5 Best Fat Burning Interval Workouts

5 Best Fat Burning Interval Workouts
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Long, slow cardio is not the fastest way to burn fat. Research shows that
short interval training workouts burn belly fat faster.

I was one of the first trainers to question long, slow cardio for fat loss
back in the late 1990's and I believe that traditional cardio is over-rated.

Interval training, or interval "cardio" if you want to call it that, is
much, much better for fat loss. It burns belly fat in half the workout time.

I figured this out just before the year 2000. Back in 1998-99, I was but a
lowly grad student, studying the effects of androstenedione (the supplement
taken by the mighty baseball player, Mark McGwire during his record-breaking
home run quest in '98).

In my study (which was published in the Canadian Journal of Applied
Physiology for any science nerds like myself out there), we had guys use the
supplement and go through a couple of weight training sessions. By February
of '99 I was stuck in the lab, analyzing the blood samples using some fancy
radio-active isotopes.

And when I say stuck in the lab, I mean STUCK. I'd get there at 7am, and
record my last data point at 11pm. Sixteen hours of mad science. And if I
wasn't there, I was downstairs in the medical library, studying papers on
testosterone and training.

Now coming from a very athletic background, this sedentary lifestyle didn't
sit well with me. But there I was, studing for a degree in Exercise
Physiology and left with no time for exercise. Or so I thought.

Fortunately, I actually had a 50 minute window once per day of "down-time"
while the lab's gamma-counter analyzed blood samples.

That left me 50 minutes to get to the gym (5 minutes across campus) and get
a workout in the remaining 40 or so minutes. I knew that if I applied my
studies to the workout, I could get maximum results in minimum time.

As a former athlete, I knew that I had to find a way to stay fit and to
avoid the fat gain that comes with working long hours in a sedentary
environment. And I also had to stay true to the high-school bodybuilder I
once was, so there was no way I was willing to sacrifice my muscle to one of
those long-cardio, low protein fat-loss plans that were popular at the time.

Instead, I had to draw on my academic studies and my experiences working
with athletes as the school's Strength & Conditioning Coach. I knew that
sprint intervals were associated with more fat loss than slow cardio, and I
knew that you could also increase aerobic fitness by doing sprints (but you
can't increase sprint performance by doing aerobic training).

So clearly, intervals were (and ARE!) superior to long slow cardio for fat
loss. I had seen first hand the incredible results of sprint intervals in
the summer and fall, as the athletes made huge fitness improvements and shed
winter fat in a short time using my interval programs. I knew that intervals
had to be the next step in the evolution of cardio.

The biggest benefit of intervals? A lot of results in a short amount of
time. I knew that I only had 40 minutes to train, and therefore I could only
spend 15-20 minutes doing intervals.

I also understand that interval training sounds intimidating to a lot of
people, so I need to clear up how an interval training workout goes.

After all, I believe everyone can do interval training for fat burning. Even
beginners. For beginners who usually exercise for 30 minutes at 3.5 mph on
the treadmill, their interval workout would be to go for 1 minute at 3.8mph
and then recover for 2 minutes at 3.0 mph. That's it. Repeat 6 times. If you
are more advanced, you would use more intense exercise.

Interval training doesn't have to be sprinting for your life. It just needs
to start off harder than normal and progress from there.

Most folks hate cardio, so they are happy to use interval training as an
effective replacement to lose stomach fat. Here is my list of preferred ways
to do your intervals, ranked in order from best to worst, based on my
experiences.

1. Sprinting outdoors (Hill sprinting might be the absolute best method)
2. Kettlebell exercises
3. Bodyweight interval circuits
4. Treadmill running
5. Stationary cycle (upright cycling preferred over recumbant bike)

With those 5 Turbulence Training interval training methods, you'll burn fat
fast and never have to do cardio again!


About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit TurbulenceTraining.com

Magic Conditioning Bullet

I've written plenty of articles about training with a sled.

A sled is one of the best tools you can use to get you (or your athletes) into shape fast.

Here's a little video showing an great drill using two sleds (and a lot of guts...)





If you're looking for your own sled, I recommend Elite Fitness Systems (www.elitefts.com) for top-of-the-line equipment and great customer service.

Want more, do more, BE more,

~Luke

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 8

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

In our society, people respect weight loss.

Even if you do nothing cool or interesting or memorable for the rest of your life, you'll have done that.

This ends our series of "Why should you lose 20 pounds?"

If you have any reasons to add, either send me an email or post them below.

I'll publish your reasons (anonymously, if you wish) in a future post!

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 7

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

Every time you pick up a 20-pound dumbbell, you'll remember.

(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 6

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

Research shows that since you'll have less weight propelling you into the windshield, you'll also have less risk of dying when your car hits a semi.

(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 5

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

It's the difference between being thought of as jolly or witty



(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 4

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

It's not scaling Everest, writing the great American novel, or solving the energy crisis.

You can do it in your spare time.

(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 3

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

Because you whine that you need to.

Have you ever been wrong about anything?

(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 2

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

Twenty pounds of warm human fat can refill every bottle in an empty case of pop.

With enough left over to fill your blender.

Eeew.

(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Lose 20 Pounds - Episode 2

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

Twenty pounds of warm human fat can refill every bottle in an empty case of pop.

With enough left over to fill your blender.

Eeew.

(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Lose 20 Pounds -Episode 1

Why should you lose 20 pounds?

Wait till you ride a WaveRunner, quad, or snowmobile when you're 20 pounds lighter.

Vroom, baby.

(Tune in tomorrow for more reasons you should lose 20 pounds...)

Friday Video

In the words of Coach Dos: "No shortcuts... If you want to be good, you've got to practice!"



Happy Friday and I'll see everyone Monday!

~Luke

Swiss Ball Crunch For Abs

This morning I threw a change-up into the bootcamp mix with a physioball (Swiss Ball) based warm-up.



Here's one of the moves:

Swiss Ball Crunch

Start

Finish

Don't Pull The Trigger!

If certain foods are a "trigger" for you and you can't eat them sensibly, then you have to give them up.

I've trained a lot of people and have met very few who can eat their "trigger" foods and not end up blowing their diet.

Some foods just make us go hog wild.

Think back to the old commercial: Once you pop, you just can't stop.

So one cookie ends up being the whole jar.

One chip ends up being the whole bag.

One beer ends up being a half rack and you end up sleeping in and missing bootcamp...

Don't have your "trigger" foods in the house.

That's just asking for trouble.

Have a great day!

Want more, do more, BE more,

~Luke

PS - A new Metabolism Makeover class will be starting soon!

Medicine For Triceps

Close-Grip Pushups on a medicine ball are a great exercise for training your arms without using barbells or machines.



A side benefit is that the unstable nature of the medicine ball will increase proprioception throughout your whole body.

Start

Finish

Killer At Large

How To Lose Your Last 10 Pounds

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

TurbulenceTraining.com

Here's some of the tips we used in our plan to help the 3 brothers lose that
last ten pounds of fat in the last 10 days of the transformation that helped
them get featured in Men's Fitness magazine with their ripped abs.

Here are the guidelines we've come up with to lose the last 10 pounds.

NOTE: The brothers were only going to follow these guidelines for 10-14
days. So if you choose to use this plan, don't follow it for more than 2
weeks.

That's the maximum time for this advanced plan. After that, ease up on the
restrictions a bit - and enjoy your advanced fat loss physique you've
attained.

Advanced Nutrition Tips

1) Start your day immediately with 2 cups of water, 3 fish oil caps, and 20g
of lean protein, as part of your normal breakfast.

2) Eat 1 cup of broccoli at lunch and dinner (in addition to what you
normally had planned).

3) Eat only protein, almonds, and raw vegetables between meals.

4) Elimiate all pasta, rice, potatoes, and carbohydrates from a bag or a box.

5) Don't go to bed full. Eat only a small protein snack in the evening to
keep hunger at bay and to provide the body with protein before sleep.

6) Drink 6 cups of green tea per day (3 in AM, 3 after lunch)

Advanced Exercise Tips

1) Add 10 seconds to each interval

2) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the
morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your
bodyweight 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)

3) Add one set to the first superset you do in each workout.

Use these strict tips for no more than 2 weeks before returning to normal
exercise guidelines and carbohydrate intake.

Train hard but train safe and you'll lose the last ten pounds.


About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit TurbulenceTraining.com

Kung Fu Lunch

One summer while I was in high school my kung fu teacher let me hang out at his gym all day.

My parents would drop me off early and I could practice straight through until the evening classes started.

Our kung fu school was a converted warehouse on the edge of a shopping center, and for lunch I’d walk over to the Laundromat where there was a row of vending machines.

Every day I’d get a Payday bar and a can of Surge (early energy drink).

Not the healthiest of snacks, and especially unsuitable for an aspiring athlete.

But really, I didn’t know any better.

Now I would recommend a healthier alternative to the candy bar.

Something like ProGrade Cravers.

They are covered with dark chocolate. They are organic. They have plenty of fiber. And….

They taste great!

You can learn more at:

https://lucaswold.getprograde.com/cravers

Have a great night, and I’ll be back tomorrow with some great recipes that you can plug right in to your fat loss diet!

Want more, do more, BE more,

~Luke
PS- I wrote an article all about why “power” bars suck. Check it out! Here’s the address: http://www.capitalcityvbc.com/documents/2008-Truth_About_Power_Bars.doc

Rocket Fast Ways To Lose Your Stubborn Belly Fat

As a rapid fat-loss specialist, I’m often asked, “What is the best way to lose fat and flatten my belly?”

Everyone wants to know if resistance training is better than aerobics. Or if intervals are more effective than traditional cardio.

To say that we’ve experimented with them all would be an understatement.

Working at so many college research facilities as well as commercial gyms has given me a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t.

Now, we have put together some amazingly effective programs. The rub is that most people have about 45 minutes 3 times a week to exercise. So everything in this article is geared for the working man or woman who has only a few lunch hours a week to devote to exercise.

Since most people don’t have ten hours a week to devote to exercise, the programs they find in mainstream fitness rags won’t cut it. No fat loss method in the world will work if someone can’t find the time to do it.

But here’s the good news: We don’t need ten hours a week to lose all of that stubborn belly fat! Read on to find out how…

First, warm up with bodyweight exercises. Second, use resistance training to create a very high metabolic demand. Third, finish your workout with interval training to burn as much fat as possible. This whole plan gets you out of the gym in less than an hour!

Start with five minutes of bodyweight exercises to prepare your body for the workout ahead. This is far more effective than sitting on a bike for five minutes, which won’t get you ready for anything except more sitting on a bike.

During your warm-up, I like to include bodyweight exercises that fix any postural imbalances from work or sports. This means you not only get warmed up and lose fat, you also eliminate low back pain!

And then you’ll head on over to resistance training. Perform these in a “superset” style. What “superset” means is to perform two exercises back to back, with very little rest in between.

Supersets will greatly reduce the amount of time you need for your workout, while giving you even better fat loss results!

Resistance training for fat loss takes about 20 minutes. You’ll use basic exercises, such as lunges and bench press. And sometimes you’ll even use more bodyweight exercises. It all depends on what YOUR body needs.

To finish up, you’ll go for about 20 minutes of interval training. A quick warm-up, followed by short intervals interspersed with lower-intensity recovery periods. Cap it off with a quick cool-down and you’re done.

Add that all up: 5 minute warm-up plus 20 minute resistance training plus 20 minute intervals equals a complete workout in just 45 minutes.

Go ahead an compare this to what most people will do in the gym. They’ll spend their whole 45 minutes on one piece of cardio equipment. That might burn calories, but it doesn’t build a better body.

Really, think about the “Cardio Crew” at your gym. I’d be willing to bet that many of them have spent hours on the treadmill for the past two years, yet they look exactly the same! (And sometimes even heavier!)

Cardio has a lot of downsides, such as poor results and injuries from doing too much work. Which would you rather do? A fun, effective, 45 minute workout or long, boring cardio sessions?

You make the choice.

The Take-Home Message is: The very best way to burn belly fat is with a combination of effective strength training and fat-blasting intervals.

It’s quick, it’s effective, and best of all, it’s fun!

Faster Progress

Here's another satisfied ProGrade user!

"I've been using Prograde about a month. I train hard five days a week and recovery time is really important. My recovery has been improving thanks to your products, especially Prograde Workout.

My overall performance is improving, but I notice it most in my heavier lifts. I got my first barbell shoulder press with 170 lb yesterday, plus my first unilateral dumbbell high pulls with 100 lb (each arm).

Though I know many people will get heavier lifts than mine, I am thrilled!

I have a goal of being able to do a 100 lb dumbbell clean & press with one arm by my 58th birthday, which is in August, and I believe I will make it.

Your excellent products definitely are helping move ahead faster."

Frank DiMeo
Owner of CrossFit Gulf
CoastCrossfitgulfcoast.com