#1 New Year's Resolution Fixed

If you're anything like me, then you're really excited about the fresh start that every January 1st offers...it's the perfect time to forget about past mistakes, and to forgive ourselves, and most important, to look ahead at how amazing this year will be for us. But here's the #1 mistake you are probably making... Let me explain in Part 2 of my personal New Year's message to you. It helps

The Fifth Movement, The Key to Tactical Strength

Strength training is essentially loaded movement.  A complete strength training program will include all of the basic fundamental movement patterns.  Strength and conditioning coach Dan John likes to classify the fundamental human movements into the following categories: 

1. push
2. pull
3. squat
4. hip hinge
5. fifth movement.  

The fifth movement is a bit undefined because it varies considerably.  Dan John sometimes calls the fifth movement �everything else.�  Sometimes it consists of loaded carries, or pushing a sled, maybe ab wheel roll outs.  Dan sometimes refers to it as �everything else.�  This is because there are so many different types of movements that are possible that it becomes hard to characterize.  People do OK with understanding the first four movements but there is often considerable confusion about the fifth movement.  I would like to lay out my idea of what the fifth movement consists of and why it is so important for tactical athletes. 

I initially replaced �fifth movement� with �core� but that word did not really suffice.  There was more to it than that.  When I thought carefully about what I would include as a �fifth movement� the list could simply be described as exercises that involved, �the dynamic transfer of force from upper body to lower body or vice versa, through a rigid core.�  The plank is an exercise where force is transferred from upper to lower (and vice versa), but it is static.  It fits our definition OK but not entirely.  An ab wheel rollout is a dynamic version of the plank and is a great example of a fifth movement.  Sprinting fits the definition of fifth movement OK but sprinting while pushing a prowler sled fits it even better.  Other great examples are:

Turkish Getups

Sled push

Loaded carries

Rucking

Chops

Sledge hammer work

Overhead squats

Throws

Punching a heavy bag

Paddleboarding

Windmills

There are many, many more.  Fifth movement exercises are dynamic and athletic.  As a result, they are great for building the type of strength that transfers outside of the gym to a variety of activities.  If your goal is performance outside of the gym, the fifth movement is the key.  n fact, one way to think about your strength program is that you use the first four movements to get better at fifth movement exercises.  Read that again.  It is that important (and under utilized).  In fact, most people skip the fifth movement exercises.  This is backwards.  If you are really time constrained and have to cut something out, don�t cut out the most important part!  A program of nothing but fifth movement exercises would be an effective strength and conditioning program, but the opposite is not true.  If you only do the first four, you will have a gap in your strength program and real world performance is likely to suffer.  If all you did were a variety of fifth movement exercises, you might not be quite as strong, but you would not have a large gap in your strength.  You would have good, usable strength.  Because fifth movement exercises are whole body exercises, they are really hard and make great metabolic conditioning exercises.  A typical workout might include the first four movements, followed by 5-15 minutes of fifth movement work.  If you only had 15 minutes to train, you could get an effective workout with 15 minutes of fifth movement exercises.

Based on the discussion above, I am dropping the term �fifth movement� if favor of �dynamic core force transfer.�  It is a bit long, but it gets the point across. 

In summary:

1. Fifth movement consists of dynamic core force transfer exercises.

2. The purpose of the first four movements is to make you better at dynamic core force transfer.

3. Dynamic core force transfer exercises are the most important movement if performance outside of the gym is the goal. 

Caching and Streaking

Had a smooth flight to Tampa yesterday and rolled up to Joel Marion's house around 4:30pm after a trip to Whole Foods. That's when I got my trunk.My what?My Travel Caching Trunk.One of my business partners, Matt Smith, bought me 3 Travel Caching Trunks for Christmas. You can read about the idea here:http://fourhourworkweek.com/2014/08/08/carryon-luggage/One trunk will be stored in Denver,

2015 New Year's Message for You

You need to hear this. This is a big moment for you. It's your chance to wipe the slate clean and to have one of your greatest years ever. A chance for a FRESH start. 2015 starts now and I want to help you make the most of it. Tonight, tomorrow, and frankly all of 2015 will bring temptations. So what are we to do? You need a little tough love to get you through...and I'm happy to give it to

1-Day Cleanse Solution

Forgot what you've read about 10-day lemonade cleanses, 7-day detoxes with green juices and Gwyneth's gruel. All you need to do, and this is perfect for tomorrow or even today, is a simple 1-day cleanse. You only need 24 hours, and better yet, you still get to eat real food every day. You don't have to go hungry, or 'live out of a juicer' for days while the rest of your family eats dinner or

Sunday Squats and Tampa Training

Time for some Tampa Turbulence Training down at Joel Marion's house. Starting Wednesday. But first, a trip to Toronto today and then the flight down to Tampa tomorrow. Yesterday I hit the gym for Sunday squats and some 1-Minute Challenge workouts.1A) Squat1B) Prisoner Squat Jump2A) Barbell Lunges 2B) Cable Abs3A) Good Morning3B) 1-Minute Challenges - Like # of TBX's in a minute (54) and a few

Bulletproof Bally Tea and Garage Gym training

This morning I tried to create Ballantyne Bulletproof Tea. From what I understand, the creator of Bulletproof Coffee first tried a Tibetan tea with yak butter before returning to America and translating the recipe to include coffee. It has, of course, spawned a worldwide phenomenon. The creator now has a book out with Rodale. He said he had many failures before stumbling across the right

Simple Tactical Fitness Template Based on Simple and Sinister

Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Blake Midnight 

First of all, buy Simple and Sinister by Pavel.  You can get the e-copy for $10.  It is worth it.  The basis of Simple and Sinister is the one arm kettlebell swing and Turkish Getups.  In this simple tactical template, this serves as the base of the program.  It is a one stop shop for conditioning, grip strength, core strength, bulletproof shoulders, and lower back stability/strength.  That is a lot of "bang for the buck" for only 2 exercises.  If all you did were these 2 exercises and you got really good at them, you would be awesome and more physically capable than the vast majority of the population, even fellow tactical athletes.  However, adding some simple strength "grinds" can really add a new dimension to this template.  Here is how I lay it out:

Monday: Simple and Sinister (SS), push 5 X 5
Tuesday: AM: SS, pull 5 X 5  PM: ruck
Wednesday: SS, squat 5 X 5
Thursday: AM: SS, push 5 X 5  PM ruck
Friday: SS, pull 5 X 5
Saturday: run or ruck 1-2 hours
Sunday: rest

Mix up the pushing and pulling, using a variety of exercises.  Try different pull-up grips, rows, body rows, and one arm presses, weighted push ups, dips, press, KB overhead press, handstand push ups, and split squats, goblet squats, front squats, lunges, box squats etc....  Go heavy for sets across (google it).   If you can manage the simple and sinister workout with a 70lb kettlebell (better yet and 80 or 90), you have all of the strength you need as a tactical athlete and any other strength accomplishments are largely irrelevant.  If time is short, just do the SS part.  The SS part of this template is the base, the  foundation, and is the most important part.  It is the cake, the rest is icing on the cake.  This is just another way to achieve the kind of sustainable fitness program that covers all bases for the tactical athlete.  It is based on the same fundamental principles as The Tactical Template (see Tactical Training Template link on the right side of the home page).  The keys are sustainable (most important!) and complete.  If you want to last, you cannot jack hammer your way to fitness.  You have to gently nudge your body there, bit by bit, until you reach a really high  level.

Change today and win my money!

If you have fallen "off the wagon" this week, here's the BEST advice: Cut your losses, don't worry about it, and get back on track. Immediately. Any mistake is simply minor damage that can be dealt with. Everyone eats & drinks too much this week (I know Bally the Dog sure did!). But you can't let one day or even one week turn into three months of bad habits...so let's get back on track

Plan, Shop, & Prepare This Meal Plan

I want you to plan, shop, and prepare for day 1 of the contest. Skip your workout if necessary and do this instead � it's THAT important. I don't just mean planning what you are going to eat for dinner. I mean planning what you are going to eat for every meal for the next 2 weeks. Don't tell me that's too hard. Most people with lean, sexy bodies stick to a similar diet for 90% of

1-minute fat burners

The NY Times recently reported that a "lovely new study found that a single-minute of intense exercise improves health & fitness". Of course, that study needed a fancy bike that you can only find in research labs, but we can take the findings and give you a bodyweight substitution. Here are your 1-Minute workout options for the holidays. When you are feeling stressed, when you need an

Awesome Upper Body Workout and Maximus Fun

Wow. This was a pleasant surprise. Certainly now that it's over. It was a shock while I was doing it. But this workout is a keeper. Can't wait to share it with J-Roc, TT Client of the Year. He's my #1 guinea pig, but I want YOU to try this out as well, and let me know what you think.The KB-BW Upper Body GauntletPushup max � 90 secondsPull-up max � 60 seconds1-Arm KB Press � 12, 3x5, 15 (use

How to get ripped abs

T'is the season to kick-back and do some things I do NOT normally do, such as watching TV and having a few treats. As I was flipping between football and hockey, I stumbled across 6-pack abs that made me sit up and take note. Turns out we were watching one of those Fighter-Training shows, and I was shocked at how RIPPED these fighters were - even though their diet was terrible...after

Deadlift and Surprise Guest at the Gym

Had a fun Sunday morning workout at the local YMCA. They gym was empty except for two of Stratford's most popular native sons.1) Ol' CB - 233,000 like on Facebook2) Justin Bieber - a bazillion likes on FacebookBieber was with his dad, and they were only in the gym for a few minutes before heading to the basketball court. If only Mikey "Pancakes are better than Biebers" Whitfield was there, he and

1 Answer for the Same Weight Loss Question

Today I did 2 good QnA sessions on the TT and ETR FB pages. Please check them out.Lessons from the TT version...This QnA shows what is on the mind of so many readers..."how to lose weight with cardio?" It's the same question asked 4 different ways below...and it deserves the same answer. Amazingly, so many people still believe that cardio is the answer...but the real answer, while simple, has

7 Days Left

There are 7 days left in the most wonderful time of the year, and I want you to have a very Merry Christmas.And then on December 26th, it starts.The 22nd TT Transformation Contest.Details => http://transformationcontest.com/rules.shtmlWhy would you wait till New Year's Day?If you get started on Dec. 26th, or as we call it here in Canada, "Boxing Day", you'll be ahead of the game and closer to

Squats and 10 Minute Bodyweight Circuits

Today I had an internal debate about going to the gym and squatting or taking the easy way out and staying home for a metabolic circuit of kettlebell and bodyweight exercises. The circuit would have been less stressful. No traffic. No having to watch silly people do silly exercises that make me shake my head. No jockeying for equipment at the gym (it was a long wait for the squat rack today)

#1 WORST food for your skin, joints & blood sugar

I have an important HOLIDAY time-sensitive article for you today that is a MUST-READ if you want to protect your skin, organs, muscles, and joints from aging during the busy holiday season... We're going to show you the #1 worst food (marketed as "healthy") that harms your blood sugar levels, and how this also ages your body faster. You might even be eating this food every day, so it's

Best. Workout. Ever. Period.

Readers always ask me, "Ol' Craiggy, if you were stranded on a deserted island with only have one piece of equipment, what would you choose?" The answer is that equipment doesn't matter at all. Because as long as I have my bodyweight and my extensive collection of NO-equipment exercises and workouts, I can stay lean and have ripped abs forever. It doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter

Female Fat Loss Over 40

Women's Health magazine has just put me in charge of an intense new project. I'll be reviewing the diet and workout programs of five women over the age of 40 to identify why they are NOT getting results. Then I'll be fixing their programs to help them lose weight and fix their trouble spots. It's like Restaurant Makeover, but for fat loss. ;) Unlike most male trainers, or perky new female

Saturday Deadlifting and Delicious Bread

Let's start with a big thank you to Diana Keuilian. Her recipe for coconut bread made my Saturday morning. After a sleep in (till 4:30am!), a couple of hours of work, meditation, and a dog walk, it was time for breakfast. I made a simple blender drink of spinach, a banana, and creatine

10 minute muscle builders

If you are short on time, space, equipment, or anything else that we are short on at this time of year, then you're going to love these quick and easy 2-exercise workouts. I even have a few muscle-building 10- minute 2-exercise workouts for you below. But first, how to tighten your arms and butt... The Bodyweight Fat Blaster to Tighten Your Arms 1) Total Body Extensions (or Burpees) - 30

3 ways to fix metabolism in 3 days

It's no surprise that women ask this question EVERY day: "Is there anything I can do to fix my slow metabolism? Should I do more cardio?" The answers are: 1) YES! and 2) NO! You never need to do cardio again. Instead, follow these three rules - courtesy of Shawna Kaminski, Master Certified Turbulence Trainer. Her secrets will FIX your slow metabolism in just 3 days. And when you do that,

5 best carbs?

If you've been told you need to avoid carbs to get a flat belly, you've been LIED to. In fact, if you want to lose the MOST weight, you MUST eat carbs... but the trick is knowing which carbs fuel your fat-burning metabolism, and those that you must AVOID to stave off unwanted belly fat. Fortunately, my good friend and certified nutritionist Joel Marion just wrote a brand new free report that

One Minute Workout from the New York Times

Interesting day on the workout development scene. First, a big announcement.HWR 2.0 is coming soon! During our Quarterly Planning we prioritized a new workout video series. We will be filming new videos in January in Denver and are looking at a Ballantyne's Day release in February. There will be 25 bodyweight workouts plus 6 new ab workouts and maybe a few other bonus programs. Stay tuned...

TFT and Squat Update

After an amazing Toys for Tots weekend, it's time to head home to Toronto. So far we've bought over $110,000 worth of toys and we are leaving online donations open for a few more days. We still plan on hitting $125,000 by Friday, December 12th.Here I am with Team BioTrust (Josh & Kim) at our Toys for Tots Drive today in Denver. We filled up two big trucks thanks to you! The Hello Kitty bake

Cookies!

Whoohoo! Thanks to you, our team was able to buy thousands and thousands of gifts for needy kids at our 3rd annual Toys for Tots event today. (I posted a few pics on the TT Facebook page). Thank YOU so much for your support. After walking around the stores for hours, I was hungry. So I treated myself to one of Diana Keuilian's delicious treats. And you can make some for tonight if you

Biotrust and ETR at Toys for Tots