If you aren't familiar with the term "Live Long and Prosper", then you are probably too cool to be reading my blog. Yeah I'm a Star Trek geek, but not one of those guys who dresses up as Captain Kirk. In this article I'm going to talk about the importance of doing movements that require you to move your body as resistance, not just lifting a weight. While a pushup looks like it works the same muscles as a bench press, they provide a different type of resistance. Also, running in place on a treadmill is different than propelling your body over the ground. “You can’t win, Darth. Strike me down, and I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.” Ooops, wrong movie!
[I am seriously excited to see the new Star Trek movie. I want to see it opening night with fans who get dressed up. Movies are much better with an enthusiastic crowd!]
I used to think I was in outstanding shape. I can go into any gym and lift impressive weights for my size and I look like a Ninja Master on the treadmill. I can run a few miles in a decent period of time, I don't have any noticeable body fat, etc. That was until I explored the world of bodyweight circuits. My 20+ years of consistent lifting and intense cardio, have not prepared me at all for the intense torture called Bodyweight Circuits.
[This is the exact workout I have been doing in my apartment 3 times per week. I thought this would be a piece of cake...heck it looks like the type of training I did in Junior High!]
So I rented a pretty bad movie the other night, called Never Back Down. It had terrible acting and cheesy lines, yet I was completely entertained. I am a sucker for movies where a guy gets beat down and then trains hard to learn some fancy fighting technique. I prefer it when they go to the mountains or jungle and use extreme training techniques with a "master". In the movie Kick Boxer, Van Damme had raw meat tied to his legs and had to run away from German Shepherds…now that is the type of corny action I get into!
Cam Gigandet – Also Has a Big Role in the movie Twilight
Okay back to Cam Gigandet in Never Back Down. The guy is seriously conditioned! This is the type of look that many guys would aim for and believe me…women dig this guy and his physique. The ironic thing is that the mainstream bodybuilding sites tear guys up in the forums for asking how to achieve this type of look (which is one of the reasons I was driven to create this site in the first place). I guess I think the ideal look for men is to be slim and in good shape, while still looking great in clothes…and women to be in great shape while still looking like women (kind of like the men and women in James Bond movies).
In Part 1 of this Turbulence Training overview, I outlined how Craig came up with this extremely time efficient fat loss workout back in graduate school. I also talked about my misconceptions about how this workout worked, who it was geared toward, etc. Here is the part where I ask Craig some questions. I am very grateful that he took time out his busy schedule to give some detailed answers. I will also give women a link to get his report on "Burning Stubborn Female Fat" & guys a link where they can download a way to "Burn Fat and Retain Muscle" at home with only dumbbells and bodyweight.
[In this video above, Craig shows how to do bodyweight butt exercises. He goes from the least advanced to most advanced movements. At the end he explains how to do different variations. Click the video above and you will be taken to a page with quite a few of his instructional videos. Great info!]
Time For the Questions and Answers…
Question 1: Is This Workout Great for Women Who Want the Sleek "Hollywood Look" (Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, etc.)? [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]
You may or may not have heard of Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. I remember reading about it a few years back and kind of shrugged it off as a workout for beginners. I figured such a brief workout wouldn't work for someone like myself who has lifted for over 20 years. I was wrong! As a matter of fact, Craig has case study after case study of advanced athletes achieving ultra-high levels of conditioning with Turbulence Training.
Craig Ballantyne – Ripped Year Round From Brief Workouts
Here is a recent picture of Craig with his dog. I always tell people to take advice from people who are actually in great shape.
Craig works out 3-4 times per week and uses extremely brief 30-40 minute workouts to stay in great shape.
This will be a 2 part post. In part one, I'll explain a bit about Turbulence Training and why it works so well. In part two, Craig answers specific questions I asked him last week about his workout principles. A great program for the lean Hollywood look.
I hit my gym around 3-4 times per week, for about 45-60 minutes these days. What is funny is that I see a regular group of men and women who seem to be hanging out and working out for 2 hours at a time. There isn't a sense of urgency in their workouts and as a result, they aren't in very good shape and never experience any fat loss. How can someone spend so much time working out and get such poor results?
[When I can't find a suitable picture, I default to a picture of an attractive woman. Sorry, you won't find too many gym shots on the blog...I think people should workout to look great outside of the gym, so that is what I'd rather highlight.]
I'm going to get completely real with you in this post. It is summer and my workout program has been kind of lame. I'm not apologizing, because life happens. I just don't want anyone to think I'm some workout machine who never skips workouts. The point of my site is to discuss getting and staying in tremendous shape, while leading a full life. At times your life will be so busy that workouts will have to be cut back for a period of time. I'm going through one of those times and would like to discuss it with you. I also want to discuss why I will stop this from turning into a yo-yo diet.
[I day dream about napping on hammocks all day long. I rarely get to nap or slow down these days, so this looks amazing to me!]
