Ask The FItness Expert Blog

Fat Loss Guru Tom Venuto Releases NEW Hardcover Book

2008-10-01T05:06:00.000-07:00

New Hardcover Book By Tom Venuto: January 2009

For Immediate Release. September 30th, 2008 (from the publisher: Avery/Penguin Group, New York)

New Hardcover Book By Tom Venuto Reveals the 5 Principles for Burning Fat, Building Lean Muscles, Ending Emotional Eating and Maintaining Your Perfect Weight.

By now, we all know that we gain fat when we take in more calories than we burn. But we’re not always rational creatures when it comes to food and exercise. Recognizing the emotional and psychological factors that sabotage success, Tom Venuto’s new Book, The Body Fat Solution (Avery/Penguin Group) hones in on the real causes of body-fat and provides a sound plan to take back control of our bodies and end emotional eating for good.

In The Body Fat Solution, Venuto outlines the five principles that will retrain your mind and body for automatic success. Determined to help you keep the fat off for good, Tom shows you how to:

• change your vision through manageable goals for indomitable confidence
• eat healthy, delicious food almost unconsciously and shed the pounds effortlessly
• maximize your metabolism to jolt out of plateaus
• reshape your body through lean muscle training for a strong core and toned frame
• invite a supportive social network of friends, family, and mentors to help you achieve your dream for life

Venuto reminds us that calories do count! But The Body Fat Solution is neither super low carb nor super low fat, and he steers clear of demonizing entire food groups. Instead, Venuto helps you personalize an eating plan that takes into account your unique metabolism and calorie needs. He then presents illustrated workout programs to maximize the success of the diet plan that are fast and efficient.

Most important, he helps you plan and organize your life so that you can fully implement your new goals and monitor your progress, and finally maintain your perfect weight for life.
Tapping into his years of training expertise and personal experience, Venuto helps readers change their relationship with food, empowers them to take charge of their lives, and delivers a program that promises dramatic and permanent results.

The Body Fat Solution is scheduled for release on January 8th, 2009. Now available for Pre order at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com

To learn more visit http://www.bodyfatsolution.com/

Should be awesome!!

Kyle Battis
Site Manager
www.BurnTheFat-InnerCircle.com

How To Best Track Results For Fat Loss Success?

2008-09-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

Ask The Fitness Expert Question:

"Hey Kyle,

I am tracking all my stats for the next 12 weeks. I was wondering since I don't have access to someone to measure my bodyfat professionally with calipers -if the things I do have at home are ok for this and wonder which is the most consistent and best device to use.

I have a fat trac2 which as you know measures 3 points and calculates my % and I have an Accumeansure which only measures the illiac and then I use the chart to convert it or I have a tanita body fat and weight scale whcih I heard is not real reliable. Would you please let me know which one you think would be the most accurate for me to measure results and keep consistent records. thanks for your input--Michael

Kyle's Answer:

Hey Michael,

Thanks for the e-mail and great question...

A mentor of mine says, "Everything measured improves...everything measured carefully improves exponentially."

My buddy and fat loss expert Tom Venuto teaches the importance of the Feedback Loop and testing yourself every week so that you know 'what's working, what's missing, and what's next."

With that said you can do great with the tools you already have...

I am a big fan of the Accumeasure because its cheap and repeatably consistent.

You don't have to test yourself with only the Iliac Crest site, you can test others too and I recommend it.

I recommend testing more than just your Iliac, test your thigh, and abdominal too.

I would also recommend keeping track of weight, and taking a series of tape measurement such as Calf, Thigh, Hips, Chest, Abs, and biceps.

For directions on how to do that just do a search on Google for specific How To's.

My buddy Tom Venuto also has a great guide that comes along with his excellent "Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle" program that shows you how to use the Accumeasure Calipers to monitor your fat loss progress.

That will give you a more complete picture of changes.

Hope that helps buddy!

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis
http://www.burnthefat-innercircle.com/

NEW!! - Check Out My Fat Burning Blog

2008-09-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

Howdy,

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to tell you about a great new resource that my training partner and fellow fat-burning expert John Sifferman created.

It's called the "FAT BURNING BLOG" and you can see it here: www.FatBurningBlog.com

If your goal is to lose that stubborn belly fat, fit into those old jeans, and improve how you feel about your body then this is a resource you will definately want to check out.

John and I post fat burning tips, fat loss workouts, fat loss audio tips, fat burning and fat burning training programs - all for you!

I hope that you will come visit me over there and check out this great fat burning information.

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

What's The Best Dumbbel Size to Purchase Over 60 Pounds?

2007-02-17T07:07:00.000-08:00

Hi Kyle,

What is the best dumbbell size to purchase over 60 lbs.? Go with 70,80,90lb or go with the 65 and +5 lb on? (as in 65,70,75 80,85, 90 lb for My home gym)? Thank You,

Mario

Hi Mario,

Thanks for the question. I don't know if there is a "best" dumbbell to have. It depends on how much you want to spend, your strength levels, your goals, and how much room you have.
So to make a long story short you have many options.

You could pick up the 60-90 lb. dumbbells and work with those. You could also go with the 65-95 lb dumbbells. Either option would be just fine.

You could also buy some heavy duty Power Blocks thatadjust from 5-85 lbs. and have a huge variety in weight to work with in one easy to find spot (the power blocks take up a lot less space in your home gym as well!).

One thing I would like to recommend if you do go with the Hex Dumbbells is to pick up some magnetic Plate Mates.

You can pick these up in 1.25 lb increments or even in 2.5 pound increments. You could pick up a pair of 1.5 lb. plate mates (2 of them on one dumbbell would allow you to jump up by a reasonable 2.5 pounds).

If you went with the 2.5 pound plate mates you could have the 5 pound jumps that you wanted and save yourself a boatload of cash and a lot of space.

Check out following link: http://tinyurl.com/dedh3 to learn more about these great tools.

I hope that helps Mario and keep me posted on your progress!

Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT

PS - To get the most out of your home gym training visit www.HomeGymSecrets.com

Fitness Q+A: How Do I Fix My Motivation Problems??

2007-01-21T04:26:00.000-08:00

Hi Kyle

My biggest problem with my home gym training is my motivation

I do agree that you need to figure out where you want to be what you want
and invisage it before you start.

Maybe I need to be very specific with my reason for training.

I have relax into stretch by pavel and do it three times a week in the
mornings after I have been up a while.

I have checked out kettlebells here but where I live in the North of
Australia classes are not available.

Ciao Storm

Storm,

It sounds like you have studied some of the best training experts out there but your challenges are in your own mind.

Check out some of these resources.

1. The New Psych-Cybernetics by Dr. Maxwell Maltz (Amazon.com)
2. Visit my friend Scott's site by Click Here to get it.
3. Go grab this Special Report and read it over a few times.

Those resources should help you train your brain! :)

Train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT
www.HomeGymSecrets.com

What will you do in the next 4 minutes?

2007-01-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

Dear friend,

Let me ask you, what will you do in the next 4 minutes?

--> You could check a few e-mails...

--> You could call a friend...

--> Perhaps some home improvements...

--> You could pay some bills (yuck!)...

What else?

The possibilities are endless aren't they.

Why not do something that will bring you closer to the physique that you desire?
You might think that there isn't anything that you can do that will bring you closer to your fitness goals in only 4 minutes but I ensure you that there is.

Here are some ideas:

--> Write your fitness goal on a "Goal Card" and keep it in your wallet for constant reference...

--> Spend 4 minutes in a quiet place visualizing the finer details of your dream body...

--> Prepare a healthy snack to bring with you on a long road trip - no hunger for Fast Food...

--> Grab a fitness magazine and a pair of scissors, then cut out pictures of bodies that you admire, place these on your "Body Board!"

--> Perform a high-speed, fat burning workout in only 4 minutes that elevates metabolism for 24-48 hours!!!

I have a resource that will give you 10 different workouts that you can perform anytime, anyplace, in only 4 minutes:

===> http://www.QuatroFit.com

Now I ask you, what will you do with your time?

Choose wisely,

--Kyle Battis

PS - It has been said that we are the sum of the choices that we make on a daily basis. If you don't have the timeto perform 2-hour workouts every day then these 4 minuteworkouts might be just what you need to live your life AND achieve the fitness results that you crave:

===> http://www.quatrofit.com/

Why Some People Quit And Some People NEVER Give Up!

2007-01-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

By Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Author of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle

Throughout my 18 years in the fitness industry as a trainer, nutrition consultant and motivational coach, I have noticed that some people who start a nutrition and exercise program give up very easily after hitting the first obstacle they encounter. If they feel the slightest bit of discouragement or frustration, they will abandon even their biggest goals and dreams.

On the other hand, I noticed that some people simply NEVER give up. They have ferocious persistence and they never let go of their goals. These people are like the bulldog that refuses to release its teeth-hold on a bone. The harder you try to pull the bone out of his mouth, the harder the dog chomps down with a vice-like grip.

What's the difference between these two types of people? Psychologists say there is an answer.
An extremely important guideline for achieving fitness success is the concept that, "There is no failure; only feedback.

You don't "fail", you only get results."

This is a foundational principle from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), and the first time I ever heard it was from peak performance expert Anthony Robbins back in the late 1980's. It's a principle that stuck with me ever since, because it's a very, very powerful shift in mindset.

A lot of people will second-guess themselves and they'll bail out and quit, just because what they try at first doesn't work. They consider it a permanent failure, but all they need is a little attitude change, a mindset change, or what we call a "reframe."

Instead of saying, "This is failure" they can say to themselves, "I produced a result" and "This is only temporary." This change in perspective is going to change the way that they feel and how they mentally process and explain the experience. It turns into a learning opportunity and valuable feedback for a course correction instead of a failure, and that drives continued action and forward movement.

It's all about your results and your interpretation of those results
Dr Martin Seligman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, did some incredible research on this subject and wrote about it in his book, Learned Optimism. Dr. Seligman noticed that the difference between people who give up and people who persist and never quit is what he referred to as "explanatory style." He said that explanatory style is the way we explain or interpret bad events or failures.

People who habitually give up have an explanatory style of permanence. For example, they hit a plateau in their progress and explain it by saying, "diets never work" or "I have bad genetics so I'll always be fat." These explanations imply permanence.

Other people hit the same plateaus and encounter the same challenges, but explain them differently. They say things such as, "I ate too many cheat meals this week," or "I haven't found the right diet for my body type yet." These explanations of the results imply being temporary.
People who see negative results as permanent failure are the ones who give up easily and often generalize their "failure" into other areas of their lives and even into their own sense of self. It's one thing to say, "I ate poorly this past week because I was traveling," (a belief about temporary behavior and environment), and to say, "I am a fat person because of my genetics" (a belief about identity with a sense of permanence).

Remember, body fat is a temporary condition, not a person!

People who see challenges and obstacles as temporary and as valuable learning experiences are the ones who never quit. If you learn from your experiences, not repeating what didn't work in the past, and if you choose to never quit, your success is inevitable.

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Tom's Fat Loss program, please Click Here!

Brain Science And New Year's Resolutions

2007-01-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, "I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps it's because escape is easier than change."

Success psychologists say that 95% - 97% of the people in the world do NOT have written goals and fail, while 3-5% have written goals and succeed.

If these statistics are correct, then Mr Rohn's observation really IS quite fascinating isn't it?

Unfortunately for most people, the odds for success are actually even lower, because out of the few people who do set goals, most don't take goal setting seriously, they don't do it scientifically and they only do it once a year.

Goal setting is so important, that I always teach goal setting and mind dynamics first, and only THEN, do I teach nutrition and training second.

It doesnt matter how much you know about nutrition or exercise. Until specialized fitness knowledge is linked with goals and directions, the knowledge is useless and you won't accomplish very much or keep the changes long term.

In fact, I devoted the entire first chapter of my book, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle to the subject of goals and constructive "mind programming" for successful, permanent behavior change.

I've also studied neuro linguistic programming (NLP) for many years and more recently spent many months researching the latest information about neuroscience to see just how much of the traditional self help and goal setting wisdom is actually backed by brain research.

As you start thinking about your goals for 2007 right Now, I'd like to help you start the year off right by sharing two very valuable, science based tips on acheiving your goals:

SCIENTIFIC GOAL SETTING TIP #1: Repetition is an effective way to "plant" a goal in the non-conscious mind

Why don't most resolutions stick? Psychology and neuroscience today are giving us the answers.

Thanks to new technologies in brain imaging, such as PET scans, SPECT scans and functional MRI's, we can now actually see your thoughts as electrochemical impulses and we can see the formation of new neural connections in real time right before our eyes.

We can also see where, geographically, in your brain, a particular type of thought is occuring.

Most importantly, we can see how long it takes to form strong neural patterns and what types of stimuli cause the patterns to form more quickly

Here's what we've discovered:

Setting a goal once is a conscious activity. Willpower is also a conscious activity. But research has shown that at least 5/6 of your brain power is in the non conscious mind and that the information and instructions that reach the non conscious mind are responsible for your automatic behavior.

Some pyschologists believe that 95% of our behaviors are unconscious and automatic... more commonly known as habits.

Long term behavior changes don't take place when you set goals one time as with most new years resolutions. There's an old saying in "self help" circles that it takes at least 21-30 days to form a habit. This has now been proven to be fairly accurate on a neurological basis.

New neural patterns begin to form only after they've been repeated enough times. They continue to strengthen with further repetition. If you make resolutions on January 1st and you don't continue to repeat and reinforce your desire for those "goals," no new neural connection is formed, no new habits are formed, no new behaviors are formed....

Your resolutions wither away and die and any results obtained through willpower (trying to force the new behaviors through conscious effort), are quickly lost when you slip back to your old ways.

What you repeat over and over again is programmed into the subconscious mind and begins to take root. On a practical level, this means RE-writing your goals everyday and thinking about them in positive terms and in mental pictures, every day, repeatedly until the habit is formed and turned over to "auto-piliot."

In 1956, when Earl Nightingale wrote "The Strangest Secret is that we become what we think about most of the time," we didnt know what we know now about the brain.

Nevetheless, Earl was right.

You don't change your body by trying to change your body. You change your body by creating new habitual patterns of thinking and visualizing.

Trying to force new behaviors with willpower while continuing with your old ways of thinking will always fail because your automatic behavior is mostly under non-conscious control.

Its not the resolution you set once... its the goals (mental thoughts and images) you focus on all day long that create the long term (and automatic) behavioral change... when you change your behaviors, you change your body and your life...

SCIENTIFIC GOAL SETTING TIP #2: Emotion is a goal-turbocharger

Is there any way around this tedious process of "mental programming" through repetition? Not really. The fields of NLP and hypnosis have given us some tools for creating more rapid changes, but ultimately you have to begin to "run your own brain" and change your habitual way of thinking. No one else can do it for you and there's no way around it.

There is however, a scientifically proven way to to speed up the process and that is with the use of strong emotion.

Since modern imaging technology can see activity in the brain and scientists have located the seat of emotions in the brain, we know that the strength and number of neural connections associated with a thought or behavior are increased when you're in a highly emotional state.

The neuron connections are also stronger, longer lasting and it takes longer to lose a neural connection when it was formed with great emotion.

With this knowledge, we see another reason why new years resolutions fail: They are set casually with no emotion and no strong emotional "reason why" that gives you the leverage to you need to make a change permanent.

On January 1st, you may think you're setting "real" goals, but if you're like most people, you're not only doing it a mere once a year and then losing focus, you're also likely to be making flimsy, wishy-washy, emotion-less "resolutions."

Zig Ziglar once said that, "A goal casually set and lightly taken will be freely abandoned at the first obstacle."

You might want to back up and read that quote again, maybe even write it down or print it out, because this one hits the bull's-eye!

This truly explains why New Year's resolutions almost never work, and why so few people can keep off the pounds after they get rid of them.

Goal setting should not be casual or lightly taken. Goal setting is an important and serious matter. This is not a game - this is your life, and you only have one life to live.

Goal setting is also not a one time event - it is an ongoing process of literally "re-wiring your brain." With the discovery of brain plasticity, we now know that this is science fact, not self-help fiction.

Make the time to set REAL goals, today! Take it seriously, do it scientifically, re-write your goals every day, think about them constantly, and then take massive action

Do it and this will be the most successful year of your life!

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder and author of the #1 best selling e-book, "Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle ,” which teaches you how to burn fat without drugs or supplements using the little-known secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your metabolism by visiting: Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle

What if Santa Had a Six-Pack? - AB Training Secrets For Santa and You!

2006-12-19T05:48:00.000-08:00

Dear friend,

If Santa had a Six-Pack then he would:

1. Impress Mrs. Claus and be able totake that tropical vacation that she always wanted to go on:

==> http://audiopostcard-004.com/Y.asp?8382966X1413

2. He would set a great example for all the little kids, all the elves in the North Pole, and of course all of his reindeer.

3. He would finally have a functionalmid-section and get rid of that nagging back pain that has plaugued him for years and years:

==> http://audiopostcard-004.com/Y.asp?8382966X1413

4. He certainly wouldn't eat thousands and thousands of servings of milk and cookies on Christmas night because that wouldn't help him keep his six pack

5. He would Finally be able to fit into his old red Santa suit that he has been trying to squeeze into for months:

==> http://audiopostcard-004.com/Y.asp?8382966X1413

These are just 5 ways that Santa's life would be better if he just new how to eat and train properly.

Good thing that Santa is going to listen to the Audio interview I did with AB-training expert David Grisaffi!

Simply click on the link below to listen how you really should train your abs if you want:

-A more attractive mid-section...

-To impress people with your 6-pack!

-To eliminate nagging back pain...

-To know how to eat to stay lean!

-To fit into your old clothes...

-And much, Much, More!! ==> http://audiopostcard-004.com/Y.asp?8382966X1413

Enjoy this audio gift to you and I hope that it helps you train your abdominals and develop that 6-pack that you have always wanted!

Happy Holidays!

--Kyle Battis

PS-Santa, I hope that you really do consider making some lifestyle changes. Right now the lack of exercise and your sweet tooth is really leading you down a dangerous path. Do it for me, do it for Mrs. Claus, do it for all the little kids out there that depend on you X-mas night!
Click on this link now Santa to take thefirst step towards the new, lean Santa!

==> http://audiopostcard-004.com/Y.asp?8382966X1413

ABs of Steel! - Your Guide to a Bullet-Proof Six Pack

2006-12-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

Stubborn fat is the enemy preventing your abdominals from being seen by the rest of the world...

==> Click Here To Listen To David's Nutrition Tips!

I have the solution for you

The other day I interviewed AB Training expert David Grisaffi and he shared some amazing -

(and surprising)

nutrition secrets that will help you zap that stuborn fat off of your midsection.

==> Click Here To Listen To David's Nutrition Tips!

I invite you to benefit from these nutritionals tricks that will help you blowtorch the fat off your currently-hidden six pack:

Enjoy this tricks and I hope they help you to achieve the lean physique that you are aiming for!

==> Click Here To Listen To David's Nutrition Tips!

Train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis

PS-The biggest factor in achieving a lean mid-section is your nutrition and if you want to learn 3 tips that will help you achieve that goal then you need to come listen to this audio right away. Click Here to get David's system now!

6 Weeks to 6 Pack Abs: Advanced Abdominal Circuit Training...

2006-12-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

Dear six pack seeker,

Coach David Grisaffi is giving away his latest abdominal and
core training course for FREEE!

It's called,

"6 Weeks to 6 Pack Abs: Advanced Abdominal Circuit Training..."

To get your copy, visit http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/abs or read on for more information...

--------------------------------------------------------
Monday, December 19th, 2006

"Bring it on, coach Grisaffi," whatever new workout you can dish out, I can take it."

Those were the "famous last words" of one of David's top athletes...BEFORE he ate "humble pie" after attempting a few circuits of David's newest 6-week abdominal and core training program.

A couple of his clients couldn't even finish the program on their first try, even though they were no strangers to hard training...they had to insert rest intervals between the exercises becausedoing it in a circuit was too hard...

Of course, that was the whole point. You see, David Grisaffi, in case you don't know him yet, is the guy who literally"wrote the book" on abdominal and core training, and hespecifically created this new program because some of histop clients had already been through all 7 levels of hisoriginal Firm and Flatten Your abs program.

They kept asking him, "Ok, coach, what's next?"

well, THIS is THE NEXT LEVEL of core and abdominal trainingthat david came up with

"6 Weeks To 6 pack Abs and a core of steel: ADVANCED ABDOMINAL CIRCUIT TRAINING"

If you're past the beginner stage in your fitness level,but you still want even stronger, even leaner, even more muscular abdominals... or if you just like a real challenge, then this is going to give you results that are almost mind boggling...

The workout was so unusual and challenging that anotherone of his clients told him that by week 3, his abs werecoming in at an "ALARMING" rate!

What kind of workout is this exactly?

Well, the technique of supersets (two exercises in a row withoutresting) has been a secret weapon of champion athetes and bodybuilders for years

This method is extremely effective for training the abs, but TRAINING for the abs and core goes even beyond supersets.

Even if you've done supersets, circuits or ab classes before,I can assure you that youve never seen anything quite like this.

One of david grisaffi's trademark methods is the way he combines integrated functional movements with traditional abdominal exercises.

Here's what that means:

Did you ever notice how sometimes your abs get REALLY sore the next day after doing straight arm pulldowns, or even after heavy tricep pushdowns?

Thats because even though you thought you were "isolating" lats or triceps, your body simply doesn't work in isolation. To stabilizeyour spine and torso while performing such exercises as these, you abs and core must contract very strongly.

Certain exercises, like bent over rows, bent over dumbbell flyes and front squats also require a very strong core contraction tobrace the core and stabilize your spine, even though you would nevercall them "ab" exercises.

So David got to thinking... what would you get if you put together a circuit workout that combined "regular" abdominal and core exerciseswith exercises that integrated full body, upper body or lower bodymovements with the core?

Answer: 6 PACK ABS AND A CORE OF STEEL! (with an added bonus:the compound exercises in the circuit crank up your calorie burning metabolic furnace, so for once, someone finally created an ab routine that really does burn fat!)

Not everyone is ready for this type of workout - its absolutely NOT for beginners. But if you're past the beginner stage, you can now get a copy of this new course for FREEE so you can try it too.

YES, there IS a "catch" - but the 6 week course really is FREEE and...

I'm sure you'll agree that its not only fair, you'll agree it's a really great deal as well as a smart and safe idea when you hear it.

To Get a copy of 6 weeks to 6 pack abs: Advanced Abdominal Circuit training", all you have to do is purchase a copy of david's best selling ebook, "Firm And Flatten Your Abs" from www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/abs and the 6 week advanced abdominal training course comes along as an extra bonus!

If you're a beginner, Firm And Flatten Your Abs is the best place tostart because it takes you from zero all the way to the "athlete"level, so you'll be ready for the really advanced stuff later on.

This is important because all too often beginners injure themselsves by trying exercises that are too strenuous for their fitness level.

Even if you're at "less than level 1" because you're recovering from injury, low back pain, or surgery, the first level of Firm And Flatten Your Abs is actually very rehabilitative in nature, so Firm and Flatten your abs has programs for anyone.

In addition to 7 levels of workout programs, Firm and flatten Your abs contains:

* 44 gut busting abs and core exercises* 129 exercise photo graphs* 5 priceless bonus reports* and a no risk, money-back 8 week trial period gurantee

The trial period gives you time to actually use the Flatten Your Abs system first before you decide if you want to keep it. I don't knowwhat could be more fair than that!

Plus, you can be confident that this program has been tested and provenin the "real world" by more than 10,000 men and women in 79 countries whohave already used Firm and Flatten your abs to:

- reduce waist size- slash body fat levels- strengthen the core- reduce low back pain- develop the "washboard" 6 pack look- become better athletes

No other program combines these types of benefits all inone program. Too many programs are purely for "cosmetic"or "bodybuilding" purposes, but why settle for a great lookingset of six pack abs when you can have strong and functional absas well?

Well, now you can.

To try out the Firm And Flatten Your Abs program, Click Here to order or to learn more - but do not wait. The 6 weeks to 6 pack abs course will only be included with this offer for three days:

Monday, December 18th Tuesday, December 19th Wednesday, December 20th

You may already be thinking about New Year's resolutions orbig fitness goals for 2007. With the 6-weeks to 6 pack abs advanced circuit training program David is generously giving away, now is a better time than ever to try it try out Flatten Your Abs... and try his new circuit abdominal system...if you are ready for it.

Remember...

3 days only...

To order or to get more information, visit:
http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/abs

Sincerely,

David Grisaffi
Author of Flatten Your Abs

PS - The offer ends Wednesday December 20th at midnight, PST so you need to act quickly on this one. The 6 week course is going to sell separately after this special offer is over... only the doers and the early birds get it for freee.

Pick it up now by Clicking Here!

Unconventional Cardio For Improved Fat Loss

2006-12-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

Dear friend,

If fat loss is a goal of yours and you are sick of boring cardio then listen to this audio. You will find all kinds of great ideas for you to burn the fat, get the heart pumping with some high quality exercise, and get a killer workout.

Hit the play button below to listen to this short audio clip:

If you want more 'underground' ways to improve your health and fitness levels then Click Here!

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT

www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

Prove the Masses Wrong and Get Lean During the Holidays

2006-12-15T04:25:00.000-08:00

By John A. Sifferman

The holidays are upon us!

With them comes the usual overindulgence in pies, cakes, cookies, eggnog and the like at your own home, your parents home, and all your friends’ homes. Many people stay up late, skip training sessions at the gym, and fall far behind in their pursuit towards their athletic goals. All the while, they are packing on a “winter coat” around their hips and stomach. It’s everywhere! The interesting part is that so many people just accept that they will gain weight during the holidays. It has become so typical that it is not uncommon for people to gain an easy ten pounds in a few short weeks. After all the work you have been putting into your health, that extra unnecessary bodyfat will sneak into your stocking and all of your progress will be stalled, yet again.

What if I told you that starting today, you could work against the norms of this holiday season and make new progress? What if I told you that it is even possible for you to lower your bodyfat percentage over this holiday season while all of your friends pack on what they call “winter blood?” Wouldn’t you want to know how? What if I told you that I thought Santa Claus is real? OK, you’d think I’m crazy and stop reading this right here.

Why not step away from the crowd and set some physique goals for this holiday season while all of your friends and co-workers indulge? Go ahead and set yourself apart from the expected, the usual, and the norms. Be yourself and be empowered. Enjoy casually turning down that piece of cake at the company party or the family reunion. Know that you are on your way to success, even in the most hostile fitness-enhancing conditions. You have the power to work towards your dream body, and you can start today!

The best thing to do is to set some realistic goals. Setting SMART goals is a great idea; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Tangible. Once you know what you want and when you want it by, make a plan of action. Understand that almost every athletic goal is going to take the combination of supportive nutrition, moderate intensity resistance training, cardiovascular training, and proper recovery techniques. All of these components are necessary to work together to help you achieve! Ignoring one of these components is like asking the heart to maintain the body’s survival without the lungs. It is impossible to do. No, you won’t drop dead if you disregard recovery or supportive nutrition, but you certainly won’t make progress. The underlying principle remains true. Substantial progress will only be made with all of these concepts working together as a synergy.

Enlist help. Tell everyone you can that you are making a new start and changing your lifestyle. Tell your gym staff, spouse, parents, kids, friends, co-workers, and the dog that you are ready for a change. Make sure that they understand that you are asking for help as this is a new beginning for you. The more they understand, the more supportive they can be.

Hiring a fitness professional is a great choice to make as the holidays near. Beginning a new program and a new lifestyle can be a daunting transition and a fitness professional can insure that you start off in the right direction. Having a professional hand you exactly what you need to do to succeed is the guaranteed approach to success. The only obstacle to your goals is you, your motivation, and your choice.

Practicing these steps means taking action, being consistent and being open to change. Working towards the body of your dreams is a very simple process, but that does not mean it is easy. Life is full of challenges. Your own emotions, as well as other people’s negative views and comments may set you back. But in the end, it all comes back down to your choice. Choose to work towards what you want and it will happen for you. By properly applying the concepts listed above, positive results are inevitable. That’s my promise.

Who says New Years’ resolutions have to wait for January 1? Set yourself apart from the masses and get started today!

-John A. Sifferman NSCA-CPT

John Sifferman has a passion for helping people achieve the physique of their dreams. He holds a nationally accredited certification in personal training through the NSCA. He is an active member at the Burn the Fat Inner Circle website community and is also a regular contributor to the Underground Strength Coach website community. You can e-mail John at John.sifferman@gmail.com

A Gift For You - Do You Know What The 5th Element Is?

2006-12-13T05:32:00.000-08:00

I have a gift for you,

Here ya go:

==> http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/5th.html

What's the gift you ask?

It's something very cool.

I won't tell you what it is right now, keep reading.

Let's just say that it mightbe THE missing element to your fitness success.
You see, there are 5 elements that are needed to get the verybest fat loss results from any program

(and you do want the very best results don't you?).

Here are the 5 Elements:

1. Proper Nutrition
2. The Right Mindset
3. The Right Amount of Cardio
4. Resistance Training
5. ??????

What's the 5th Element?

Come see:

==> http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/5th.html

This gift, the 5th Element has been of great value to many people, just see what this woman had to say about it:

Tom,

"Thank-you so much for the Fifth Element. So many of the things you said hit home - I have not had a support network and have often felt alone in my fat loss journey. I think this is one of the reasons I have not met my goals in the past. I am working through BFFM and know that I will have great tools once I am complete."

Thanks for all you do,

--Suzanne

==> http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/5th.html

I have about 56 more testimonials from people that have benefited from this Special Report.

I am sure that you will love this report.

Be sure to go grab your free copy now, I am not sure how long my buddy will continue offering it.

Enjoy your gift!

--Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

PS-The 5th Element might justbe the missing piece of the puzzle - the magic key that when combined with the other four elements will deliver the lean physique that you seek.

==> http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/5th.html

The Law Of Attraction And Weight Loss: Can You Think Yourself Thin?

2006-11-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Author of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
CEO of the Burn The Fat Inner Circle

--------------------------------------------------
Metaphysics & Brain science merge and prove that
positive thinking and goal setting literally create your
body and your entire life experience
---------------------------------------------------

On recently broadcast special edition of CNN's Larry King Live, Mr. King interviewed a panel of "mind experts" about how the thoughts you think literally turn into the events you experience, the material things you possess... AND even the health of your body.

For years, "positive thinking" and goal-setting were often criticized as "pollyanna" and "the law of attraction" was relegated into the category of "new age" fluff.

On the recent Larry King show, panel experts Bob Proctor, John Assaraf and others who were featured in the movie 'The Secret' explained that recent breakthroughs in neuroscience along with understanding mental laws, reveal why goal setting, the "law of attraction" and "positive thinking" all work, regardless of whether you look at them from a metaphysical or a scientific perspective.

Scientists have even identified specific parts of the brain, such as the reticular activating system (RAS), which works with the visual parts of our brain to call our conscious attention to things that are important to reaching our goals and to filter out those things that are unimportant.
The RAS is activated by "programming" goals into our sub-conscious minds. Our sub concscious mind is the "power center" and THIS is the mechanism that explains why goal setting and positive thinking are now being accepted as scientific methods for change.

We are discovering that our brain is cybernetic in nature, which means that it is literally like a computer, waiting for a program to be installed.

Here's the kicker - the subconcsious is completely neutral and impartial - it will carry out any instructions you give it.

Unfortunately, many of us are still running negative programs we picked up from others as children when our non-conscious minds were totally open and impressionable, or which we developed over the years as a result of repetition of our own negative thinking.

As it turns out, our own thoughts, repeated daily, are one of the primary ways that our "mental computer" is programmed on a sub-conscious level, which is the level of beliefs, habits and automatic behavior.

To change your results, you must overwrite old negative programming and install positive new programming into your subconscious.

This can be achived through such techniques as written goal setting, positive self-talk (affirmations), and mental imagery (visualization).

In the 1970's, the Soviets and East Germans were the first to formally use structured mental rehearsal, and at that time, they dominated in several olympic sports. This was reported in great detail in Charles Garfield's landmark book, "Peak Performance."

Today, virtually all elite athletes use visualization extensively, as we now know that the brain cannot differentiate between real practice and practice that is vividly imagined.

If you are getting more of the same negative results in your life - such as the same health problems, or the same body fat continues to return even after you lose it, then you have probably been un-consciously running old negative programs and re-inforcing them with negative thought patterns.

You can begin the positive mental reprogramming process by writing down your goals, changing your internal dialogue and taking a few minutes to relax, quiet your mind and perform a session of visualization or mental rehearsal every day (seeing yourself in your "mind's eye" not as you currently are, but as you ideally would like to be).

These methods, repeated often enough, will begin to program the non- conscious portion of the mind, which is the same part of the mind that controls your heart beat, digestion and new cell production, all on "automatic pilot."

In the last decade, neuroscientists discovered that you have the capacity to create an almost infinite number of new neural connections in your brain when you run new thought patterns.

The Old neural pathways are like grooves in a record, and if you are struggling with your health related behaviors or behaviors in any other area of your life, you have been playing the "old records" over and over again.

If you were to carve a new groove into that record, it would never play the same way again. the old pattern would weaken and the new one would take over. Brand new, positive thoughts, feelings and images begin to create new neural patterns.

Psychologists estimate that it takes 21 to 30 days to establish a new pattern in your brain. During this time, the focus on sticking with your practice and repeating your new thought patterns is critical.

Is this easy?

For most people, no it's not. In fact, controlling your thinking and keeping it constructive may be one of the most difficult challenges you have ever faced. Fortunately, writing goals and reading affirmations can help get you started.

You can take some of the pressure off yourself by simply accepting that negative thoughts and self criticisms will pop up from time to time. Just observe them, without mulling over them or adding to them, and change the polarity of the thought by quickly repeating one of your positive affirmations or by changing your mental pictures.

So is there something to this whole "positive thinking" thing?

The philosophers and theologians have been saying yes for the entire span of recorded history: "As you think, so shall you be." Variations on this proverb can be found in every spiritual and philosophical tradition.

But... if you are the left-brained, "prove-it-to-me" type, you dont have to go on faith anymore. Scientists are beginning to prove more and more convincingly that thoughts are powerful things. Even Larry King seemed impressed with what his panel of "mind mentors" had to say.

So how soon are you going to begin your mental training right alongside your physical training?

When are you going to learn how to harness this power locked up inside your mind?

Guess what? You're already using this force every day because you cannot turn it off. Whatever you are thinking and picturing in your mind repeatedly on a daily basis is already on it's way to you, so it's simply a matter of HOW you are using it, not IF you are using it.

What do you say to yourself every day? Do you say, "I am becoming leaner, healthier and more muscular every day?"... or do you say "I am a fat person - Ive tried everything, nothing ever works?"

The fact is - you can think yourself thin and healthy or you can think yourself obese and ill. Maybe not in the literal sense...but most certainly as the critical part in the chain of causation...

You see, there's a lot of talk these days in the personal improvement world about law of attraction, manifesting, intention, visualization, affirmations and of course, positive thinking.

Without understanding that there is an orderly, scientific basis underneath all of these things, many people will simply remain skeptics, while on the opposite extreme, others may get the idea that you can sit around meditating and visualizing, then expect a mystical "law of attraction" to kick in and then "poof!" a great body materializes out of thin air... along with the perfect relationship, a nice bank account and fantastic career success.

What really happens is "Positive thinking" and related methods quite literally re-program your brain, which in turn creates new behaviors that move you physically toward whatever you have been thinking about and focusing on.

So success is achieved through positive thinking + positive doing.... attraction + action. There are two sides to the coin. Without paying attention to both, you may continue to struggle... often against nothing but yourself.

If you want to transform your body or any other aspect of your life, then you have to change on the inside (the mind) first and then everything else will follow.

This process of *scientific* goal setting and mental reconditioning through emotionally charged mental imagery (visualization) and internal mental dialogue (affirmations) is the very first thing I have always taught my clients and the first thing I wrote about in my book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle You can learn all of these techniques in detail in chapter 1.

Learn more about the psychology of body transormation inside the Burn The Fat ebook

About the Author:

Clicking Here!

Surviving The Holidays! 6 Points To Help You Get Through The Holidays Leaner Than Ever!

2006-11-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

Here we are again in the midst of the holiday season! Making it through the holidays while maintaining a regular workout regimen and healthy eating habits can be a daunting task if you do not have a plan in place. With the endless shopping, the holiday parties, the alcohol, and the frivolous eating, this season can potentially put the brakes on your progress towards achieving your fitness goals.

The holidays should be a time to celebrate and the occasional "treats" can be enjoyed, but if you are serious about achieving your fitness goals you must be reasonable as to "how much and how often." The following "Holiday Survival Guide" will help you make it through the holidays while simultaneously making progress towards the goal of achieving your best body!

1. Plan on Succeeding Through The Holiday Season!

Most people approach the holiday season expecting to stop exercising, gain weight, eat uncontrollably and wreak havoc with their bodies. Rather than taking control of themselves and developing a plan to make it through the holidays people tend to "throw it all out the window" and attempt to pick up the pieces as part of their New Years Resolution. By that first week in January these people are in the worst shape of their lives and they then attempt to rededicate themselves to regaining control and regaining their bodies.

Instead of "planning to fail" as most people do, make a commitment to prevent the holiday backslide in your health and actually improve your body despite the holiday madness. By planning to succeed you will be able to maintain your high standards of exercising regularly and eating well. Make a plan to improve your fitness through the holidays and you will achieve the success that you seek!

2. Set Goals and Take Daily Actions To Achieve Them!

Commitment is the first step towards achieving progress! The second step is setting short and long-term goals. Goals help you crystallize the vision of where you want to go with your workout and nutrition plans. Setting a goal of sticking with your usual three workout sessions/week despite the craziness of the holidays might be a great place to start.

If it is important to you then fit it in. I can't tell you how, but where there is a will there is a way. Allocating some time to make some healthy snacks for the holiday party would be an action that you could take that would help you achieve a goal of eating healthy through the holidays! Set a few goals for yourself and for each of those goals develop three daily actions that you could implement to help you achieve those goals!

3. Plan Your Workouts and Healthy Meals In Advance!

You have advance warning that your schedule will become hectic but if you are able to plan to work around the holiday interruptions you can still maintain a reasonable eating and workout regimen. It may take some creative thinking, but you can fit in healthy meals and regular workouts if you schedule them along with the parties, special days, and shopping trips. If you know that you will be going to a party, plan on that being your "cheat day." By scheduling in your workouts and supportive meals with your holiday appointments you will stay on track and maintain progress through the holiday rush!

4. Maintain Your Sensibility At The Holiday Parties!

Chips, dips, pies, cakes, rich sauces, spiked eggnog, and all of the other "goodies" typically associated with the holidays are usually devoured in gluttonous excess! Think back to how you have conducted yourself with all of these culinary delights of years past.

If you are like most people, you can remember occasions where you turned into the gluttonous monster at the holiday party and indulged in excessive amounts of high-calorie foods and possibly multiple alcoholic beverages. The foods and alcohol available at typical holiday parties can dramatically increase your regular caloric intake and cause you to erase the beneficial effects of all that exercise that you have been putting in at the gym!

Give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays but maintain focus! Maintain your sensibility and allow yourself the pleasure of the occasional holiday treats and you will make it through without overindulging. Allow yourself a slice of cake but remember your goals and have just one piece! The problems arise when you have the spicy meatballs, the chips, the crackers, the cheese, the nuts, a handful of M & M's, and THEN you have that piece of cake! Keep your fitness goals in your mind!

5. Minimizing The Damage!

John Berardi is a PHD in Exercise Science and advanced nutrition, a recognized author, and a lifetime body builder. John wrote a great article entitled “Damage Control” and in it he provides some strategies for physique-minded individuals on how to minimize the damage of a gluttonous meal during the holiday season.

John mentioned that the "leaner an individual is, the more that individual can cheat and get away with it." However, John recommends that people carrying 15-20% bodyfat or more need to minimize their cheat meals to a greater extent because they tend to get away with a lot less (i.e. you will store more fat from a large cheat meal!). Here are a couple of John's recommendations on minimizing the damage of a large holiday meal:

A. "Eat as you normally would (every few hours) before your cheat meal.

B. Ideally perform a glycogen-depleting workout (either 15-30 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training or 30-60 minutes of moderate intensity cardio) a few hours before the meal. Then, a few hours later I would eat the big meal. Then, as soon as I can button up my pants again, I would hit another workout. This one could be another cardio workout (if it's an "off" day) or a weight-training bout if it's your lifting day. If you can only fit in one of these workout sessions it will still be better than nothing at all!

C. Once you have done the damage, don't eat again the same day until you start to feel hungry or at least wait until you don't feel painfully full any longer. If you're not used to huge calorie loads, you'll undoubtedly remain full for hours and hours afterward. This is due to the super-slow digestion that's taking place as a result of all that food volume and all that saturated fat.

D. On the following day after a ridiculous binge, get right back on your regular eating plan. Don't try to eat less or "diet" the binge off. It doesn't work and just screws you up even more for days to come. You may not feel much like eating the next day but eat anyway."

You can check out John's article in its entirety (and many other great ones!) by Clicking Here!

6. Remember The Big Picture!

In all honesty, the holiday craze will most likely get in the way to some degree. Just how much it affects your routine is up to you. Remember that some exercise is better than none, so try to fit in some form of physical activity (even if it is just for 10 minutes a day). If you can eat healthy most of the time and allow yourself to partake in some of the holiday pleasures you will continue to move towards your goal of achieving your best body.

Americans have a bad habit of being polarized thinkers. Many people either commit 100% or not at all, completely on or off, rarely in between the two extremes. If more people took a realistic view of the process of achieving a better body they would live happier lives and would realize that they can enjoy the holidays and still make progress towards their fitness goals. If you fall off track and indulge a little too much, do not give up all hope. Just get back on track as soon as possible and you will be just fine. Keep the big picture in mind while you enjoy the holiday season and you will have healthy and happier holidays.

Happy Holidays,

--Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT

PS-Surrounding yourself with like-minded people and motivating ideas during this time of the year can be critical to your overall success! Click Here to learn how to do this!

Working On Your Head - How Your Mind Dictates Your Fitness Results...

2006-11-16T16:41:00.000-08:00

Dear success-seeker,

You need to 'work on your head' all the time.

What I mean by "working on your head" is that you should constantly be feeding
your mind positive information, you should be challenging long-held limiting
beliefs, you should be exercising your creative abilities, and you should be
expanding that hunk of grey matter stuck between your ears as much as you can.

Understand that the current physical state of your body is simpy a reflection
of your mind.

Your values, beliefs, mental programs, your tendancies of moving towards things
or away things, and ultimately how you percieve the world is key to your health
and fitness levels.

Chances are that you have an abundance of junk mental programming jammed into
your brain (from the wrong environment, from your parents, from the media, etc).

In order to achieve better fitness results you should be trying to reprogram
your control center with the right programs that will deliver the right results.

One way to 'feed the mind' is to spend time with mentors and successful people
so that you can model their behaviors and learn how they have become successes.

(Remember, success leaves clues).

I recommend becoming a Sherlock Holmes of success and searching for those clues
all the time.

By hanging out with a bunch of successful people all weekend long who have
already done what I want to do I learned an astronomical ammount of high-powered,
life-changing information.

Hanging out with successful people, reading about successful people, and
studying what successful people have done is a high pay-off activity.

I think it is vitally important to constantly fill your head with positive
information that will help your mind grow. This is a key to success in anything
in life.

Fitness, business, anything.

Knowledge without action produces no results so now that you have the knowledge
that successful people all have will you start working on your head every day?

I think so.

Train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT

PS-My buddy Tom Venuto is a MASTER of working on his head! Click Here to see how he does it and how you can benefit from it as well!

Ab Workouts Slow Fat Loss!

2006-11-12T07:09:00.000-08:00

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author of Turbulence Training

Not only are most traditional ab workouts a waste of time, but they also slow your fat loss efforts. Each workout you spend crunching takes time away from more effective fat loss methods - such as interval training.

That's right, the common man's (and woman's) ab workout taken from Shape magazine or Muscle'n'Fitness often hurts their fat loss program more than it helps it.

Remember - I'm in the business of getting you the most fat loss in the least amount of exercise time...so I have little room in myprogram for traditional ab crunches (with the exception of usingbasic ab exercises for beginners who need to learn to use their ab muscles after a lifetime of inactivity).

Instead, I focus on exercises that build a 6-pack AND burn a lot of calories at the same time. That's why I'm a big fan of making EVERY exercise an ab exercise (by bracing the abs in every movement), as well as using total body ab exercises (such as Mountain Climbers, the Spiderman Lunge/Climb, and the Stability Ball Jackknife).

These exercises use far more muscle mass than a traditional crunch. In fact, some of the total body ab exercises are "interval-like" in nature, helping to put more metabolic turbulence on the body, and as you know, that's what burns calories during AND after the workout.

Now of course you know that you can't spot reduce the fat on your body - so doing an endless number of crunches not only does little for you in terms of losing fat, it also wastes your time in your quest for a 6-pack.

Here are a couple of strategies to maximize your workout time when your goal is to get lean, and get down to a low-enough body fat percentage to see your abs in as little workout time as possible:

(If you've got 2 hours a day to workout, by all means, do whatever your heart desires...but I don't think many of us that live in the real world have that kind of time.)

A) First, simply cut back on your ab training - If your goal is tosimply lose fat, gain a little muscle, and just look as goodpossible, then you can't spend 30 minutes on abs everyday. You can build your 6-pack by doing less than 30 minutes of ab exercise per week.

I'm convinced that no one (not even a fitness model or probodybuilder) needs more than 30 minutes of ab training per week.

In fact, at the photoshoots I supervise for the fitness magazines,I get to talk to a lot of fitness models and what they tell meabout their training routines might shock you. Most of them don't train nearly as frequently as you or I might think.

Instead, they've worked hard over the years with the basic lifts to build their body, and now many of them simply use nutrition and maintenance workouts to keep their abs showing.

B) Second, replace your crunches with the total body ab exercises I mentioned earlier. Also, if you have access to a cable machine, you can do weighted ab exercises such as kneeling cable crunches.

C) And finally, if you are doing intervals for fat loss as Irecommend, you can use the following approach to increase thedifficulty of your ab and interval training. However, this is anadvanced method only. Beginners should stick to the TT guidelines in their manual.

During your interval workout, perform an ab exercise during your active recovery period. For example, if you are doing running intervals on a treadmill...

Run for 60 seconds at your work interval speed. Immediately stop the treadmill, get off, and go into a set of 20 Mountain Climbers. Climb back on the treadmill and start it up for your next interval. Repeat for 3-6 intervals.

You can also use basic spinal stabilization "ab exercises" such as the plank, side plank, or advanced plank versions (i.e. plank with your arms on the ball) to train your spinal stabilization while under heavy breathing stress. I learned this technique from Dr. Stuart McGill.

Remember: Always train safe, with good form, and be conservative. Don't try to be a hero in the gym, but you should safely challenge yourself in each workout.

Stick to the Turbulence Training Guidelines if you don't know where to start.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for 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, Click Here to learn more about Turbulence Training!

The 6 Steps to Fat Loss Success for Beginners

2006-11-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author of Turbulence Training

For beginners, getting into fitness can be intimidating and confusing.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

In fact, getting fit is one of the most straightforward tasks you’ll attempt in the New Year.

Fortunately, reaching your fitness goals requires only two things; discipline (that’s up to you) and a set of simple guidelines (which I’m happy to provide).

First, you should arrange for a full physical examination from your physician. This is mandatory for people that have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or are obese. Once you have your doctor’s approval to begin a fitness program, you should schedule a fitness assessment with a health professional at your gym.

While both of these are incredibly annoying, they are essential to your success and well-being.

The benefits of a doctor’s visit are obvious, particularly if you have one or more of the previously mentioned conditions but it also allows you and your doctor to discuss your lifestyle.

Preventative medicine is far better than reactive medicine. Make your doctor part of your fat loss and health-building team along with the health professionals at your gym. The real benefits of the fitness assessment aren’t finding out how much body fat you have or how many minutes you can last on the treadmill, but rather getting a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.

If you want to avoid injury and actually achieve your goals this year, get to know your strengths and weaknesses.The next secret is to walk, don’t run, to fitness success. If you want to pick up your University running workouts where you left them 10 years ago, that’s fine.

But I guarantee you won’t last 10 days.

And then it’ll be a dreary 355 days until you’re ready to try exercise again.

The hidden benefit of a good fitness assessment is that it will actually serve as a nice introductory workout to your return to fitness. It will buffer your delusions of fitness grandeur from the reality of what your body actually can do.

After the fitness assessment teaches your body a lesson and awakens your muscles from their winter slumber, only then will you realize your limits that you must respect in subsequent workouts.

Goal-setting is the fourth secret to success (and not just in fitness, but in any area of life). It is much more effective to commit to a set of specific short-term and long-term goals than it is to routinely hope for weight loss each year. Set realistic goals and remember to train within your limits.

If you are currently sedentary and haven’t exercised in months (or years), don’t begin an advanced training program. Start with a conservative beginner program. Your belly wasn’t built in a day, and neither will be lost overnight.

Limit your initial workouts to 1 set per muscle group. In week 2, you should be ready to add another set. And if you want to build up to 3 sets, then do so in week 3. Slowly increase the weight and stay within your desired repetition range. At no time should you be too sore to function. And runners should also heed this advice. Too much running will guarantee shin splints in the early going. Avoid running on back to back days for the first two weeks and keep the distance short. Sore muscles are guaranteed when you lift.

So keep the volume low.

And now for 2 super secrets that will help keep you committed and consistent with your workouts and will finally help you lose fat for good.

First, build your social support team. Social support is the #1 factor for success for women in fitness programs, and is important for men as well. Support can come from your spouse, brother or sister, child, mom or dad, friend, neighbor, co-worker, personal trainer, or lifestyle coach.

Don’t try to go it alone.

People respond better when they report to a person instead of a machine. You also need to know that nutrition is the second most important factor for success in fat loss programs. That’s why you don’t need to train like a world-class athlete when you are starting to lose fat. Most of the fat you’ll lose in the early going is because you have chosen to make better nutritional choices. And if you don’t make better nutritional choices, even the best exercise program in the world isn’t going to help you achieve your fat loss goals. Nutrition is a lot simpler than you think.

Don't over think things.

See a nutritionist or listen to what your mother told you as a kid. Food choices should contain a large nutrient-to-calorie ratio. Dr. Phil (yes that Dr. Phil) calls this “High-Response Cost, High-Yield Nutrition”.

And follow this rule: Don't eat foods with added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, but make sure to log your nutritional intake. This is a free website that allows you to track your calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat.The consistent use of these 6 secrets will help you achieve your fat loss goals this year.

Make this year’s fitness plan a strategic investment in your future health.

The most efficient and effective way to lose fat in 2005 is with my Turbulence Training workouts - the choice of fitness professionals.

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for 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 all over the Internet, 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, Click Here!

Hybrid Training - 2 to 3 TIMES More Muscle!

2006-11-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

Dear friend,

I have something to share with you.

A revolutionary new training concept that delivers 2 TO 3 TIMES the muscle and strength-building results from the SAME EFFORT you're putting in RIGHT NOW...

Plus...

A CONSTANT stream of extraordinary new exercises, training techniques, as well as fat-loss, muscle and strength-building "know-how" distilled from more than 16 years of "in the trenches" training experience...

Equals...

Your ONE-WAY TICKET to the lean, strong, sculpted body that you train so hard to achieve!
Because right now, you're going to learn about:

- a training system that teaches you how to combine TWO forms of resistance into ONE single exercise, doubling and even TRIPLING the muscle-building tension you get in each and every set you do

And...

- a brand-new, information-packed training resource that is going to get you the "good stuff"...the unique, cutting-edge, training info that you NEED to get the best results possible... served up to you on almost a daily basis!

Sound good?

Keep reading...

Here it is in black and white...if you want to maximize every single rep of every single set that you do, you need to train SMARTER, NOT HARDER.

That's where I come in...

I've just discovered two amazing training resources that are going to send your gains through the roof!

Recently, Nick Nilsson, the author of a number of unique training ebooks such as "The Best
Exercises You've Never Heard Of" and "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" sent me a copy of his new book and a membership to his new site.

Nick is best known for coming up with unconventional, unique and, above all, EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE exercises and training techniques. His new site and book are definitely no exceptions!

This stuff is GOLD.

1. Hybrid Training - Maximum Tension For Maximum Muscle

In "Hybrid Training," you'll learn how to combine multiple forms of resistance (e.g. free weights, bands, cables, bodyweight) into SINGLE EXERCISES to keep MAXIMUM TENSION on your muscles at all times.

And why is this good? Because when you lose tension in the muscles, you INSTANTLY decrease the muscle-building potential of the exercise. With "Hybrid Training," your muscles get NO break in tension and you lose NO potential growth. Your muscles will almost literally EXPLODE with new growth and strength gains!

And I'm not kidding when I say the information in this book has the potential to TOTALLY SHATTER any muscle-building or strength plateaus you may be experiencing right now.
Just take a look at these two examples from the book...

- a technique that allows you to do FULL RANGE REPS of bench press with ONE HUNDRED POUNDS MORE than your regular maximum bench press. The first time you try it, you'll be hooked! Itdevelops the muscles and connective tissue like nothing you've ever felt before.

- exercises that TOTALLY ELIMINATE the weak points of standard exercises to fully stimulate the muscles through their ENTIRErange of motion thus achieving MUCH faster growth.

E.g, when you do dumbell flyes for chest, you get great tension at the bottom but almost nothing at the top. Imagine if you could add another form of resistance to the exercise and get FULL TENSION at the bottom AND ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP! Take it from me...your chest will never be the same.

And in "Hybrid Training" you'll get exercises that apply muscle-building tension just like this to EVERY SINGLE BODYPART. Seriously....these two examples aren't even scratching the surface!

But "Hybrid Training" is just the first step...

2. "Powerful Training Secrets" - Your New Membership Site With A Never-Ending Supply of Unique and Effective Training Information

If you're like me, when I learn a new exercise or new training technique, I CAN'T WAIT to get to the gym to try it out. I'm like a kid in a candy store. It keeps me motivated and keeps me excited to train!

But where do you go to get new training information? Sure, the muscle magazines have info in them from time to time but, to be quite honest, you have to be willing to dig through all the supplement ads and rehashed fluff to get to anything new.

And when you go digging to find information on the Internet, how can you be sure that the source is legitimate? How do you know if the "expert" on the forum is really an expert or a 16 year-old kid who's been training for 3 months?

With "Powerful Training Secrets," you're going to get NOTHING BUT the best information, directly from Nick...he's been training more than 16 years and has a degree in Physical Education (including advanced biomechanics, physiology and kinesiology), in addition to being a certified personal trainer for the past 10 years and a published author!

You'll get VIDEOS for just about everything so you know EXACTLY what you're doing, no matter how new the exercises are to you.

And where "Hybrid Training" is a very focused, new concept in training with a complete set of exercises, "Powerful Training Secrets" is a CONSTANT stream of new stuff covering ALL KINDS of approaches.

Unique new exercises...

Powerful new training techniques...

Dramatically better results for you, starting now!!

And you'll get it for less than the cost of a single one of those magazines...and without the digging!

---
Both "Hybrid Training" and "Powerful Training Secrets" are ready for you to jump on RIGHT NOW!

And here's the best part...when you sign up for a yearly membership with "Powerful Training Secrets," Nick is going to GIVE you the "Hybrid Training" eBook too.

Both he and I want you to have ALL this info so you can go to the gym tomorrow and BLOW THE ROOF OFF.

Go check it out right now!

Click Here to get started!

There, you'll get instant-access to a "sample site" where you can see the kind of great information you'll be getting on an almost-daily basis!

And if you're more interested in learning more about "Hybrid Training"...no problem! He's offering it on its own as well!

Bottom line: if you want better results, you NEED this info and you owe it to yourself to check it out.

If you have any questions about "Hybrid Training" or "Powerful Training Secrets," please feel free to email Nick any time at betteru@fitstep.com. He's always ready to help!

Train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

P.S. Be sure to get in on the ground floor on this one and lock in your "launch price" membership now! As the "Powerful Training Secrets" site gets packed with more and more information, the membership prices will be going up.

However, once you sign up, your membership price is locked in and will NEVER go up. That's a promise.

===> Click Here to take a look!

A Secret Of Top Achievers

2006-11-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

Hello friend,

I am hanging out in Atlanta right now filling my brain with some new 'mind food' and I wanted to share something that should be of interest to you.

I was reminded earlier today that 'desire is the starting point of all achievement.'

This famous Napolean Hill quote is so important to understand, especially if you are not getting everything that you want in your life right now.

A successful journey towards any goal requires that you start with a burning desire that really fires you up (pun intended).

Understand that how much you are currently achieving is directly proportional to the amount of desire that you have.

Read that again...

It's that important.

If you really want to excel you must get into a white heat of desire and get absolutely fired up to achieve your goals and desires.

Weak desires produce weak results so stop screwing around and get serious about making some REAL changes right now.

The decision is everything.

So let me ask you...

what are your desires and how fired up are you about them?

Answer that question honestly if you want some important insights into your life.

Train with purpose,

--Kyle

PS-If you have a strong desire to start making some serious progress in yourlife then start RIGHT NOW. Make a decision that from here on out that you will take full responsibility and focus on strong desires that excite you.

If you have a strong desire to develop a lean, athletic physique then Click Here!

Program Yourself Thin!! Replay of Interview With Fat Loss Expert Jim Katsoulis!

2006-10-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Why do some people lose weight so easily-while you try everything possible and barely lose a pound?

Have you ever wondered why being thin is so difficult even though you want it so badly? What if there was a way that you could drop 5, 10, 20 pounds permanently all on auto-pilot...no dieting, no pills, no deprivation.

My friend and colleague Jim Katsoulis has some answers for you. Jim is in my local Mastermind group and his mindset training information is top-notch.

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim and in this interview he will share some tips and mental tricks that will help you 'program yourself thin!'

(To discover how to Program YourSelf Thin

click on the Play Button above!)

If you want to learn more about Jim's fabulous mental re-training program then CLICK HERE!

About Jim

Jim Katsoulis is a Master Hypnotist and Weight Loss Expert. He has conducted over 1,000 weight loss sessions and has helped clients of all ages create the body and lives that they want.

He is dedicated to helping people recapture their sense of excitement, passion, and gratitude using cutting edge mental programming technology.Using this very technology he has personally dropped 50 pounds and kept it off. These methods have worked when everything else has failed.Many of his clients have called him a "Personal Change Guru" for his ability to rapidly find permanent solutions to difficult problems.

He is thankful for having been able to learn from some of the best people in the fields of personal change. And has been certified as a Master Hypnotist through the National Guild of Hypnotists, received his Master NLP Practitioner Certification from Bennett/Stellar University, and received his Yoga Instructor certification from Sivananda ashram in Val Morin, Canada. To learn more about Jim's Program Yourself Thin course and how it can help you discover your dream body Click Here!

“D.I.S.C.P.L.I.N.E.” The Key To Fat Loss!

2006-10-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

The Key To Fat Loss

While there is no magic bullet, there is one word to sum it all up:

“D.I.S.C.P.L.I.N.E.”

D= DAILY GOALS. Goals provide direction guiding you to your destination. People with goals succeed because they know where they are going.

I= INVESTIGATE PATTERNS. Investigate patterns and/or barriers to your success or inability to obtain success. Do you win “the clean the plate award?” Are you eating too much, too fast, with too many portions on your plate? If so, identify obstacles and set a goal. For example, pack your own healthy lunch or if you do go out to eat pack up half the meal for a meal later in the day rather than eating it all at once.

S= SELF-ASSESSMENT. Take an honest self-assessment. This includes both a food log and exercise journal. Know where you stand with the components of fitness.

C= COMMITMENT AND COURAGE TO CHANGE. Take control of your destination by overcoming barriers. If you truly want to be a different person, commit to the change. Start living and acting “as if” –What would you do differently that you are not doing now?

I= INTENSITY. If you want to get there faster think of I.C.E. Intensity, Concentration, and Enthusiasm. Crank up the intensity in your workout, stay completely focused on the task and begin each day with an enthusiastic, positive attitude. The more intense your workout, the more calories you will expend. Intensely focus in the direction of your goals.

P= PRE-PLAN. Pre-plan your workouts and your meals. You will have better control over your destination. Stay disciplined and follow the plan. “A goal without a plan is futile and a plan without action is fatal.”

L= LEARN. As sport psychologist Dr. Terry Orlick says: “Always Learning Lessons.” “Only by drawing lessons out of your experiences will you learn to excel.” Learn from your self-assessment tools, i.e., food log and exercise journals. Keep a journal observing your patterns and behaviors that get in your way. Be good to yourself....”Throw away the experience, but keep the lesson.”

I= INTRINSIC MOTIVATION. Enjoy and trust the process. If you are intrinsically motivated you love life. Live your best life! Learn to like exercise and eating healthy. If you are setting a goal for somebody else, the extrinsic reward may not be gratifying. Self-gratification, not instant gratification. Trust the process and enjoy the journey.

N= NUTRITION. Fuel your body for success. There is food for your body to nourish it and fuel for socialization. If you want a fast car, fuel it with high-octane fuel: healthy choices! Its well worth meeting with a Registered Dietician skilled in coaching people to eat in a healthier manner to develop life-long eating skills.

E= EAT TO LIVE AND EXERCISE FOR HEALTH. If nothing else, begin by living a healthier lifestyle by choosing foods to live by and exercising to reduce risks.

Reference:

Kiefiuk, Debbie. Supertraining List. mailto:www.supertraining@yahoogroups.com. 7/25/2002.

Fat Loss Secrets of Fitness Models by Turbulence Trainer Craig Ballantyne!

2006-10-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Author of Turbulence Training

Fat loss is easy once you understand how hard it is.

Once you realize that fat loss is hard work, and not just as easyas eating some celery, drinking really cold water, and slammingdown some "metabolism boosters", that's when you'll really start to get results.

When you accept sticking to your nutrition program will take effort, only then will you start planning and preparing your nutrition to meet your fat loss goals.

Same with exercise.

When you understand that harder workouts are more effective, then you'll start to plan your workouts accordingly.

Over the past year I've interviewed over a dozen fitness models (men and women) for Oxygen and Maximum Fitness magazines, and their secrets to success are as plain as day.

They know it is going to be hard work to get ready for a photoshoot, but what do they know that you don't know?

First, they've got their nutrition plans down perfectly. And when I say planned out, I don't just mean they have a meal plan torn out of a magazine. Instead, they have their shopping lists prepared.

They have time set aside for cooking, cutting, and chopping. These men and women have more than enough tupperware to store and freeze their food for the week.

Fitness models take their meals with them and aren't so naive as to believe that they will be able to find something "healthy" at work or on the road. They are not willing to sacrifice results for convenience. They have accepted the hard work that comes with eating for fat loss. Have you?

Second, fitness models know what works - not only in the kitchen, but also in the gym. They've recorded their workouts, studied the effects of various exercises, rep ranges, and workout frequencies.

They have accepted that their can be NO guesswork in a fat lossworkout program. That's why fitness models plan their workouts in advance, and write down the results in a training log for analysis. If you aren't doing that, then you're doing nothing more than playing a workout "lottery" and hoping you'll come up lucky.

Third, and perhaps most importantly (because its hard to have the first two factors without this one), fitness models surround themselves with a supportive environment and social support groups.

How many fitness models do you think are married to sedentary, overweight smokers? How many fitness models do you think hang around men and women that start drinking at 4pm every Friday?

Having the right social support group and supportive environment can make or break your fat loss program in less than a minute.

Research shows this.

Experience proves this.

All it takes is a bunch of co-workers to surround you at your desk with a box of doughnuts and pressure you into "having just one". The next thing you know its 3 days later and you haven't had a decent meal since.

According to the research on social support for fat loss, there areat least 2 proven ways to harness the powers of others for your fat loss goals.

First, include a health professional in your social support group.This could be your doctor, a nutritionist, or a trainer that yousee on a regular basis. But you need to be accountable to someone.This will work best for those of you that can't find support among your family, friends, or co-workers.

Second, if a member of your social support group also loses weight, you'll have a greater chance of succeeding. So try and get family members, friends, and co-workers directly involved. Get them from cheerleaders to active participants in the fight against fat.

I hope these tips help you out. If you don't have any social support right now, by all means, send me an email on your progress and at least hold yourself accountable to me.

If you need help planning a workout, please Click Here!

I promise you Turbulence Training will give you to the fat loss you deserve and desire.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. 21 pounds in 21 days!

"Hi Craig, I wanted to send you a note regarding Turbulence Training. The workouts are great and if you incorporate the diet plan you can't help but lose FAT. I have been using the program for three weeks and have dropped twenty one pounds. I look forward to getting down to my goal weight within a year. I am very happy to have purchased this program and would recommend it to other with no hesitation. Thank you very much." --Tim Jones

"I have been going to the gym for a number of years and am always looking for newer and more efficient ways to work out. I started doing the Turbulence Training program about 8 weeks ago and already (to my surprise) I am leaner than I have been in about 3 years. I am also finding that I am actually less tired than what I was doing other programs that I have tried, most of which involved longer cardio, rather than the short hard intervals recommended in TT. Given the variety of workouts within the program I hope that I will never be bored or have an inefficient workout in the gym again. I highly recommended it for anyone especially those who feel like they have plateaued." --Rebecca Organo

"Dear Craig, for the last year or so, I've plateaued in the mid tohigh 170s, having come from the low 190's. I wasn't gettinganywhere with my old program, so I started the TT program just 5 weeks ago. Since then, I have not only increased my strength, endurance and overall energy level, I've gone from 175 lbs to 166 lbs. That's more than 9 lbs of fat since I've definitely gained muscle. I finally have a waist again, and I can actually begin to see what abs look like! Thanks!" --John Sobraske

Get your very own copy of Turbulence Training & the Nutrition Guide by Clicking Here!

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for 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 this link!

The Beast! A Scary Halloween Exercise Equipment Special!

2006-10-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

THE BEAST LURKS BELOW...

Just in time for Halloween a very scary beast lurks in the shadows

You can find the beast lurking in the home gyms of stars like Tony Robbins, Sylvester Stallone, and Tom Cruise

The beast is a scary, huge, toothless moster that promises that it will devour you in only 4 minutes, stripping all of the fat off of your body and leaving only bones!

Many hunt this beast but few can afford to undertake this quest

I won't show you the beast just yet (much to scary)

I do not want to frighten you (not yet anyway)...

BUT,

if you are BRAVE ENOUGH to keep scrolling I will show you the face of this monster and how to vanquish this perilous creature

The monster is HUGE, heavy, has many arms and legs that will rip the fat from your body, and burn the fat in it's firey belly!

Brave soul, you have scrolled down far enough and for your courage I will now show you the beast!

Prepare yourself!

Ready?

Here it is...

THE BEAST!!!!!

(The Beast! (Also Known as The "R.O.M")!!!!

The scary monster known as the "Beast" is really the R.O.M., which stands for Range Of Motion.

This is a VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE iece of exercise equipment manufactured in California since 1990 that has a price tag of only $14,615...

Yes, you read that correctly:

$14,615 for one piece of exercise equipment!!!!!

Now that is SCARY!!!

You must understand that this piece of exercise equipment is meant to be for people with large amounts of disposable income (guys like Tom Cruise, Tony Robbins, and Sly Stallone!!!).

The ROM promises total fitness results in ONLY 4 Minutes of exercise! I am sure that this monstorous machine really does deliver some impressive fitness results in short periods of time.

However, I do not believe that you have to spend $14,615 to achieve the same benefits of the ROM fat loss and strengthening system.

Let's take a look at what the ROM really does and see if I can show you a low cost alternative to this 'beastly' machine.

Key benefits of the ROM:

Trains the enetire body focusing on all major muscle groups
Focuses on High Intensity Interval Training which has been proven effective for improved fat loss, muscle growth, and improved cardiovascular function in workouts lasting only 4 minutes in duration
Improves flexibility and range of motion by performing strength training movements through a complete range of motion
Elicits maximum fat loss and fitness results in minimum time

Now, if the price tag does not scare you enough let me tell you this.

You DON'T NEED A 14,615-Dollar piece of equipment to get all of these benefits and MORE!

All you need is your bodyweight. The company selling the ROM probably does not want you to know that you can achieve the exact same fitness results that this machine delivers for FREE!!!!!

You can perform all of the same movements that they ROM delivers with your own bodyweight and a pair of light dumbbells.

You can perform 4 minute workouts where you work hard for 20 seconds and then perform either active rest for 10 seconds or a lower intensity exercise for that "rest period."

These 4 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts are amazing additions to a fat loss plan and are actually fun to perform (if you ahve a scary work ethic and aren't afraid of some lactic acid-type burning sensations in your muscles!). :)

Here is a sample Bodyweight HIIT workout that you can perform with no 'beastly-equipment' needed:

Sample BodyWeight HIIT Workout

1. Warm-up with some joint mobility exercises and light calisthenics like jumping jacks for 5 minutes or so.

2. Perform Burpees as fast as you can for 20 seconds. Begin by standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Rapidly squat down and place hands on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet back to land in a pushup position. Immediately return your feet to the squat position. Leap up as high as possible from the squat position.

(Burpee Sequence)

3. Perform Light Recovery-Based, Jumping Jacks at a very slow pace for 10 seconds. This is your "rest" period so enjoy it!

4. Go back and forth between these two exercises for 4 minutes!!!

That's it. Start slow and try this 4 minute heart-pumping workout. Let me warn you that this is not for beginners and I take no responsibility if you kick your own butt too hard! Start slow with this type of training and gradually work your way into it.

It can be extremely effective as a fat loss and fast fitness tool if time is of the essence.

If you want to save yourself $15 Grand while achieving better fat loss results and improved cardiovascular function in only 4 minutes of intense exercise then CLICK HERE!!!

Train with purpose and Happy Halloween!

--Kyle Battis
www.QuatroTraining.com

PS - If you want fast fitness results without spending $14,615 then run on over to the link below and order yourself a copy of my DVD that shows you ten different 4-minute HIIT workouts that you can perform any time, any place. CLICK HERE to learn more!

Fat Loss Guru Gives Answers About The Color Of Your Diet!

2006-10-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

QUESTION: Dear Tom: I’ve seen quite a few diet books lately that are based on the color of the foods you eat, including the rainbow diet, the color diet and the “color code” (sounds like the Da Vinci code, LOL!) Anyway, I’ve been reading your newsletters for a long time and I know how you feel about diet pills, books and gimmicks and I was wondering what you thought about these programs. Is it just another gimmick?

ANSWER: Based on the clever titles, it might be tempting to dismiss these programs as gimmicks, and in fact when your weekly menus are literally “color coded,” it might seem that the diet book authors are just scrambling for a new hook or premise on which to base an entire eating program.

I have not read any of those books you mentioned yet, so I can’t comment on any of them specifically. However, as “gimmicky” as eating from every color in the rainbow may sound at first, there is some very legitimate and scientific evidence that this is a great idea.
We are often given the advice to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables (which have a variety of different colors). Good advice of course; even common sense would tell us that. However, “eat a lot of fruits and vegetables”is vague advice because it could mean eating only apples and broccoli (red and green), and nothing else, but eating “a lot” of them. To take that advice to the next level, a better recommendation would be to eat a WIDE VARIETY of fruits and vegetables (not just “a lot”).

Even “wide variety” is not really defined. What is a wide variety? Did you know that there are hundreds of different types of fruits and veggies? To make an even greater distinction, you could begin to sort your fruits and vegetables by color and eat a wide variety every day (at least 5 to 9 servings) and an even wider variety spread over the span of each week.

Why would you go to all the trouble? Well, each various food color is indicative of the phytonutrients and other healthful nutritional compounds found within these foods. According to the textbook Sports & Exercise Nutrition by Katch, Katch & McArdle), over 4000 phytochemicals have been identified, and 150 of them have been studied in detail.

By definition, phytonutrients (also called phytochemicals) are naturally occurring, health promoting compounds found in the plant kingdom. There has been much research on the functional properties of these compounds, proving that they play important and diverse roles in maintaining your health and protecting you from disease.

Foods such as tomatoes (red), carrots (orange), broccoli (green), blueberries (blue) all contain important phytochemicals that play specific roles in health and disease prevention. Onions, whole grains, herbs, spices and other foods also contain their own special types of protective phytochemicals.

Here are some of the phytochemicals and naturally health-promoting compounds and the foods they correspond to:

FLAVONOIDS (quercitin, kaempferol, myricetin, catechins)FruitsVegetablesBerriesCitrus fruitsOnionsPurple grapesTea

CAROTENOIDS (luten, lycopene, zeaxanthin, a-carotene, b-carotene)CarrotsTomatoesCantaloupe Apricots

GLUCOSINOLATES (glucobrassicin, isothiocyanates, indoles)Cruciferous vegetablesBroccoliBrussel sproutsCabbage

SULFIDES (allium compounds, dithiolthiones)OnionsGarlicLeeksscallions
Each of these compounds has a health promoting role in the body ranging from antioxidant activity to cancer protection. There is much more going on here than just building muscle and shedding body fat. Eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and other natural foods has major health and quality of life implications.

It’s great news to know how much control we can take over our health and physical fitness simply with proper food choices (and proper exercise). The only thing about these discoveries that saddens and disappoints me is that it seems each time our scientists discover something, such as lycopene in tomatoes for example, someone wants to put it in a bottle and sell it to us. (Why not just go to the source and eat the tomatoes???)

I believe in an intelligent creator, and I believe that the creator of our bodies and this universe we live in, knew exactly what he was doing when he created the marvelous diversity of plants and animals that comprise our food supply. Although it may be prudent in this modern industrial age to take a multi vitamin/mineral supplement and maybe an essential fatty acid supplement for “nutritional insurance,” everything you need can be found in your food.

If you think about what the discovery of all these naturally occurring compounds really means, you will have to agree that food truly is the most powerful drug. Combine that with recent discoveries in physiology and psychoneoruoimmunology proving that our bodies are their own self-regulating natural pharmacies, and you also have to agree that the natural way is the best way.

In any case, it’s definitely not enough to think only in terms of calories and macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats). Energy needs and macronutrient needs are important, but also think about your nutrition in terms of a wide variety of natural foods, and that includes a wide variety of colors.

For more information about the all natural way to fat loss and better health, read about the Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program by Clicking Here.
About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Tom's Fat Loss program, Click Here!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Program Design, A Unified Theory of Fitness Programming

2006-10-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

by Alwyn Cosgrove

The Legacy of Lee

"Absorb what is useful; reject what is useless."

— Bruce Lee

For those of you who've been living under a rock for the past thirty years, Bruce Lee was (and is still) the most well know martial artist that has ever lived. Bruce Lee died in 1973. That was over 31 years ago, yet he arguably has made a bigger impact on the martial arts world than any other single individual.

To understand what Lee meant by his "absorb what is useful" statement, we need to go back to the martial arts world of the late 1960's. In Lee's day, martial artists practiced only one discipline: karate fighters performed karate, judo athletes did judo, etc. Cross training in different martial arts was unheard of. Yet that was what Lee meant by this statement. In learning the best that the different martial arts had to offer, he formulated the first ever "mixed" martial art — his own system which he called Jeet Kune Do .

Fast forward to the mid-nineties and the advent of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. This event pitted the best of each martial art against each other. Initially, the overwhelming dominant art was Brazilian Jiujutsu, so people assumed grappling was superior. But within a few years the dominant fighters came from kickboxing. Did that mean striking was superior? Not necessarily. In the next wave, wrestlers using a "ground and pound" philosophy dominated.

Today, in order to compete in these types of events (in fact, to even survive ), you need to cross-train in several systems. There are fighters nowadays who've never learned anything but a mixed system. This approach has been dubbed "Mixed Martial Arts" and has become a mainstream term.

Thirty years since his death, Bruce Lee's message has finally gotten through to the masses: There's no single correct answer; there's no single best system. An integrated approach will always be superior.

The Unified Theory

Unfortunately, the search for the best "system" still continues in the fitness training industry. Years ago, aerobic training was the dominant training modality. We've cycled through weight training, Nautilus training, machine training, one-set-to-failure, multiple sets, functional training, yoga, Pilates, back to free weights, kettlebells, strongman lifts, and the list goes on.

The reality? There's no correct answer or single best system in fitness training either! Instead of trying to find the perfect single tool, the fitness professional or avid gym-goer would be better served by increasing the size of his toolbox.

That said, I'm sure this message will fall on deaf ears. So until you can accept the premise that you need to "liberate yourself from the classical mess" (another Bruce Lee line), I present my Unified Theory of Program Design. We've recently seen a plethora of advanced program design concepts here on T-Nation, but this is a "back to basics" program design article.

The interesting thing is that coaches and trainers with different philosophies analyze each other's programs and focus (or more appropriately, argue) on the differences. Yet if you look at the top coaches and what they're doing, you can see certain programming similarities across the board, regardless of the "type" of training they prescribe.

It's been said that small minds talk about people; mediocre minds talk about events; and great minds discuss concepts. In my opinion, small-minded trainers argue about whose program or style of training is the best, and mediocre trainers debate the differences between programs. Great trainers, however, cast aside the differences and see the common underlying similarities.

It's the same as punching in fighting sports. Regardless of the differences in approach, what it all comes down to is using the knuckles of the fist as a weapon. Once you strip away the differences we get to the heart of what works. That's the stuff I'm going to present to you.

It's these similarities — the common underlying successful denominators — that I've chosen to focus on. So regardless of your personal training philosophy, the principles I'm about to present remain valid.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Program Design

1. Bodyweight Before External Resistance

I've said this before in a bunch of articles. Other coaches and trainers have said this before in a bunch of their articles. Yet this remains the step that most people will ignore. Regardless of your goals, one thing is for sure: You have no freaking business using a load if you can't stabilize, control, and move efficiently using only your bodyweight!

Unless your bodyweight is way too much or way too little resistance, then there's very little room for external loading. This is not to say that external loading isn't important. Of course it is, but it has definitely been overemphasized.

Unless you can perform twenty pushups in good from, get your ass off the bench press. Too easy? The same rule applies to the single leg squat. If you can't perform 8-10 good reps, then why are you using two legs to squat with external load?

2. Train with Free Weights (Destabilized)

Once bodyweight has been mastered, the superiority of three dimensional free weight training is unparalleled. Single joint fixed axis machines — like the leg extension and the preacher curl machine — are quite honestly outdated. Other than rotational movements, which can be trained effectively using a cable column, every other movement can be performed better with bodyweight or a free weight rather than with a machine.

The newest trend from the machine companies is to create thousand dollar machines that replicate free weights! Save your money. Despite the advances in technology and in drug use, I think the average trainee's strength and size is less than in the past.

3. Train Functionally

"Functional" means training for performance, not for the "pump" or standing on a ball or some other activity. Multiple joint lifts and combination lifts such as the squat and press are all real world functional activities. .

Life and sport take place primarily on our feet. It's how we were designed to work. Our training programs need to reflect that. It seems to me that I've said this a thousand times, but it doesn't make it any less true: a muscle group allocation is pointless. Why would the muscles of the chest need their own "day" for training? If you split up the body into parts, how do you decide what parts to include?

Typically we see splits of chest, shoulders and triceps, back and biceps, and legs. Why don't we see splits like rhomboids and hip flexors, quadriceps and rotator cuff, sternocleidomastoid and pec minor? Because that wouldn't make bodybuilding "sense." But in my opinion, any split routine based on a random allocation of muscle groups to certain days of the week defies all logic.

Consider the following example: Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and raise your arm out to the side until it's parallel with the floor (a position known as a lateral raise in the fitness world!) Which muscles are working? The classic answer is the medial deltoid and the trapezius.

True.

But maintain this position and just touch your obliques on the left side with your free hand. They're contracting maximally in order to stabilize your torso and spine, thus preventing you from tipping over. So the oblique has to contract so hard in order to stabilize your entire upper body (plus your arm and the dumbbell) that it becomes clear that this exercise forces more work from the oblique muscles, the tensor fascia lata, and the quadratus lumborum than it can from the medial deltoid!

So is it still a shoulder exercise? Or is it a total core and shoulder exercise? What body part day is this movement supposed to be trained on? Hopefully this helps you realize that the body will always work as a unit.

And I don't mean to "bag" on bodybuilding. One can't help but be impressed by top athletes in any sport. But the fact that it is a sport is also an important thing to remember. Bodybuilding is a unique sport unto itself. For the general fitness enthusiast (i.e. not a competitive bodybuilder) to develop and implement a fitness program using bodybuilding theory and bodybuilding type exercises makes as much sense as using soccer training or racquetball to design that same program. And while most people recognize that this is idiotic at best, we still continue to talk about splitting up "body parts" and following a bodybuilding-based program.

Now, that's not to say we don't use exercises or ideas from all sports and systems (remember, absorb what is useful…) To do so would be closed-minded. But to adopt any one single philosophy is just as closed-minded.

If you rank an athlete's qualities for their sport from 1-10 on a scale and find that they have a very poor flexibility score but a very good maximal strength score, then a strength based program may not be the best choice. Similarly, if my client is a golfer, a powerlifting specific program isn't warranted.

Again, we need to train according to the demands of life and sport. Athletes such as Serena Williams, Brandi Chastain, Linford Christie, Pyrros Dimas and Roy Jones have better physiques than most, but they've never trained for aesthetics; they've trained for function .

4. Train Unilaterally and Multi-Planar

The majority of training programs take place in the sagittal plane (an imaginary "line" which divides the body into left and right halves — all pushing and pulling movements occur in this plane) with bilateral movements such as barbell bench presses and barbell curls that work in that plane. However, life and sport takes place in all three planes simultaneously with primarily unilateral or single-arm loaded movements

It isn't uncommon to see a fitness trainer spend an inordinate amount of time teaching a beginner to squat with a perfectly parallel stance and perfectly even loading. Yet watch that same client load his gym bag over one shoulder and walk to his car, where he gets in using an offset loaded, single leg rotational squat! Or move boxes in his garage with an offset stance and a rotational reach. We all have the story of the jacked guy who blew out his back helping you move a couch. Just be aware of real life function.

5. Train with Balance

Train with balance — balance between motor qualities and balance between movement patterns (e.g. horizontal push-pull). A training program in general should be balanced in terms of sets, reps, total time under tension, and volume throughout the entire body, but particularly in opposing movement patterns.

If, for example, you're doing 2 sets of 10 reps in the bench press, and 2 sets of 10 reps in the seated row, this isn't necessarily balanced. You could be pressing with 200 pounds — that's a total volume of 4000 pounds — and rowing with only 150, a total volume of 3000 pounds. This is actually a major imbalance and would need to be addressed. An imbalance in volume like this, left unaddressed, will end up causing a major shoulder girdle problem.

In an ideal situation we'd be using the same sets, reps, and loads in all antagonistic movement patterns, unless of course we were purposefully using volume to create an imbalance in order to correct an existing one. It's also important, although beyond the scope of this article, to understand that other motor qualities, including flexibility and cardio respiratory endurance, also need to be considered in the total scheme of programming.

6. Use a Method of Periodization

Periodization just means planning. However, most trainees seem to ignore that simple concept and jump mindlessly from program to program without a clear picture of the long-term plan.

I'm not concerned with which method of periodization you use, but you do need to use some form of long term plan. Good coaches write programs for long-term success; poor coaches write workouts for short-term success but inevitable failure. The fact that most people will probably just jump from one program to another without planning their "big picture" makes success even more unlikely. So, for those of you who have primarily aesthetic goals, an alternating periodization model will be the most appropriate.

Let me explain. When using linear models (e.g. 6 weeks at 12-15 reps, 6 weeks at 8-12 reps, 6 weeks at 6-8 reps etc.) we tend to lose the qualities we initially sought to improve. For example, if we were to undertake 6 weeks of endurance (12-15 reps), 6 weeks of hypertrophy (8-12 reps) and 6 weeks of strength emphasis (4-6 reps), then at the end of the sixth week of strength emphasis it will have been 12 weeks since we were exposed to any endurance methods (twice as long as we spent developing it).

So we'll have lost portions of that quality! This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if we felt that the quality was important enough to train, then it's certainly important enough to maintain.

A better system would be to alternate the phases. So we'd perform a 12-15 rep phase, followed by a 4-6 rep phase, then an 8-12 rep phase. Using this method of alternating the accumulation and intensification phases, we never spend more than four weeks going in one rep "direction." Therefore, we avoid most of the problems of linear periodization.

For a more complete look at periodization, and specifically the limitations of the linear method, checkout Dave Tate's excellent Periodization Bible series.

7. Use a Time-Outcome Based Approach

You have to know how long a workout takes. The big equalizer in training is time . We all have a limited amount of time to train. Yet most training programs tend to ignore this and begin with an exercise menu approach. (Warning: The following portion contains math!)

Let's say we have one hour total to train. We begin with 60 minutes. Subtract warm-up time (10 minutes) and rehab concerns/stretches (10 minutes). We now have 40 minutes of lifting time left.

Average length of a set in this phase is 60 seconds, rest period is 120 seconds. That's three minutes per set total (work set plus rest period). If we want to do two sets of each exercise, we're looking at six minutes per exercise. That allows us to perform only six exercises in this workout.

I've lost track of the number of trainers I've heard mindlessly say "you must get your workout done in under an hour" who then go on to design workouts that quite simply can't be performed in that timeframe! When you've finished designing your program, take the time to do the math and see if your workouts are even possible.

Conclusion: The Good Stuff

So that's basic program design in a nutshell. If you start to look at most successful long term programs, regardless of the differences, you'll start to see the similarities. More importantly, when you try it you'll start to see the effectiveness. And that's the Bruce Lee philosophy — cutting through the junk and filtering to get the good stuff!

About the Author

For the past sixteen years, Alwyn Cosgrove has been committed to achieving excellence in the field of fitness training and athletic preparation. Specializing in performance enhancement, Alwyn has helped countless individuals and athletes reach their goals through sound scientific training. This article is an excerpt from Alwyn's forthcoming manual, Professional Fitness Coaching: Program Design , available by Clicking Here!

Ten User-Friendly Habits for Successful Fitness Training and a Leaner Physique!

2006-10-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

By Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Are you dissatisfied with your current training program? Are you not achieving the results you had hoped for when you started training? If you are you stuck on a fitness plateau and are in need of some tips on how to start seeing progress then keep reading. I am sure you want to see results from your training program (why would you do it if you didn’t want to see results, right?).

You can start seeing measurable results again and break through those training plateaus by incorporating one or more of the following success habits for successful home gym training. In my ten+ years involved in the fitness industry and helping hundreds of people achieve their fitness goals, I have found these habits very valuable tools when it comes to seeing results from your training.

I recommend using the ones that work for you and breaking through that training plateau!

Fitness Success Habits:

1. Set Clear Goals: Unfortunately a lot of people head to the gym without clearly identifying what it is exactly that they want to achieve. I suggest you nail down a specific goal to train for. I have found that when my clients really nail down a purpose to train for they always get better results. I find it interesting that when people focus on training for a special event they usually see better body composition results even though they weren’t focusing on that. I recommend picking a road race a few weeks out, a list of mountains to hike, a special date to look your best at, or a special competition to get ready for.

2. Have a Plan: Now that you have a compelling goal to train for you need a plan. I hang out in gyms a lot and most of the time I see people wandering around the gym with no plan at all. If people do have a plan that they are following, often times the plan is not appropriate for that individual. The best advice I can find is to get an individualized plan suited to the goals you have laid out. See habit number 10 below to learn more about getting the right plan for you.

3. Use Progressive Overload: "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten." You need to progress in order to make your body change. This is a key habit that should be followed when it comes to training the human body. In order to see the physical changes you are looking for, you want to focus on improving from workout to workout. You can perform one or more reps than last time, lift a slightly heavier weight, and do the same amount of work in less time. The key is to challenge the body by progressively and systematically overloading the body in an intelligent manner.

4. Utilize Planned Variety: On average, the typical individual will adapt to an exercise program in 3-6 weeks. If you have been following a specific routine and you are not seeing results, then it is probably time to start mixing things up. You can change all kinds of things to get some needed variety in your program. You can change the overall format (switch to circuit training, supersets, etc.), change the number of sets, change the number of reps per set, change the rest periods between sets, change the exercises you are using for a given muscle group, change the grip or hand position, and you can even change the speed of movement for the exercises.

The options are almost unlimited so don’t bore your muscles with the same old exercises with the same old 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Variety is the spice of life and a key factor in seeing continued progress.

5. Select "Money" Exercises: Simply put, some exercises deliver a lot more benefit than others. Multi-joint, compound exercises like snatches, cleans, squats, deadlifts, lunges, step-ups, bench presses, chest presses, seated rows, bentover rows, standing overhead presses, lat. pulldowns, pull-ups and chin-ups should make up the core of your exercise selection. No matter what your goals are you will get far better results by making the exercises listed above the core of your training program.

6. Keep a Training Log: "But Kyle, I don’t need a training log, I can remember what I have done before in my head." I hear this one all the time, usually from the same people who are not seeing any results from their efforts. Listen. If you want to see progress from your training, don’t leave things up to guess work. Remove all doubt and start tracking things. Track your progress via measurements such as body fat percentage, girth measurements, and body weight. Your training log can help you learn from your prior mistakes and help you achieve the results you are looking for at a faster rate.

7. Track What You Eat: Some experts say that 75-80% of your overall results are totally due to your nutrition. This may be surprising to you but you can gain muscle or lose fat on the exact same program. Your nutritional intake will totally dictate your results so if you really want to make some progress it can be a good idea to periodically track what you eat so that you can make sure that you are eating in a manner supportive to your goals.

8. Periodically Evaluate Your Progress or Lack Thereof: No program works forever and no matter how effective a given program was you should mix things up when you are no longer seeing results from your efforts. The only way to judge the effectiveness of a training program is by the results it is producing or not producing. Some experts recommend checking your progress every 1-3 weeks to see if you are improving in the areas you want to (like Tom Venuto and Dr. John Berardi). If you are not seeing improvements then that should be a mental note for you to make some changes. If you are seeing results, keep training until that program no longer delivers.

9. Find a Great Training Partner: A great training habit that has the potential to improve your fitness results is to find a dedicated training partner. Choose carefully. You want someone who will challenge you, someone positive, someone to keep you on track, and someone who will help improve your training. You don’t want someone who is unreliable, negative, and lazy. Choose wisely and this training habit could mean renewed progress!

10. Find Coaches and Mentors: Coaches and Mentors can help save you lots of frustration. Coaches and Mentors have been there before and help you achieve better results at a faster rate. They know little tricks to help you get back on track towards the results you want, so do yourself a favor and invest in yourself by learning from these experienced teachers.

There you have it, ten success habits to help you break through those stubborn training plateaus. Implement some of these suggestions and I am sure that you will get back on track towards your fitness goals. Enjoy your training and keep focused on your goal.

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

"7 Reasons Why You Should Be Using High Intensity Interval Training, Especially If You Want To Get Really Lean!"

2006-10-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

By Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT

I am a big fan of being lean and helping other people get lean. I have helped hundreds of people shed fat from their body to reveal a leaner, stronger, more empowering physique. One of the most powerful tools that I have used in creating lean bodies is called HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. Have you heard of it before? Well, I think you are crazy if you have not been working this powerful tool into your training program. Below you will find 7 compelling reasons why should be using HIIT in your exercise program.

Reason # 1. Research has compared hour-long, boring cardio workouts to 4-minute HIIT workouts and they found improvements in VO2 Max by about 14% and Imporvements in your anaerobic capacity increased by a remarkable 28%! In only 4 minutes!

Reason #2. HIIT does not chew up your muscle mass like excessive endurance exercise does. Have you ever seen a jacked marathon runner? Me either... Long slow cardio does force your body to get rid of metabolically-expensive muscle mass. That’s a real problem if you want to stay lean and attractive.

Reason #3. So you can lose more subcutaneous fat than the standard long slow cardio exercise

Reason #4. Lose NINE TIMES MORE FAT for every calorie burned during exercise!

Reason #5. HIIT causes your body to burn more calories and fat AFTER the workout is completed. This means that after you finish your workout, hit the showers, and are on your way back to your home your body is burning fat stores right off of your body!

Reason # 6. Sprint intervals can be more beneficial than traditional cardio especially for middle-age and older adults. Due to the tremendous increases in growth hormone which is suspected to be a strong factor in fat loss

Reason #7. Save you time! A complete high intensity interval training workout session can be completed in only 4 minutes! Compare that to doing an hour of cardio. I don't know about you, but I don't have the time to fit in a thorough warm-up, weight training workout, an hour of cardio, a cool down and stretching.

If you want better fat loss results, faster then you should incorporate these intervals into your training program. They will help to add some much-needed variety to your training program, they will allow you to get more done in less time, and they will train your cardiovascular system in new ways that will spark renewed progress.

Kyle Battis is a Certified Personal Trainer and a Certified Strength Coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. His mission is to help people enrich their lives by embracing better health and fitness! To learn more about the time-saving benefits of interval training and to learn 20 sample HIIT workouts then visit: http://www.QuatroFit.com

Fast Fitness Any-time, Any-place!

2006-10-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Introducing The 4-Minute Fitness Solution!

I am very excited to announce that I have two new DVDs full of 20 Bodyweight and Dumbbell Training workouts that will fire up fat loss and deliver fast fitness results!

Check them out Here!

On these two DVDs you will find 20 different killer workouts that will help strip fat off your body at extremely fast rates!

These workouts are based on research that have shown intense short workouts can be just as effective as hour-long cardio workouts.

So if you want the same results as an hour of cardio in only 4 minutes of time then you should check these DVDs out.

These workouts will kick your butt faster than you can cook a frozen pizza!

They will help you break through training plateaus and strip fat off of your body...

These workouts will spice up your boring home gym workouts!

The 20 workouts on these two DVDs will give you some amazing variety in your training which will spark new results...

Click Here to learn more about these DVDs!

Train with purpose,

Kyle

PS-There is a special discount if you order both of these DVDs together and some great bonuses included as well! Click Here to pick up your copies!

3 Keys To Six Pack Abs!

2006-10-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

by Tom Venuto

A woman recently wrote in to a popular fitness website's Q & A column and said she would do anything to have a body like Miss Fitness Olympia, Monica Brant.

The very next day, another woman e-mailed and said, “I wanna look like Demi Moore, Sheryl Crow, Halle Berry or Jennifer Aniston, NOT Miss Olympia.”

A 19 year old said he wanted to get huge, absolutely massive muscles – like the pro bodybuilders.

Other guys say they don’t want to get too big – they want to fit into their business suits nicely and they just want a few inches off their waist, and that “Men’s Fitness” look.

I’m not sure what your idea of a “perfect body” looks like because everyone has different goals and different standards of physical attractiveness.

But there’s one thing that everyone wants …

ABDOMINALS!

I’ve never met a single person, male or female, young or old, who didn’t want a lean, flat stomach with a “six pack” of abs. Abs are the one “defining” part of the body considered universally attractive and desirable… abdominal flab is always an unwanted guest. Ironically, getting great abs is the one goal that seems to elude most people.

How many people do you know – maybe even yourself – who have successfully reduced their body fat percentage, taken in their belt a few notches, dropped a few pounds, and yet they STILL don’t have that rock-hard, flat-stomach six-pack look?

When you flip through the fitness magazines, you see awesome abs everywhere, but when you go to the beach, the pool or the park in the summer, how many sets of six pack abs do you actually see in public?

You have to agree – a truly impressive set of six pack abs is a rare sight. Why is it so hard to achieve the ripped abs look, and how do you get it?

There is an answer...

Most people are either going about it completely wrong, or they are on the right track, but their approach is incomplete. The first place they stumble is that they believe ab exercises alone will get them a six pack. Ab exercise strengthens and develops the muscles but it does not necessarily remove the body fat.

You could have great abdominal muscle development, and strength, but if your body fat is too high, then you still will not be able to see them. This is because most of your fat is “subcutaneous” – which means the fat is stored right UNDERNEATH your skin, but right ON TOP of your muscles – covering up your muscle definition.

A good example of this is when a bodybuilder “bulks up” after a competition, gaining excess fat. This bodybuilder already has impressive muscle mass and abdominal development. The muscles are still there – underneath - but when they get covered up with fat they’re no longer visible.

So, the #1 key to getting great abs is body fat reduction.

If your body fat is not low enough, you will never see your abs. You need a method for reducing body fat to a level low enough that allows your abdominals show through. The ideal fat reduction method must include nutrition, cardio training and strength training.

Ask yourself, are you leaving out any one of these critical components? Are you dieting without exercising? Are you doing cardio, but not weight training? Are you training hard, but eating poorly? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are going to have difficulty getting the six pack abs look until you get all three into place at the same time.

Key #2 is to diet properly in a manner that is hormonally and physiologically correct, in order to make sure you avoid hitting a fat loss plateau.

It’s common to get great results when you first start a program, but then you hit a fat loss plateau within 4-12 weeks where fat loss slows down or stops completely. Sound familiar?
This happens because there is a lag time before your body recognizes a severe calorie deficit and when it does, your body fights back to maintain homeostasis.

Once your body starts getting clear signals that there’s a food shortage, your metabolic rate will decrease. Fat burning hormones like leptin and thyroid will also decrease and the appetite center in your brain will get turned up full blast.

This explains from a physiological point of view, why “the last 10 pounds” is such a drag to lose – it’s because your body goes into “starvation mode” before you get lean enough to see your abs. How do you avoid starvation mode?

Simple – don’t starve yourself!

Most conventional diet programs are based on extreme calorie restriction, which almost always works in the beginning, and almost never works for long.

There are exceptions.

For example, the entire Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program is based on this premise: It's better to burn the fat than to starve the fat (eat more, burn more)

Key #3 to 6-pack abs and the body you want is to use the right combination of cardio and strength training.

There are three different types of training you must do to get great abs. One is cardio vascular training to assist with the fat burning process. The second is weight training - for your entire body - which will increase lean body mass. Lean muscle is the engine that drives your metabolism.

The third is the specific abdominal exercises. Ab exercises alone don't work. Diets alone don't work. "Diets don't work" is more than a cliché, it is a physiological truth. Exercise combined with nutrition is the answer, not one or the other.

When I first read the Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program, I noticed that it was based on on all three of these keys… plus the motivational tools you need to put these keys to work in your life.

For long term success, you can't just diet and you can't just exercise, you need a program that has both. When you add the "mental training" component, which includes setting goals properly, visualizing, and focusing your mind on what you want (not what you want to avoid), this gives you the motivation to stick with your exercise and nutrition program more easily and consistently.

And there you have it… the fat burning, ab revealing formula. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the Burn The Fat program or not (it's very popular online), but if not, then please keep reading because this is a better time than ever to start a fat burning program that gives you all three keys to six pack abs.

Fat Loss Workouts At Home

2006-10-17T05:02:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

If you are interested in losing fat as quickly as possible in the comfort of your own home, using simple workouts that can easily be done first thing in the morning or after your
children go to bed, without endless hours of cardio, fancy equipment or expensive
supplements, then this will be the most important Blog post you might ever read.

Here’s why…

If you’ve kept your eye out for fat loss articles in the past year, then it’s likely that
you’ve come across the name Craig Ballantyne.

Craig is a fat-loss expert, publishing his fat-burning workouts in national magazines such as Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness. Craig has also created a trademarked fat loss system called Turbulence Training. And as a fitness expert, I’ve taken the time to painstakingly review his workouts and fat loss philosophy under my own fitness microscope, so to speak.

You see, with all of the “lose fat fast” programs and snake-oil supplements out there, I have a strict criteria that a program has to meet before I even consider recommending it to my friends.
But Craig is the real deal. And so are his workouts. He’s put together a research-proven, time-efficient training program for men and women to follow at home.

You don’t need fancy equipment. Just the basics found in almost any home gym – not too mention some of the workouts use an incredible array of novel, effective bodyweight exercises that don’t need any equipment at all!

Turbulence Training is as straight-forward as any fat loss program could be. There’s no BS, no magic pills or powders to buy, and no expensive gym memberships required.

If you’ve ever struggled to figure out what to do next in your fat loss program, then worry no more. Turbulence Training spells it out, workout by workout, exercise by exercise, set by set, and rep by rep, fora full 16-weeks of advanced fat loss workouts.

And that doesn’t even take into account the additional beginner workouts that will help any newcomer get started on their fat loss plan.

This is not just a single workout program. You are literally set for at least 4 months with Turbulence Training.

Just imagine the inches you’ll lose, the pounds you’ll shed, and the energy you’ll gain in the next few days, weeks, and months with a structured, professionally-designed, fat loss workout that you can do at home on your own time.

And what might be the best thing I’ve learned from Craig through his articles and his Turbulence Training workouts is that you don’t need to be in the gym for more than an hour at a time for 6 or even 7 days per week.

No way.

With Turbulence Training’s efficient and effective exercise selection, and the use of time-saving, metabolism-boosting interval training, you’ll get all of your workouts done in 45 minutes, three times per week.

That’s right, in less time than it takes to watch an episode of CSI or Desperate Housewives, you can make massive improvements in your body each day.

So here's why I'm writing to you today:

Craig is quickly becoming an international fitness and fat loss expert. His on-line clients now span the entire globe. But his clients are paying over $400 for a 12-week on-line customized Turbulence Training workout programs.

And those that are lucky enough to work with him one-on-one pay up to $120 per session for his guidance through their own Turbulence Training workouts. (The problem is, he’s not accepting any more on-line or one-on-one clients anymore, you’d have to join the waiting list.)
But now the good news.

Craig’s put together the ultimate Turbulence Training package that contains not only 16-weeks of advanced fat loss workouts, four weeks of starter-bodyweight only workouts, and a 60-minute audio interview on how to maximize your results in minimum time with Turbulence Training.

I have used Craig's program for myself and for some of my clients and the results have been spectacular. If you are training at home then you should take a look at Craig's program.

Remember, I only recommend the absolute best fat loss resources that come across my desk. And today, that is the Turbulence Training bonus package.

Simply Click Here to get started:

Train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Top 5 Fat Loss Tips

2006-10-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Author of 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 yourfat-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 heartrate 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-educatedtrainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your "fatburning 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.

Alwyn Cosgrove calls this 'afterburn', and I call it 'Turbulence'.By any name it gives you the same results - maximumimprovements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).

Secret #2 - Use a range of repetitions in your strength trainingworkouts.

In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My 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 possiblebecause cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.

Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a largeamount 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, resistancebased intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients onlycycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.

I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to dointervals. 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 aboutfat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition 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.

If you need more nutrition help, then you'll love the new Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women - written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.

See below for more details...

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 areefficient and effective - getting you in and out of the gym inunder 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 trainingschedule:

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

b) 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)

If you are advanced, you can use squats, pushups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.
If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified pushups, and stick-ups.

c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you doin each workout.
Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of twoweeks, then return to a normal training schedule.

But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.
If you have any other questions, just let me know.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. Big Nutrition Announcement!
The Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women - written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is ready for you.

Here are just some of the things you'll learn from Dr. Mohr...
1) How to calculate your calorie needs (p. 6)
2) Calorie recommendations for obese individuals (p.7)
3) The 23 types of sugar (many hidden!) to avoid (p. 9)
4) The 20 whole-grain sources to fuel your fat loss program (p9)
5) Over 60 fruits and vegetables that should be added to your diet (p. 10)
6) The 16 protein sources you should select most often (p. 13)
7) Shocking trans-fat content of 18 common foods - find out which food is the deadliest in terms of fat content (p. 16)
8 ) The 9 Fat Sources you should select most often (p. 17)
9) Dr. Mohr's 12 Rules for Fat Loss (p. 18)
10) The TT Nutrition Plan for Men (p. 19)
11) The TT Nutrition Plan for Women (p. 23)
12) Bonus Supplement Report: The Truth About Fat Loss Pills (p. 27)

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for 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, Click Here!

How To Repair A Damaged Metabolism

2006-10-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS

www.burnthefat.com

If you've caused metabolic damage as a result of following starvation diets or losing weight too rapidly in the past, it can be extremely difficult to achieve any further fat loss at all. The good news is, metabolic damage can be repaired. All it takes is the right combination of metabolism stimulating exercise and metabolism stimulating nutrition (NOT just a diet), all done consistently over time.

The big irony is that most of the diet programs that claim to help you get rid of excess weight, only end up making it harder for you in the long run because they use harsh metabolism-decreasing diets and not enough exercise (almost never any weight training).
It may take a little longer if you have really messed things up with severe starvation dieting in the past, especially if you've lost a lot of lean body mass, but it is never hopeless. Anyone can increase their metabolism.

Most people get an almost immediate boost in metabolic rate when they start the Burn The Fat program. However, the results are not going to be "overnight." Give it a little time...
Within 3 weeks your metabolism will already be more efficient. Within 6-8 weeks, it's burning hot. Give me 12 weeks of consistent diligent effort, sticking with all the metabolism boosting strategies I teach, and your metabolism really will become like a turbo charged engine, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that.

What’s most important for upping your metabolism is CONSISTENCY in applying the Burn The Fat nutrition and training principles every single day.

That includes:

Meal frequency: eat 5-6 small meals per day
Meal timing: eat approximately every 3 hours, with a substantial breakfast and a substantial post workout meal.
Sufficient Caloric Intake: maintain a small calorie deficit and avoid starvation-level diets (suggested safe levels for fat loss: 2100-2500 calories per day for men, 1400-1800 calories per day for women; adjust as needed)
Food choices: Select natural, unprocessed foods with high thermic effect (lean proteins like chicken, turkey, egg whites and fish are highly thermic, as are all green vegetables, salad vegetables and other fibrous carbs)
Cardio training: Push up the intensity a bit if you really want to get a metabolic boost. Walking and low intensity cardio is fine, but higher intensity is more metabolism-stimulating
Weight training: The basic exercises that include the largest muscle groups or even call into play the entire body as a unit (squats, front squats, split squats, deadlifts, stiff legged deadlifts, overhead presses, all kinds of rows and core-activation exercises) will have a much greater metabolism stimulating effect than isolation exercises (concentration curls, calf raises, etc)

The weight training is extremely important in cases of "metabolic damage" because this is the stimulus to keep the muscle you have and begin rebuilding new muscle tissue, which is the engine that drives your metabolism.

The men don't usually have a problem with the weight training, but I still hear women say they don't want to lift weights as part of their fat loss programs. Well, people who wont lift weights can expect a very, very long metabolism "repair process" if they achieve it at all.

Consistency is the key.

Nothing will undermine the "re-building" of your metabolism like inconsistency. If you stop and start, or skip meals and workouts often, you will not even get off the ground.

After your metabolism is back up where it should be, it takes continued "stoking" of the metabolic furnace to keep it there. Once you get your metabolic engine running, you've got to keep feeding it fuel or the fire will die down.

Picture an old fashioned wood burning stove...

Imagine you're in a cabin up in the mountains in the winter. It's cold in there and you want to keep the cabin warm. Can you achieve this by feeding the fire once or twice per day? Nope. Not enough fuel to burn, so not much heat is generated.

What if you just toss an entire pile of wood in the stove all at once? Will that work? Nope. Lots of fuel, but can't all be used at once... it just smothers the fire and the excess just sits there.
How about if you throw some tissue paper or crumpled newspaper in the stove, will that work? Nope - too quickly burning.

You have to keep putting small amounts of wood (the right type of fuel) on the fire at regular intervals or the fire burns out.

It's also difficult to get the fire lit again. In the case of metabolism, it's like going through that initial few weeks of overcoming inertia all over again.

Your goal is to get your metabolism burning hot and keep it burning and this cannot be achieved by missing meals, missing workouts or with sporadic, infrequent training.
I have only seen a handful of cases where all these things were done properly and there was still a longer "repair" process.

For example, one case was former ballet dancer. At 5' 5", she was previously 110 lbs and had increased to about 145 or so. She didn’t want to reach her previous 110, but find a happy medium of about 125 lbs.

I figured with 20 lbs to cut, this would be a simple and predictable process, but she had a challenging time (and I didn't know why at first).

I later found out that she had been anorexic and bulimic for many years. This had caused a lot of damage, and although she did reach her goal, it took about twice as long as we had anticipated.
The good news is, even in this extreme case, the same nutrition and training principles worked! It just took a little longer. And by the way her program included some serious training with free weights and she ate a lot more (clean) food than she had ever eaten before. No "starvation!"
That’s the power of burning the fat and feeding the muscles... Trying to starve the fat with crash diets is what causes the metabolic damage in the first place!

If you’re interested in the healthy, sensible way to take off the fat, while keeping all your muscle and actually increasing your metabolism in the process, then my Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle program can teach you how. No gimmicks or false promises. Just the truth - you have to work at it and you have to be patient. Click Here to learn more.

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder and author of the #1 best selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to burn fat without drugs or supplements using the little-known secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your metabolism by Clicking Here!

The Ultimate Fat Burning Secret!

2006-10-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

If you have read anything about fitness over the past 20 years, or have talked to any fitness “professional”, you have probably run across the term “fat-burning zone”.

If you dug a little deeper, you were probably told that exercising in this zone - around 50% of your maximum heart rate - was the only way to burn fat from your body.

For example (these numbers hypothetical)

If a low intensity workout in the “fat-burning zone” gets 50% of the energy from fat and burns 100 total calories, it is using 50 calories worth of fat.

On the other hand, a high intensity workout may only get 25% of the energy from fat but burn 400 total calories. Do the math. That’s 100 calories worth of fat burned. And the high intensity workout would have taken much less total time to complete.

So, if you are like me, you longed for something different. A way to exercise that was not only effective in reducing fat, but also that took the drudgery out of your workouts.

There is such an exercise and it can give you better results, faster than anything you have tried before.

I’m talking about running sprints. And more specifically, running hill sprints.

Take a look at why hill sprints are the closest thing to a perfect exercise for trimming excess blubber from your body.

Why Building Muscle Tissue Is Essential To Fat Loss

First off, running hill sprints will work all of the muscles in your body at the same time. It is a true full body workout. Workouts like this have been shown to increase the amount of muscle tissue that you have. Strong, lean, functional muscle.

So, what does more muscle have to do with burning flab?

It turns out that muscle tissue is like a calorie burning furnace. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you will burn - even when you are just sitting in front of your computer, even when you are sleeping.

Muscle also helps regulate your blood sugar. Muscle uses sugar for energy when it contracts. When it uses up that sugar, it needs to absorb more from your blood. Lowering your blood sugar levels can help prevent the onset of diabetes and its related health problems.

Get Hollywood’s “Fountain of Youth” For Free

The second advantage of hill sprints over traditional cardio exercise is that this kind of high intensity exercise prompts your body to release higher levels of human growth hormone (HGH) - naturally. Low intensity cardio does not have this same effect.

Human growth hormone in adolescence is essential for just that - proper growth. In adulthood, HGH, which is released from the pituitary gland, is key in kicking up your metabolism and shifting fat burning into high gear.

Funny thing is, your body has plenty of HGH stored inside the pituitary. It just releases less and less as you get to age 30 and above.

But, your body doesn’t do this naturally. It is a “couch potato” lifestyle that shuts down the levels of HGH in you system. Change the lifestyle, release more hormone, reap the benefits.

Hollywood stars and professional athletes, eager to look and feel young forever, are paying big bucks for synthetic injections of this substance. If they only knew how to get it for free...

Why You Need To Cut The Fat

So, what’s the big deal about a little extra padding anyway?

Besides the obvious cosmetic reasons, there are a number of health benefits involved with cutting the amount of fat you are carrying around.

Being obese - or even moderately overweight - has been linked to health risks from heart attack and stroke to arthritis and diabetes.

And fat around your middle has been shown to be the worst kind.

But, a recent announcement from the American Diabetic Association stated that high intensity exercise, like hill sprinting, is the best way to reduce that stubborn belly fat.

What Else Hill Sprints Do For You

In addition to being an incredible fat-burning exercise, hill sprints have a number of other advantages over traditional cardio workouts.

$ Hill sprint workouts take less time.
$ Hill sprint workouts make you run faster
$ Hill sprint workouts improve your athletic performance in any sport
$ Hill sprint workouts are fun
$ Hill sprint workouts improve lung capacity
$ Hill sprint workouts increase heart’s reserve capacity

Adding hill sprints to your workout routine can quickly bring about positive changes in your health. You’ll drop the excess fat in no time and feel younger and better than you have in years.

(Hill sprinting is the backbone of Coach Tim Kauppinen’s Uphill Fitness Training Program. Find out all the important details of this system by Clicking Here.)

Tim Alan Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years experience as an athlete and coach. He has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities in track and field, football, speed training and strength and conditioning. This has given him the privilege and the opportunity to coach athletes who have become conference champions, state champions and Division I college players. Coach K is the author of Uphill Fitness Training and Ultimate Insider Speed Training Secrets. Coach K also publishes a free daily fitness email with current tips on getting stronger, faster and in the best shape of your life. To sign up for this no cost service, visit Coach K's website by Clicking Here!

Ryan Lee Bootcamp (Picture of me!)

2006-10-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I got back from the 2nd Annual Ryan Lee Bootcamp on Sunday! I had a great time, met some great fitness professionals, and learned some awesome fitness tips. Check out this picture taken at the event (I put an arrow pointing to me in the picture!).

Taken From The 2nd Floor of The Conference Center of the Ryan Lee Bootcamp! Hundreds of Fitness Professionals were in attendance!

(Click on the Play Button to Hear A Message From Me)

As you can see, hundreds of fitness professionals attended this event and it really was something special. If you are a fitness professional and did not attend, then I would highly recommend that you check out the DVDs of the event when they are available (Ryan has a waiting list set up and if you Click Here then you can jump on that list!). I highly recommend picking up a copy of those DVDs if you were not able to make the event.

While I was down there I nailed down some fitness professionals that you will love to hear from! Their interviews will be coming soon!

Until then, train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

Turbulence Training For Fat Loss

2006-10-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

Hello again,

I just ran into Craig Ballantyne while hanging around at Ryan Lee's Bootcamp. Craig is the author of "Turbulence Training For Fat Loss." Craig is a super- cool guy and a very smart trainer.

I recently did two amazing interviews with Craig and I hope that you check them out becuase the information that he shared in these audios is awesome!

Check this out. One thing Craig talked about is a great little story about how Abdominals are like an Armani suit.

Believe it or not there is a connection betweena beautiful set of 6-packAbs and a nice Armani Suit

Keep reading to find out what it is,

==> http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html

I was recently able to put world-renowned trainer Craig Ballantyne on the
'Hot seat' and grill him for some of his best fat training methods...
Not just once....but TWICE!

==> http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html

That's right, on the other side of this link I have two power-packed interrogations
with one of the most soughtafter fat loss experts in the world.

Craig writes for Men's Fitness Magazine, Oxygen Magazine, and many other top magazines as well.

During these two calls Craig reveals:

--The bodyweight sequence to guarantee a better workout...
--Superset fat loss science for faster results!
--Time saving training tips - in an out in 20-40 minutes...
--What researchers say about faster fat loss!
--The top exercises you must have in your fat loss program...
--Interval training options for more calorie-burning!
--And of course, why your Abs are like an Armani Suit...
--And much, much more!

Go listen to them now:

==> http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html

Craig held nothing back during these two calls and you simplymust go listen to them right now!
I don't think that Craig and I will leave the recordings of these two calls available for too long
because they were SO GOOD, so full of information, that we may just turn them into a nice product!!

Take advantage while you can and enjoy the awesome fat loss tipsthat Craig shares in these 2 calls.

Train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis

PS-If you want to pick up a copy of Craig's "Turbulence Training For Fat Loss" program then Click Here!

PS-Oh yeah. I almost forgot to tell you. During the 2nd call Craig shared a great quote from a trainer-friend of his.

Here it is:

"What good is a Parka that you wear over an Armani Suit?" Craig was talking about the body fat that most people have covering their abdominals and the need to strip the body fat offof their nice Armani Abs.

Find out how Craig recommends 'taking the Parka off' to reveal your abs:

==> http://www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com/craigb/goldenticket.html

X-treme Sandbag Training Presentation

2006-09-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hello again,

I just finished watching Coach Josh Henkin's presentation on "X-Treme Sandbag Training." While his talk centered around sandbag training he shared some great tips that will help you now matter how you train.

Coach Henkin shared some great pieces of information in this presentation. Here are just a few:

--Train movements not muscles. Focus on training movements such as vertical push, vertical pull, horizontal push, horizantal pull, squat, deadlift, lunge, twist, and then carry weight for time and distance. If you figure out how to train all of these movements throughout the course of your training program then you will achieve maximal results.

--Different Implements Give Variety. Another concept that Coach Henkin shared was that different implements provide a different training effect. For example, Coach Henkin talked about the Squat and how important of a movement that it is. He went through a quick little demonstration showing how many different ways that you can change the basic squat:

1. Squat with the sandbag on your left shoulder
2. Squat with the sandbag on your right shoulder
3. Squat with the sandbag in a bear hug position
4. Squat with the sandbag in a Zercher position
5. Squat with the sandbag in an overhead squat position
6. Squat with the sandbag in an underarm choke position
7. Squat with the sandbag in a Clean position

If you are getting bored with your training OR if you have hit a training plateau then taking advantage of some of the above variations will help you out.

I have three of Josh's Sandbags and I am a big fan of them. I have found that by adding them to my "training toolbox" that I have broken through some training plateaus and have really looked forward to training with them due to the variety that they provide.

If you are interested in sanbag training and have no idea where to start be sure to check out Josh's "High Octane Training DVD" as it will show you everything that you need to know for effective sandbag training.

Click Here if you want to learn more about Sandbag Training.

That's all for now. More updates to come!

--Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

Ryan Lee Bootcamp: Cosgrove's Real World Fat Loss Presentation!

2006-09-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

This weekend I am hanging out down at the 2nd Annual Ryan Lee Bootcamp. For the next three days I will be hanging out with some of the smartest fitness professionals around and I want to share what I have learned with you!

I have met a ton of great fitness professionals and just had the pleasure of sitting through a great presentation on fat loss training by the controversial Alwyn Cosgrove (this guy is hillarious!!!). :)

Alwyn's talk centered around FAT LOSS. He shared evidence destroying some old fat burning myths and shared his take on what it REALLY takes to lose fat.

Here are some of the take away points from Alwyn's talk:

--The goal is to create maximum metabolic disturbance

-- Maximize your ability to activate as much as possible by performing a circuit in which you alternate upper body movements with lower body movements and/or abdominal exercises

--Use fairly heavy resistance

--Set should last about 60 seconds

--Short or incomplete rest periods using super sets

--A sequence of 4-8 exercises performed 3-4 times per week in superset, tri-set or circuit fashion, with 2-3 interval cardio sessions (either post workout or on seperate days) has repeatedly over time shown in our facility to be the most effective fat loss training program.

--Combined with reduced refined-carbohydrate diet, this plan can easily result in 1-3 pounds of fat loss per week

Alwyn's presentation was a fun way to start the day and it was packed with some interesting pieces of information presented with his special "touch" of Scottish charm and humor.

More to come!

--Kyle

PS-To learn more about Alwyn's Fat Loss Training program Click Here .

PPS-If you want to listen to a replay of a teleseminar that I conducted with Alwyn then Click Here .

5 Elements For Fat Loss Success

2006-09-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

When it comes to burning fat and creating a lean physique, fat loss expert Tom Venuto has identified 5 main elements that are essential for creating ultimate physique success.

Over my years as a fitness professional I agree with Tom that having each of these elements will yield beter results.

If you have just one or two of these elements in your repetoire you will only get average results,
adopt all 5 elements and witness to the synergistic power that is created (translation = you get leaner faster and stay lean)!

Wanna know what the 5 Elements are?

1. Proper Mindset

2. Cardio

3. Strength Training

4. Nutrition

5. ??????

And the mysterious 5th Element?

I'll tell you. In fact, better than just telling you I have arranged to get you a copy of a special report entitled "The 5th Element" that Tom Venuto wrote detailing what the 5th Element is:

Grab a free copy of it by Clicking Here!

This is a killer report thatgot some rave reviews from people that have read it already.

"Tom,

Thank-you so much for the Fifth Element. So many of the things you said hit home - I think this is one of the reasons I have not met my goals in the past. I am working through BFFM and know that I will have great tools once I am complete."

Thanks for all you do,

Suzanne

Go grab your copy of the "5th Element"and let me know what you think ofit.

Train with purpose,

--Kyle Battis
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com

Welcome To The Ask The Fitness Expert Blog!

2006-09-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

Welcome to the new "Ask The Fitness Expert Blog!"

You're in store for some awesome information!!!

Train with purpose,

Kyle Battis CSCS, NSCA-CPT
www.AskTheFitnessExpert.com