Workouts101.com

Short Workouts, Big Fat Loss

2008-04-15T13:53:00.001-03:00

By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

www.TurbulenceTraining.com

So many questions on TT, so little time. Here's a Q'n'A session all about the benefits of Turbulence Training.

Q: Craig, could you explain to me why long slow cardio doesn't really work for fat loss and how your system of training has helped thousands of people shed fat and gain lean muscle?

CB:
First, let me clarify my opinion of "cardio" and "aerobics". I know slow cardio can work for fat loss, but those who get the most benefit are often young, heavily muscled males with time on their hands and genetics on their sides.

They can workout 6 or 8 hours per week and have lots of muscle so even if they lose a bit, it won't matter.

But for people that only have 2-3 hours total exercise per week and want a buff body, rather than a skinny, weak physique, I have found that slow, traditional cardio is not the way to go.

Slow cardio is just not efficient for overweight women (i.e. those
that use it most!), and slow cardio works less the longer you use
it. You'll hit a plateau pretty fast with a cardio-only approach.

Those are my observations.

And realize that when I talk about training for fat loss, I'm
almost always talking about getting the most results in the least
amount of training time - because that is the population I deal
with. I don't work directly with fitness models that have 8-10
hours per week to train. Things might be different there,
especially the closer you get to the competition.

But for real life, slow cardio is one of the last places I would
turn for fat loss help.

And because there are millions of men and women out there with little time to train but a real need to lose fat. Because there are so many of these people out there that have relied on slow cardio in the past, when they switch to the Turbulence Training approach, it's an almost overnight success story. Hence the high volume of great feedback we have on the program.

Q: We live in a very fast paced society. People don't have the extra time for anything these days, especially long workout sessions. Can people get real results with training programs that only take 10-30 minutes?

CB:
Certainly - as long as their nutrion is correct for 167.5 out of
168 hours per week.

That's right, nutrition is the real key to fat loss. With training,
all you need to do is apply a relatively small amount of
high-intensity exercise to your muscles and you'll sculpt them or build them, whatever your goal.

High-intensity exercise (strength training and interval training)
ramps up your metabolism more than slow, marathon cardio training sessions.

And with training, there is a diminishing return on every set. So
you can't expect 4 sets to be twice as good as 2 sets. As long as
you get in 1 hard set, you are on the way to fat burning and
bodysculpting. Then just add volume as needed and as you have the time.

Q: Can you explain "turbulence" and how it ties into real fat loss and body transformation?

CB:
What happens is this...

During high intensity training, you apply "turbulence" to your
muscles. That causes muscle/protein breakdown and glycogen
depletion (which can be called "cellular disruption").

This increased cellular metabolic activity results in "afterburn" -
that is, the burning of more calories after high-intensity exercise
than you would have burned after low-intensity exercise such as slow cardio.

So even though you might burn more calories during a slow cardio workout (say 500 calories) compared to during an equal length high-intensity Turbulence Training workout (say 350 calories), you will burn a lot more calories after the high-intensity training session.

The net result is more calories burned in the 24 hour period with high-intensity training. Combine that with the muscle-sculpting benefits of strength training, and you'll have a better body in less time. Guaranteed.

Q: I have female clients that struggle with the notion of training with resistance because they think they will get bulky...how does you TT system work with women and what kind of results have you seen?

CB:
There are a couple of simple changes you can make to avoid "bulking up".

First, let me state that generally, muscle growth is the result of
training with enough volume at the right intensity, and eating a
high-volume of calories.

Obviously, the calorie volume should be low on a fat loss program.

Next, we aren't using split routines (i.e. where you train one body part per day), so generally we are using only one exercise per muscle group. That cuts down the volume by 2/3 in most cases (as split routines often use 3 exercises or more per muscle group).

So we've eliminated the volume to avoid excess muscle growth, but kept the intensity high to reap all the benefits of Turbulence.

One other method I use in my workouts to avoid "bulking up" females is bodyweight training. There are many tough bodyweight exercise that provide low-risk Turbulence. Women love the variety in bodyweight training.

Q: Can people do your system in their homes with limited equipment and be just as successful?

CB:
Absolutely. The TT fat loss programs were designed for home gyms equipped with only a bench, an exercise ball, and dumbbells (and a pullup bar for those that are strong enough).

That's it. I designed the workouts for home gyms (as well as to be done in busy gyms) because that is how the real-life clients I deal with have to workout.

Q: Craig, I have done your workouts and they have kicked my butt, but I also left feeling better and with more energy then I had before I started. Is this a normal response you get from people that use your system?

CB:
Yes, definitely, although it can also be said of exercise in
general.

Regardless of what exercise method you use, simply moving should increase your mood and energy - essential at this time of year as the glow from the holidays recedes and the Northern hemisphere enters its winter dormancy.

Q: What are your recommendations for keeping the fat off during busy times of the year, such as the holidays or vacations?

CB:
Start your day with your workout, so that you don't get pulled into something later on that will cancel it out. Even if all you can do is a bodyweight circuit, do so safely, but with a high intensity.

There is a huge variety of bodyweight exercises you can do...these will boost your metabolism.

Beyond that, stick to your nutrition as much as possible. That
means tossing (yes, literally throwing out the junk that surrounds you) excess calorie sources away when they are not warranted. Don't keep stuff at your work desk.

Enjoy quality food at parties, but not while you go through
a regular workday.

And don't fret if you only have 20 minutes to do a workout. Now
that you know intensity and quality are more important than volume, you can be satisfied with working hard for a short period of time.

Make your workouts fun, enjoy your treats in moderation, and stay active with family activities where appropriate - don't leave a big ol' "butt imprint" on your couch or beach chair.

Do all of this, and you'll be riding a huge wave of motivation into
the new year where you can really kick butt on your fitness goals.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. Wait, there's more! Listen to what these success stories haveto say about Turbulence Training. Get twice the results in half the time!

"I am a 44 year old mother of 2. I have been struggling for the
last 8 years (since my youngest child was born) to return to my
toned shape. Nothing has worked for me until giving TT a try.
After spending hours upon hours in a gym and spending way too much time running and doing other things that will eventually wear out my joints, I gave in and decided to accept that I should age gracefully. NO WAY! I decided to try TT and cannot believe the results. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. It can truly change your attitude and life."
Lisa DiDonato

"I purchased the TT training manual about a month ago and have been following it ever since. It makes so much sense and i really enjoy the different workouts so never get bored the body weight workouts are cardio in disguise as i find i burn just as many calories if not more from a BW session as i do with the TT cardio session. I am sore in places i have never been sore and find i push myself just to prove i can do the moves and love it. From an aussie that was looking for something other than just another weight workout with the same old moves this has been a real eye opener for me and i have been telling my friends just how great the TT method is."
Kelli Tomkins, Australia

"I am actually getting twice the results in half the time. As a
serious gym junkie with little imagination finding your workouts
has been a welcome breath of fresh air. I no longer feel bound to
the gym struggling for the smallest result. My body and I are in
this together now. Your workouts are interesting and make me feel strong in practical ways. It's more like a game of testing my
capabilities, not another boring workout. On top of that I can't
praise your customer service highly enough, you have been amazing! I never expected such quick personal responses to my emails. For the price I paid, I have received so much more than I anticipated. Many thanks and all the best."
Heidi Sinclair

"Craig, got my 6-week bodyfat test lost 10lbs of fat and gained 6lb of muscle, im proving you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time with your TT workout system,and nutrition plan."
Desmond Hardison, NV

"Hi Craig, I am enjoying Turbulence Training. I am a personal
trainer, so I've incorporated much of it into my sessions. Though
I used some philosophies from TT, your program has added a world of new ideas, methods, and techniques to my client sessions. And for that, I thank you so very much. Even my wife loves it, ha! So much more to read and implement, so TT reading will keep me busy for many months to come. Make it a great day!"
Loren Salas

About the Author

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

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Abs! Abdominals! Your Six Pack! The Core muscles!

2008-04-07T21:23:00.004-03:00

No matter what you call them, everybody wants them! Whether you're training for sports, bodybuilding or just to look good on the beach; whether you are male or female, young or old, it doesn't matter. There's not a single person who doesn't want a lean, tight, fat-free, set of abs.

The trouble is, getting great abs is not easy. Most people will waste years of effort and hundreds or even thousands of dollars on all the latest infomercial gadgets and diet gimmicks, trying in vain to obtain that ever-elusive lean, muscular six pack stomach, with nothing to show for their efforts.

If you want to save time and money, separate hype from truth, and bypass years of trial and error, then you must educate yourself in two critical areas:

(1) abdominal exercise, and

(2) fat burning nutrition.

You can't get great abs without both! That's where the new ebook, Firm And Flatten Your Abs, (2nd edition), comes in.

Firm and Flatten Your Abs goes beyond conventional crunch routines and there's not a single sit up in the entire book. Much of the program is based on developing a strong, powerful, injury-proof core.

The "core" refers not just to the abdominal muscles, but your entire trunk musculature, including deep muscles you can't see (like the Transversus Abdominis, or TVA)."

Why should you care about muscles you can't even see? Good question, and there are many good answers. Among many other reasons,you must strengthen your core in order to stabilize the spine and eliminate low back pain, which 80% of us will suffer from at some time in our lives.

If you're an athlete - recreational or competitive - core strength means better performance on the playing field. If you're a non-athlete, greater core strength means more efficient and safer performance of regular, day to day activities. If you know anyone who blew out their back lifting boxes or simply doing work around the house, you know what I'm talking about.

Firm And Flatten Your Abs has a long track record as one of the best selling ebooks on the subject. It's been a Top 10 best seller for over 4 years! However, this second edition really blew me away. The 2nd edition has been completely revised, edited and tripled in size from 60 to 180 pages. In fact, when I told David how much I enjoyed the new edition of his ebook, he asked me if I would write the forward and I gladly agreed!

The exercise descriptions and ab workout routines are definitely the strong point of the book and they have not changed at all from the first edition with the exception of new exercises being added into the mix (why change something that already works so well?)

You may be wondering exactly what's in the book, so here's a sneak preview

The foreword, written by Tom Venuto, explains the difference between training for "form" (looks) and training for "function" (strength and performance) and how it's possible to train for both - a revelation of extreme importance for the bodybuilder, the athlete and weekend warrior alike. This sets the stage nicely for the rest of the book.

The first chapter is a short introduction and welcome message from the author, David Grisaffi

The second chapter is called 15 abdominal myths. On David's website, www.flattenyourabs.net he says, "This problem (misinformation) is so bad today, that my job of educating people has become like digging a trench in the sand with a sewing needle. Before I can even begin to teach the TRUTH about getting muscular abs and losing fat, I have to UN-TEACH all the LIES, MYTHS and RUMORS." That is exactly what David does in chapter two.

The third chapter is anatomy and physiology of the core. This chapter might seem a little dry to some people, but if you've never heard of tranvsversus abdominis, multifidus, or psoas muscles, then this is essential reading.

The fourth chapter explains how to set up the perfect abdominal and core conditioning routine. Sets, reps, tempo, rest intervals and everything else you need to know to put together a workout program that works is all there.

The fifth chapter is the real heart of the program - The 7 levels of core and ab workout routines. It.s not just the fact that you're given 7 routines instead of just one that makes this chapter so valuable, it's the fact that each routine increases in difficulty step by step to accommodate increasing levels of fitness.

The sixth chapter continues in the heart of the program with descriptions and photographs of more than 50 abdominal and core conditioning exercises. I can guarantee you, that unless you are a veteran exerciser or fitness professional, you have never seen the majority of these exercises before. If you are bored with crunches, sit ups and leg raises, you are going to LOVE this!

The seventh chapter is called, "Top 15 nutrition secrets to flatten your abs." People who already have my Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle e-book will no doubt be familiar with most of the principles in chapter 7. However, a brief tutorial on fat burning nutrition is an absolute must in any good book about getting six pack abs. Because, as the saying goes, "abs are made in the kitchen, not just in the gym."

The eighth chapter, "Ask David Q & A," is a real gem. This is the part of the book that has been expanded the most since the first edition. David gets thousands of questions by email every month and he has take the most frequently asked questions and compiled them right here in chapter eight.

The ninth and final chapter is a brief resource directory of recommended products and services. This includes online personal training, e-books, audio CD's and equipment

So now you know what's in the ebook, but you also maybe wondering about the exercises and whether you need any special equipment to do them. Good question, since not everyone wants to train in a health club. Many of David's exercises can be done with just your body weight. Others require a stability ball (swiss ball), and a handful can be done with a cable apparatus you'd find in any gym. This means you can train at home or in a gym, whichever you prefer.

So who will benefit from this ebook? Well, just about anybody. The information applies to you if you are overweight, if you suffer from low back pain, if you are recovering from c-section, hernia or abdominal surgery, if you're pregnant or post-pregnancy, if you're an athlete, or even if you're a bodybuilder like me.

The principles in David's ebook are scientifically tested and proven. A graduate of the prestigious Chek Institute with a total of six certifications, David has the credentials and has done the research to back up his claims. He spends every day in the trenches practicing what he preaches as a personal trainer and strength coach for clients as diverse as housewives to professional boxers and golfers.

In summary, Firm And Flatten Your Abs is a groundbreaking e-book because it is about form and function, not just form. Stated differently, David's program will help you develop abs that are every bit as strong and functional as they look. Why settle for a lean, attractive and sexy waistline when you can have that as well as the strength, stamina and injury-proof stability of a professional boxer, Greco-Roman wrestler or a world class gymnast?

That is what separates David's program from the hundreds of other abdominal and core training books, DVD's and classes that clutter the fitness marketplace today.

To order or get more information, visit: www.flattenyourabs.net

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Interval Training For Fat Loss

2008-04-01T14:59:00.003-03:00

This is a great article if you want maximum fat loss from your training.

Why Cardio Doesn't Work for Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Cardio exercise is such a strange thing. In theory, it should work
so perfectly well for all men and women, but as anyone who has
tried it knows, the practicality of it just doesn't add up.

After all, some men and women do cardio 6 hours, 9 hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. On the other hand, it works just fine for others.

British researchers wanted to get more insight into this paradox, and studied 35 overweight men and women, who weren't previously exercising.

(Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008).

Subjects exercised 5 times per week for 12 weeks. That's a lot of
exercise, but it helped the subjects lose an average of 8.2 pounds, which is great - I was positively surprised by the results.

So cardio will work for some people, however, in my experience, it works best in young men, who need the help the least!

Back to the study, the variance in fat loss between individuals was huge. Check this out...

The best subject lost a staggering 32.3 pounds in 12 weeks, while the worst subject actually GAINED 3.74 pounds.

The scientists think they know where things went sour. They
classified the subjects into 2 groups, called the "Compensators"
and the "Non-compensators".

The Compensators were hungrier, and as a result consumed an extra 268 calories per day, all but wiping out their cardio efforts.

Therefore, the Compensators lost the least amount of weight, and scientists believe that was due to the huge "compensatory" increase in appetite experienced by this group.

Does your appetite increase when you do slow cardio? If it does,
research shows it will ruin your cardio efforts.

So if your cardio program is not working for you, check your
appetite and calorie intake to see if you are "compensating" for
your efforts. If you are, you might be better off using a program
of high-intensity resistance and interval training (i.e. Turbulence Training) for your weight loss efforts.

As Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research,
interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. And
increased catecholamines can reduce appetite, among other fat-
burning benefits.

In the real world, few people lose 33 pounds after 12 weeks of
cardio. Heck, few even achieve an average weight loss of 8 pounds with aerobic exercise.

So again, check your appetite, and consider giving high-intensity
exercise a go for your next workout program.

Beat the curse of cardio with high-intensity Turbulence Training.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Learn about the "Dark Side of Cardio" in the free report from Craig Ballantyne at www.TurbulenceTraining.com. Craig is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Shoulder Mobility Exercises

2008-03-23T23:22:00.002-03:00

This is one of the biggest problems I see with people who train in the gym. Over time with poor workout programs that involve too much pressing exercises, you create imbalances and decrease the flexibility in your shoulders. Also with the addition of many of us sitting in front of a computer all day, we contribute to poor posture, tightness and pain in the shoulder joints.

Check out this awesome video of some shoulder mobility exercises that anyone can do anywhere with no equipment. Give them a try and your shoulders will thank-you!

For more exercises like these click here

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

The Snow Shovel Workout

2008-03-22T10:58:00.007-03:00

You gotta love living in Northern Canada! We were hit with about 40 cm of snow in the last 2 days. I got up to head to the gym this morning and this is what I saw when I opened my back door. Thankfully we have two 4X4 trucks and managed to get out of the driveway. Then it was off to the gym as usual. I had a great muscle building workout starting with hang cleans, then leg presses for 15-18 reps etc. Man its been along time since I did leg presses, but for high reps they are awesome, giving a crazy burn and pump in your legs. It was a great workout overall. Now for the most fun exercise of all, shoveling! Ah, the hell with it I will just call the snow plow ;-)

Here are some good tips to make shoveling easier and safer:

Get a good shovel. Look for a lighter-weight shovel that suits your size. A smaller shovel will allow you to scoop up less snow at a time and avoid getting hurt. DeNubile says shovels with a bend in them, as opposed to the straight, broomstick-type style, are better for your lower back.

Pace yourself. Start shoveling soon after newly fallen snow since it is lighter than wet, heavily packed snow, and take small breaks (shovel an inch or two, rest, and repeat). Start out slowly to avoid putting too much stress on your heart all at once.

Push, rather than lift. When you can, try pushing the snow away from you, rather than lifting it, to avoid straining or twisting your back. Look for a shovel with a blade that makes it easier to push snow.

Use your legs. If you must lift snow, fill your shovel no more than half full. Bend your knees and lift with your legs, rather than your back. Keep your back straight. Avoid throwing snow over your shoulder or to the side, which causes your back to twist and can injure your shoulders.

Watch for ice. Look out for ice under the snow or on the ground that can cause you to slip and fall. Black ice, which looks like water but is actually thin ice, can be especially dangerous.

Ask for help. Don't be afraid to ask someone to help you if it's a huge job, says DeNubile. "Clean some of it yourself but don't feel like you have to do it all."

Listen to your body. If you feel tightness in your chest or have any pain, stop right away and call your doctor. If you're sore after shoveling, take a hot bath, get a massage, or take a pain reliever, says DiNubile. If you still don't feel well, see your doctor.

Finally, a good fitness program that builds strength and endurance can make shoveling snow a lot easier for you, according to DiNubile. "A year-round conditioning program really prevents injuries and problems."

Sources: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, National Safety Council, North Dakota State University Extension Service

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Today's Workout

2008-03-18T11:51:00.003-03:00

I had a solid workout this morning, starting with barbell squats. It was Day 3 of Phase I of the Muscle Gaining Secrets program I am doing. I am really loving these workouts, as they are short, intense and simple, using the basic compound lifts. There is no clutter of useless isolation exercises for every angle of every muscle group. Each lift primarily uses the whole body which gives me the best bang for my muscle building buck.

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Stop Doing Crunches!

2008-03-13T12:16:00.005-03:00

Are you tired of performing endless reps of back breaking crunches? Then check out this awesome video of 3 effective abs exercises.

For more awesome ab exercises like this

Click here--> Turbulence Training

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

My Training and Diet

2008-03-12T12:33:00.009-03:00

Today I started back at the gym after my planned recovery week that I take every 8 weeks. It gives me the mental and physical break my body needs after 2 months of hard training.

The training program that I am using is Jason Ferruggias' Maximum Mass routine, from his popular Muscle Gaining Secrets e-book. The workouts are simple, no BS exercises focused on compound movements which stimulate the most muscle in the shortest amount of time. Just 3 workouts a week that only take an hour at most. Today was Day 1, and it was great to get back into the gym. To follow along with me you gotta get Jays's program, click here to check it out for yourself.

Also lot of people always ask me what I eat after my morning workout. Well, here it is:

Pre -Workout: 1 bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and 2 scoops of Biotest Surge Recovery Drink

During Workout: I drink half of the recovery drink with breakfast and the other half during my workout

Post-Workout: Another 2 scoops of Biotest Surge Recovery Drink, 1 scoop of Greens Plus, and 5 grams of creatine

45 mins later: 4 egg omelette with onions, bell peppers,tomatoes, deli ham, spinach, and cheese

2 slices of dempsters 100% whole grain toast with natural peanut butter

1 orange

glass of pomegranate juice with 5 grams of creatine

4 fish oil capsules

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

It's not about how hard you can hit!

2008-03-09T12:33:00.003-03:00

Awesome inspirational clip from the last Rocky movie. Gives me chills everytime I see it!

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

5 More Fat Burning Tips For You

2008-03-03T11:07:00.004-04:00

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

So here are 5 more fat loss tips for beginner & advanced readers.

1) No liquid calories (with the exception of a post-workout drink).

Get rid of all the juices, the sodas, and the sports drinks. Liquid
sugar is the last thing you need when you are trying to lose fat.

You must also limit your alcohol intake - especially if you are
adding mix to drinks...that is a double calorie bomb! A single "Jack and Coke" is over 200 calories (100 calories from booze and 100 calories from mix).

2) No fast food.

Do not eat at fast food restaurants. Even if you choose what you
think is healthy, remember this:

Fast food restaurants are all about profit.

And in order to profit while giving you cheap, quick, and easy to
prepare foods, the quality of the food ingredients will be poor -
especially the protein.

Now you might have read that you can still make healthy choices at fast food restaurants. But you know what, that's just
politically-correct opinion. If it's fast food, it's poor food.

Walking into a burger joint and grabbing a chicken breast on a
white bread bun with a piece of old lettuce and a half-green,
half-pink tomato is "barely" healthy eating.

The politically-incorrect truth is that it's going to take time and
effort to eat properly. You will have to plan, shop, and prepare
healthy meals. You will have to spend time cleaning, cutting, and
cooking your food. That's the truth.

But believe me, it will taste so much better than fast food, and
healthy eating will make you more alert. Eating fast food will make you feel terrible, and will make you want to have an afternoon nap at your desk.

Make one small improvement to your nutrition everyday for the rest of your life.

3) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

If you are eating 2 servings per day, then go up to 4 servings per day by the end of the week. And even if you think you are doing great by having 5 servings per day, you still need to double that (take 2-3 weeks to work your way up to 10 servings per day).

Stick with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables - organic if possible.

4) Eat 1oz of almonds or walnuts per day (1/2 oz in the AM, and the other half in the afternoon).

Most nuts are roasted in oils (possible source of trans fats), so
stick to natural or dry-roasted nuts.

Don't panic...this small amount of nuts won't make you fat, but will fill you up and help you lose weight.

5) Be consistent with your workouts.

And make sure the workouts are efficient and effective. To make it easy for you to follow, stick with the Turbulence Training fat burning workout system.

It doesn't matter if you train in the morning before or after
breakfast, or at night before or after dinner, or at 1pm on days
when the moon is in line with Saturn...don't worry about the
details, just train consistently.

Click here to get Turbulence Training
==> http://www.turbulencetraining.com

6) BONUS TIP: Go for a walk after lunch or dinner (or anytime you eat a big meal). Research shows this will help you control your cholesterol and triglycerides, plus any movement is better than sitting around watching the TV and snacking.

Improve your lifestyle everyday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

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Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Quinoa Ostrich Chili

2008-02-24T14:32:00.005-04:00

By Dr. John M. Berardi, PhD and Dr. John K. Williams, PhD, authors of the bestselling optimal nutrition ebook, Gourmet Nutrition .

For those among you who are bean averse, here is a chili recipe that replaces gassy legumes with quinoa. Why quinoa? Because it tastes great, and it is one of the most nutritious whole grains on the planet. Ostrich complements the robust flavors of quinoa, tomatoes, and spices. Ostrich is a red meat closer in taste and texture to beef than to chicken. If you can’t find it, ground turkey will do in a pinch. When you toss in a heap of veggies, you’re left with a stand-alone hearty, delicious, and highly nutritious meal that will satiate the appetite of two ravenous individuals. This recipe was also designed with busy individuals in mind, and can be completed in 30 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground ostrich, or ground turkey
½ cup dry quinoa
3 cups water
1 small can (6 oz) tomato paste
½ medium onion
½ cup frozen corn kernels
½ package mixed frozen pepper strips
½ tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
Tabasco sauce, to taste

Instructions

Bring the quinoa to a boil in 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Set a timer for 30 minutes.
Brown the ground ostrich and onions in a nonstick skillet. Add the corn and peppers and toss over high heat until vegetables are thoroughly thawed and start to brown.
By now, about 10-15 minutes should have elapsed since you started boiling the quinoa. Remove the lid from the quinoa and stir-in the tomato paste until mixed. Add the browned ostrich and vegetables, stir, and then add the spices. Mix completely, cover, and simmer on low heat for the remainder of the time, or until you have the desired consistency (should be fairly thick).

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional information

	Per Serving
Total Calories	700	k/cal
Protein	59	g
Total Carbohydrates	66	g
Fiber	11	g
Sugars	0	g
Total Fat	17	g
Saturated	5.5	g
Monounsaturated	6.9	g
Polyunsaturated	4.2	g
Omega-3	0.2	g
Omega-6	3.0	g

Tip: Toasting your quinoa

For a smokier flavor, toast the quinoa before you boil it. This can be done in a dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the dry quinoa into the skillet (no oil), and stir continuously until the grains start to pop and you can smell a nice, toasty fragrance. This should not take longer than 3-5 minutes.

Food Fact: Quinoa, the Mother Grain

The ancient Incas called quinoa the “mother grain,” because they relied so heavily on its nutritive properties. Quinoa is gluten-free, and contains none of the allergens common to grains from the grass family such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, and corn. Furthermore, quinoa contains lysine, an amino acid deficient in many grains, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

Want to change your body -- while still eating meals that taste this good?

If you want to build the body you never thought you could have, start eating the meals you never thought you could eat! Get over 120 recipes and a no-nonsense nutrition plan that will show you how to make it all work. Get Gourmet Nutrition today

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

The MANformation Show

2008-02-23T12:30:00.010-04:00

Listen in to Skip Lacours' MANformation radio show as I was asked to be a guest and contribute to his blog radio show.

The MANformation show host Skip Lacour discusses strategies that help transform you into the man you want to be.

Skip La Cour has established himself as a leader in the bodybuilding world with his outstanding physique and by unselfishly communicating his training philosophies to others.

Peak Performance and Success Coach Skip La Cour is considered to be a master for teaching strategies for personal and professional success. In his powerful speaking engagements around the world, he empowers, inspires, and motivates individuals to realize their personal potential. http://www.skiplacour.com

I will also be taking part in his bodybuilding radio show at http://www.skiplacourradio.com starting Sunday, February 24 at 11:00am eastern.

Tune it and check it out!

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Get a Grip!

2008-02-22T13:06:00.007-04:00

I am going to keep this simple. When bench pressing, please wrap your hands all the way around the bar! I still continue to see people in the gym bench pressing with a thumb-less grip. Most people don't even know why they are doing it that way, they just picked up the habit from a fellow gym rat...and no it doesn't make the exercise more effective. It just makes it harder on your wrists and is an accident waiting to happen. Check out this video if you still intend on benching this way ;-)

If you want to increase your bench press and get big and stronger here is the program you need to get your hands on. http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/

In case you haven't heard by now there are less than 12 hours left in Jason's very special Get Jacked for Summer Sale. Before midnight you will get an additional SEVEN incredible bonuses with your purchase of the Muscle Gaining Secrets training system.

Those limited time only bonuses are:

1. The Muscle Gaining Secrets
Audio Book- $39.95 Value

2. Maximum Mass 2- Advanced
Workout- $79.95 Value

3. The Complete Abdominal
Exercise Index by John Alvino
- $39.95 Value

4. Freak Strength by Zach
Even-Esh- $19.95 Value

5. Advanced Kettlebell Training
by The Diesel Crew- $29.95 Value

6. Physically Incorrect by Charles
Staley- $29.95 Value

7. Hybrid Training by Nick Nilson-
$29.95 Value

Don't miss out on this opportunity and be left hiding behind your t-shirt at the beach again this summer.

Go to http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/ now to start the program today.

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Guest Blog: How To Build Muscle Fast

2008-02-19T22:04:00.003-04:00

By Jason Ferruggia

If you want to build muscle fast there are a few very important factors you need to be aware of. First of all, if you have less than Herculean genetics you need to be sure to avoid overtraining. There are several different ways to do this which are listed below.

Don’t do more than 12-15 sets per workout.
Don’t train for longer than an hour.
Don’t train more than four days per week; three days is even better.
Don’t train for more than 8-12 weeks without taking a week off.
Don’t train with 90% or above your one rep max for more than three weeks in a row.

Those are a few of the easiest ways to avoid overtraining. Heeding that advice will definitely help you build muscle fast.

Productive mass building workouts are centered on one concept and one concept only; progressive overload. You have to consistently get stronger and lift more weight and do more reps if you ever want to get bigger. Doing the same thing repeatedly will get you absolutely nowhere and is a complete waste of your time.

Also, you need to be sure that you are using big, compound exercises like squats, deadlifts and chin ups with heavy weights. Don’t waste your time with isolation exercises and pumping techniques that do nothing to help you build muscle fast.

Next, you need to be sure your diet is in order. This means that you are eating copious amounts of food every 2-3 hours. Going longer than this without a meal will impede your progress and you will never get huge. You should be focusing on organic whole foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for the majority of your calories. The rest of your intake should be made up of clean sources of protein like eggs and fish.

Another thing that will help you build muscle fast is paying the utmost attention to your recovery. You should be getting as much rest as possible which includes sleeping a minimum of eight hours per night and hopefully even taking a short nap during the day. Another thing that can boost your recovery ability is regular massage. This can be a real massage from a masseuse or just a simple self massage with a foam roller or tennis ball. Either way you do it will help tremendously, just be sure to do it.

Although most people overlook its importance, stretching is another crucially important component of a good muscle building program. Stretching can help tight muscles grow more efficiently and can even help prevent injuries in certain instances. If you don’t do any stretching now, I highly recommend that you start. You will be pleasantly surprised by the results, I’m sure.

If you follow the tips above you will build muscle fast; perhaps faster than you ever imagined. I have provided the information, now it’s up to you to use it.

Good luck.

To kick off the get-in-shape-for-summer training season Jason is holding a very special three day sale that starts now and goes until Thursday, February 21st at midnight, EST. During this time you will get SEVEN brand new bonuses which will only be available for the next three days. Each one of these bonuses has been hand picked by him and kicks @$$! Plus you get a lifetime membership to his new private, members-only site.

All of the info can be found here:

-->Muscle Gaining Secrets

Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more How to Build Muscle Fast tips, check out http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/

------

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Tip of the Week

2008-02-17T15:44:00.003-04:00

Revving Up Metabolism
by Dr. John Berardi

I recommend more calories than most do. That's because there's no such thing as a stagnant metabolic set-point. Instead, metabolism chases intake. So, if you want a bigger metabolism, you need a bigger food intake. And if you're worried about fat gain with this approach, just use outcome-based decision making and adjust energy (calorie) intake every two weeks based on your results. Not much 'damage' can take place in only two weeks. So if you end up boosting your metabolism, you'll be thanking me eternally. And if it turns out you're consuming too much, you can just adjust down.

SEE ALSO:
This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Cardio Is A Joke

2008-02-15T17:47:00.003-04:00

Here is a very controversial article that Craig Ballantyne shared with me. This should open up alot of peoples eyes about training for fat loss.

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Cardio Is A Joke

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Strong statement, I know, cardio is a joke, but I really believe that cardio for fat loss is a joke. Although, not a very funny one...

One woman wrote, "I started out doing 5 hours of cardio per week. No results. So I upped it to 7 hours per week. Still nothing. Do you suggest I do more? I'm worried if I use your program, I won't get any results because you don't even have an hour of interval cardio per week. Please help!"

And from a gentleman on the Men's Health forum, "I took up running and didn't take up stretching until it was almost to late and almost destroyed a knee. What happened was that my IT bands got really tight and my inner quads didn't gain any strength so my knee cap got pulled out of place. I had an MRI done on my knee and have found that my knee cap has bruised my femur. "

Cardio horror stories are a dime-a-dozen. So here's the bottom line on cardio...

Long slow aerobic training remains the biggest practical joke in fitness. Marathon running for the average overweight person? Why don't you just tell someone to go play in traffic...oh wait, that's exactly what they are doing - all while crushing their joints with excess weight and repetitive pounding.

If you do long, slow cardio, its only a matter of time before you end up in a physiotherapist's office with all the others that do too much of the same thing...whether its running or spin classes, overuse injuries are far too common in the cardio world.

After all, what's easier to overdo, total body strength training done 3 times per week for 20 minutes, or the same cardio activity done for 6-9 hours per week?

Heck, I once knew a physiotherapist who was so addicted to spin classes that she had overuse injuries that prevented her from walking normally! Physio,
heal thyself!

Cardio is a joke...

But cardio fits our "more is better" mentality, doesn't it? We go right from a 3000 calorie meal at the Outback Steakhouse to our 60 minute cardio confessional sessions on the elliptical. More, more, more, more. And yet get
less results?

There is a better way.

Take a peek at the weight room when you are in a gym. Then compare the bodies there to the bodies on the elliptical. You'll find the sculpted, toned physiques lifting dumbells and doing pushups, and the plump, "never changing physiques" spinning their tires over on the cardio equipment.

No matter what the city, no matter where the gym, its the same old story.

Burn fat, get lean, and boost your metabolism with resistance training. Finish with short interval training or even bodyweight circuits (described in my DB-BW Fusion TT Workout Bonus from www.turbulencetraining.com) and you are off to the fat burning races.

Or get left behind on the cardio equipment that is getting you nowhere, CB

PS - Turbulence Training is Guaranteed.

If you aren't thrilled with the decreased workout time and increased fat loss and energy from the Turbulence Training system in 8 weeks, let us know and we'll refund your order. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Turbulence Training has already been trusted by the biggest fitness magazines in the world (Men's Health & Shape), and I guarantee it will work for you too!

About the Author

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

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T17:26:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentines Day!

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

P.S. Oh yeah, my friend Vince DelMonte, author of the number one muscle building program on the Internet, has a little Valentine gift for you...

He's giving away his entire muscle building package away,including the DVD he sold 1000 copies of in 72 hours, for a $20 discount...
-->Click here for No Nonsense Muscle Building

When you try and leave his site, you'll be prompted to
to take the discount. Don't miss out and have a great
day with your sweet heart.

Too lazy to workout?

2008-02-12T20:29:00.000-04:00

Whenever you feel like skipping your workout, watch this video! No excuses...

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Super Lean

2008-02-10T20:09:00.000-04:00

Today I'm posting an excerpt from one of two recent teleseminars featuring fat loss excerpt Tom Venuto. Tom had them transcribed and turned into ebooks and MP3 audios that he's actually giving away for free as part of a 3 day special promotion ending February 14th. Go to www.Burnthefat.com for more information on that.

I wanted to share this excerpt from the seminar with you in particular (I got permission from Tom to reprint this). I think you’ll find it fascinating because it explains the real reasons why people hit fat loss plateaus. It happens especially when you get down to that “last 10 lbs” or when you drop a lot of weight, and you hit the “good” body fat category, but you’re an “overachiever” and you still want to get even leaner… all the way to “ripped”, or at least lean enough to see your abs.

Breaking through plateaus is a challenge, but there IS something you can do about them... read on and see what Tom says about it.

EXCERPT FROM THE "SUPER LEAN" SEMINAR

QUESTION: "Our first question says, “Tom, I know you often say that to get to the point to be able to see your abs, you need to get to single-digit body fat. What if I hit a plateau at about 12% body fat? What do I need to do to break the plateau and get my fat% down to single digits? Should I do more cardio, more weight-training, manipulate my diet somehow?”

ANSWER: "You could do any of the above. You could manipulate your calories, change type of cardio, add cardio duration or frequency. You could increase cardio intensity. You could change your weight-training. You shouldn’t limit yourself.

One of the problems I see with quite a few programs is that they’re too dogmatic. If you hit a plateau, the person with the most flexibility in their approach is the person who’s going to be most likely to get through that plateau.

The first thing though is to understand what a plateau really is. This is important, because if you were losing weight, but now you’re not, there’s only one thing that that could mean; you were in a calorie deficit but you’re no longer in a calorie deficit.

You may be wondering why that happens.

There are four primary reasons you hit a plateau:

The first reason you hit a plateau is because your metabolism decreases. While this does not completely stop fat loss, it does slow down fat loss. If you’ve been cutting calories, especially if you cut them severely, your body adapts by decreasing the metabolic rate. That’s sometimes known as the “starvation response” or “Adaptive thermogenesis.”

The second reason is that you need fewer calories after you lose weight. Calorie needs are directly tied into your body weight. One problem is that after people lose a lot of weight, they tend to keep eating the same way they were eating when they were heavier.

So they’re feeding a smaller person the way they were when they were a bigger person, but when you’re a smaller person, you don’t need as many calories, even at rest (your basal metabolic rate is lower).

A third reason is that when you move that smaller body, you’re not burning as many calories. If you strap on a weighted vest or heavy backpack and go out and hike up a hill, you can tell, obviously, that if you’re lugging around extra weight, you’re burning more calories. So now can you see why, after you lose weight, you burn fewer calories?

The fourth reason is that most people either cheat on their diets or they forget to record part of their food intake. This one requires a little bit of honesty with yourself. Even if you don’t do it intentionally and you don’t “cheat” per se, unconsciously, we’re all terrible at estimating how much food we eat.

Some studies have even showed underreporting calorie intake as much as 50%. In other words, you say, “I’m only eating 1,200 calories a day, but i’m stuck at a plateau!” but you’re really eating 1,800 calories a day which doesn’t give you much of a deficit.

All of these reasons for plateaus get amplified in the later stages of a diet, because biologically speaking, your body is doing everything it possibly can to get you to go off your diet and to get weight to stabilize.

After a long period of dieting and after a large weight loss, your body cranks up the appetite, stimulates cravings and tries to trick you into eating more.

The leaner you get, the longer youve been dieting and the more aggressively you cut calories, the more your body tends to defend its weight, and hold on to remaining body fat.

So it’s really common to hit that plateau when you’re dieted down and leaner. Usually it’s nowhere near as difficult for the overweight person to start losing weight as it is for the lean person to get even more lean. The last 10 lbs is usually a lot harder than the first 10.

If you think about it, it’s pretty unnatural from a biological perspective to walk around with really low single-digit body fat. It’s not beneficial from a survival-of-the-species point of view to have low body fat. So this metabolic adaptation becomes more pronounced the leaner you get.

you’re also at a higher risk of losing muscle, because extra muscle is not econmical when there’s a calorie shortage. Having extra muscle is like having an engine that’s bigger than you need - It’s like a gas guzzler.

The ultimate answer to why you plateau, why that last 10 pounds is so hard to lose and why it’s hard to break into those single digits is that you were in a calorie deficit but for all of the reasons mentioned above, you’re no longer in deficit.

The way to break the plateau then is to:

(1) re-stimulate metabolism and re-set fat-burning and starvation hormones, and

(2) re-establish the deficit.

(3) KEEP AFTER IT!

The question was, “How do I do that? More cardio, more weight training, manipulate my diet?”

You could do all of the above. Eating less or exercising more can both increase a deficit. But one thing you might want to do first, is give yourself a little break. Take your calories up to maintenance level, maybe for a week.

The idea there is not to try to accelerate fat loss, because what you’re actually doing is removing your calorie deficit for a short period of time. What you’re trying to do is facilitate the fat loss when you jump back into it.

It gives your body a physiological break from the stress of dieting; it resets some of those starvation hormones and stimulates your metabolism so when you go back to the calorie deficit, your body responds again.

You also get mental break from the diet as well, which makes it easier to stick with the program when you go back to it.

You could also use a calorie cycling approach, to help prevent yourself from hitting another plateau, and we already covered calorie and carb cycling in the last call.

I also recommend, because so many people underestimate how much they eat, don’t take any chances. Count your calories, or at least become really aware of the portion sizes and maybe even consider keeping a journal.

You’ve probably been told many times by a lot of different “experts” that you don’t have to count calories. But when you’re in a plateau, I’d recommend that you stop guessing and really get serious about what you’re taking in.

Then what you need to do is reestablish that calorie deficit using every tool at your disposal.

Use nutrition by pulling back your portion sizes. Or use cardio. And by increased cardio, I mean increasing energy expenditure. You could increase your frequency. You could increase your duration.

But increasing energy expenditure is not necessarily doing longer workouts, just burning more calories. You could also take the same amount of time that you’re spending right now and increase your intensity.

The whole idea is just burn more calories and stimulate metabolism, which gives you your deficit back again or you can pull back your food intake and give yourself a deficit again from the food side.

There’s more than one way to do it and I don’t think that you should lock yourself in. Use all of the variables and remember that there are TWO sides to the energy balance equation, not one."

# # #

I Hope you enjoyed this excerpt, and mostly, I hope you put the information to good use!

This was just one short excerpt from almost two hours of audio in Tom's new "Super Lean" seminar. Tom is giving away the entire seminar for free with the purchase of his ebook Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, but only until February 13th."

You can get more information on Tom's Burn The Fat program AND his new "Super Lean" seminar at: www.BurnTheFat.com

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Great Omega 3 Video

2008-02-10T13:19:00.000-04:00

Here's an awesome little video showing the value of omega 3 fat intake in the diet. For the best nutrition system on the market today check out Precision Nutrition. I use it, pro athletes use it, so it will definitely work for you.

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

The Perfect Burger

2008-02-09T18:27:00.000-04:00

One thing I like to do when people say they can't eat healthy food that actually tastes good, is well...prove them wrong.

I then start by asking them what they normally eat during the day. Then I show them how to make the same unhealthy foods healthy. Or if I am really in the mood I will cook it for them, which really wins them over.

So here is a simple recipe to avoid the artery clogging fast food burger and make your own Perfect Burger thats tastes great without the burger belly!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef

Vegetable oil, for grates

4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and lightly grilled or toasted

Lettuce, tomato, onion,or other toppings, as desired

Evenly divide meat into 4 portions. With a light touch, gently form each one into a ball, then shape into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. With thumb, make a 1/4-inch-deep indentation in the center of each (this prevents burgers from getting rounded tops during grilling). Transfer to a plate; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 1 day.

Heat grill to high (it should be difficult to hold your hand above the grates). Moisten a folded paper towel with vegetable oil; grasp with tongs, and quickly wipe over the grates.

Generously season patties on both sides with salt and pepper. Place patties on grill; cover, and cook to desired doneness, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve burgers on buns with desired toppings.

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Guest Blog: Foods That Burn Fat

2008-02-05T09:54:00.000-04:00

Foods That Burn Fat: The Top 10 Lists

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.BurnTheFat.com

Anytime the topic of discussion in my blogs, articles or newsletters has turned to my own personal grocery shopping list, there has always been a spike in interest. It seems that many people are not only curious about what foods a natural bodybuilder eats to maintain single digit body fat, but they also want to be taken by the hand and told exactly what foods to eat themselves while on fat-burning or muscle building programs. That’s why I decided to put together four separate “top 10” lists of healthy foods that burn fat and build muscle.

Exact quantities and menus are not listed, just the individual foods, and of course my food intake does vary. I aim to get as many different varieties of fruits and vegetables as possible over the course of every week and there are a lot of substitutions made, so you are not seeing the full list of everything I eat, only what foods I eat most of the time.

I also want to point out that while I don’t believe that extreme low carbs are necessary or most effective when you look at the long term, research has shown that there are some definite advantages to a low to moderate carb and higher protein diet for fat loss purposes. These include reduced appetite, higher thermic effect of food and “automatic” calorie control.

Personally, I reduce my carb intake moderately and temporarily prior to bodybuilding competitions. Specifically, it’s the foods that are on the starchy carbs and grains list that go down during the brief pre-competition period when I’m working on that really “ripped” look. I keep the green and fibrous veggie intake very high however, along with large amounts of lean protein, small amounts of fruit, and adequate amounts of essential fats.

This list reflects my personal preferences, so this is not a prescription to all readers to eat as I do. It’s very important for compliance to choose foods you enjoy and to have the option for a wide variety of choices. In the past several years, nutrition and obesity research - in studying ALL types of diets - has continued to conclude that almost any hypocaloric diet that is not completely “moronic” can work, at least in the short term.

It’s not so much about the high carb - low carb argument or any other debate as much as it is about calorie control and compliance. The trouble is, restricted diets and staying in a calorie deficit is difficult, so most people can’t stick with any program and they fall off the wagon, whichever wagon that may be.

I believe that a lot of our attention needs to shift away from pointless debates (for example, low carb vs. high carb is getting really old… so like… get over it everyone, its a calorie deficit that makes you lose weight, not the amount of carbs).

Instead, our focus should shift towards these questions:

* How can we build an eating program that we can enjoy while still getting us leaner and healthier?

* How can we build an eating program that helps us control calories?

* How can we build an eating program that improves compliance?

Here’s one good answer: Eat a wide variety of high nutrient density, low calorie density foods that you enjoy which still fit within healthy, fat-burning, muscle-building guidelines!

Here are the lists of foods I choose to achieve these three outcomes. This eating plan is not difficult to stick with at all, by the way. I enjoy eating like this and it feels almost weird not to eat like this after doing it for so long.

Remember, habits work in both directions, and as motivational speaker Jim Rohn has said, “Bad habits are easy to form and hard to live with and good habits are hard to form but easy to live with.”

These are listed in the order I frequently consume them. So for example, if oatmeal is on the top of the list, it means that is the food I am most likely to eat every single day.

My 10 top natural starchy carb and whole grains

1. Oatmeal (old fashioned)
2. Yams
3. Brown rice (a favorite is basmati, a long grain aromatic rice)
4. Sweet potatoes (almost same as yams)
5. Multi grain hot cereal (mix or barley, oats, rye. titricale and a few others)
6. White potatoes
7. 100% whole wheat bread
8. 100% whole wheat pasta
9. Beans (great for healthy chili recipes)
10. Cream of rice hot cereal

My Top 10 top vegetables

1. Broccoli
2. Asparagus
3. Spinach
4. Salad greens
5. Tomatoes
6. Peppers (green, red or yellow)
7. Onions
8. Mushrooms
9. Cucumbers
10. Zucchini

My top 10 lean proteins

1. Egg whites (whole eggs in limited quantities)
2. Whey or Casein protein (protein powder supplements)
3. Chicken Breast
4. Salmon (wild Alaskan)
5. Turkey Breast
6. Top round steak (grass fed beef)
7. Flank Steak (grass fed beef)
8. Lean Ground Turkey
9. Bison/Buffalo
10. Trout

My top 10 fruits

1. Grapefruit
2. Apples
3. Blueberries
4. Canteloupe
5. Oranges
6. Bananas
7. Peaches
8. Grapes
9. Strawberries
10. Pineapple

Note: I DO include healthy fats as well, such as walnuts, almonds, extra virgin olive oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil (supplement - not to cook with), avocado and a few others.

Also, I do eat dairy products and have nothing against them, nor am I lactose intolerant. I simply don’t eat as much dairy as the rest of the stuff on my lists. When I eat dairy, its usually skim milk, low or non fat cottage cheese, low or non fat yogurt and low or non fat cheese (great for omelettes).

Last but not least, I usually follow a compliance rate of about 95%, which means I take two or three meals per week of whatever I want (stuff that is NOT on these lists - like pizza, sushi, big fatty restaurant steaks, etc)

I hope you found this helpful and interesting. Keep in mind, this is MY food list, and although you probably couldn’t go wrong to emulate it, you need to choose natural foods you enjoy in order to develop habits you can stick with long term. In the fruits and vegetables categories alone, there are hundreds of other choices out there, so enjoy them all!

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using methods of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

------

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Youth Fitness

2008-02-02T20:53:00.001-04:00

According to the Wall Street Journal the youth fitness market has grown into a four billion dollar industry and is poised to become the highest grossing segment of the entire wellness industry over the next 5 - 10 years.

This video got me thinking about the future of fitness. With the soaring obesity rates in todays youth, I am still trying to be optimistic.

This kid surely never got to do what you will see on this video by lying around the house playing video games and eating potato chips. I am sure he put in many hours of consistent training with just his bodyweight to perform as he do while still only in high school!

Kids just need to be active and move, play sports, jump, run and play. All these things will improve strength, balance, coordination and contribute to life long health.

No matter what your age you can start an exercise program in your own home with just your bodyweight. The best bodyweight training program on the market today is the Turbulence Training Bodyweight Manual. The cool thing about this is its an e-book (electronic book) that you can download to your computer instantly and be able to start working out at home right away with no equipment!

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

Muscle Building Interview Part II

2008-01-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

Here is Part II of my Muscle Gaining Secrets interview with Jason Ferruggia.

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Question: You are known in the industry as the go-to coach if you are looking to gain strength and put on muscle size. Can you first just give a little background about how you came to your training philosophy?

Answer: I started out training in middle school and was taking the advice of a nearly 300lb pro wrestler whom my cousin was dating at the time. I didn’t know it then but he was obviously juiced to the gills. He wrote me a program and I got nowhere. This road continued all through high school as I continued to get advice from the muscle mags and whatever else was popular at the time. Eventually I broadened my horizons and started to look elsewhere. I began reading about what a lot of the old timers did before anabolic steroids became popular. I also studied the methods of every popular strength coach and trainer at the time. I read everything I could get my hands on, went to seminars, did internships and basically just became a sponge for training knowledge.

I opened up my own private training facility in the mid 90’s and trained over 500 clients there during the 11 years that I ran it. Most of my clients were athletes with a small percentage being general population people just looking to get bigger and stronger. Through all those years of experience working with that many people I came to some pretty strong conclusions about what works for building size and strength, fast.

Question: There is a lot of conflicting training advice out there online, in books, on TV and especially in magazines. What do you think the top myths or misconceptions regarding weight training are?

Answer: That you need a high volume of training. This is a myth that has been passed down from one generation to the next and people continue to blindly follow this protocol without thinking rationally. There is no hard evidence anywhere that you need to use high volume training to get bigger and stronger. Sure lots of guys with great genetics and/or a great pharmacist make progress on high volume training but that doesn’t mean it’s the right way to train.

That you need to hit muscles from a multitude of angles for full development.

That you need a full dynamic warm up before weight training. You don’t. Before sprinting, yes; before lifting, no.

That bodypart splits are the most effective way to train.

Another misconception is that you need a boatload of supplements to make great progress. The bottom line truth is that most supplements suck and do nothing but drain your wallet.

Another sad misconception is that you can’t make great progress without steroids. This is a self defeatist attitude and is simply not true.

Question: Other comments that I have heard coaches say are that the only way to put on any muscle size, is really going to be based on genetics. So they are saying for example that skinny kids can’t and will never be able to put on size.

Answer: That’s the biggest copout under the sun and an excuse that really makes me sick. Genetics are responsible for how far you may eventually go but the fact of the matter is most people will never truly reach their genetic potential. If you use this excuse it shows the world that you have no heart whatsoever and are destined for failure. Using the hard-gainer excuse as a crutch will guarantee you sub par results in your training from now til eternity.

I have some of the worst muscle building genetics imaginable but I never let that hold me back. I have also trained some genetic misfits who made incredible progress and eventually were getting asked what steroids they were on. This is because they had the balls to train like they needed to and had the dedication to eat and rest as much as was needed. Most people simply don’t have what it takes; so the only genetic capacity they may be missing is mental toughness.

For a coach or trainer to say or write that is even worse than just the average trainee or athlete saying that. Making a comment like that shows that you have no heart and no balls, and in that case you should never, EVER be coaching or training ANYONE!

Question: It has been said as you get older it get harder and harder to put on size and strength. Some even say that it can’t be done. What do you say to older athletes or even coaches that say this?

Answer: This is just like the hard-gainer excuse; it’s nonsense. One of my good friends is named Mark Crook (his brother Paul played guitar in Anthrax for seven years and is now lead guitarist for Meatloaf) and we first met right after his 40th birthday when he came to me to help him get bigger and stronger. He took his bench from 155 to 275 in one year and gained over 20lbs of muscle. Mark’s enthusiasm led to a friend of his coming in to my gym a year later and he experienced similar gains. I have had several guys in their 40’s and 50’s experience tremendous gains in size and strength over the years.

It may not happen as fast and as easily as it does for a 20 year old but it can be done. You just have to take into account that your recovery ability may be a bit lower and as such you need to keep your volume lower and be very smart with your training.

Also, you have to remember that most guys don’t even hit their strength peak til sometime around 30 or so. Most of the biggest and strongest guys I know are all in their mid to late 30’s. So the day you hit 40, this doesn’t just do a complete 180 and you shouldn’t be on your training deathbed at 50. Just keep training hard and if you believe you will get stronger then you will.

Question: How about softer chubby or overweight athletes that want to increase strength and muscle mass without looking big and bloated?

Answer: This is a little tougher situation than the skinny ripped guy. You have to be smarter about food choices here and have to do a decent amount of energy system work. If you are above 15% bodyfat you should probably consider getting leaner first and then look to start gaining some muscle mass. When you are fatter your insulin sensitivity is lower, meaning that you don’t tolerate carbs as well and the ingestion of them is more likely to lead to body fat accumulation. In this situation I would recommend keeping carbs low and doing some interval training a few days per week until you get lean enough to switch into a muscle building phase.

That is not to say that you can’t gain strength while getting leaner, though. If you are an athlete you don’t have the luxury of doing typical fat loss workouts and instead need to keep getting faster and stronger. Train like you normally would for size and strength, do your interval training, and keep the diet tight and you will be able to get stronger while getting leaner. Certain lifts like your squat may go down due to you losing some of the favorable leverage that comes with increased abdominal girth, but for the most part you should be able to gain or at the very least, maintain strength while dieting.

Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more great muscle building information, please visit http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com

My Training

2008-01-30T16:25:00.000-04:00

Had another awesome workout today ! I was pumped, focused and intense. Three of the main factors that lead to a productive workout. I have been really loving my current training program and have been making great gains.

I am not really surprised as this training routine was designed by one of my favorite trainers in the industry, Jason Ferruggia. This guy is one of the best when it comes to getting fast results with his clients. His intense, no BS approach gives you the results you are looking in the shortest amount of time.

Here is PART I of an interview I did with Jason about his incredible transformation and his Muscle Gaining Secrets. I will post Part II tomorrow, be sure to check it out!

Question: Jason, your transformation was pretty incredible going from 147lbs to 231lbs. How much trial and error did you think you went through training wise until you found what really worked?

Answer: Oh man, I can’t even begin to tell you. I tried so many different methods and systems it was unbelievable. I actually started out as a beginner on a six day a week high volume body part split. This was back in the 80’s so I think I was just looking in the magazines at whatever Shawn Ray or Aaron Baker or Gary Strydom were doing and just copy it exactly. Obviously that didn’t work out too well.

I entered high school weighing less than 100 pounds and after four years of training my ass off and growing almost a foot taller, I only weighed 147 pounds at graduation. So obviously, all my experimentation during high school didn’t work out to well either.

During those four years I was still doing whatever I could find in the magazines and even ordered some courses like Cybergenics and some other stuff that was popular at the time. I think the first training books I had were the Arnold Encyclopedia and one of Dr. Hatfields. I tried everything I read in both of those.

My experimentation during college was quite extensive and quite varied. I finally stumbled upon the HIT movement and Mike Mentzer and Arthur Jones. It was like a beacon of light and I adopted that training philosophy immediately. And for the first time I started to really grow, which isn’t shocking since I was so grossly overtrained. But as anyone who has had a similar experience can tell you, those gains don’t last too long either.

I could be here all day telling you about all the crazy stuff I did but I think it’s pretty safe to say that I was in the game and wasted an inordinate amount of time and money for a good ten years before I really figured out what really worked.

Question: It is one thing to find something that works for you personally but you routinely pack 20lbs of muscle on the frames of your clients in spans of only 3 months. How do you get results like when other people seemingly struggle endlessly to get bigger?

Answer: At this point I have been training people for 14 years. During ten of those years I worked with clients for an average of ten hours per day; and twelve hours per day every summer. Now since I was always a C math student I can’t tell you how many hours that is right off the top of my head but, take it from me, it’s a friggin lot.

When you have that much experience doing anything you are bound to become somewhat proficient at it and just develop a knack for it and for reading people and recognizing commonalities.

Most people are making the same mistakes in their training and nutrition and some even have a faulty belief system that is holding them back. I address each of these issues and we’re off and running.

Training is not rocket science not matter how many people try to turn it into that. But figuring it all out isn’t simple either.

Question: Everyone nowadays is always worried about getting fat when “bulking up” what are some strategies that you use to ensure that you put on more muscle than fat? Or do you even care?

Answer: Well, first of all, a lot of people that worry about that have a fear that is completely unfounded. If you are an athlete, under twenty years old or both, this is not that great of a concern unless you are eating deep fried chocolate donuts and dipping them in butter six times a day.

I have worked with plenty of guys who could eat whatever they wanted to and could still stay lean. In that case you have no excuse for not being able to pack on twenty pounds in a couple months.

If you have trouble staying lean there are a few adjustments you need to make. First off, you need to make smarter food choices. Eat lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, lean red meat and cottage cheese instead of burgers, hot dogs and pork chops. Next, be sure to keep your carb sources clean as well. This means fruits and veggies are at the top of the list followed by oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. By now everyone knows the benefits of eating good fats like fish oil so I won’t bore people to death with that.

If just eating clean is not enough then we move onto more advanced strategies like carb cycling and calorie cycling. This takes some time to explain but to make it really simple for everyone, you should eat more calories and carbs on training days than you do on non training days. Bottom line. Training days are higher calorie days, off days are lower calorie days; pretty simple. Of course it’s more complicated than that but that’s the gist of it.

Question: What are the biggest mistakes you see people make when trying to pack on muscle? Is it usually related to nutrition or training?

Answer: It’s hard to say if it’s one or the other because they do go hand in hand. But if I had to pick I would say it’s gotta be training. It doesn’t matter how great your diet is, if your training sucks, you’re not gonna make progress.

But, you know what, I’m not even going to cover the training mistakes that people make because looking at that is missing the bigger picture. You know what the biggest mistake people make really is? The one thing that everyone seems to do these days, especially with all of the conflicting information that is out there?

It is a lack of consistency and a lack of belief in what you are doing. There is so much information out there these days that people don’t know who or what to believe. And because of this they are confused. They are constantly reading something different and always in search of the next best thing. They do a workout for a week or two and then read so and so’s new article about changing your tempo every rep or some brand new way to fire up the CNS or some nonsense and they try that system. A week or two later they decide that is not working so they switch to something else. And so on and so on.

If you are always changing programs and training philosophies how can you ever make progress? You can’t; it’s that simple. If you don’t believe in what you are doing you will never, ever be successful. That is a universal principle that applies to everything in life. It has to apply to your training if you ever want to make real progress. You can use the crappiest training program in the world but if you are consistent, have the balls to train the way you really should and really and truly believe in what you are doing, you will get results.

Pick a training program, system or philosophy and stick with it; believe in what you are doing and train your ass off. You can’t fail if you do that.

Question: Okay so tell us a little about Muscle Gaining Secrets. What makes this stand out from other products?

Answer: Well, first of all I tried to make it more of an entertaining read than a lot of the stuff out there so I included a lot of stories and personal anecdotes that people could relate to. The topics of sets and reps and proteins and carbs can be kind of boring so I try to spice it up a little bit.

Aside from that, I have tried to make it as simple to understand as possible while still including information that will help anyone from a raw beginner to an advanced lifter. I have had guys who have trained for over twenty years tell me that they learned quite a bit from reading Muscle Gaining Secrets, which makes me very happy to hear. If I can do that while not alienating beginners, then I know I achieved the goal I set out to accomplish.

I have included some unique methods of periodization which have rarely been covered. I detail every single mistake that people make in their training and show how these can be avoided. And of course, a book from me wouldn’t be complete without getting politically incorrect and calling bullshit where I see it. I definitely expose a lot of the gimmicks and nonsense that is out there and do my best to help people save time and money and avoid making all the same mistakes that I did.

Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more great muscle building information, please visit http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/

Sean Barker, CPT,CPTN
www.Workouts101.com