower back naturally arched.

- Rest 1 minute and then go back to Step-ups.

- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

3A) Side Plank (5 reps per side)

- Contract and brace your abs for 10 seconds per repetition while keeping your body in a straight line.

3B) Stability Ball Jackknife (12 reps)

- Rest 30 seconds and then go back to Side Plank.

- Do this Superset 3 times and then go to the Intervals.

Workout B

1A) Low-Incline DB Chest Press (8 reps)

- Set the incline to one notch above the flat-bench position.

1B) DB or Barbell Romanian Deadlift (8 reps)

- Keep your lower back naturally arched for the entire movement.

- Rest 1 minute and then go back to 1A.

- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

2A) DB Close-grip Chest Press (8 reps)

- Push the dumbbells straight up, not together.

2B) DB Rear-deltoid Lateral Raise (8 reps)

- Keep a tight arch in lower back and lean forward as far as possible.

- Perform this exercise extra slowly so that you don’t use momentum.

- Rest 1 minute and then go back to 2A.

- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

3A) Elevated Push-up (12 reps per side)

- Place one hand on a 4-inch step or box and lower your body as far as possible.

3B) Stability Ball Rollout (15 reps)

- Keep your body in a straight line at all times–don’t allow your back to round or bend backward.

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

The Latest Nutrition Info

Today Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is going to answer some tough fat loss nutrition questions.Dr. Chris Mohr is a consultant to a number of media outlets and nutrition corporations, with bachelors and masters degrees in Nutrition, from Penn State University and the University of Massachusetts, respectively. He received his PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Pittsburgh and is also a registered dietitian.

Now, before we get to the interview with Dr. Mohr, I have something to admit:

Nutrition is more important than training.

There, I said it. In fact, I’ve admitted it all along. It doesn’t matter how good your workouts are, you won’t get maximum results without the right nutrition.

And that’s why I’ve gone to Dr. Mohr to get his advanced fat loss tips.

CB: For fat loss, what kind of shake is best after weights? Do we need high-carb, sugar shakes?

CM:
I still think this is an important meal to get some carbohydrates in to fuel you for your next workouts, since carbohydrate intake is likely low throughout the remainder of the day.

Even during a fat loss phase, I recommend folks get at least a 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein.

CB: But what about sugar specifically? If a client is 35, 5’10″, and 21% body fat, does he need sugar in his post-workout drink?

CM:
I do still think simple carbs are important during this recovery period.

Carbs don’t have to be the enemy—if the rest of your carb intake is mainly veggies, the post workout simple carbs will be a Godsend.

You’ll suck that right up, you’ll feel stronger, and have better subsequent workouts. You should be training hard enough to be able to lose the fat…it’s not all about the carbs.

I would go 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein…around 30:30 of a combination of malto/glucose/sucrose or any high GI ingredients with a whey isolate and/or hydrosylate.

CB: Does post-workout nutrition change for interval training?

CM:
I believe it does, because while you’re exercising at a high-intensity, the amount of glycogen depletion and protein degradation that’s going on is lower than with a longer duration,
intense weight workout.

It is still an important time for feeding (after exercise), but I wouldn’t recommend the same high intake of carbs:protein as I would after a tough weight workout.

Like before, go with the 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein – that is, of course, unless you were just out there doing intervals for an hour (but then you’d basically be superhuman).

CB: What are your thoughts on eating before bed?

CM:
This is a time I like a protein and fat meal, to help slow the digestion of those nutrients during a time when it’s likely you will be breaking down some muscle tissue.

I am “ok” with some carbs, but if you do eat them, focus on veggies or something similar and don’t sit down to a Thanksgiving meal and then immediately close your eyes.

CB: Everyone seems to know the general protein rule for gaining muscle (1g per pound bodyweight), but how much protein do we need when trying to lose fat?

CM:
This is suffice for losing fat as well. Maintaining this intake, with a moderate fat intake as well, will help provide the necessary nutrients since you want to lose as much fat as possible, yet maintain as much lean body mass as possible.

You can’t get around the fact that weight loss does take some reduction in calorie intake (or very high amount of calorie expenditure), so focus your intake on lean proteins, healthy fats, and always think fiber, not carbs.

CB: Give us one of your “secret” advanced fat loss nutrition tips…please!

CM:
Losing fat without the addition of intervals is like riding a bike through sand – sure it will work, but your progress won’t be nearly as fast.

Replace all simple carbohydrates with their high-fiber counterparts, and make sure you’re eating at least one vegetable each and every meal.

CB: What do you think of “calorie cycling” diets – where you drop your calories for a couple of days, then bump them up, etc. Is there any research to support this approach?

CM:
To my knowledge it’s all anecdotal.

Theoretically, it seems as if it may work; however, it would be near impossible to design a well controlled study to test the theory.

With that said, it’s hard to make specific recommendations because there’s nothing to base it off of.

CB: And let’s finish off with your thoughts on fish oil – dosage, quality, etc.

CM:
They kick ass—general health, 2-4 g/day. Elevated TG I would go higher, increasing in a stepwise manner, up to 8g or so (not a blanket statement, but individualized). Always speak with MD first since it does decrease clotting time…contraindicated if on blood thinning medications.

Preliminary research with weight loss shows it’s promising—2-3 studies to my knowledge. I do believe higher quality fish oils are important. Fish oil shouldn’t give you fishy burps or taste fishy at all.

Two favorites are Nordic Naturals and Carlson. Fish oils are screened very well for mercury and other contaminants, particularly ones like NN and Carlson.

CB: Thanks Chris. This is great.

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

Cardio Is Not the Key to Weight Loss

Recently one of the UK’s top trainers, Paul Mort interrogated Men’s Health writer Craig Ballantyne on the benefits of high-intensity exercise for weight loss.

Q: First, can you tell us the basics about high-intensity training?

Answer:

This type of training is the result of years of study in the gym and in the research labs and library. From personal experience, I’ve found there is only one way to get the most fat loss and workout results in the least amount of time – you must increase your training intensity.

With the right workout, you can get more fat loss results in less
workout time. Period. That is the one and only goal of this
training program. A better body in fewer workout sessions, and
shorter exercise bouts.

That means:

a) Shorter interval workouts instead of long slow cardio workouts

b) More challenging strength training exercises, such as advanced bodyweight exercises and some traditional strength training free weight exercises

If you have two hours to spend in the gym everyday, you can feel free to stick to the same relatively ineffective and inefficient program of long cardio and light weights. But if you are like most
men and women and have 45 minutes (or less) on only three days of the week to workout, then harder training will work wonders for you.

Male or female, almost everyone I see in traditional fitness centers could benefit from increasing the challenge in their workout. And they can also benefit from getting in and out of the gym faster.

So that’s what led me to intense training. It’s simple, no B.S., no-fluff, just-the-basics, results-oriented training. You don’t need fancy gym machines or even an expensive gym membership. If you have a bench, a ball and some dumbbells at home, you are set.

Q: Okay so we’re clear these workouts will melt bodyfat fast, what makes it so effective?

Answer:

Most people are so darn hung-up on burning a specific number of calories on a cardio machine, that they don’t care how long they spend in the gym.

But big deal. If you burn X calories over 30 minutes in the gym
doing cardio, but don’t boost your post-exercise metabolism, you’re wasting the other 23.5 hours to burn a lot more calories.

And that’s what happens with slow, steady workouts that never
change. Sure you burn a few calories in the gym, but there is no
“turbulence” on the body to increase your metabolism outside of the gym.

Instead, by using challenging strength training, and choosing
intervals over monotonous cardio, research has shown that your post workout metabolism is significantly greater. And an increased metabolism for an entire 24 hour period is what gives people results.

It’s like putting money in the bank. It makes you more money even while you sit at home or sleep! That’s the power of a more
challenging workout.

And with intense workouts, and other “challenging” workouts are always exponentially more enjoyable than staring at a TV (or worse a wall) when “doing your time” on a cardio machine. You can get this great “metabolic turbulence” in a boot camp, with bodyweight, at home with dumbbells, or even in a busy gym.

Nothing is more effective than intense training if you only have 45 minutes, three times per week to workout.

Q: In my opinion, resistance training, both with free weights and bodyweight is the key to losing bodyfat, for our readers that are still unsure about this could you give me your opinion on my this statement?

Answer:

Strength training is just one key for fat loss, it is essential to
maximize your metabolism, and it is absolutely, positively
paramount to building the best body of your dreams.

For those that doubt, start with bodyweight training. Not only is
this method of strength training effective at helping you sculpt
your body, but it is also empowering to your self-confidence and
100% applicable to your daily living.

Everything from carrying groceries to “seks” will be easier if you are stronger in the bodyweight exercises. Your mobility and stamina will increase, so that you will be able to carry your children to bed easier, you will be able to do yardwork with less fatigue, and you’ll literally improve your “zest for life” simply from mastering your bodyweight strength.

All of these benefits without touching a single free weight…but
if you do go with free weights, you’ll take your fitness to an even
greater level.

Research from the 2001 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine showed that female subjects boosted their post-exercise metabolism to a greater level when they did 8 reps per exercise, rather than 12 reps.

So low rep, strength training is best for boosting metabolism. It
will get you more results in less time because it will continue to
work while you recover.

Q: I’m always telling people that aerobic exercise is useless for fat loss, does you agree with this? And why?

Answer:

Aerobic exercise is certainly inefficient for fat loss.

By that I mean, the benefits pale in comparison to the fat loss you can achieve in less time with interval training. Most people would be able to cut their workout time in half simply by using intervals rather than aerobic exercise.

Now I’ve witnessed a few people lose fat and maintain a beautiful body with aerobic exercise, but these have been limited to: young University-aged males that also did 4 days of heavy strength training, who had no “life” stress and plenty of time on their hands to train up to 10 hours per week (not counting recreational sports).

But does that sound like your average gym-goer’s lifestyle?

I doubt it. If it does, where do you live? I want to move there!

So next time you go to the gym, do this admittedly un-scientific
test…Take a visual survey of the “cardio” area and the strength
training area. Where are the best bodies?

In the strength training area, no doubt.

And in fact, we can also find a lot of beautiful bodies in the Yoga
and Pilates area. Why? There’s certainly no “fat burning” cardio
zone going on there. So what gives?

Nutrition.

Nutrition is the #1 factor in fat loss. It trumps any fat loss
program, no matter how good it is. Yes, even my beloved intense training will not be 100% effective if someone continues to eat chips and pints as their meals.

There are far more efficient ways to change your body.

Eat for fat loss, and do some form of strength training to sculpt
your body. When you take care of your nutrition and eat according to simple fat loss nutrition guidelines, your body will be like modeling clay in your hands…and the exercises you choose to do with sculpt it. If someone continues on with aerobic exercise, the improvements will be negligible.

So that’s why you don’t see cardio in a structured intense program. If
someone wants to do a family bike ride or play a game of football on the weekend, by all means go ahead. But it is far too
inefficient to get put in my main workouts.

Q: What about somebody that isn’t a member of a gym? Can they still benefit from intense training?

Answer:

Absolutely. As mentioned earlier, all you need is a bench, a
Stability Ball (aka – Physioball), and a set of dumbbells. A pullup
bar would be a bonus, if you are strong enough to use the pullup
and chinup exercises.

I’ve done many of the bodyweight exercises outside, as obviously you don’t need any equipment to do many of the novel ab, leg, and pushing exercises. Heck, I bet you use many of the exercises in your boot camps and you know how little equipment is needed for a hard workout.

Think back to the days before the glitzy chrome-and-machine gyms.

People were still able to get fit with free weights andbodyweight.

And good nutrition certainly doesn’t need a gym membership.

Q: And lastly, I meet a lot of people who seem to have tried every diet going, tried classes, gyms and DVDS, what makes intense training different from these?

Answer:

Most people train in their comfort zones. And while a lot of
programs require a lot of effort (those classes are no joke), most
programs lack an effective level of intensity.

By intensity, we are talking about working closer to your maximum level of effort.

Sure, a set of 15 repetitions to failure for triceps pressdowns is
tough, but it’s not truly intense. Compare that to doing a set of 8
pushups – which for many people is much more intense – and now you are using your entire body a lot harder. Thus, the turbulence on the body is much greater. And your body will have to work harder after training to recover – and that’s what increases your metabolism – and allows you to burn fat all day, rather than just for 20-30 minutes.

The same goes with the cardio vs. intervals. If you switch to
intervals, you’ll notice changes in days.

Stay consistent with the plan, and you’re gold!

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

The Evolution of Cardio

Today I’m going to give you the story of how I solved the problem of getting an efficient and effective fat loss program finished in 45 minutes. Essentially, how I determined that cardio is not the best way to lose fat…and why the perfect fat loss program needs strength training and interval training.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to the winter of 98-99. I was but a lowly grad student, studying the effects of androstenedione (the supplement taken by the might Mark McGwire during his record-breaking home run quest in ’98).

In my study, we had subjects use Andro and go through a couple of weight training sessions. After the workouts we collected blood samples, and by February of ’99 I was stuck in the lab, analyzing these blood samples using some fancy radio-active isotopes.

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

Now coming from a very athletic background, this sedentary lifestyle didn’t sit well with me. But there I was, studing for a degree in Exercise Physiology and left with no time for exercise. Or so I thought. I was actually left with a 50 minute window once per day of “down-time” while the lab’s gamma-counter analyzed my study’s blood samples.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now onto the strength training portion of the workouts. I knew that a high-volume bodybuilding program wasn’t going to cut it. But in the past year I had read so many lifting studies, that I knew exactly what exercises I needed to do to maximize my lifting time in the gym.

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

And I also knew that I had to lift heavier than the average Joe or Jane Gym-goer lifts. I just knew that doing lighter weights and high-reps wasn’t going to cut it. And a research study from 2001 later showed that I was right – when women did 8 reps per set, they had a significantly greater increase in post-workout metabolism than if they did 15 reps per set.

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

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

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

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

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

And from that point in time, I’ve tried to share it with as many men and women as possible. The same men and women that I would see day-in and day-out performing the same ineffective slow-cardio fat loss programs, and not making a darn change month after month.

And every day they would see me, soaked in sweat, feeling great and looking lean, and finishing another intense workout. Eventually I’d notice that they weren’t around as consistently as before, and then soon enough they would drop out.

So when you see someone frustrated with their ineffective fat loss program, tell them there is a better way. It’s research-based, efficient, and most of all, effective. And yes, it goes against the crowd. But it works. It doesn’t use traditional boring cardio, but instead it gets a lot more fat loss results in less workout time by using strength training and interval training

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

Cardio Can Kill

I’m not a big fan of long cardio, especially extreme bouts of cardio – i.e. running marathons.

Just this past weekend a 41-year old man died running one of the Toronto marathons. Last year, same thing. These are not the first, nor will they be the last men to die running a marathon.

And for what?

To run an irrelevant distance for no reason at all. I don’t see any logical reason for most people to run a marathon. Particularly when you are a 40-year old father of a young family. You can be fit and healthy with far less exercise time, as long as you train with far better exercise choices.

Sure, you can say you are pushing the boundaries of your human performance…but I doubt that is any consolation for the family of thes two men.

No matter how “type A” someone is, or how driven they are to perform in a marathon, simply being able to run a marathon proves nothing. And it can have disastrous consequences. Not too mention the many smaller negative consequences of:

a) A waste of hours of your life spent away from your loved ones while you pound the pavement

b) Sore knees, chronic back pain, and blistered feet

c) Money and time wasted in the physiotherapist’s office

d) An improperly trained body (i.e. weak back of the body, no upper body strength, overuse injuries)

e) A level of fitness that has limited carryover to real world needs (carrying groceries & other objects, outsprinting an attacker, manual labor, etc.)

So please, if you insist on running marathons, do yourself and your family a favor and:

1) Get a full physical from your doctor. This goes without saying for anyone on an exercise program over the age of 30, but running marathons is another reason not to neglect your physical exams.

2) Pay close attention to your body during the race. Wear a heart rate monitor, and exercise conservatively, drink the right amount of fluids (but not too much as that can be the cause of death in long runs), and just plain be careful. A marathon is hardly a reason to risk your life.

Now, here’s more bad news.

Cardio has been killing fat loss programs for decades.

Why?

Because almost all of the exercise science studies performed in the 70′s through the early 90′s were done on distance running.

From there we got the messages that:

i) To lose fat, you had to do long, slow endurance training. Clearly, we know this is false. Nutrition is the most important aspect of fat loss.

ii) That we should eat a high-carbohydrate diet. This message, while generally true for endurance athletes, was broadly applied to fat loss. So we were subjected to that hideous low-fat, high-carb phase in the 90′s where we were urged to eat Snackwell low-fat cookies with no regard to the sugar and calorie content.

iii) Beginners should get out on high-volume, walk-run programs. Now while it is important to get people out and exercising, high-volume activities for underprepared beginner muscles are going to cause injury fast. And that’s what happened to most people that tried to take up running.

iv) Too many cardio enthusiasts had the wrong mentality of, “If I go for a 5 mile run, I can have some juice and cookies as a reward”. Needless to say, that didn’t help anyone lose fat.

The end result?

This high-cardio, high-carb approach to fitness and fat loss left many men and women with thunder thighs, saddle bags, and chronic running injuries.

Fast-forward to this decade, and the mainstream media is finally starting to see the benefits of strength training and interval training for both fat loss and the cardiovascular system.

Not too mention people are finally getting their nutrition right. And it’s so simple:

- lots of fruits and vegetables (rarely does anyone get enough)

- lean protein

- healthy fats

- fiber-rich low-glycemic carbohydrates

So eat right, train right, and be safe.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Author, Turbulence Training

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

The Top 5 Fat Loss Myths

There are so many fat loss myths out there in “exercise-land” that I was hired by Men’s Fitness magazine to write about one myth each month.

After all, by now you’ve probably heard that if you don’t do 60-minutes of cardio in your fat burning zone on an empty stomach while Venus is in line with Jupiter, you’ll never burn fat.

The problem with myths is that not only are they wrong and give false hope to millions of people trying to lose weight, but they also waste your time and mental effort.

I have also seen these myths used as justification for cheating on a diet, watching countless men and women justify their “treats” because they believe they are on some type of magical exercise
program or nutrition plan.

I could go on for days about fitness myths, but I cut my list from 30 down to the Top 5 Fat Loss Workout Myths today. I’ll save the other 25 for future newsletters.

Myth #1: You have to do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

Relax. You don’t have to hop on the treadmill at 4:30am every morning. Let’s allow common sense to dictate when and how you exercise.

If you want to work out first thing in the morning, and I know that is the best time for many readers, by all means, go ahead and do it. There’s nothing magical about this time – although it is often the only time many of day many people have to themselves.

We need to think “outside of the hour” of exercise and realize that calorie burning and fat burning goes on for 24-hours. Forget about the theories and look at the big picture.

It doesn’t matter when you exercise – as long as you exercise intensely and consistently. Focus on relatively high-intensity workouts to increase your metabolism for as many hours after exercise as possible. That is best done with interval training and resistance training.

Myth #2: You have to do your cardio in your “fat burning zone”.

Again, nonsense.

While you might burn a larger proportion of total calories as fat when you exercise in your fat burning zone, you burn fewer calories overall by exercising at such a low intensity.

When you increase your workout intensity and get out of your so-called “fat burning zone”, you burn more total calories, and as a result, more fat.

In addition, the “fat burning zone” training doesn’t put “turbulence” on your muscles…so you don’t burn many calories in the post-exercise time period. But with interval training, you burn a significant amount of calories for hours after training, and that leads to more fat loss.

I’ve worked with hundreds of people that have avoided the fat burning zone while still managing to lose dozens of pounds of fat. The “fat burning zone” is one of the biggest fitness myths of all time.

Myth #3: You have to do cardio for 20 minutes before you burn fat.

When I hear this, I picture a fat-burning switch in my body that turns on only after I’ve been doing “cardio” for 20 minutes. But what if I only exercise for 19 minutes and 59 seconds? Are
you telling me that I won’t have burned any fat? That’s ridiculous.

What if I did it on an empty stomach in the morning and in my target heart rate zone? (read that one sarcastically!)

I’ll say it one last time. We need to be more concerned with our 24-hour metabolism, not how much fat or even how many calories are burned during the workout.

Myth 4: Drinking ice cold water will help you burn calories and lose fat.

Standing in line at the grocery store is a great place to pick up the latest fat loss myths. You’ll also find this one all over the Internet.

This myth often comes along with some calculations showing that by drinking 8 glasses of ice-cold water you can burn 70 calories per day. I don’t believe that actually holds true in real life. Regardless, drinking cold water is not going to burn any more fat off your body than drinking room temperature water.

Don’t get me wrong, I strongly believe you should drink 12 glasses of water per day, but the temperature of your water won’t have any effect on your overall fat loss success.

Myth #5: Adding one pound of muscle will burn 50 extra calories each day.

Uh-oh, now I’m cutting down a myth that supports my use of strength training in a fat loss program. But I have an obligation to set the record straight about this extremely prevalent myth (even though I just saw a big name fitness expert perpetuate this myth in a recent article!).

This myth sounds so good. Add a pound ouf muscle, boost your metabolism 50 calories. That doesn’t seem out of line at all.

But do the math for a guy that puts on 30 pounds of muscle. Does his metabolism really increase by 1500 calories? Absolutely not. For an average guy, that would require his resting metabolism to increase from 2500 calories to 4000 calories per day. How would he be able to keep any of that muscle with a metabolism like that? He’d have to eat like a pig forever.

So when you look at the big picture, you can see this little myth start to fall apart.

That’s not to say you should stop your strength training, but just don’t use this myth as an excuse to cheat on your diet.

Bonus Myth: Negative Calorie Foods Cause You to Lose Weight

According to the “experts”, a negative calorie food requires more energy to digest than it provides you when you eat it. And included in the negative calorie food list are apples and bananas.

So by this logic, I would actually starve to death if I had nothing to eat but apples (because I would have a net energy loss from eating a so-called “negative calorie” food).

There is no such thing as a negative calorie food.

It’s a shame that people are out there promoting this stuff, and it’s too bad that so many people fall for it.

Remember the old phrase, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true”.

Instead, let the common sense fat loss principles apply. It’s going to take consistent effort, working hard at your workouts and with your nutrition to get the results you want.

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

Ab Workouts Slow Fat Loss

Not only are most traditional ab workouts a waste of time, but they also slow your fat loss efforts. Each workout you spend crunching takes time away from more effective fat loss methods – such as interval training.

That’s right, the common man’s (and woman’s) ab workout taken from Shape magazine or Muscle’n'Fitness often hurts their fat loss program more than it helps it.

Remember – I’m in the business of getting you the most fat loss in the least amount of exercise time…so you have little room in your program for traditional ab crunches (with the exception of using
basic ab exercises for beginners who need to learn to use their ab muscles after a lifetime of inactivity).

Instead, I focus on exercises that build a 6-pack AND burn a lot of calories at the same time. That’s why I’m a big fan of making EVERY exercise an ab exercise (by bracing the abs in every movement), as well as using total body ab exercises (such as Mountain Climbers, the Spiderman Lunge/Climb, and the Stability Ball Jackknife).

These exercises use far more muscle mass than a traditional crunch. In fact, some of the total body ab exercises are “interval-like” in nature, helping to put more metabolic turbulence on the body, and as you know, that’s what burns calories during AND after the workout.

Now of course you know that you can’t spot reduce the fat on your body – so doing an endless number of crunches not only does little for you in terms of losing fat, it also wastes your time in your quest for a 6-pack.

Here are a couple of strategies to maximize your workout time when your goal is to get lean, and get down to a low-enough body fat percentage to see your abs in as little workout time as possible:

(If you’ve got 2 hours a day to workout, by all means, do whatever your heart desires…but I don’t think many of us that live in the real world have that kind of time.)

A) First, simply cut back on your ab training – If your goal is to simply lose fat, gain a little muscle, and just look as good possible, then you can’t spend 30 minutes on abs everyday. You can build your 6-pack by doing less than 30 minutes of ab exercise per week.

I’m convinced that no one (not even a fitness model or pro bodybuilder) needs more than 30 minutes of ab training per week.

In fact, at the photoshoots I supervise for the fitness magazines, I get to talk to a lot of fitness models and what they tell me about their training routines might shock you. Most of them don’t train nearly as frequently as you or I might think.

Instead, they’ve worked hard over the years with the basic lifts to build their body, and now many of them simply use nutrition and maintenance workouts to keep their abs showing.

B) Second, replace your crunches with the total body ab exercises I mentioned earlier. Also, if you have access to a cable machine, you can do weighted ab exercises such as kneeling cable crunches.

C) And finally, if you are doing intervals for fat loss as I recommend, you can use the following approach to increase the difficulty of your ab and interval training. However, this is an advanced method only.

During your interval workout, perform an ab exercise during your active recovery period. For example, if you are doing running intervals on a treadmill…

Run for 60 seconds at your work interval speed. Immediately stop the treadmill, get off, and go into a set of 20 Mountain Climbers. Climb back on the treadmill and start it up for your next interval. Repeat for 3-6 intervals.

You can also use basic spinal stabilization “ab exercises” such as the plank, side plank, or advanced plank versions (i.e. plank with your arms on the ball) to train your spinal stabilization while under heavy breathing stress. I learned this technique from Dr. Stuart McGill.

Remember: Always train safe, with good form, and be conservative. Don’t try to be a hero in the gym, but you should safely challenge yourself in each workout.

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

Rating the Energy Drinks

Energy. Everyone wants more of it. And it’s as easy to get as heading down to the corner store…All we need to do is slam down a Red Bull. Or a Gatorade. Or a coffee. Or so the ads say.

But which of these is really the best energy drink? The answer, of course, is below…

Now when people talk about energy drinks, they are often simply referring to products that contain caffeine. After all, when someone is describing their energy levels, they are really talking about their level of mental alertness. So we’ll limit our discussion today to that: what drink gives you the best and longest-lasting energy levels.

#5 – At the bottom of our list are those sugar and caffeine “energy drinks” such as Red Bull (and even cola).

The problem with many energy drinks is that they contain too much sugar and/or too much caffeine. So while the short-term effects are huge increases in energy (i.e. feeling wired or even jittery – even to the point of nausea), after an hour or two you’ll crash and burn, and more than likely be ready for a nap – or as those marketing machines prefer, another “energy drink”.

#4 – Sports Drinks: Give these guys credit, they’ve convinced the world that we need to refuel with what’s essentially uncarbonated soda pop. Now unless you’re performing an exercise of more than an hour, you don’t need this liquid sugar.

#3 – Coffee: Having never had a coffee in my life, I’m not sure it’s fair of me to pass judgement on this beverage. But I’ll say this…a cup of coffee each day is not going to kill you.

But if you depend on the caffeine to give you your morning get-up-and-go, maybe you should do a little lifestyle review. Perhaps there are some things you can change to give yourself more energy without relying on a caffeine fix? And you’re probably getting a lot more caffeine than you bargain for if you get your coffee from the well-known coffee shops.

#2 – Green Tea: True, this beverage does contain caffeine, but it does so in relatively smaller amounts than coffee.

In addition, you should be able to find naturally decaffeinated Green Teas (avoid Green Tea that has been decaffeinated via an “acetylation” process – this might also remove the healthy phytochemicals in the tea). And of course, go organic if you can.

NOTE: All teas are healthy. Green Tea may or may not be healthier than traditional teas.

Green Tea is a super close second place to our winner…and research suggests that several cups of the tea are necessary each day to receive the full health benefits.

#1 – Filtered Water: There’s no way that water is going to lead to an energy crash. And it’s important part of your nutrition plan. While I admit, it will never compare to a caffeine-based beverage for giving you that mental wake-up, in the big picture, water is the go-to drink.

Unfortunately, despite all the messages about H2O, I know a lot of clients still do not drink enough water.

I’m a big proponent of 12 glasses per day – I drink more than that and immediately notice sluggishness when I am unable to do so. I encourage you to monitor your water intake and determine your optimal level for alertness.

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.

8 Simple Rules for Fat Loss

Consistency equals results. While running a marathon will not make you lean
in one day, a consistent, a dedicated approach to fat loss will help you
reach your goals.

Unfortunately, Americans have been getting consistently worse with their
diets. The latest research from Tufts University shows that sugar-containing
drinks are now the main source of calories in the average American’s diet
(Bermudez, O., et al. Abstract, Experimental Biology 2005).

This would have been unimaginable 50 years ago back when people were much
leaner on average.

On the other hand, there are many habits which have been shown to help
people get lean and stay lean more than other actions. Here are 8 Simple
Rules that will help you lose fat and get lean in conjunction with
Turbulence Training.

1) Replace sugary beverages with Green Tea. That can reduce your energy intake
by several hundred calories per day

2) Eat at least one midday snack to decrease your risk of obesity by 39%.

3) Remember that a good snack is focused on lean protein and a high-fiber fruit
or vegetable. Nuts are also an option

4) Don’t eat dinner as your biggest meal of the day. If you do, you increase
your risk of obesity by 6%. You should be eating several mini-meals all day
long so that you are not starving at dinner.

5) Don’t wait more than 3 hours after waking up to eat breakfast or you
increase your risk of obesity by 43%

6) Don’t eat more than a third of your meals in restaurants or you increase
your risk of obesity by 69%. It is too hard to control the food contents at
a restaurant. Pack your own meals and snacks as often as you can

7) Don’t go to bed hungry (3 or more hours after your last meal or snack) or
you increase your risk of obesity by 101%. Again, think high-protein, high-
fiber mini-meals to keep hunger at bay and to control your energy levels

Don’t eat breakfast away from home or you increase your risk of obesity by
137%. And don’t skip breakfast or you increase your risk of obesity by 450%. This
is the most important time of day to start with a protein-based, high fiber
meal as it will set the tone for your blood sugar and energy levels for the
day.

Keep on improving everyday.

Get your free sample workout to burn belly fat, flatten your stomach, and work your six-pack abs at: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines and will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.