Gain muscle and lose fat at the same time

The #1 mistake I've made when creating my workout programs has been NOT making them hard enough for you. I underestimated your commitment. But you've told me you want to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time, and you want my BEST fat burning, sexy-body-building workouts. So that's what you'll get. I've teamed up with John Romaniello to bring you Clash of the Titans V - my most advanced

Red Rocks Hike and Denver Deadlift

Saturday was a nice hike through the Red Rocks area just outside of Denver, and this morning was a deadlift workout. Not my best, unfortunately.1) Hang Clean2A) Deadlift2B) Military Press3A) DB Shoulder Press3B) KB Swing 4A) RDL4B) DB Lateral RaiseAnd here are some great 10-Minute workouts that I sent the TT list:You're in for a special TREAT today because I've teamed up with my bud,

#1 food ingredient to stop eating now

Back in 2000, while attending a small science conference at the Holiday Inn in Barrie, Ontario, I discovered one ingredient NEVER to eat. Literally, you should NEVER eat this. And yet it is one of the most common artificial ingredients, and you've probably had a couple of grams today (possibly in the peanut butter that you thought was healthy). According to Dr. Bruce Holub, a food

Loaded Carries to Fix Your Run Gait...or...How to do a More Productive Loaded Carry

I have been experimenting with fixing some run gait related problems in runners using slow, deliberate suitcase carries (walk while carrying a heavy dumbbell/kettlebell in one hand).  We are starting to see some success in clearing up some nagging problems (i.e., calf tightness, hip flexor soreness, IT band issues etc...).  This  experiment started after I began experimenting with this issue highlighted by the Gait Guys:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WptxNrj2gCo&feature=player_embedded

About half of runners suffer from a cross over gait problem.  For some runners like me, Morton's toe (2nd toe longer than big toe) compounds this problem.  As a result, this causes excessive pronation.  Running shoe stores will inevitably try to sell you a motion control shoe.  This can actually make the pronation worse.  Think about it.  If you have a cross over run pattern, and your shoe causes your foot to land perfectly flat, this is going to cause more lateral bend at the ankle, essentially pronation.  For many people the  key is working with fixing motion at the hip, not the foot/ankle with special shoes.  Unless the hip is tracking correctly, no running shoe is going to eliminate the pronation.  Many try to fix run cross over with a simple drill.  In this drill you run along a painted stripe in the road and try not to step on the stripe by having your left foot land on the left side of the stripe and your right foot land on the right side of the stripe.  This is OK but if you don't have the strength to sustain this run pattern, this drill will not be productive.

Take a look at the image above.  I want you to notice three things.  One, her foot is landing across the center line (cross over).  Her hip has dropped excessively on the non supportive side (see red line at waist).  Her hip on the support side (see arrow) has moved out laterally.  This is really common and can cause lots of problems, including the problems I mentioned earlier.  What is causing this gait pattern?  Of course the causes can vary.  However, in most cases it is muscle weakness and faulty muscle recruitment patterns.  If the glute medius were contracting hard enough (the muscle that is being pointed to with the red arrow), the leg would abduct (move out laterally) and the red line that bends at the knee would be straight and the foot would land under the hip, instead of over the center line.  Also, the hip on the non support side drops primarily because of lack of core strength.  A stronger glute maximus can also  help stabilize a proper position.  So, the key is activation and strengthening of the glute medius, stronger  glute maximus and core and the ability to coordinate these motions in a gait pattern.  How do we do this?

I like heavy suitcase carries.  I cannot think of a single exercise that targets these three gait issues more directly.  However, the suitcase carry has to be done correctly or it will have little benefit. 

This is a farmer's walk, not a suitcase carry.  It is not bad, but notice the foot crossover pattern and the hip drop on the non  support side (see red lines).  This is the compensation we want to avoid during carries.  To avoid these natural compensations, the carries have to be done deliberately. 

Above is a different, and also very common compensation.  Notice the red lines.  In this case he is leaning away from the load.  This compensation lets the core off the hook and simply shifts your center of gravity so that the weight is more balanced, rather than using your core and glute medius muscles to counteract the load.  We want to avoid this compensation as well. 

Above is a more correct suitcase  carry.  The hips did not drop on the non-support side and have not moved out laterally on the support side.  This is the posture you are looking for during your suitcase carries.

The way to do these is with slow deliberate steps.  As you transition from one leg to another, slowly transfer weight to the front leg, contract the core to keep your non-support hip from dropping, simultaneously contract your glute medius to pull in your support side hip, maintain this muscle tension and  .....slowly....step through and  repeat.  Be sure to switch hands.  After several repetitions, try walking slowly unloaded and repeat this correct gait pattern.  Then transition to slow back and forth jogs, again repeating the correct gait pattern.  This can be done daily.  Once you get  the form and feel for the exercise, begin to load heavy. 

This is not going to fix all run gait related problems.  However, it will likely provide some benefit to almost all runners and for some it will literally transform the way they run and walk.  You don't need any special equipment.  A suitcase will do just as well as a kettlebell or dumbbell! 

You should also include the  additional exercises that I discussed in the "Run Cross Over Gait" post as well. 

TT Certification in Toronto

Hey, I want to thank you for watching my Turbulence Training 10 Million Mission video, and for joining me on our TT Trainer teleseminar back in November of last year, or for using one of my TT Bootcamp programs. Here's a quick update on your next TT Certification opportunities - and the most common reason I was fired as a trainer :). For the first time EVER, there will be a TT

60 Second Diet Trick

Here's a 60-second diet trick that will help you lose fat faster, according to the scientific journal "Nutrition & Metabolism". Simply mix 10 grams of low-carb whey protein (I recommend BioTrust.com) with water and drink before two to three meals every day. The May issue of Men's Health magazine reported that you will lose fat faster when you do this. If you want more diet tricks,

# 1 hip exercise to help you squat and lunge without pain

"This exercise is downright stupid." Yep, that's what top experts, like Mikey Whitfield, Certified Turbulence Trainer, say when I show it to them. But then they use it and realize it is AMAZING. It's called the "SCREACH" - "Spiderman Climb with Reach". It works better than anything else to loosen the hips and help you squat and lunge WITHOUT pain. It's your #1 mobility and warm-up

How to beat sugar addiction

If you're having a panic attack this weekend because of all the junk food that is in your house, from sugary hot cross buns to 18-inch chocolate bunny rabbits then I have very, very good news for you. It's called FREEDOM. Finally, you can be free of sugar cravings and addiction. No more tears, frustration, fat bellies, binges, or embarrassment. Get Sugar Free and overcome sugar

Squats and bench workouts

Back under the bar now that I'm off the toilet. I needed a couple of days on a non-jello diet, too. Oh wait, not sure what I'm talking about? Read this:- http://www.earlytorise.com/my-colonoscopy-and-man-up-challenge-to-you/Now that everything is back to normal, this week's workouts are:#1 - Lower BodyBig total body warm-up1A) Squats1B) Box Jumps - sets of 2, and it wasn't until about the 4th set

Meathead Garage Gym Workout

Awesome workout today. It's been a while since I've trained, due to this weekend's surgery and preparation, so I was glad to let it rip on this one. Started off in the basement using the rafters to do pullups...1A) Pullups1B) Pushups1C) Slamball Slams- 5 rounds2A) Floor Press2B) Powerblock

Superfoods Smoothie

If you want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, your post-workout nutrition needs to be perfect to support your goals. That means getting the right nutrients into your body to help you recover, burn calories, and keep you making progress towards to your fitness goals. Here's a delicious and perfect post-workout smoothie that you can try. It's called "Superfoods Peanut Butter

Smoothie Time (but not for Bally)

If you or anyone you know has an aversion to smoothies, then this mouth-watering recipe is guaranteed to blow them away. I think it's amazing, and I got it from my former neighbor in Toronto, world-famous nutritionist and health guru, Yuri Elkaim. We used to live in the same condo building right beside an amazing dog park in Toronto, but Yuri and his wife had little Chihauhaus that didn't

Personal Trainer Urgent Notice

Imagine this...being given the EXACT blueprint to getting more clients, making more money, having more fun, and getting to hang out with positive people that want to help you succeed. All while doing so in beautiful, sunny, San Diego, California, right on the beach. That's what's going to happen at the 2014 Turbulence Training Summit. The dates are set for June 6-7 in San Diego, California

Farm TRX Workout

Back out on the farm and it's time to hit the TRX.So glad you loved yesterday's killer core training circuit. Using a suspension trainer can get addicting and so I added an ab blasting superset. You're going to love this one, too. It all starts with my NEW favorite #1 ab exercise, the Suspension X-Body Mountain Climber... ...now I know it sounds so simple, but if you do them wrong, you

220 - Age Max Heart Rate Formula is Garbage

The most widely used formula to predict maximum heart rate is 220 - Age (in years).  I am 46, so my predicted max heart rate is 220 - 46 = 174.  As it turns out, this is not a bad estimate for me.  However, this is purely due to coincidence as the ability of that formula to predict max heart rate is pretty poor.  Take a look at the graph below.  This is actual data from a study that measured maximum heart rate (as opposed to predicting it) in a large number of subjects.  Focus on the two dots in the red circles.  The bottom red circled dot represents a 24 year old subject with a measured max heart rate of 173 beats per minute.  We'll call him low max heart rate guy.  The top red circled dot represents another 24 year old subject, but this one has a max heart rate of 210!!  We'll call him high max heart rate guy.

The standard 220-age formula would predict a max heart rate of 196 beats per minute for both of these 24 year olds.  So what is the big deal?  If I am using a standard heart rate training zone system like the one below to establish heart rate training zones for these two individuals, and we are using 220-age to determine max heart rate, both of them are going to have problems!  Let's illustrate:

Zone 2 training is 75-80% max heart rate.

High max heart rate guy:  220-age predicts a max heart rate of 196 beats per minute.  If we use that figure and compute 75-80% we get 147-156 beats per minute.  However, his actual max heart rate is 210 beats per minute so his real zone 2 is 157-168 beats per minute.  If we use 220-age, we don't work him nearly hard enough!

Low max  heart rate guy:  Again, 220-age predicts a max heart rate of 196 beats per minute.  If we use that figure and compute 75-80% we get 147-156 beats per minute.  However, his true max heart rate is 173 beats per minute so his real zone 2 is 121-138 beats per minute.  If we use 220-age, we are working him WAY too hard.  In fact, by using 220-age to predict his max and then applying the zones above, we would be training him in zone 4 instead of zone 2!  Imagine if we had him doing all of his long runs at this incorrect heart rate zone!  It would be a disaster for his training program.

So is there a better formula to use?  No, not really.  All of the formulas that have been developed so far are just about as bad as this one.  The only way to really know your maximum heart rate is to test it.  There are several ways to do this.  Some people use a series of hill repeats, with each done progressively faster and the last one done at an all out max pace.  Your heart rate immediately after the last repeat will be your max heart rate.  This works if the hill repeat takes at least 2-3 minutes, even at the fastest pace.  Other approaches would use progressively faster 1/2 mile repeats on the track to max.  You can do this on the treadmill by starting at an easy pace and increasing the speed by 1 MPH every minute until you simply cannot go any longer.  Incidentally, if you use a 1% grade, you can use my VO2 max chart from a previous post to estimate your VO2 max from this test as well.  You may not reach absolute max heart rate with any of these approaches (due to residual training fatigue) but it will be very close, and much better than any formula. 

Reference:  The surprising history of the HRmax = 220-age equation, Journal of Exercise Physiology, volume 5 (2), 2002, Robergs, R., and Landwehr, R. 

 

Nutrition Plan for Abs

Did you know that the years of eating processed foods, lack of exercise, and normal eating patters have literally PROGRAMMED your body to burn NOTHING but calories and sugars from the foods you consume everyday... ...INSTEAD of burning off your ugly body fat? In fact, today's exercise programs take way too much time and use old-school methods that cause you to crave more food and

Strength, hypertrophy, muscular endurance, power

Below is a graphic that illustrates the current state of knowledge concerning training for these various abilities.  Although this is presented as fixed categories, the reality is that this is a broad continuum.  There is a significant "bleed over" from one category to another.  However, these variables are often employed as shown below in designing periodized training programs that focus on a single fitness component for one training block at a time.  For example, a football conditioning program may focus on hypertrophy early in the off season, followed by a strength block, and finally a muscular power block right before the season.  In season may be a combination of muscular strength and muscular power.  This is classic linear periodization.  A non-linear periodized approach may combine several of these fitness components in a single week.  For example, Monday might have a hypertrophy focus, Wednesday a strength focus, and Friday a muscular power focus.  Non-linear periodization is more appropriate for athletes who do not have a fixed competitive season (i.e., tactical athletes).  Both linear and non-linear periodization can be effective. 

Note:  Core = primary lifts like squats or deadlifts.  Assistance = accessory lifts like curls or calf raises.  Power = explosive lifts like cleans or snatch.

7 day plan for ripped abs

As a fat loss expert, it's not very often that I come across a legitimate, science based method that can quickly "target" lower belly and abdomen fat. That's why I wanted to make sure you saw this brand new approach, which takes only 12 minutes, that deals specifically with this very topic. In the short article below, my colleagues and America's "Most-Fit" Health &

4 Week Fat Burner

This is a modification of coach Dan John's 10,000 swing workout.  I did this with my wife over the Christmas holiday as a way to minimize holiday damage.  The conditioning effect was significant.  My heart rate recovery improved tremendously during this time.  I added 6 inches to my long jump, 30 pounds to my hip hinge strength, and 30 lbs of force to my grip strength.  My wife went from 22% to 16% bodyfat.  It was a great way to spend those cold, dark days of winter.  It would also make a nice kick start to a pre-summer fat loss plan. 

Don't underestimate the impact of this volume though.  There is a 2-4 week lead in period.  If you are not doing swings regularly, do the lead in workout or you will regret it!  Take good care of you hands.  That was the most difficult part of the 4 weeks.  It was a daily task to keep my hands in good shape.  It was worth it though. 


P.S.  Here is a little secret.  This workout is not really about fat loss, although many people have that experience.  The primary purpose of this workout is repetition and patterning of the hip hinge movement, along with training the usually neglected hamstrings and glutes.  I credit this workout with finally fixing my deadlift.  Pay attention to the swing form and you may have a similar experience.

Weekend workouts

Trained upper body push and pull at a 24-Hour Fitness yesterday after Day 1 of the TT Certification.Bench, Pullups, DB press, chest supported row, and V-grip pulldowns.This morning, a quick garage gym at Bedros Keuilian's (I'll take a photo of his sweet set-up), and then I have a flight to Denver.Last night, Bedros and his wife cooked for Dani, Kate, myself, and Cara Eckerman, CTT. It was a

Breakfast

-- Craig Ballantyne, CTTCertified Turbulence Trainerwww.TurbulenceTrainingFanpage.com

Squatting Cues

Squatting correctly is really simple.  All you need are 4 cues.  Focus on each one of these unloaded first.  Then when that feels good, move to goblet squats.  Finally, move to barbell squats.

1.  Weight on the heels.
2.  Shins vertical.
3.  Sit back into it.
4.  Knees out.

He has it all figured out without even thinking about it! 

Most people are going to mess up cues #1 and #2 above.  If you feel unbalanced or like you are going to topple over forward, go back to the first two cues. 

Diet Mistake

Last night I made a big diet mistake. I had dinner at the awesome Hamamori Sushi restaurant in the fancy-schmancy South Coast Plaza here in Costa Mesa. Here's what I ate. Can you spot the problem? Look carefully... So many chemicals in the fish, I'm sure! Who knows how much Fukushima fallout was in the tuna, how much mercury was in the salmon, and in the octopus and shrimp?

Another 20 minute garage circuit

there are almost zero reasons I would ever have someone use a machine over a bodyweight or dumbbell alternative. Here are a few 7-minute circuit workouts you should use instead (do each repetition with a slow and controlled pace): Beginner 1) Lying Hip Extension � 30 seconds 2) Plank � 30 seconds 3) Beginner Bodyweight Row � 30 seconds 4) 1-Leg Lying Hip Extension or Stability Ball Leg Curl � 30

Running Cross Over Gait

This is a great video explaining the biomechanics that can cause cross over gait. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WptxNrj2gCo&feature=player_embedded

The resistance tube lateral walk, and the suitcase carry exercises below, using the biomechanics discussed in the video, would be excellent choices to start correcting this issue.  Adding some glute bridging would also be a good choice. 

Resistance tube lateral walk

Suitcase Carry

Glute Bridge

Plank

The Plank - You are Doing it Wrong

I am in the position to see hundreds of people do planks on a regular basis.  More than half tend to do this simple exercise wrong, completely negating the positive benefit.  It is all about hip control and the ability to stabilize the pelvis in a neutral position.  Most people take a lazy approach due to core weakness or a poor core stabilization pattern.  As a result, the exercise becomes useless and only serves to reinforce poor movement and muscle recruitment patterns.  The image below is from an article by Laura Williams (http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/991097/6-exercises-you-are-doing-wrong).  The two images at the bottom illustrate what I most commonly see.  I have added the yellow lines to illustrate what I am trying to explain.  In this case, the core muscles must engage to rotate the top of the pelvis back (posterior tilt) in order to achieve the proper alignment (top picture).  If the core is too weak to engage, or if the person has a faulty muscle recruitment pattern, the top of the pelvis will rotate forward.  In the bottom picture on the left, the pelvis has rotated forward (anterior pelvic tilt) and now all of the stabilization in the plank is being done by the passive structures of the spine (ouch!).  In the picture on the bottom right, the pelvis is rotated forward, but instead of using the spine to stabilize, the rear is lifted in the air in order to maintain the anterior tilt of the pelvis.  Both of these are common compensations in the plank position for someone with a weak core or poor core stabilization pattern.  In the properly performed plank, the key is to rotate the pelvis posteriorly by engaging the abs, keeping the back flat as in the top picture.  Incidentally, the two compensations you see in the bottom are often repeated in sit-ups, squatting, deadlifts, push-ups, walking running etc...

 

Endurance Training and Racing Zones

This is a "Rosetta Stone" type of document that lets you translate from one training zone system to another.  It also provides reasonable guidance on heart rate zones for training and racing (run and triathlon).  This is based on your maximum heart rate.  There is no formula to predict your max heart rate.  You have to test it.  If you have a heart rate monitor you can do this easily at the track.  Do a nice and easy 10 minute warm up.  Then, do 1/4 mile moderately hard, followed immediately by 1/4 mile hard, then immediately by 1/4 mile as hard as you can (all out).  Check your heart rate as you cross the line.  The max value you see is going to be a very good estimate of your max heart rate.   I have put this document together from my own lab testing and experience, as well as from other sources on the web (Endurance Corner, Dr. Stephen Seiler).  I hope you find it useful.