Strength Conditioning And Health Here's Some Motivation To Succeed

Yesterday I told you about Tom Venuto of Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle and the Body Transformation contest he is having. Well hopefully you went and checked it out if not or even if you  did and are on the fence about Tom's program check out the story about last years female winner Hannah the mother of 3.

This is a little long, but even if you don't want to get involved it can give you so great motivation.

One of the best ways to succeed is to model successful people. Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, you copy a winning formula that already exists. This can short-cut your trial and error learning curve by months or even years. The problem is, where do you find a role model? Who do you trust? Whose advice do you listen to? If the success you want is a better body, then who better than a body transformation contest winner? (like the amazing champion you’re about to meet…)


On May 24th, we are opening registration for our Burn The Fat 2010 Summer Body transformation challenge. “Contest central” will be located at the Burn The Fat Inner Circle.

With this new challenge coming up, I figured it would be a perfect time to call upon our last year’s champions to pick their brains and find out how they achieved body transformations so amazing that it won them the title of Overall Burn The Fat Champion.

Today I’d like you to meet Hannah Mauck, 2009 Burn the Fat Feed The Muscle Holiday (winter) Challenge women’s champion. Hannah slashed 12 pounds, and burned off 6% body fat in just 7 weeks.

You can’t help but be amazed at the results you see in her before and after photos. But what the pictures don’t say is that Hannah is also a mom of three, ages 5, 3 and 1. She made her contest winning transformation even while taking care of her children, over the busiest time of the year, with the most temptations (the winter challenge ran from Thanksgiving through New Year’s!)

That really puts her achievement into a whole different perspective, not to mention it kills any excuses you might have about family obligations getting in the way.

We interviewed Hannah after her win and pulled out her top body transformation tips. Whether you’re planning to enter our upcoming summer Burn the Fat Challenge or you just want some body transforming tips for your own personal use, this advice is pure gold!

Tom Venuto: how do you think you pulled off such a great fitness transformation while you were managing a family and what would be your advice for other parents who might be worried about getting their pre-baby bodies back or who are concerned about not having the time to work out or make healthy food with kids running around?


Hannah: Thinking I didn’t have time was exactly the reason I was in the predicament I was in, health and body-wise, in the first place. But when I found your Burn the Fat book and I read through, it really clicked with me. I knew that I could do it in a manageable amount of time.

All your techniques – the tracking, the accountability methods and the planning of the meals and workouts actually led me to having a lot more time, because I was more organized and I wasn’t trying to put something together at the last minute. I knew exactly what I would be doing and when I would be doing it.

Also, losing weight and spending the time working out has given me so much more energy and brain clarity, that actually, I have more free time. I’ve been able to get more done by investing time in working out. Not having time is not an issue once you actually focus on your goals. As far as getting my pre-baby body back, my body is better than before I had babies. So that’s not an excuse either.

Tom: It seems like you were pretty meticulous about what you were eating. How closely did you track your calories or your macronutrients, the grams of the protein, carbs and fat? If I read your journal right, you used some kind of electronic device to track everything. How did that work for you?

Hannah: I did track pretty closely. I didn’t even know what a macronutrient was, by your definition, until a couple weeks into your program. Then I realized that was important. I started putting that data in and that really helped me to see where my downfalls were. It leads to a lot of accountability when you have to enter food.

Using the iPod for tracking was really great. I got that idea off the Burn the Fat Feed The Muscle Inner Circle forums, where somebody else was using a program on their iPod. It’s really convenient, because you can have it with you all the time and you can enter your data right away and you can actually make adjustments throughout your day by what you’ve eaten or haven’t eaten. That was really helpful for me.

Tom: Obviously, you got a lot leaner, so that revealed the muscles that might have been there already, but you definitely showed more muscularity in your after picture. This is where you can really help us out. You can help the “greater cause” for us: that is, convincing women to lift weights, when they think they’re either going to get bulky or unfeminine. What do you have to say about that now?

Hannah: It’s not an easy task for women to put on muscle and you don’t look bulky even after you do. But I would also add that we all have different body types. Some of us are going to work out and we’re going to stay looking tall and lean and slender. Others are going to work out and we’re going to be a little bit more muscular naturally.

I think everyone should just embrace their fittest body and learn to be comfortable with their body type, whether you’re a little bit more muscular, or you’re more of the ectomorph or leaner type. I think my body type is a little more mesomorph – It’s a little easier for me to gain muscle, but that in no way added any bulk. We just become a little more defined.

The muscle showed once I lost the fat. But none of my measurements were bigger than before I started the challenge. So it did not, definitely did not add any bulk.

Tom: Some people get overwhelmed with the amount of information in the Burn The Fat book, let alone the huge archives we have at the Burn the Fat Inner Circle. Even though you were a relative newcomer to our community, you went right to work and picked it up so fast. What’s your secret? How did you learn all this so quickly and put all the information into practice so fast?

Hannah: I think the key for me was timing. I stumbled onto an ad of yours on the internet for Burn the Fat, then very shortly after that, you announced the Burn the Fat Challenge over the 2009-2010 holidays. I felt like my babies were old enough and I just needed to get busy, so I was mentally very ready for a change at that point. So I do think you have to be ready to change. .

Then, enrolling, and being involved in that challenge was really the key for the implementation. The holiday challenge was 7 weeks so I didn’t have time to just say, “Oh, I’m going to read that later” or “I’m going to do that later.” I had a goal and a deadline and a challenge so I had to focus and read it and do it now. I think it was really the challenge that helped me to implement everything so fast.

Tom: You said that you had days with low energy and days you felt really hungry. That’s going to happen to just about everybody who has their calories reduced for fat loss. So what did you do, either physically or mentally, to stay on your eating plan even when you were hungry, and stay on your training plan even when you were tired?

Hannah: One thing is I would tell myself that I’m in charge of myself, so I can have anything I want, as long as I wait 30 minutes. A lot of times, just delaying that instant urge to put something in my mouth would be enough to either make it to the next meal or realize I didn’t want it. Another thing was that being around kids and food all day long, I had to tell myself I wasn’t the garbage disposal. That may sound funny, but when you’re picking up food all day long, it’s easy to finish off the kids’ portions of this or that. So I put a halt to that and it really helped me. Drinking a lot of hot tea was another way that satisfied both my sweet tooth and cravings for other things.

As far as being tired, sometimes it was just mental and I pushed through it. I really saw a reward and felt more energy from just getting up and doing the workout. Other times, especially as a mom, I think you have to listen to your body and sometimes you need sleep. There were nights where I was up all night with a sick kid. The next day, I just allowed myself to sleep, or have a nap. That really helped with being able to recover and stay on track, because if I got overly tired, I was not able to make good judgment decisions, as far as what I was eating. Sometimes you just need to sleep.

Tom: In one of your very first challenge journal posts, you wrote, “Blechhh. I can’t believe I posted those pictures.” I know that posting before pictures takes a lot of courage. A lot of other women – and guys – in the challenge felt the same way, because I heard it from so many of them. People asked me, “Do we really have to post pictures to be in this contest?” So I’m curious: Looking back, how do you feel about having posted your before picture, when you can now put it next to your after picture?

Hannah: At the time, I definitely thought I was insane. That’s not the type of thing I would have ever done or considered doing at that point. The pictures were almost what made me not do the challenge. But now, I feel like that was invaluable and I totally understand that requirement today. Measurements and numbers are great, but they’re hard to believe in your head. Being able to actually see the change in your body in a picture – that’s totally invaluable. I wouldn’t be able to believe the numbers without seeing the picture. The picture also really kept my feet to the fire. There was no way to hide what you really looked like with the pictures right there.

And the difference between pictures and the mirror??? HUGE. I can’t really even explain that. Something happens when you look in the mirror that does not happen when you look at a photograph. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know how our brains fool us that way. But I could look in the mirror all day long and not see what I can see from a photograph.

Tom Venuto: For anyone who’s thinking about entering the next challenge and they’re terrified to take their picture and post it in the website, what would be your advice to them – coming from someone who felt the same way, but did it anyways?

Hannah: I completely sympathize and I understand how hard it is. But it really is invaluable and it’s the best way to really admit where you’re currently at and to see the milestones you pass and be able to see the changes in your body. It’s definitely invaluable.

Tom: Our summer transformation contest is the big one – 98 days across the entire summer, but our winter contest only ran from Thanksgiving to the first week of January. You came down 6% body fat in those 7 weeks. To put that into perspective, for most people, it would take 12 weeks to drop 6% body fat. About a half a percent a week is typical fat loss. How did you get results that were so far above average and what is your advice for other people who want to make a “results not typical” transformation?

Hannah: The first thing would be the goal setting techniques from your book. The goal card really helped me – just having that written down goal, instead of some vague idea that I needed to improve, kept me totally focused. Second was using feedback from measurements and actually tracking my progress numbers and being accountable to others on the forum. Third was the pre-planning of when exactly I would work out and what I would do, and menus that I would follow.

Tom : Do you think this whole Burn the Fat Feed The Muscle challenge changed your perception on how much you can transform your body in a short period of time, as in our 7 week challenge?

Hannah: Absolutely. I had no idea it was possible. I’ve always looked at those ads, showing pictures of people changing and I thought like that was just a huge fake. I thought it really wasn’t possible and that it would take at least a year to see visible changes of long, hard, hard work, and that has always been a deterrent for me. So knowing that I can put in a concentrated effort for a certain amount of time and actually see visible results is really encouraging to me.

I feel like you could probably advertise the next challenge by saying that if you just finish the challenge and stick to your goals, you will achieve the untypical results, the above average results. Because so many of the finishers did, just by having the accountability of a challenge like this that you don’t have doing it alone. So many of them worked so hard and lost so much weight or changed their body composition so much. It was just amazing to see.


Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle

Upping Your Fat Burning Workout

Lately I have been sharing with you information about Joel Marions new fat loss program Xtreme Fat Loss. Today I want to share with you a workout that Joel told me about it is a really cool technique that he calls SUPER supersets.


So what’s a SUPER superset? Well, nothing official, but rather a name that he more or less just came up with to describe a technique in which you combine two different superset techniques: Post-fatigue supersets and antagonistic supersets.

If you have no idea what that means, don’t worry, I’ll explain.

When you hear the term “superset” in regards to weight training, it generally refers to performing two exercises for a particular muscle group back to back (with little or no rest inbetween) in order to maximally fatigue the muscle group in question. This is an example of post-fatigue and isolated failure.

A great way to use post-fatigue supersets is to start off with a big, multi-joint movement (for example, the bench press) and then “superset” that movement with a smaller isolation exercise (i.e. dumbbell flyes) to ensure maximal stimulation and fatigue of the target muscle group (in this case, the chest).

Antagonistic supersets on the other hand are a bit different.

For those unfamiliar with the term, antagonists are simply opposing muscle groups or muscles that perform opposite actions. For example, the chest and back are antagonistic muscle groups, triceps and biceps, quads and hamstrings, etc.

With antagonistic supersets, you alternate back and forth between exercises involving opposing muscle groups. For example, do a set of dumbell bench presses and then follow it up with a set of seated rows.

Antagonistic training allows you to save time in the gym by working the opposite muscle group while the other group “rests”. Time between antagonistic supersets is usually longer than between regular ”post-fatigue” supersets, but still allows you to trim rest periods down tremendously in order to cut your workout time by at least a third.

And if that wasn’t enough, antagonistic supersets have also been shown to have an immediate impact on strength levels by inhibiting something known as antagonistic co-contraction (but we’ll save that for another blog post).


So, how do you combine the two for the ultimate SUPER superset?

It’s pretty easy really:

1. Pair antagonistic muscle groups together for your workout. For example, pair chest/back.

2. Set up the use of post-fatigue supersets for each muscle group.

Here’s how to structure your workout:

•Antagonistic superset pairing: chest/back

•Post-fatigue superset pairing for chest: dumbbell bench press (compound)/dumbbell flyes (isolation)

•Post-fatigue superset pairing for back: pull ups (underhand grip; compound)/lat pull downs (wide overhand grip; more isolated)

Combining the two:

A1) Dumbbell Bench Press supersetted with Dumbbell Flyes [12 reps each; no rest between sets]

Rest 45 seconds.

A2) Pull Ups (Underhand Grip) supersetted with Lat Pulldowns (Wide Overhand Grip) [12 reps each; no rest between sets]

Rest 45 seconds.

Repeat the above sequence 5 times.

So how about you? What type of workout did YOU do yesterday? And are you up for giving SUPER supersets a try sometime soon?

If you haven't already go to Xtreme Fat Loss to see how you can burn fat by having a diet cheat day every fifth day.

2 Fat Burning Circuit Workouts From Strength and Conditiong

Kettlebell Fat Burning Circuit Workouts


Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training here with a guest post for Strength Conditioning and Health.

I love training outside with kettlebells. In fact, I go almost all winter long without using kettlebells because I just don’t like using them inside.

But this weekend it was about 50 degrees out on Saturday (about 10 degrees Celcius) and that was warm enough for me and my dog to head outside for a kettlebell-bodyweight circuit.

And I have one each of the 35, 44, 53, and 70lb kettlebells out at the farm that I was able to use…although to be honest I didn’t even bring out the 70 from it’s hiding spot…soon, but not yet.

My first circuit was a COMBO of BODYWEIGHT and KETTLEBELLS and I built the specific warm-up into the circuit:

1) Prisoner Squat

2) Kettlebell Swing

3) Decline Pushup

4) Kettlebell Snatch

5) Kettlebell Lunge

6) Grasshopper Pushup

7) Kettlebell 1-arm Swing

Rest 1 minute and repeat 2 more times.

(NOTE: I tried doing some sprints but when I’m working out with the dog he always tries to jump on me when I’m running and it breaks out into a 5-minute dog wrestling match…so I stuck to the kettlebells while he barked at another dog a mile away…)

* Then I moved into a KETTLEBELLS-ONLY circuit: *

1) Kettlebell Snatch

2) Kettlebell Renegade Row

3) Kettlebell 1-arm Overhead Press

4) Kettlebell Row

5) Kettlebell Swing

Rest 1 minute and repeat 2 more times.

That was all I did…a tough workout for me, but I’m no Marine…so for all those advanced readers, you can probably do more…but I’m just getting the "rust off" right now.

Should be snatching that 70lb kettlebell for 15-20 reps by early June.

NOTE: If you are a BEGINNER or INTERMEDIATE, please start with an easier workout from Chris Lopez’s Kettlebell fat burning workouts here:
Your friend,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS  Creator, Turbulence Training

PS - If you haven't given kettlebells a try yet you really should. Craig and Chris Lopez have developed a great program for kettlebell training called The Kettlebell Revolution click the link below to read my review talk to you soon Joe

=> Kettlebell Workouts

Strength and Conditioning: A Bodyweight Fat Burning Workout

Good Morning,

I got this workout from Chris Lopez of The Turbulence Training Kettlebell Workout program. It's a killer so start out slowly but when you get it down it is a great fat burning workout


 Push-up, Burpee, Pull-up Combo


I filmed this after practice last night since I got about 10 emails asking what this was in my previous post.

This is by far one of my favorite "combo" exercises. At the studio I used to train at, they had one of those Keiser racks where the chin-up bar was 9 1/2 feet high. There were only a few trainers at the gym who could do this combo on that rack because you had to be able to jump (yes, I was one of them).

This chin-up bar isn’t nearly as high (maybe 8 1/2 feet), but is still just as effective.





Thanks again to Chris Lopez go check out my review of the Turbulence Training Kettlebell Workouts

Try This Circuit Training Fat Loss Workout

Fast and Effective Dumbbell Conditioning Fat Loss Circuit
Most people feel that they don’t have time to perform conditioning workouts or fit fat loss sessions on top of their normal strength training.

This is definitely not the case. High intensity, resistance training circuits are designed to get the most impact in the shortest amount of time.

" Benefits of Resistance Training Circuits "

■ high lactic acid => natural GH response

■ rapid fat loss

■ increased metabolism

■ muscular strength endurance

■ mental toughness

* How Do You Design a Fat Loss Circuit Training Workout? *

Pick an implement and get to work. It is that simple. It could be your own bodyweight, kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, sandbag, medicine ball, thick ropes, Olympic plates or even a combination of any of these. The idea is to move quickly between exercises and complete the circuit. As you become better conditioned you can perform the circuits for multiple runs, ie. hit the circuit, rest briefly and then hit it again.

* How Do You Increase the Intensity of the Circuit? *

■ perform more runs through the circuit

■ perform more reps for each exercise in the circuit

■ increase the weight of the sandbag

■ decrease the rest time between runs

■ increase the tempo (duration of concentric or eccentric phases)




* Here Is The Dumbbell Fat Loss Circuit Training Workout *

1a) DB Front Racked Squats

1b) DB Front Racked Backward Lunges

1c) DB Hammer Curls

1d) DB RDL’s

1e) DB Military Press

1f) DB Laterals

I would like to thank Jim Smith for this great fat loss circuit training workout and Jim is a strength coach, lecturer and author of numerous innovative strength manuals.

Why should you listen to him? Jim has trained athletes from many sports and at various levels.He is an expert author for Men’s Fitness magazine and a member of the Elite Fitness Q/A staff. Jim is also certified as a strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Go to Accelerated Muscular Development for more on Jim's Fat Loss and muscle building programs.

A 20 Minute Fat Burning Workout

I have a pretty intense cardio and fat burning workout for you today. This workout comes courtesy of Mike Geary of The Truth About Abs program. Let me tell you this is a pretty intense workout. If you are in good condition give it a shot, if your conditioning isn't quite up there yet just increase your rest time.

Again pretty intense but very effective. The most interesting part is you are only doing 2 count them 2 fat burning exercises for the entire 20 minutes.

Before I show you my 20-minute "simple insanity" workout... make sure you grab your copy of the brand new Truth About Abs Online Video VIP Access before the 70%-off deal expires on Saturday March 13th:


Ok, so I had a workout this week where I only had about 20 minutes at the gym because I had to get out of there to make sure I had time to meet an appointment after my fat burning workout.

Since I only had 20 minutes, I knew this had to be a super-focused high-intensity fat burning workout.

You'll never believe the SIMPLICITY of this workout, while at the same time, being one of the most intense workouts you could imagine.

No cardio. No sissies for this one!

Here's what I did for 20-minutes straight:

--Alternated Dumbbell squat & presses with pullups.

That's it... plain and simple!

So I would do a set of HEAVY dumbbell squat & presses, followed immediately by a set of pullups... then back to the squat & presses, and so on... for 20 minutes... with very little rest in between sets!

This combo works great because you're working the entire opposite muscle groups for one exercise while you're resting the muscle groups worked on the opposing exercise.

And you don't even need a pullup bar to do this super-effective fat burning combination. You could alternate the dumbbell squat & presses with bent over dumbbell rows if you don't have access to pullups, or can't do pullups.

As simple as this fat burning workout sounds -- just 2 compound fat burning exercises supersetted with each other for 20 minutes straight... it is pretty damn intense if you do it right!

Sometimes, when you have a time restriction on your workout, this helps to assure that you make your work the maximum possible intensity since you know you have a time limit. Although I don't do this style of workout all of the time, it is a nice challenging variation to keep the workouts fresh and keep the results coming.

Give it a try sometime if you're strapped for time and need a good idea for high intensity fat burning!

Wow that's some intense fat burning workout! Thanks again to Mike Geary.

 Did you try it yet? Well what are you waiting for?

Go ahead and make sure to grab your access to the new Truth About Abs Online VIP Access Videos (70%-off deal expires on saturday March 13th)...

Enjoy!

Fat Burning Exercises Step By Step Results Training

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Good Morning,

I wanted to let you know about an email I got from Mike Geary of The Truth About Abs program. Mike now has a special package of his fat burning abs program on video. Online video instruction as opposed to just reading a manual takes the guess work out of whether you are doing the fat burning exercises correctly.

Step-by-step EXACTLY how to do each exercise. One of the MOST important aspects of your fat burning success will be making sure that you do every fat burning exercise with correct form.

Inside the Truth About Abs Online Video VIP Access Area you'll also find:

•How to burn body fat and get lean lower abs faster by learning all of the unknown tricks on how to maximize your results from these extrememly effective fat burning exercises

•View every single exercise and example workout program via the online VIP Video Access.

•You also have the option to download any and all of the fat burning exercises and workout videos to your iPod!

•Every warm-up routine

•Every abdominal routine

•Every full-body fat burning workout routine

•The "Secret Weapon Fat Burning Exercises"

•Reduce your risk of injury by having one of the top Personal Trainers (and Physical Therapist) in the industry take you through perfect form on each exercise.

The Truth About Abs program is one of the best fat burning programs available today. If you are not familiar with it it isn't about doing endless ab exercises. What it is is about doing total body Fat Burning exercises in total body fat burning workouts.

Don't be fooled hopefully you know you can't spot reduce fat. You will never see you rabs by doing ab specific exercises. By doing total body fat burning exercises will you finally see your abs.

Now let me end with this Mike is offering a 70% discount on the fat burning video training with 2 different packages to chose from so go right now and check it out.

Fat Burning Online Video Workouts

Fat Burning Exercises Small Steps Can Get It Done

Good Morning,

A friend sent me this little tidbit I wanted to share with you. If you are on the fence about starting a fat burning workout read this it's short and sweet. The lesson to take from it is that simple small steps can make a big difference in your body fat percentages.

Joe I read a very interesting article recently and wanted to pass it along to you. In this study, a group of hospital employees were asked to make one small change in their daily routine.

At the end of 12 weeks, here were the results:

1. body fat decreased 2%
2. waistline measurement decreased 2%
3. lung capacity increased 9%
4. diastolic blood pressure decreased 2%
5. LDL cholesterol decreased 4%

Pretty impressive considering these were only the "average"
of all the results. So what was the magic protocol here?
The ONLY thing these individuals did differently was to
take the stairs instead of the elevator each day.

Just goes to show you the power of that one simple choice
can make.

Fat Burning Tips 10 Keys To Fat Loss

10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying

1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is your metabolism
boosted every time you eat something, your body can more
efficiently process smaller meals. Instead of having 3 large
meals in a day, try to break them up into 5 or 6 smaller meals.
You can even make the same things - just save half and eat it a
bit later.

2. Drink more water - regular water intake helps to flush away
waste products and keeps you hydrated, which is critical for fat
loss.

3. Be inefficient - do you need to go to the kitchen to get a
couple of things? Break it up into to two trips even if you can
do it in one. Being inefficient like this can easily double your
activity level, burning calories without even trying.

4. Eat more protein - sources of protein include foods such as
chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lean red meats, etc. Your body
burns more calories processing protein than either carbohydrates
or fats. Protein also helps to support your muscle tissue, which
burns calories all day long!

5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator - any time you can
add in a little more physical activity, do it. This doesn't mean
you need to slog up 20 flights of stairs. Even a flight or two
done regularly will add up.

6. Don't let yourself get really hungry - when you get extremely
hungry you will have a much greater tendency to overeat when you
do finally get something to eat. As well, because your body is
starting to go into starvation mode, it will be much more likely
to hold onto whatever you give it.

7. Order small portions at restaurants - it's tough to order
small french fries when "supersizing" your order is such a great
"value." Take note, however, your real savings will occur in the
calories that don't end up on your backside. You can also
immediately request a container and put half your meal into it
right away.

8. Eat more fiber - fiber is very filling. By eating more fiber
you will find yourself full sooner. This feeling of fullness will
last a long time as well.

9. Wait 20 minutes between servings - your brain takes at least
20 minutes to register that you're full. By waiting that long,
you'll give your brain a chance to realize that you probably
don't really need any more food.

10. "Cheat" on your diet - one thing I always make my clients
promise is that they will cheat on their diet. The only thing I
ask that they do is to cheat ONLY when they have planned to cheat
(you can also call it a "free meal" if cheating doesn't sit well
with you). By planning when you are going to eat the foods you
crave, you take back control of your eating habits. It's very
empowering!

This way you no longer "give in" to your cravings. You "reward
yourself" for sticking to proper nutritional habits. Do this once
or twice a week and you will feel far more in control of your
eating.

Cardio Workouts Do Your Cardio Workouts Measure Up?

Do You Really Need "Cardio" Workouts?

Are cardio workouts or weight training more effective for losing fat...

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

In this article, I have an intriguing discussion about cardio workouts, which will hopefully get you thinking differently, and trying new things.

You may know I've been called the anti-cardio guy before, but this week I'm back posing the question to you... Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way, you'll see in a minute that I'm not really "anti-cardio", just "anti traditional cardio".

Most fitness buffs, weekend warriors, or anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat, consider it a fact that they need "cardio" exercise to accomplish these goals. They would never even question it.

However, I'm not only questioning it, I'm going to refute it! In fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. And I've spent over 15 years working out in various gyms, and hanging out with athletes of all sorts, so I've seen it all.

I will say that there can be a place for low-moderate level cardio for really overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more effective methods.

But what exactly is "cardio"?

Most people would consider cardio to be pumping away mindlessly on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or coasting on an elliptical machine, while watching the TV screen at their state of the art gym. This is what I call "traditional cardio". Hmmm, no wonder the majority of people get bored with their workouts and give up after a couple months without seeing results.

But if you look closer, "cardio" exercise can be considered any type of exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. I'm not going to get into anything technical like increasing your VO2 max or anything like that. To keep it simple, if it gets your heart pumpin, and gets you huffin and puffin, it's cardio. I don't care if you're holding dumbbells or a barbell and everyone calls it a weight training exercise...it's still conditioning your heart.

Let's take a look at a couple examples. Take a barbell (or dumbbell, or kettlebell) clean & press for example, which involves lifting a barbell from the floor up to shoulders, then push pressing overhead. And listen up ladies, because even though this is usually seen as a manly exercise, it doesn't matter if you're not lifting 250 lbs; if 45 lbs is challenging to you, then you will still benefit just as much.

At first glance, most people think of the barbell C&P only as a weight training exercise or strength exercise. However, I challenge you to do a hard set of around 10-15 reps on the C&P. If you used a challenging enough weight, what you'll find is that your heart rate is probably up to about 80-90% of your recommended max, and you are huffing and puffing like you just ran a 100-meter sprint (which by the way, sprinting kicks the crap out of jogging any day if you want the easiest way to lose the flab).

Try the same thing for a set of 20 reps of one-arm snatches or swings with each arm with a kettlebell or dumbbell, and tell me your legs aren't burning, heart racing, and you're gasping for breath. How about trying 5 minutes straight of bodyweight squats, lunges, and pushups with very little rest. Again, notice your heart pounding, sweat pouring off of you, and chest heaving for breaths!

Try and tell me you're not conditioning your heart with this style of training! Conventional thinking says that these are weight training or strength training exercises. However, they are fullfilling your cardio workout needs as well (saving you time!).

Not only do you save time, but you strengthen and condition almost every muscle in your entire body with these full body exercises if you do them with enough intensity...something that can't be said for that boring stationary bike ride or treadmill jaunt while reading or watching TV.

Reading or watching TV while you workout is a joke!

Seriously, if you can read or watch TV while doing any exercise, you're not concentrating enough on what you're doing, plus you're probably not working out hard enough to see any real results.

Turbulence Training 2010 Fat Burning Frenzy

Hi,

Yesterday I told you about the Turbulence Training $1,000 transformation contest by Craig Ballantyne. Today I wanted to give you a sample of what Craig has in store for all the turbulence training members for 2010. It will be the year for permanently getting rid of that excess bodyfat.

That all being said here is what Craig has in store for his turbulence training members.

2010 is going to be a big year for you…partly because of the amazing 24 Turbulence Training fat burning and body sculpting programs coming your way.

These workouts - like TT Addiction and TT Adrenaline - are going to be so cool, so fun, and so effective that you’ll have your best year ever.

Two programs will be released each month - and the tentative schedule is below…

Sit back and check out my calendar for 2010…I’ve got a few trips planned I wanted to tell you about, but mostly I couldn’t wait to get you pumped up for these amazing workouts that are on the way…

And if you aren’t already a TT Member click the link

Now for all the cool stuff you’ll experience with me in 2010…

January 2010

We’re going to kick-off the New Year with a special audio program…I’m recording it this week, and it will be one of the most powerful motivation and inspirational fat burning audio programs you’ve ever heard.
To go along with the motivation, TT Members also have access to the January programs already. You can now download “TT 2K10″ and the “TT Beginner Total Torso Training” programs in the member’s area.




Then on January 15th, that’s the last day to enter the 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest. That’s your chance to win up to $1000 just for losing your belly fat.

And right after that I’ll be in Tampa Bay, Florida for Joel Marion’s first ever Transformation Domination Live event. I’ll be leading a TT workout on the Saturday morning. See you there.

Speaking of Transformations, you’re going to get a bonus 3rd workout this month called “TT Transformation“. Based on the most popular programs used by our contest winners (including TT for Buff Dudes & Hot Chicks), this is going to be an instant classic.




Finally, to finish off a busy month, I hope to launch the TT-TV program. We’ve filmed a few really cool episodes, but we have so much going on they haven’t been edited yet…but soon, I promise.
February

Look out Miami, because I’ll be there for the Super Bowl and back again two weeks later…The Super Bowl weekend is going to be insane, and I’ll be filing workout and video reports from South Beach. Look for me on TV - you never know.

Then on February 14th, we’re going to celebrate Ballantyne’s Day with some type of crazy Turbulence Training promotion…I’ve got 6 weeks to come up with something good…

And then there are the TT Workouts of the Month:

1) TT Adrenaline
2) TT 15-minute KB Express

What’s TT Adrenaline all about? Well, it’s about skyrocketing your adrenaline of course, and that is just one hormone in the body that helps the fat burning process…you’re going to love Adrenaline.

March

I’ll star the month in Washington, D.C. - at my friend Yanik’s seminar - and finish the month with a quick work trip to Vegas (low-key, I’m sure). After all, I have to prepare for some big news happening in April…

But first, big workout news for March:

1) I hope we’ll release the first “follow along” Turbulence Training DVD workout set. We’re just finishing up filming the TT for Abs Follow Along programs, and it should be ready for you sometime in March. Hopefully earlier.

2) The first TT workout of the month will be the follow up to another TT classic, so look for the “The Big 6 Circuit” to help you burn fat with a fast circuit workout - featuring a new, explosive 6th component.
3) The TT Bootcamp 2K10 Program will feature all new NO-equipment bootcamp workouts and more tips to help personal trainers help more clients achieve maximum body transformations and fat burning.

April

So my big plans for April are to move to New York City for 3 months…I found a real good deal on a sublet in the Upper West Side so it will be a fun little adventure.
Maybe Bally the Dog can get a role on Broadway.

Again, I’ll be filing lots of video and workout reports from the Big Apple, plus researching what the gyms and fitness experts there have to offer…and of course, commuting out to Wachtung, New Jersey to train at The Renegade Gym with Jay Ferruggia.

And to add to the excitement, the 7th TT Transformation Contest will be finishing in mid-April, so we’ll be crowing a Men’s and Women’s Champion.

Nothing in the TT world is more rewarding than reading the essays that come in with your entries. I just want to thank you for all the effort you put into your Transformations - it’s really cool to see how hard you work and the powerful changes you go through. So thank YOU!

And to give back, you’ll be getting two awesome workouts in April:
1) TT Addiction (trust me, it’s healthier than it sounds)

2) TT Booty for Life 2K10

May

Well, for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere, we’ll all have Spring Fever and be ready to kick-off the “unofficial” start to the summer with big holiday weekends?

So will you be ready? I hope so, especially with all of the great workouts on the way…

Plus, the 8th TT Transformation Contest SHOULD be a go for May…unless something changes, we’ll keep rocking 3 contests per year…stay tuned for details.
I’m not sure how I’ll be rocking out my first Memorial Day Weekend in the USA, but I know you’ll be rocking these two workouts:

1) TT Hardcore 2K10 - The sequel to one of the top 3 most popular - if not THE most popular - TT workout of all time…can I top the original? I guess we’ll find out…

2) TT Bodyweight Cardio 3.o

June


Well, my little NYC adventure will be coming to an end, and hopefully I worked enough to create the TT Certification…that’s the plan…so keep kicking my butt to get this done.

I even had this cool logo made, so I better use it for something.

When I finally get back to Toronto, I’ll be heading to my good friend Vince Del Monte’s wedding…should be a great time…lots of fitness experts there celebrating, and I’m sure we’ll be filing some (embarrassing) wedding videos for everyone to enjoy. Congrats to Vince and Flavia, looking forward to your big day.

And don’t worry, you’ll be getting some good gifts in June as well:


1) TT Bodyweight Bodybuilding 2.0

2) TT Hybrid Trisets Fat Burning Workout

July
Well, I’m not sure if I’ll be doing much in July, just relaxing back in Canada and enjoying the finals of the World Cup. You’ll be getting…

1) TT for Runners

2) TT for Meatheads “Old School”

Wow, could these programs be any different? But both are in high-demand…so I know you’ll be looking forward to them.

August

I am officially out of ideas as to what I’m going to be doing for the rest of the year, so I’m just going to pump you up with the names of the coming workouts…For August, you’ll get…

1) TT 2K10 Abs

2) TT 3-Day Depletion Workouts

September

1) TT Gain Muscle Lose Fat 2K10

2) TT Female Bodyweight Bodysculpting 2K10

October

I might be taking a Secret Agent Trip this month, I’ll let you know - if I’m allowed - when I confirm…but the workouts should be:

1) The TT Bodyweight 500 2K10
2) DB Mass at Home 2K10

November

1) TT Yoga (I’ve been trying to do this for over 8 months…hopefully I get this one done by November…or sometime in 2K10)

2) TT Tempo Training
December

1) TT 15-Minute Express 2K10

2) TT Christmas Circuits (I have no idea what these will be, but it sounds cool, right?)

Whew…

And that brings us back to planning for 2011…(I’ve already got 7 programs listed out for 2011).

BUT…

Is there anything that you’d like to see this year or next?

Please let me know in the comments section below.

Looking forward to your best year ever in 2010,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
PS - Don’t forget…

…the Half Price TT sale ends this week.

Click Here to Get Turbulence Training for 50% off

You’ll also get the January TT member’s programs too!

And for those of you who like kettlebell training don't forget The Kettlebell Revolution where Kettlebell training and Turbulence Training meet.

4 Useless Exercises You Probably Do

4 Common But Useless Fattburning Exercises



You may be wasting your time in the gym or at home if you are trying to shape your body or get rid of bodyfat.

Most people are. That is when it comes to exercise for getting rid of bellyfat and getting into better shape.

I was in the gym today (nothing new... ; ) and I saw all 4 of these exercises being performed by various gym members (again... nothing new.)

And they are useless for 99% of the people on the planet.

Here they are...

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USELESS EXERCISE 1: Walking Dumbbell Lunges

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Okay ladies, this one is for you... although I see guys do this exercise as well.

This is where you take a pair of dumbbells and kneel with one leg, then the other, and so-on, walking around the gym as you go.

The idea behind this exercise is to work the butt, and to some extent the thighs... but it's a joke. It's something invented by trainers who should know better.

If you want to build and tone your butt, exercise one leg at a time. Lunges are a great exercise for this, but save your energy. Do them on a Smith Machine or with a barbell. Work one leg at a time, too. Do not alternate legs. This just wears you out aerobically before it has a chance to get to your glutes.

Here's how I perform lunges: On a Smith Machine, with pretty heavy weights... one leg at a time. I will do 2-3 sets, or do them in my 7 Minute Body-style workout fashion. I will finish one leg (and one butt cheek) before moving to the other leg.

Why? Again, to focus on the muscle more intensely and to avoid turning a leg/butt workout into a cardio session.

Jon Benson covers exactly how to work the butt area for the best results in 7 Minute Body and 7 Minute Muscle, found right here:

click.here ----- > 7 Minute Muscle

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USELESS EXERCISE 2: The Sit-up

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I'm shocked that people still think sit-ups done the old-fashioned way actually work the abs. Even worse, most people have been fooled into believing this actually helps get rid of bellyfat.

Nonsense. Bellyfat is burned off when you have a good nutrition plan and through general exercise, not using exercises for the abs. Ab exercises are fine, but guess what?

I never train my abs more than 3-5 minutes. Today my ab workout took 3 minutes and 12 seconds to complete. And my abs are sore!

But without the nutrition plan, forget it... I'd never SEE my abs at all. I'd just have a nice wall of muscle with a bunch of flab covering it up.

The best nutrition plan for abs is The Every Other Day Dietplan, found here:

click.here ----- > The Every Other Day Diet

The best exercises to do for the actual ab muscles are hanging leg raises, done slowly, crunches (if you do them right)... and that's really all you need.

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USELESS EXERCISE 3: The Bench Press

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I'm going to get a lot of flack from the guys out there who love to bench, but I'm here to tell you that this exercise for bodyshaping is all but worthless.

Why? Because most people are not built right body-wise to bench press on a flat bench with a barbell. I am not, that's for sure.

Bench presses work if you have short arms, a relatively short torso, and your shoulders are genetically strong.

Protect your shoulders and really work your chest by doing incline dumbbell presses with your palms facing OUT, not in toward your head. This protects the rotator cuff, a part of the shoulder that is often injured using barbell bench presses.

Combine this with a good cable fly or press movement and you're set. Again, you only need about 7-14 minutes of chest work tops to get the job done.

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USELESS EXERCISE 4: Most Cardio Exercises

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Yep... saved the best for last.

Here's a fact: Most cardio (bike, treadmill, glider, whatever) is a waste to time... UNLESS you do it at the right time with the right nutrition plan.

The calories you burn from cardio will be easily negated simply by eating a bagel! Hardly effective for getting rid of bodyfat. Weight training and/or resistance training at home or with your body weight, as covered in 7 Minute Muscle, is your best bet for exercise that burns-off mega-calories and keeps on burning long after the exercise session is over.

Here's how to use traditional cardio wisely:

1. Do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach;
2. Keep your heart rate down to 75% of your max (220 minus your age x .75 will give you this number, at least approximately);
3. "Burst" for 2-3 minutes in your session up to 85-90% of your max heart rate.
4. OR, do cardio right after weight or resistance training when your heart rate is already elevated and your blood sugar is lower. Your body burns blood sugar first during exercise.

Cardio for most people only needs to be performed 3-4 times a week for 20 minutes. The only time I break this rule is when I want to get my bodyfat below 10%. Then I will do more, but only using the rules above.

Hope this saves you a ton of time with your workouts.

Enjoy your holidays!

Joseph

P.S. You can get both books, The Every Other Day Dietplan and 7 Minute Body, for a big-time discount by going here and watching this presentation:

click.here ----- > The Every Other Day Diet


Jag252

Your Fat Burning Workout How To Burn Fat Faster

Fat Burning Workout How To Burn Fat Faster

By the end of this article you will have the information you will need to set up your own fat burning workout.

Let's look at How To Burn fat and Your Fat Burning Workout.

Fat Burning Fact

In order to burn one pound of fat, you have to create a total caloric deficit of 3,500 calories. Aim for 500 calories a day so that you total the 3,500 calories over the course of one week.

Many people underestimate just how long it can take to burn fat and calories contained in many of their favorite foods. For three minutes of eating pleasure, you may have to spend an extra hour working out. For fat burning, look to make small changes in your diet.

In order to burn fat, however, you must be in a caloric deficit, which you can do by reducing the number of calories you eat each day or increasing your energy expenditure through exercise. For fat burning fast do a combination of both.

Your Fat Burning Workout - Burn Fat Not Muscle

Fat Burning Fact: the more lean muscle you have the higher your metabolism. The higher your metabolism equals more fat burning.

When it comes to your fat burning workout what's your first thought? cardio training. Good for fat burning but there is more to it. Cardio training with circuit training and interval training is great I highly recommend them for a fat burning workout. To get the permanent results in fat loss we want don't under estimate weight training.

Weight training for fat burning boosts your metabolism during and long after your fat burning workout is over. Weight training will help you not only maintain but gain lean muscle, creating an increase in metabolism and fat burning.

Cardio training will only cause a short rise in metaboliism for an hour or two after your fat burning workout, burning less calories compared with weight training.

Overdoing cardio will decrease your lean muscle, your metabolism can slow down decreasing your fat burning efforts.

Weight training will help change the way you look, replacing fat with muscle, changing your body composition.

A weight training fat burning workout is a great alternative to cardio and will give you better, more visible results...

Your Ultimate Fat Burning Workout:

* Do 3 weight training workouts a week.
* Concentrate on compound exercises squats,deadlifts, presses, rows etc.
* Do 3-5 exercises 3-5 reps and 3-5 sets per
* Do 2-3 Interval training/Circuit training workouts a week
keep your fat burning workout to about 20 minutes.

while cardio may make you lose weight, weight lifting will help you lose body fat, altering your body composition.

Weight training will help change the way you look completely, giving the impression that you’ve replaced fat with muscle and are actually working at improving your body and changing your body composition.

A Cardio And Fat Burning Workout

Cardio And Fat Burning Workouts Time Is Short

Okay so that's how many hours this week on the treadmill doing your "cardio and fat burning workouts"?____ (fill in the blank) Really, and how's that working out? Yeah I couldv'e guessed. If you are spending more than 3-4 hours a week and not losing 1-2 pounds of fat your wasting your time.

In a second I am going to show one of the most effective and efficient cardio and fat burning exercises there is. But first.

Are you using any of these workouts for fat burning and cardio?

* Weight Training
* Kettlebell Training
* Interval Training
* Circuit Training

If not then you need to start and if you are and not seeing the results in fat loss then you need to up your intensity.

Let me give you one of the best cardio and fat burning exercises I know (and truth be told if you were to do it as I tell you it is a workout by itself).

The Kettlebell Snatch (Can be done with a dumbbell but a kettlebell is much more effective). First let me tell you how to do it.

Proper start position for the kettlebell snatch, stand up straight and push your butt out as you bend over. Make sure to bend your knees slightly and to keep your back flat. Look forward and grip the kettlebell really hard and keep your body tight. Flex your butt and abs as hard as you can.

In one smooth motion, swing the kettlebell back between your legs and quickly reverse the swing forward. As the bell swings forward snap your hips and keep the kettlebell close to your body. Use the momentum to drive the kettlebell overhead.

Cardio and Fat Burning Workout With the Kettlebell Snatch. This is how I have been using the snatch you may have to scale back depending on your conditioning. Follow my lead here and you will Burn fat like you can't believe.

Set #1 Do 1 rep each arm
Set #2 Do 2 reps each arm (I'm sure you see where this is going)

Continue up to 15 reps each (or whatever your conditioning allows) Oh wait you thought you were done? Wrong!

Set #16 Do 14 reps each arm
Set #17 Do 13 reps each (yep all the way back down)

Like I said that's your whole workout that day a cardio and fat burning workout with one exercise. Total time well that depends again on your conditioning but for the best cardio and fat burning 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a week.

The kettlebell snatch is such an effective exercise. Use it with intensity which is how you should approach all your workouts. Add in 2-3 days of weight training, switch out with some interval and circuit training and check you out the cardio and fat burning machine.

Check out my website Fat Burning Diets And Workouts for more workout and diet articles.

Fat Loss Rebellion: 3 Rebel Fat Loss Tips

Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

You know what?

I like "weird."

I've always been a bit on the fringe side of the fence if you know what I mean.

A bit of a rebel.

So were guys like Einstein, Mozart, and Picasso. Not that I'm putting myself into their category of genius by any stretch... but I love their approach to life.

BE BOLD...OR GO HOME.

Makes sense to me. This life it too darn short for anything less than being bold.

That means taking some risks here and there. That means taking action while the others are content to sit on the couch being the same person they were yesterday.

And the day before...

And the month before...

And the year before.

Do you want to live your years like that? Or do you want to dive into life? Be the greatest "you" possible?

Then be a bit of a rebel.

Here's some "rebel tips" for fatloss I think you'll enjoy...

REBEL TIP 1
Flip The Food Pyramid Upside-down

The USDA's Food Pyramid is an utter joke. It's origins stink up the joint, let me tell you.

First, the grain industry was in a pinch when the Food Pyramid was created. And wouldn't you know it... the grain industry increased their "contributions" (read: bribes) to certain politicians to get placement atop the pyramid... or in this case at the very bottom. The "foundation" if you will.

Just think about this for a moment:

The USDA wants you to eat (gasp) MORE starch than vegetables? More bread than fruits, lean meats, and hormone-producing fats?

Are they NUTS??

Yes... they are nuts. (Which, by the way, are no where near the foundation... nuts, that is.)

You'd be better off flipping the sucker upside-down.

That would look like this:

40% of your cals from healthy fats 30% of your cals from protein 30% of your cals from carbs

Roughly, that is.

Sounds... rebellious, right? Well it is.

Too bad I have the science (and the abs) to back it up.

If you want a system laid out for you, then go here:

Check Out The Fat Loss Rebellion<-- click.

REBEL TIP 2
Cardio Is Not Smart-ee-o

At least the way the so-called "experts" want you to do it.

Look: This isn't rocket science. Just walk into any gym...take a look at the folks who only do cardio work for 45-60 minutes every day.

Do they look any different from year to year?

Let me save you some time: NO. They do not.

Cardio (unless you are into endurance sports) is a waste of energy done this way. First, it increases your carbohydrate cravings. For most people that's not a good thing. Why? Because cardio at this pace burns mostly SUGAR, not bodyfat.

What do you want to burn?

Exactly. Bodyfat.

Finally, cardio is no where near as efficient as resistance training at dissolving bodyfat... and certainly not even CLOSE to resistance training when it comes to shaping lean muscle and getting the look all these cardio bunnies are after.

Now, I 'do' have a rebel cardio trick... and it takes 9-15 minutes 2-3 times a week to perform.

That's it. And you get ALL the benefits heart-wise of long-session cardio.

Combine that with some brisk walking and my overall fitness plan and presto: No more bodyfat.

Here's what is cool: I put my new in-home version of this resistance-based workout online for a few days at a major discount... but it's only for people who pick up this:

The Fat Loss Rebellion<-- click.

This is completely illustrated with photos too... and you do not need anything but resistance bands and perhaps some cheap dumbbells to do this in-home. Or you can use the gym-based workouts (included with videos.)

Train like this just 3-5 days a week and you can kiss long, boring cardio goodbye.

REBEL TIP 3
Do Not Overwork Your Abs

Here's a mistake I see most people make in the gym: They do endless sets of crunches, leg raises, and (gasp again) sit-ups... all geared toward seeing those toned abs they want.

Guess what?

Waste of time.

In fact, it's worse than that... it can literally shut down your recovery ability. You'll slow your progress in the gym (or at home)... and your fat-burning too.

And you may give up your plan entirely because of it.

Here's the brutal truth: Ab 'muscles' are easy to build. It only takes about 3 minutes 2-3 times a week... that's it.

( Note: I included my "3 Minute Abs" in the fitness book I just told you about... it's only for those who get EODD though... )

The muscles are not what make your stomach flatter... it's the nutrition plan folks.

You're just building muscle underneath layers of bodyfat... not good.

I do very little direct ab training. When I do it's usually 3-5 minutes tops 2 days a week. And my abs are... well... good. : )

I rely on resistance training and my special "favorite foods dietplan" to get and stay lean.

More about it all here:

Fat Loss Rebellion<-- click.

So be a rebel.

Thumb your nose at the establishment and step out on your own.

Trust me: You'll be a leader in every sense of the word if you do.

Fat Loss Rebellion<-- click.

Lose 10 Pounds Of Fat In A Month

Are you still stuck on the marathon aerobics workout nonsense?

Have you ever lost 10 lbs of Fat in a Month? I'm not talking weight loss I'm talking Fat Loss( there is a difference) but you knew that already.

Let me introduce you to circuit training. Read through this whole article use the sample workout at the end and you will be on your way to losing around 2 lbs of fat a week. As long as you are also eating clean but that is another article.

Many people simply don't get what circuit training is and that it can be beneficial for anyone. The reason most people don't get it is beacause some of the so called trainers out there don't teach it correctly.

If you have fallen for the marathon treadmill workouts will burn fat fast lie don't feel bad. You, me and thousands of others have also. But we are done with that now. Right?

"What is circuit training"?

The purpose of circuit training is to keep you moving by only allowing you to take minimal breaks between exercises. If you absolutely must rest( this will be based on your conditioning level), you can take 30 seconds to walk around and then start again. Whatever you do, don't stop moving.

Circuit training is completely different than traditional weight-training programs, but can provide a much greater boost to your metabolism than plain cardio. Circuit training, works because it causes you to keep pushing your body aerobically, while still challenging you anaerobically.

The Misconception About Circuit Training

If you're like many men, you probably think that circuit training is something a woman does with really light weights. This is probably because you associate no rest periods with light weights, and if you are trying to increase your strength, you likely think you need to be lifting as much weight as possible.

However, muscle responds to the total tension produced. If you use lighter weights, but are able to get in more sets during a certain period of time, you will produce the same -- if not more -- total tension and will stimulate your muscles to grow.

Try the follow program; you'll see, it will give you a run for your money.

Circuit Training benefits

First, it allows you to work your aerobic system while simultaneously working on your strength. Since you are constantly progressing through the workout, you will keep your heart rate up, getting much more out of it than guy who mindlessly logs all those miles on the treadmill.

Second, due to fewer rest periods, you will increase the amount of testosterone you release, which serves to help your muscles grow. While it is true that if you were to perform long aerobic sessions, your testosterone level would drop and you would start to release cortisol (which causes the body to break down muscle tissue), this workout won't take that long to complete. Therefore, you won't reach the time required to start this cortisol-releasing process.

Finally, since you will move through this workout quickly, you won't have to spend long hours in the gym, and you will be able to spend your time doing the things that you never seemed to have time for when you were making the gym your second home.

Try out this sample workout and decide if you still think circuit training is for girly men

The Sample Circuit Training Workout

This circuit training workout consists of 5 different exercises to be performed a total of six times. Perform 10 reps of each exercise before moving on to the next one. Once you have completed all six exercises, start the sequence over again.

Over time, you can gradually increase your number of reps to 20 per exercise; however, this is intense, so start slowly.

1) Mountain Climbers. While in the push-up position bring your left knee up to your chest, now do the same with the right leg. You may need to practice these a little to get a rythem and feel for mountain climbers. A great bodyweight exercise.

2) Pushups. Remember to keep your hands approximately at chest level in order to target the proper muscles. You may not know this (most people don't) but to really do push-ups correctly and get the most out of them keep your elbows close to your body.

3) Squats. You don't need to use weights ( but use them if you have them); If not do prisoner squats clasp your hans behind your head and squat down below parallel.

4) Barbell, Dumbbell or Kettlebell Cleans A fantastic total body workout in one exercise. One of my personal favorites.

5) Burpees. Start in a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your legs out behind you, hold for a second, then bring your legs back to your hands. Next, explode off the floor, straightening up at the waist and jumping as high as you can. Land and bring your hands to the floor once again; this is one rep.

After completing all 5 exercises rest per your conditioning level( absolute begginner 90-120 seconds you will have to judge this for yourself). Work to decrease your rest times.

a final note

Since this workout does not target all of the muscles in your body, it is still best to include a normal strength-training routine in your program. This will keep your body balanced and ensure you are still strengthening all the muscle groups.

Circuit is a great thing to include in your workout when you are feeling like you are reaching a plateau or you're just ready to try something new to kick-start your metabolism and kick your workout up a notch.

Since it is quite intense, only perform it twice a week and be sure to take at least one day off in between. To progress and keep stimulating your body, try incorporating different versions of each exercise, such as one-hand pushups or clap pushups, and turned-out squats or squat jumps.

Hopefully, by set five of this program, you will have a newfound respect for circuit training.

Strength Conditioning And Health Fat Burning With Trans Fat?

We all know that trans fats are horrible for your health right? But what if I told you that there is a specific type of trans fat that's natural (not man-made) and actually helps you to lose fat faster and build lean muscle?

Well, check out the excerpt from my new program that I co-authored called "The Fat Burning Kitchen" below:

"...Not many people know this fact, but CLA is actually a natural form of trans fat, but it is FAR different than the artificial trans fats from hydrogenated oils that are so deadly and that you hear all of the negative information about. CLA is actually one of the only healthy trans fats in existence.

CLA is a natural form of healthy trans fat that occurs in the fat on the meat, and in the dairy from ruminant animals such as cattle, bison, deer, goats, sheep, kangaroo, etc. CLA in natural form has been shown to help in burning off abdominal fat and also maintaining or even building lean muscle.

Warning: do NOT use CLA supplements as they contain an artificially created form of CLA that is a different CLA isomer compared to the natural CLA isomer that's found in meats and dairy from ruminant animals. The CLA isomer found in CLA supplements can have negative effects in the body and is more similar to an artificial trans fat. The only form of CLA is that going to benefit your health and help you to reduce body fat is the natural CLA isomers from grass-fed beef, bison, venison, etc or from grass-fed raw milk or cheeses.

Also, grass-fed meats and dairy contain 3-5x the CLA of grain fed meats, so avoid your typical grain-fed grocery store meats.

So that is the reason why I focused more on red meats such as grass-fed beef and bison during this 23-day cutting cycle instead of chicken, turkey, or fish -- because the extra CLA can really help in accelerating fat loss and preserving lean muscle..."


There you have it... there actually IS such a thing as a healthy trans fat... bet you didn't know that!

This was an excerpt from my brand new program I just co-authored with an extremely knowledgeable nutrition expert named Catherine Ebeling.

The program is called "The Fat Burning Kitchen".

Because this is our launch week... you can grab the program for half price this week only. The price will double in a few days at the end of the week.

Also, I wanted to really knock your socks off with this program, so if you grab a copy this week, I even decided to throw in a special bonus section that gives you every single nitty gritty detail of how I just went from 10.2% bodyfat down to 6.9% bodyfat in only 23 days while I prepped for a photo shoot recently.

This is advanced stuff for when you might have an event such as a wedding or a beach vacation coming up and you need to knock off some significant bodyfat in only 3-4 weeks time frame. There's nothing unhealthy here... but these techniques are definitely "amped up" from the norm.

When I say nitty gritty details... I'm talking everything, including specific spices, teas, nutrients, exactly what I ate, carb/protein/fat ratios and how I manipulated timing of nutrients to accelerate fat loss.

Seriously, we did the body comp tests and I went from 10.2% BF to 6.9% BF in only 23 days. I'll be sharing the pics on my blog in a week or 2, when I get the finals back from the photographer.

You'll find out all of those details of how I did this in the bonus chapter if you grab a copy this week.

check it out:

The Fat Burning Kitchen


Get your copy today so you don't miss out on the half price special.

Also I have posted from The Fat Burning Kitchen here 2 Fat Loss recipes

Talk soon, Jag252

Interval Training Killed The Cardio Workout

Interval Training Killed The Cardio Workout

Thankfully we have a better way for fat burning than spending hours on a treadmill. RIP old cardio. Welcome Interval Training.

Stop doing the slow boring cardio workouts for fat burning and switch to shorter, more effective interval training for fat burning and weight loss. This will help you get more fat burning results in less workout time.

Research proves that interval training is better than cardio workouts for fat burning, weight loss and fitness.

* But what is Interval Training? *

Interval training is when you do a period of hard work followed by a period of easy work. Although I do prefer weight training, bodyweight exercises or kettlebells for interval training, you can also use the treadmill to do interval training/ fat burning workouts.

A good time to do your interval training is immediately after your strength training session. That way you only have 3 full training days per week.

Interval training can also be done on your off days of strength training.

After you've finished your strength training workout, you'll move into the interval training workout. Start by warming up for 5 minutes at a progressive pace and then you are going to go 45 seconds at a hard 8.5-9/10 intensity level, followed by 90 seconds at an easy 3/10 intensity level.

For another interval training workout, you'll again start with your 5-minute warm-up, but instead of 45 seconds, you will do 60 seconds of hard work followed by 90 seconds of recovery. This time your hard interval training will not be as difficult at it was in the first fat burning workout I described, but still at a pretty good pace that allows you to do 60 seconds of hard work.

As a side note, you always want to be able to finish your interval training and fat burning workout. If you can't, then you need to bring the intensity down.

When you come down to your recovery interval, it should always be at the same intensity, and always be very easy. So, no matter which interval training/ fat burning workout you are going to be doing, you will always come back to the same easy level intensity for your recovery period. Again, you are going to repeat the intervals in the workout up to six times and then finish off with a cool down.

Interval Training better results for So Interval Training means fat burning, lean muscle and fitness. Let's see shorter workouts better results? Sounds pretty much like a no brainer.

Learning Permanent Weight Loss! Part 1

Learning Permanent Weight Loss! By Will Brink

I have a great article for you today. It is a very in depth look at how you can learn for yourself about fat loss and diet plans and whether they will work for you. Not for the short term but to get you permanent results.

This article is by Will Brink a respected author, consultant and trainer. I have had to split this article in half it is a long read. But it is very important for anyone looking for permanent weight loss. So here is part 1 Jag252

Most people who read my articles and e-books know me as a science guy who likes to quote studies and apply research to everyday problems such as weight loss, bodybuilding, and other health/fitness related topics. However, sometimes you have to step back from the science and look at the big picture to help bring people back into focus, so they can see the forest for the trees, so to speak.

For most people reading this article, finding an effective diet that works most of the time must seem as complicated as nuclear physics. It’s not, but there are a bewildering number of choices for diets out there. High fat or no fat? High carbohydrate or no carbohydrate? Low protein or high protein?

To make matters worse, there are a million variations and combinations to the above diet scenarios to add to the confusion. It seems endless and causes many people to throw up their hands in frustration and give up. In this article I will attempt to change all that.

There are some general guidelines, rules of thumb, and ways of viewing a diet program that will allow you to decide, once and for all, if it’s the right diet for you. You may not always like what I have to say, and you should be under no illusions this is another quick fix, “lose 100 lbs. in 20 days,” guide of some sort.

However, if you are sick and tired of being confused, tired of taking the weight off only to put it back on, and tired of wondering how to take the first steps to deciding the right diet for you that will result in permanent weight loss, then this is the article that could change your life…

Do you need to be a scientist to apply what you will learn here? No. A mind reader or clairvoyant? No.

A nutritionist or medical doctor? Not at all. What you need to be is open-minded and willing to learn a few key concepts that will allow you to sort through the confusion.You will be able to apply what you learn here to any diet you are considering and decide if it makes sense, once and for all!

The process, however, is neither easy nor quick per se, but I never promise you either of those things…This article does not look at specific diets but will teach you to take a logical approach and apply some common sense to choosing a nutritional plan for life long weight loss.

If you are willing and able to make a paradigm shift, then let’s proceed.

Does your diet pass “The Test”?

What is the number one reason diets fail long term; above all else?

The number one reason is…drum roll…a lack of long term compliance. The numbers don’t lie; the vast majority of people who lose weight will regain it - and often exceed what they lost. You knew that already didn’t you?

Yet, what are you doing to avoid it? Here’s another reality check: virtually any diet you pick which follows the basic concept of “burning” more calories then you consume – the well accepted “calories in calories out” mantra – will cause you to lose weight. To some degree, they all work: Atkins-style, no carb diets, low fat high carb diets, all manner of fad diets - it simply does not matter in the short term.

If your goal is to lose some weight quickly, then pick one and follow it. I guarantee you will lose some weight. Studies generally find any of the commercial weight loss diets will get approximately the same amount of weight off after 6 months to a year.

For example, a recent study found the Atkins’ Diet, Slim-Fast plan, Weight Watchers Pure Points program, and Rosemary Conley’s Eat Yourself Slim diet, were all equally effective.

Other studies comparing other popular diets have come to essentially the same conclusions. For example, a study that compared the Atkins diet, the Ornish diet, Weight Watchers, and The Zone Diet, found them to be essentially the same in their ability to take weight off after one year.

Recall what I said about the number one reason diets fail, which is a lack of compliance. The lead researcher of this recent study stated: “Our trial found that adherence level rather than diet type was the primary predictor of weight loss”

Translated, it’s not which diet they chose per se, but their ability to actually stick to a diet that predicted their weight loss success. I can just see the hands going up now, “but Will, some diets must be better than others, right?”

Are some diets better then others? Absolutely. Some diets are healthier then others, some diets are better at preserving lean body mass, some diets are better at suppressing appetite – there are many differences between diets. However, while most of the popular diets will work for taking weight off, what is abundantly clear is that adhering to the diet is the most important aspect for keeping the weight off long term.

What is a diet?

A diet is a short term strategy to lose weight. Long term weight loss is the result of an alteration in lifestyle. We are concerned with life long weight management, not quick fix weight loss here. I don’t like the term diet, as it represents a short term attempt to lose weight vs. a change in lifestyle.

Want to lose a bunch of weight quickly? Heck, I will give you the information on how to do that here and now for no charge.

For the next 90 to 120 days eat 12 scrambled egg whites, one whole grapefruit, and a gallon of water twice a a day. You will lose plenty of weight. Will it be healthy? Nope. Will the weight stay off once you are done with this diet and are then forced to go back to your “normal” way of eating? Not a chance. Will the weight you lose come from fat or will it be muscle, water, bone, and (hopefully!) some fat? The point being, there are many diets out there that are perfectly capable of getting weight off you, but when considering any eating plan designed to lose weight, you must ask yourself:

“Is this a way of eating I can follow long term?”

Which brings me to my test: I call it the “Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?” Test. I know, it does not exactly roll off your tongue, but it gets the point across.The lesson here is: any nutritional plan you pick to lose weight must be part of a lifestyle change you will be able to follow - in one form or another - forever.

That is, if it’s not a way of eating you can comply with indefinitely, even after you get to your target weight, then it’s worthless.

Thus, many fad diets you see out there are immediately eliminated, and you don’t have to worry about them. The question is not whether the diet is effective in the short term, but if the diet can be followed indefinitely as a lifelong way of eating.

Going from “their” way of eating back to “your” way of eating after you reach your target weight is a recipe for disaster and the cause of the well established yo-yo dieting syndrome. Bottom line: there are no short cuts, there is no free lunch, and
only a commitment to a lifestyle change is going to keep the fat off long term.

I realize that’s not what most people want to hear, but it’s the truth, like it or not. The statistics don’t lie: getting the weight off is not the hardest part, keeping the weight off is!

If you take a close look at the many well known fad/commercial diets out there, and you are honest with yourself, and apply my test above, you will find most of them no longer appeal to you as they once did.

It also brings me to an example that adds additional clarity: If you have diet A that will cause the most weight loss in the shortest amount of time but is unbalanced and essentially impossible to follow long term vs. diet B, which will take the weight off at a slower pace, but is easier to follow, balanced, healthy, and something you can comply with year after year, which is superior?

If diet A gets 30 lbs off you in 30 days, but by next year you have gained back all 30 lbs, but diet B gets 20 lbs off you in the next 3 months with another 20 lbs 3 months after that and the weight stays off by the end of that year, which is the better diet?

If you don’t know the answer to those questions, you have totally missed the point of this article and the lesson it’s trying to teach you, and are set up for failure. Go back and read this section again…

By default, diet B is superior. Teach a man to Fish…

A well known Chinese Proverb is;Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

This expression fits perfectly with the next essential step in how to decide what eating plan you should follow to lose weight permanently. Will the diet plan you are considering teach you how to eat long term, or does it spoon-feed you information? Will the diet rely on special bars, shakes, supplements or pre-made foods they supply?

Let’s do another diet A vs. diet B comparison. Diet A is going to supply you with their foods, as well as their special drink or bars to eat, and tell you exactly when to eat them. You will lose – say – 30 lbs in two months.

Diet B is going to attempt to help you learn which foods you should eat, how many
calories you need to eat, why you need to eat them, and generally attempt to help teach you how to eat as part of a total lifestyle change that will allow you to make informed decisions about your nutrition.

Diet B causes a slow steady weight loss of 8 -10 lbs per month for the next 6 months and the weight stays off because you now know how to eat properly.

Recall the Chinese proverb. Both diets will assist you to lose weight. Only one diet, however, will teach you how to be self-reliant after your experience is over. Diet A is easier, to be sure, and causes faster weight loss than diet B, and diet B takes longer and requires some thinking and learning on your part.

However, when diet A is over, you are right back where you started and have been given no skills to fish. Diet companies don’t make their profits by teaching you to fish, they make their money by handing you a fish so you must rely on them indefinitely or come back to them after you gain all the weight back.

Learning Permanent Weight Loss! part 1 check back soon for part 2

Will Brink has over 15 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies. His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors. Will is the author of the popular e-books, both acommpanied by private members forum access , Bodybuilding Revealed & Fat Loss Revealed.