By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training

Men’s Fitness magazine recently asked me for 3 of my best fat loss
secrets.

Since most times the magazines just don’t have enough space to run
my full tips, I thought I’d give you a more detailed explanation of
my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn’t send to
the magazine).

Secret #1 – Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your
fat-loss workouts.

Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure
my workouts.

Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training
and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main
source of energy. So it’s obvious the workout is designed to burn
carbohydrates during the training session.

I have no interest in you trying to train in your “target heart
rate zone” for fat burning (aka – the fat burning zone). The whole
idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the
body works during exercise.

Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated trainers
in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell
you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your “fat burning heart
rate zone”).

If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time,
focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.

Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather
than fat?

In order to burn more calories after the workout, that’s why. When
you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body
uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you
did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.

I call this ‘Turbulence’. By any name it gives you the same results
- maximum improvements in your body composition (helping you lose
fat while gaining muscle).

Secret #2 – Use a range of repetitions in your strength training
workouts.

In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I
have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout.

The Turbulence Training workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set
in order to work the muscle the most effectively.

This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth
as possible when you are keeping the calories low.

Secret #3 – Use the stationary cycle for interval training.

I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible
because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.

Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large
amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the
Turbulence in my training.

But please note: I don’t use low-intensity, fast pedaling
’spinning’ intervals as I’m convinced that the hard, resistance
based intervals are more effective for fat loss.

My clients only cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.

And while I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to
do intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau,
try the bike.

Secret #4 – Increase meal frequency

Okay, so this isn’t really a secret to anyone that has read about
fat loss.

But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer
calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering
post-meal insulin levels.

Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and
fiber intake, and you’ll see your body composition improve rapidly.

Secret #5 – My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts

My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most
effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean.

The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are
efficient and effective – getting you in and out of the gym in under
an hour.

Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase.

Use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training
schedule:

a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity

b) Add in some body weight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in
the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do
your body weight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits
first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or
later in the afternoon or evening)

If you are advanced, you can use squats, push ups, and body weight
rows for your circuit.

If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified
push ups, and stick-ups.

c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do
in each workout.

Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two
weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.

But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training