Top 10 Reasons You Must Get Started Today

Well, the big day is here!

I hope you have a safe, happy, and healthy New Year's planned and that you are ready to make 2010 your best year ever.

I promise to help YOU every step of the way!

In the spirit of the New Year's countdown, fat loss expert Craig Ballantyne wanted me to share with you the top 10 reasons you need to get started with Turbulence Training before the 50% off sale ENDS on Friday, January 1st, at 9pm, EST.

#10 - You need to lose that holiday fat and the Turbulence Training workouts are PROVEN to do that - just take a look at all of the amazing success stories and winners of the TT Transformation Contest

(That could be YOU in just a few short weeks...)

#9 - You get TWO bonus AB Workouts when you become a TT Member, including the classic "TT for Lower Abs" that includes advanced exercises that work the insertion of the internal obliques - commonly referred to as the lower ab area.

#8 - No more long, slow, boring cardio...EVER.

#7 - You'll be able to watch all of the TT for Fat Loss workouts on video in the Member's area to see perfect form for all exercises.

#6 - You'll get bonus reports including "Expert Transformation Secrets" and the motivational "Mastering the Fat Loss Mindset".

Ready to get started? Click here to get Turbulence Training and all the bonuses for 50% off.

#5 - In addition to the monthly TT Workouts, you'll also get access to the Advanced TT for Abs Nutrition program from Isabel De Los Rios.

#4 - You'll be given amazing social support from other men and women from all over the world who share your struggles and who have made amazing fat loss transformations even though they have busy jobs and big families and many other obstacles to work around.

#3 - In the TT Member's forum, you'll get step by step guides and help from other members on how to dominate your body transformation and possibly even win the $1000 grand prize for men or women.

#2 - You'll get 50% off the complete Turbulence Training for Fat Loss package, used by over 11,261 TT Members and millions of readers of Men's Health, Women's Health, Men's Fitness, and Prevention magazines.

#1 - You'll get all of your workout and nutrition questions answered by fitness expert Craig Ballantyne on the forum, often within just hours or even minutes of you posting your questions.

PLUS...it's guaranteed that you will 100% love everything about the Turbulence Training program and the TT Member's area or you can just let Craig know and he'll give you a full refund within 60 days.

There's no risk to you to get started with TT.

I promise you'll love it.

Ready to get started?

Happy New Year!

Here's to your best year ever.

Turbulence Training 50% Off Sale Starts Today

Wow, I just heard from fat loss expert Craig Ballantyne and he is
kicking off his 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest by
having his FIRST EVER 50% off sale on his world-wide best selling
program, Turbulence Training.

Plus, you can win up to $1000 in the Transformation Contest just for
losing your belly fat, so here are 3 amazing reasons to get started
with Turbulence Training today.

Reason #1 - Turbulence Training is guaranteed to help you lose fat
(and you get a 60-day guarantee so you can try out the program for
2 months to judge for yourself).

Reason #2 - In the 7th TT Transformation Contest, the winners of the
male and female divisions get $1000 cash PLUS a 3-year Platinum
Turbulence Training Membership. It could be YOU!

Reason #3 - The most important reason to get started with Turbulence
Training immediately is the fact that it's on sale for the FIRST
time ever. Until Friday, January 1st at 9pm, EST, the price has been
slashed by 50% in order to get as many people as possible started on
their Turbulence Training Body Transformation.

So here's what you need to do now:

1) Click here for Turbulence Training

2) Click on the Get Started Link under the Big Yellow Start Button

3) Download your copy of Turbulence Training and all of the workout
bonuses and start using the workouts and nutrition advice today to
lose that holiday blubber and get a headstart on your New Year's fat
loss program.

4) Create your username and password for the TT Member's area.

5) Post any personal workout and nutrition questions on the TT forum
and Craig Ballantyne will answer those for you within hours.

That's all you have to do to get started losing fat today!

But hurry, the 50% Turbulence Training sale is only available until
Friday, January 1st.

Click here to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime sale.

It's the perfect way to start your body transformation and kick-off
the New Year to make 2010 your best year ever!

(And you could win up to $1000 in the Transformation Contest!)


PS - The 50% Off Sale Ends Friday, January 1st at 9pm EST.

Please don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to lose fat for
good - without doing long, slow, boring cardio workouts.

That means you won't have to wait in line at the gym to do cardio
when everyone goes back to the gym as a New Year's resolution.

Click here to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime sale.

This is going to be your BEST YEAR EVER! You deserve it.

Can You Believe These Transformations?

The amazing finalists for the 6th Turbulence Training Transformation
Contest have been announced and you just have to see these amazing
fat loss success stories.

These guys and gals got incredible results...and now you can cast
your vote for the winner of the $1000 Grand Prize for men and women.

Some folks lost belly fat, others got six pack abs, and some guys
and gals even got down to single-digit body fat after using the
Turbulence Training workouts.

Click here to vote for the best success story.

Congratulations to everyone, and I truly believe that you can get
those results too with Turbulence Training.

Who knows, it might even be you who wins the $1000 grand prize in
the 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest that starts on
Sunday, December 27th, right after Christmas.

In the meantime, get inspired by these amazing men and women and
cast your vote to show your appreciation of all their hard work.

Please vote for the amazing finalists here before Friday at 9pm, EST.

And stay tuned for details on the 7th TT contest coming soon.

It starts right after Christmas, and it could be your chance to win
$1000 just for losing your belly fat and transforming your body.

Get Leaner While Others Pack On Holiday Pounds???

A few days ago, fat loss author/expert Tom Venuto issued a bold challenge to hundreds of thousands of people...

Basically, he "called them out," (but in a motivating sort of way, that is).

Tom was making an announcement about a new type of fitness transformation challenge contest that will run - get this - through ALL the holidays:

Thankgiving (US), Christmas and New Years.

He actually suggested that now is the BEST time to transform your body and that procrastinating until New Year's is a pointless waste of time. If you wanted a better body, why wait, right?

He also said that he thinks its downright "neurotic" to believe that you can't get leaner AND enjoy holiday food at the same time.

According to Tom, that is a catastrophic form of "EITHER / OR THINKING" which leads many people to procrastination or self-sabotage.

You can read more of Tom's "call to action."

To say there was a "response" would be an understatement...

Tom's blog had something like 500 comments on it when he first issued this challenge and he hasn't even opened the contest registration yet.

He also hasn't released the prize package list yet, but rumor has it, he is sending the overall winners somewhere tropical... a warm place to show off a hot new body in the dead of winter! Nice.

But if it wasn't the prizes, what created all the buzz, then?

Well, Tom simply asked two questions in his challenge announcement:

(1) "Are you concerned about dealing with holiday food and
drink temptations that might lead you to become one of
the "holiday fat gain" statistics?"

(2) "If so.... DO YOU ACCEPT MY CHALLENGE TO GET IN BETTER
SHAPE OVER THE HOLIDAYS?"

Hundreds upon hundreds of people raised their hands and said, "YES, I accept the challenge!"

It became clear that what people need more than "another diet program" is MOTIVATION.... INSPIRATION... and a REASON WHY to get up, move, and change the things that need improving.

By providing a goal (a contest), a source of motivation (prizes and recognition), accountability (A forum with THOUSANDS of like-minded fitness enthusiasts to help
you along) and expert advice (a place with coaching and education resources), THAT combination was the trigger that had so many people say YES to this challenge.

Maybe, if you too say "YES, I accept your challenge," a fitness competition during the holidays could be an event that not only keeps you from gaining fat from the
season's indulgences, but could inspire and motivate you to achieve your best shape of the year, or even the best shape of your life.

I can tell you this: I've heard it myself from a lot of people; it's reward enough to get through the "holidaze" in better shape than you began them; winning would just
be the icing on the cake.

I agree. And I believe you CAN do it NOW - DURING the holidays - while enjoying the food and festivities (with balance and moderation), and you will NOT be
one of the procrastinators who say, "I'll start after New Year's day."

Tom's Burn The Fat Inner Circle Will be "CONTEST CENTRAL."

He just opened up a new challenge forum where ALL contestants and members will converge to post their before/after results, post their journals and all support each other towards an incredible "50-DAY-BURN!"

If you want to be a part of online fitness history and become a contestant in the first-ever 50 Day Burn The Fat Holiday Challenge, you will be instantly eligible for
the contest and get access to the challenge forum when you join the inner circle.

Another way to get started: Read (or Re-Read) Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle.

If you don't have this ebook yet, this is the classic manual that many people call the "bible of fat loss" - it's a virtual roadmap for how to eat, train and get
motivated to win a transformation contest or, simply get yourself in the best shape of your life.

Anyone who already owns Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is automatically eligible to enter the contest, with no other purchase required.

Registration for the contest will open at the Burn The Fat Inner Circle on Thursday, November 19th. There may be some restrictions and the contest is void where prohibited by state or country law.

More details are coming soon.

You can read Tom's Holiday Fitness Challenge call to arms, and get on the notification list about the contest prizes, rules and instructions here.

To your best body transformation, while enjoying the Food and festivities of the holidays at the same time!

6-Figure Bodyweight Exercise Bootcamp System

It doesn't matter where you live or what your religion, we are now
hitting that "giving thanks" and "looking forward to 2010" time of
year.

And to give thanks and help you look forward to running even more
profitable bootcamps in 2010 - or if you simply want NO-equipment,
bodyweight-only workouts you can do anytime, anywhere...

Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne is having a "Giving Thanks" holiday
sale on his TT Bootcamp bodyweight workouts this week.

(Plus, for personal trainers, you'll also get powerful techniques to
fill your bootcamp with raving fans and new clients.)

The workouts are proven and the marketing strategies are guaranteed.

You'll discover...

Over 21 no-equipment workouts that you can just "Plug and Play" to
help your clients - or YOU - to burn belly fat - giving you more time
and energy to devote to making your classes exciting, fun, and
unforgettable.

This Workout & Marketing Bootcamp Package is GUARANTEED to help you
make more money and get your clients more results.

And for the next 3 days, until 9pm EST on Wednesday, November 18th,
2009, you'll save $30 by taking advantage of this "Giving Thanks
for 2009 and Kick-Starting 2010" Bootcamp Holiday Sale.

Why the sale?

Because Craig has heard from so many trainers who are struggling in
today's economy with so many of their former clients "cutting back
sessions" or dropping out altogether.

But there IS a solution - and so I want to help YOU out by showing
you that you can even build a year-round 6-FIGURE business by doing
bootcamps only a few hours per week.

That's why Craig teamed up with Bootcamp Marketing experts, BJ Gaddour
and Greg Justice, to get their marketing secrets and combined them
with his done-for-you, no-equipment bodyweight bootcamp workouts.

The end result?

More results in less time for YOU and your clients.

You'll get a step-by-step marketing plan for FILLING your bootcamps
with clients who will immediately become raving fans.

But hurry, the "Giving Thanks and Getting Kick-Started Sale" ends
Wednesday, November 18th, at 9pm, and then the package goes back up
to $97.

PS - Don't forget...

The TT Bootcamp program has a 60-day guarantee. If you aren't 100%
satisfied, just let Craig know and you'll get every penny back.

The TT Bootcamp program is a proven AND guaranteed system for success.

The One Habit Approach

Have you ever missed out on accomplishing a goal or task because you were overwhelmed? Maybe you had too much information to sort through or tried to do to much at once.

If so, this week's Precision Nutrition newsletter shares a powerful principle - one that can increase your chances of success.

And not just a little. If you apply the principles discussed here, your chances will skyrocket from less than 35% to greater than 80%.

That's the difference between: "maybe this will work" and "this is totally gonna happen."

Click here to learn about the "one habit" approach.

Lifting w/ the vampires

I had to modify my schedule on Monday to drop my daughter off before work. That meant no training session that morning, but no big deal b/c I would just go that night. It had been a while since the last time that I trained at night, so I was actually cool with the idea. Sometimes it can be fun to mix thing up.

Around 7pm though, I was starting to think that going to the gym was not such a good idea. I had a shake and a piece of fruit, and for some reason this didn't make my stomach happy. Nothing serious, just some discomfort. So I got my son settled for the evening and made it to the gym around 9:15. I got amped up for the gym but my stomach was still feeling a little strange. It got worse as I trained and I ended up getting some serious knots in my stomach. I fought through it and finished my training session, but it was not fun.

DB Incline press 40 x 8 x 2, 40 x 6,6,5
DB Row 40 x 8 x 2, 40 x 6,6,6
Pullups BWT x 9,6,5
Dips BWT x 16,8,8
DB Triceps Ext 25 x 8,8,8
DB Curls 25 x 10,8
EZ Bar Culrs 45 x 10,10

Looking forward to going back to my routine on Wed morning!

A Friday Quickie

Today's workout is workout C of TT for Reformed Meatheads. This is workout 3 of 12. After Wed's disappointing workout, I was looking to bounce back. I kept the numbers on the low side and stuck to CB's guidelines without the optional work.

Deadlift 205 x 8 x 2
DB Chest Press 80 x 8 x 2
Military Press 95 x 8, 105 x 8
Inverted Row BWT x 10, BWT x 15

Tabata Intervals: BWT Squats x 6 rounds

My deadlift form was really good today. I purchased a chalk sock that really helped my grip. I store it in a ziploc bag and it doesn't make a mess at all.

The Tabatas at the end were brutal. Trying to hold the lowered portion of the squat leaves me trembling. But it was still a good fun and quick workout. I'll be upping the weights across the board next week as well as adding sets and some of the optional work that CB mentions in the program.

Feeling off today... terrible weight training session.

It started with me oversleeping by a half-hour. Then when I finally got to the gym, I didn't have IT. I normally get to the gym and feel raring to go when I get out of the car but today was different. Tried to get myself fired up, but it just wasn't happening. I struggled just to make it though the warm ups.

Squats 225 x 8, 12, 7 (First set, I forgot how many to do. Last set i was just gassed)
Ab Wheel Rollout BWT x 8, 10, 10
DB RDL 50 x 12
Power Wheel Jackknife BWT x 12

I cut the workout short b/c I was just going though the motions. I gotta figure out what's going on before Friday's deadlift session.

The Reformed Meathead

Today was the first day on TT for Reformed Meatheads. It is an upper body split using supersets w/ body weight intervals at the end. The lack of rest between exercises really put me to work.

DB Incline Press 85lbs
DB Row 85lbs
Pullups BWT x max
Dips BWT x max
DB Tricep Ext 25lbs
EZ Bar curls 50lbs

Made it through 3 rounds of vertical jumps. Started to get that "I think I'm about to puke" feeling. Ahh, how I missed TT!

Chad Waterbury's five new muscle rules

Huge in a Hurry
These five new muscle rules will make you bigger, leaner, and stronger—in less time than ever before.
By Chad Waterbury, Men's Health

Ask the average guy in the average gym how to build bigger muscles, and chances are he'll tell you to do exactly what he's doing: lots of sets and reps of lots of redundant exercises. Except ... well, you notice it's not working particularly well for him. Worse, you realize you're already doing workouts similar to his, and it's not happening for you, either.

Speaking as a guy who trains world-class athletes for a living, I can tell you that the old playbook doesn't work for most people who use it—it's the fitness equivalent of "three yards and a cloud of dust." There's a better, faster, more streamlined way to get bigger, leaner, and stronger. Think of these five principles of size—borrowed from my upcoming book, Men's Health Huge in a Hurry (Rodale, 2008)—as the spread offense for gym rats.

1. Lift big to grow big.

The longer you've been lifting weights, the heavier the weights need to be in order for you to see results. On one hand, it's a stupidly obvious point—of course you use bigger weights as you become stronger. But that's not exactly what I'm talking about. When you were a beginner, you could gain size and strength as long as the weight you used on any given exercise was at least 60 percent of the amount you could lift for a single max-effort repetition. It's a weight you could lift 15 to 20 times in a single set. By any definition, that's pretty light. That percentage, though, increases with experience. Most gym regulars need to use at least 80 percent of their one-rep max to grow bigger and stronger. Now, we're talking about a weight you could probably lift about eight times in an all-out set before there's nothing left in your tank.

Be honest: Do you really use weights heavy enough to fall into that range? If you typically perform multiple sets of eight to 10 repetitions for each exercise, you don't. To use 80 percent of your max for three or four sets, each set would probably consist of five or six repetitions. It becomes even harder from there. If you're beyond the intermediate stage—if you're a serious gym rat and have been lifting consistently for much of your adult life, you might need 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max to see genuine progress. In a normal workout with multiple sets of each exercise, we're talking about two, three or four repetitions per set. You can see the problem: Nobody can lift near-max weights on every exercise of every workout. You'd either burn out or hurt yourself, and it wouldn't take long. Fortunately, there is one loophole.

2. Lift fast to get big.

You know you're supposed to lift weights slowly and deliberately and under control. I have no problem with the "under control" part—good form requires it. But I want to take serious issue with "slowly and deliberately." The faster you lift, the better the results. If you're trying to increase size, fast lifts activate more of the muscle fibers that have the most potential to grow. If you're trying to become leaner, fast lifts do more to crank up your heart rate—and by extension your metabolism—than anything else. And if you're trying to grow stronger ... well, how many feats of strength can you list that are performed slowly and deliberately? Even if something looks slow from the outside, you can bet that the guy performing the feat is trying like hell to get it done as fast as possible. Anything worth lifting is worth lifting fast,as long as you control the weight and don't let it control you. That means you'll lower the weight a bit more slowly than you lifted it. You don't have to lower it at any particular tempo; just make sure you return it to the starting position without dropping it or shifting your body out of proper alignment.

3. Quit when you're ahead.

A fast lift with a heavy weight uses more muscle fibers than a slower lift with a lighter weight. But those big, strong muscle fibers poop out really fast—usually in 15 seconds or less. Once they've quit on you, you're left to struggle with the weight using fibers that aren't up to the task. Your body has two ways of tipping you off: 1. The speed of your repetitions slows. 2. Your form changes, and you either shorten your range of motion or have to cheat to accomplish the full range. At that point, it makes more sense to end the set than to keep going with compromised speed or bad form. I say that knowing it's one of the most unnatural things I could ask you to do in the weight room. After all, if the goal is to do sets of 8 reps and your speed slows down on the sixth, it takes discipline to end the set before grinding and shaking through those seventh and eighth reps. And it works only if you're also willing to follow Principle 4.

4. Don't sweat the small sets.

Every page of the old muscle-building playbook includes some prescription for sets and reps: a fixed number of sets of each exercise and a fixed number of reps in each set. But if you follow Principle 3 and quit each set when your speed slows down or your form changes, you can't complete a fixed number of repetitions. The new playbook says this: Focus on total reps for each exercise, and let the sets take care of themselves. Say you're doing a workout that specifies five sets of five reps. That's 25 reps total. Now let's say you use my method of doing all your reps perfectly: It might take you six sets instead of five to hit your 25-rep goal. The reward is a better workout, because you're doing more work with your biggest, strongest muscle fibers.


5. Think big to grow big.

My final revision of the weight-lifting playbook makes it dramatically shorter and lighter: I've eliminated almost all the exercises that work only small muscles or single muscle groups in isolation. Instead, my workouts begin and end with the exercises that work your biggest muscles, with the goal of working as many of them as possible every time you lift. Each workout is built around one lower-body exercise—squats, deadlifts, lunges, or step-ups—and two upper-body exercises, one for pushing and one for pulling. Gone are the leg extensions and biceps curls. If you're wondering how you're supposed to build big arms without curls, I have a simple assignment for you: Grab a chin-up bar and try to pull yourself up without using your biceps. Impossible, right? So if you work your biceps with chin-ups or lat pulldowns, using an underhand grip, or any type of rowing exercise, why would you need to do curls? What benefit does a curl offer that you can't achieve with a chinup or row? As a bonus, you burn a lot more calories when you train your biggest muscles. The greatest surprise isn't that these new-school workouts give you more benefits with less time in the gym. It's amazing that the old-style playbook survived as long as it did.

For more cutting-edge workouts and no-nonsense training advice, order your copy of Men's HealthHuge in a Hurry, by Chad Waterbury, at mhhugeinahurry.com.

Something wicked this way comes.

Whew! I did my first HIAH workout this AM.

I'm really having a hard time wrapping my head around this one. The workout doesn't look intimidating on paper, and even when doing it, you don't really feel that it is overwhelming.

The standing cable rows were tricky to figure out, but I didn't feel like I was using enough weight at the time. I used 140lbs and I was constantly hitting 5 or 6 reps w/ perfect speed. But as I sit here a few hours later, I KNOW I did them correctly. My upper back has never felt so worked.

I knew that BW dips wouldn't be challenging, so I loaded the belt w/ a 45lb plate and went to work. That hit the sweet spot. I did 6 reps on the first set and dropped off from there, but averaged 4 reps per set. I'll up the weights next week and see if I can maintain the same tempo.

I was feeling pretty good when I got to the DB split squats. I tried to start a little on the conservative side, so I used 55lb DBs. That was right on target as well. Speed was good. Averaged 5 reps for my stronger leg, so I need to restrict that to the number that I get on my weak leg first.

I may need to stop by the gym for some Sauna time on the way to work tomorrow.

Trying something new

I purchased Chad Waterbury's book "Men's Health Huge in a Hurry" a few weeks back. I've since read it a couple of times and I'm ready to give it a go.

It is based on the protocol of lifting heavy weights while using a fast tempo to generate enough force to incorporate both muscle types. He suggest various rep ranges in each workout, with the rule of stopping the set when your rep speed or range of motion decreases. There's quite a bit of science behind Chad's philosophy, and his theory has really captured my interest.

I will be following the hypertrophy program with the goal of adding 10 lbs of muscle in 16 weeks. There's actually a 3 week preparation phase, but I'm not sure what kind of progress to expect during that phase.

Tomorrow's workout will be the first workout of the Get Ready program. Stay tuned... this should be fun!

10 Best Ab Exercises...that don't include crunches!

Here are Men's Health expert Craig Ballantyne's 10 best ab exercises
that you can do without cables, ab crunches, or sit-ups.

1. Plank with your arms on the Ball (30% more effective than plain
ol' planks, according to Men's Health magazine)

2. Ball Rollouts (probably my favorite ball ab exercise)

3. Hanging Knee Raises (classic exercise that most folks do
wrong...but if done right, will work your abs safely and
effectively)

4. DB Renegade Row (this is the biggest surprise on the list...but
it works your lower obliques incredibly hard)

5. Ball Jackknife (always a tough one for beginners to get the hang
of...but when they do, they get a lot of six pack ab benefits)

6. Ball Jackknife Rotation (a tougher version of the jackknife)

7. Ball Jackknife-Pushup Combo

8. X-Body Mountain Climber (one of my favorites...so simple yet so
effective)

9. X-Body Mountain Climber with Hands on Ball

10. X-Body Mountain Climber with Feet on Ball (an even more
effective version of the regular X-Body mountain climber)

Check out Craig Ballantyne's new program for more great ab workouts!

Happy Ballantyne's Day

Yo!

Craig Ballantyne has gone a little crazy, and is declaring this
weekend to be Ballantyne's Day (I think he needs to learn how to
spell).

Anyways, to celebrate, he's giving you TWO free workouts and 25% off
his landmark NO-crunch Turbulence Training for Abs workouts. Plus,
you'll get 3 months free into the TT Member's site for even more
workouts and you'll be able to ask him your personal workout and
diet questions.

Check out his "I Love My Abs" Ballantyne's Day sale.

But hurry, the sale ends on Friday, February 13th, BEFORE Valentine's
Day (see, I told you he was crazy!).

Say yes to burning belly fat and getting six pack abs.

PS - Don't miss his article on the 5 biggest ab training myths.

Bodyweight Workout Secrets

Are you sick of how busy the gym is at this time of year?

Do you want to use bodyweight exercises to burn fat and workout in
the comfort of your own home?

If so, then Craig Ballantyne, creator of the Turbulence Training
Fat Loss System, has some powerful bodyweight secrets for you.

On Saturday, Craig Ballantyne held the 1st-Ever Turbulence Training
Seminar for an exclusive audience in a secret location in Toronto,
where he showed TT users - from as far away as California - his new
bodyweight interval training methods.

First, he shared his "patented" fat burning bodyweight circuit
formula. By combining 8 exercises in a very specific manner, the TT
Bodyweight Circuits give you...

- the same fat burning boost as interval training
- the same cardiovascular benefits of long, slow cardio
- improvements in your "core" strength

Craig even has some sample bodyweight workout videos up on his site.

(In fact, one of the men at the seminar was a firefighter, and he
was raving to Craig about how the bodyweight exercises improved his
core strength so that he was able to wear his firefighter gear
without getting a sore back. He was thrilled and amazed by the power
of bodyweight exercises - and he was a former bodybuilder, too!)

But the big TT secret Craig Ballantyne let out of the bag was his
new focus on "Timed Bodyweight Intervals".

The seminar attendees discovered all of Craig's unique "timed" fat
burning bodyweight circuits and supersets that could be done in
short bursts, often paired with another non-competing bodyweight
exercise to make things even more intense.

You'll find out more about Timed Bodyweight Intervals in the TT
February Workout of the Month. I can't wait for you to give those
a try!

After his presentation, he was overwhelmed by requests for the
Turbulence Training Bodyweight DVD's, and he made a special offer
to those folks in attendance. But he also wants to extend this
special offer to you.

Buy today to save $100 on the Ultimate Bodyweight Fat Burning DVD Solution.

First day of TT for Mass

Just finished my first workout of TC 4. I'm working though TT for Mass. Today was Phase 1 workout A.

Completed the shoulder mobility warm up and the regular dynamic warm up.

Work Sets
2-Board Press 115x6, 165x6, 215x6, 205x5/2
DB Row 40x6, 60x6, 80x6, 70x6/2
Back-off Set 2-Board Press 145x20
DB Incline Press 60x8/2, 60x7
V-Chin BWTx8/2, BWTx6
Hammer Strength Chest Press 90x10, 70x12, 90x12
Hammer Strength Row 90x15/3

I can barely type this right now. Something tells me I'm going to be some kind of sore today and tomorrow!

60-Day TT Twitter Transformation Contest

Late Breaking News!

At the last minute Craig Ballantyne decided to do another Twitter
Transformation Contest inside of the regular Turbulence Training
Transformation Contest.

Here's what you need to know...

1) You can do both the regular TT Transformation Contest and the
TT Twitter Transformation Contest at the same time.

2) The Twitter Contest starts today and lasts 60 days. The deadline
to submit your "Before and After Photo" and Essay is March 20th,
2009 (60 days from tomorrow).

3) There are cash prizes and Membership give-aways for this contest.

I hope this gives you the incentive you need to start transforming
your body - and your life - today!

For all of the details about this contest and how you can win big
money by burning fat, go here: http://tinyurl.com/tt-twitter

Blood on the Barbell, Me Vs. Me

Forgive me in advance for the state of this post. I am not one with my universe today.

Haven't been sleeping well this week. Woke up tired and in a pretty foul mood. Contemplated not going for the PR today. Just couldn't get my mind to relax.

Went robotic. Got dressed for the gym. Grabbed some leftovers for breakfast and out the door.

Searched for music on the way to the gym to get my mind right. Nothing helped. Still not feeling it. Walking though the gym, damn am I really going to do this? Can I really set a PR today? What if I fail? Then I'm really going to feel like ish.

Loaded up the iPod. Walked out of the locker room. Where do I want to work? Squat rack is loaded. Power rack is empty. Power rack it is. C'mon it has to kick in now.

Nope, nothing. Screw it, and screw you. I'm here now. I'm going for it. You can't hold me back.

And so it begins... Deadlift, blood on the barbell...

135x8 Easy. So what, your never going to get your goal.
165x5 And? You're still just warming up.
185x5
205x3 HAHA! Back is tighting up. You're going to quit.
225x3 I'm not giving in. Take some deep breaths. Loosen up the back.

Fine, put on your stupid 255. You'll never get it.
255x3 Done. Easy. I want more. You hit your goal now just get out of here. No. More.

275x2 Take that. I will not lose. Ever.

Bench Day - 3RM Test and PR

The 3 rep max test continues today with BB Bench Press. Proud to say I hit another PR.

I warmed up w/ Craig's shoulder mobility drills, then started the bench routine. I'm following a protocol similar to one that I found on T-nation. It takes you though several lighter sets w/ good rest to work up to the heavy stuff.

Work Sets - BB Bench Press
Barbell x 12
135 x 8
185 x 5
205 x 3
225 x 3
235 x 3 (I think I had one more but my spotter grabbed the bar too quickly)
185 x 5
135 x 15

So I'm happy to report my numbers have increased since the last test where I hit 225 for 3.

Squat 3RM Test Day

So today was my first 3RM test for squats. Did pretty well but I still have some work to do.

I did some new mobility/warm up drills today. Figured since I would be going heavy today, the drills would be beneficial.

Squat Session
Barbell x 12
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
245 x 3
265 x 3
295 x 3

I avg about 2mins of rest time between sets. My sinuses started to bother me towards the end so those rest periods were a little longer. I think I can beat 295 if my sinuses are not aggravating me. But i probably won't test again for another 4-8 weeks.

Looking back at this, I should have done one over 300! Dang!

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Just realized I missed posting Workout D from last week.

DB Shoulder Press 40x6, 60x8, 60/55x8, 55x8/6 (left wrist was weak)
Pull Ups 3, 10, 9, 7
EZ Bar Curl 50x8, 60x8, 70x6
DB Tricep Ext 25x8, 30x2x8
DB Hammer Curl 25x5x5
EZ Bar Triceps Ext 60x5x5

TT Succes Story

WOW WOW WOW!!!

I had no idea that my story had been selected. Thank you for letting me know Andy!

And Craig THANK YOU! I cannot tell you how good it makes me feel to see my own story posted. It really could not have come at a better time for me!

I wrote out my goals this week, and I'll go ahead and tell you that my 1-year goal is pretty out there. My goal is to be featured in Men's Health or Men's Fitness as a transformation success story. I am always so inspired by the guys that turn their lives around and are featured in that magazine. So I'm going for it all this year. Ultimately I want to have professional pics taken and submitted to the magazine.

Well yesterday and today, the feelings of self-doubt started creeping back in. I'm happy to say that this prize reminds me of my goal and confirms that my goal will be a reality.

I'm going to put that Platinum Membership to good use and make you all proud!

Thanks again.

Feel the burn!

Warm Up - Shoulder Mobility Series
Stick Ups 2x10
Push Ups Plus 2x10
Thumb Ups 2x10
Forgot the Y-Squat here. This is a brutal warm up!

Work Sets
BB Incline Press 45x12, 135x6, 165x8, 160x7, 155x8
Cybex T-bar 45x12, 115x6, 90x8, 135x8, 145x7
Chin-Ups BWTx12, BWTx7
Chest Press 70x8, 70x4 (Had to farmer walk the DBs a good distance to the bench. That took some work!)
DB Fly 30x10, 35x10
DB Rear Delt Raise 15x10, 15x9

Overall, a good workout. Shoulders were really burning today from warm-up on.

Feeling Good, Feeling Great, How are you?

I don't know what it is but I feel great today. Even though I overslept and had terrible traffic. I still went to the gym. Did my full warm up and cut a couple of sets to make up for time.

Warm Up
Prisoner Squats 2x12
Pushups 2x12
Lunges 2x12
Stick Ups 2x12

BB Squat 45x12, 150x6
Shrugs BBx12, 60x6

Work Sets
BB Squat 235x8, 225x8, 215x8
DB Shrugs 90x3x8
Smith Machine Split Squat 135x2x8
Cable Step Ups 80x2x8
Ab Wheel Rollouts BWTx2x10

I tried a couple of new things today. First, I did decline sets on the squats where I lowered the weight each set to get my volume up. I've been missing too many reps at the heavier weight each set. I think it helped b/c I'm feeling sore already. Also, I tired this cable machine for step ups. It was brutal, but fun. I know I worked hard this morning b/c I'm hurting and it took almost a half hour to stop sweating, and that's with a few mins in a cold shower!

Happy New You!

Decided to start the New Year off with a bang and hit the gym today. It was great, the place was nearly deserted.

Warm Up
Prisoner Squat 2x12
Staggered Pushups 2x12
Lunges 2x10
Stickups 2x10

Work Sets
BB Incline Bench Press 135x6, 165x8, 165x6, 165x5
BB Row 110x6, 135x3x8
Chin-ups BWTx2x12
DB Chest Press 70x8, 70x5
DB Fly 30x10, 35x10
DB Rear Deltoid Raise 17.5x10, 20x10

Decent workout. Strength was not great during pressing sets. Possibly due to lack of sleep, or yesterday's Total Body Ten workout. I'll keep numbers the same next week and see if things are different.
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Also, here are a couple of backdated post:

12/30/2008.

The gym was super busy so I had to sub v-squats for BB squats. I'm in favor of more people trying to live healthy and exercise, but crowded gyms are the worst! Seems like the New Years crowd is hitting early this year, and they seem to be more clueless than ever. I saw a guy doing some hybrid db concentration curl w/ an ab crunch. I'd love to be his chiropractor, his neck and back are going to be screwed!

Warm Up
Prisoner Squats 10x2
Pushups 10x2
Lunges 10x2
Stick Ups 10x2

Work Sets
Hammer Strength V-Squat 140x6, 280x2x8, 300x8
DB Shrug 60x6, 90x3x8
DB Step Up 35x3x8
Stability Ball Rollout BWTx3x10

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12/29/2008

Todays workout was OK. I did TT for Meatheads D. Have to really watch it here b/c this is the workout that has the potential to hurt the most. My wrist was really sensitive after meeting with the doctor. The new doc was much more thorough than the first.

Warm Up
Prisoner Squats
Pushups
Lunges
Pullups x 5
1-arm shoulder press 40x10

Work Sets
DB 1-arm Shoulder Press 50x8, 55x2x8
Pull-Ups BWTx10, BWTx2x8
EZ Bar Curls 50x2x8
DB Triceps Extension 25x2x8
DB Hammer Curl 25x5, 25x4, 20x5, 20x5
EZ Bar Extensions 50x4x5

Forearms were on fire by the end of the workout.