So I’m down in Cleveland at a writing seminar, stuck in a hotel room that is miles from the nearest big gym, and in a hotel with an “okay”workout facility (good enough for one day of hill sprints on the treadmill).

But this is good news for 2 reasons.

First, my legs are so sore (already) from yesterday’s workout of Barbell Squats, Box jumps, DB Bulgarian Split Squats, and Glute-Ham Raises.

So there won’t be any heavy lifting done here…not that I could anyways. That’s the second reason that staying in a hotel with a tiny gym is good news.

For the other days I’m here, I’ll need use bodyweight training instead. Bodyweight Cardio is the PERFECT fat-burning substitution for running, so if your body can’t take the pounding from running, switch to BWC.

In my upcoming awesome Friday morning Bodyweight Cardio session I will train my entire body in fat-burning mode in just 30 minutes. Plus, this will be a chance to experiment with a couple of new TT exercises.

One move that is in my new Bodyweight Cardio 5 program (coming out in June) is called the “SCREACH”. TT Members are loving it because it works your abs and total body mobility at the same time.

By the way, if you grab this sweet bodyweight deal then you’ll be among the first people to get Bodyweight Cardio 5 on Monday, May 28th. I’ll release it a few days early to celebrate Memorial Day.

Grab that deal here and then wait for BWC 5 to show up in the member’s area.

=> Ultimate Bodyweight Cardio Workout Program <= Available today

You’ll get the

- Bodyweight Cardio 3 (program I used in my hotel room)
- Bodyweight Cardio 1000 (super tough challenge)
- and the legendary 6-Month TT Bodyweight manual (over 10,000 sold)

All of these are bodyweight exercise workouts featuring a total of 101 bodyweight moves.

Perfect for at home or traveling, and of course, you can do them in the gym too, but you won’t need to go there. These are literally anytime, anywhere workouts.

Grab the “3-for-1″ bodyweight workout special here.

PLUS, you’ll get first access to the June Bodyweight Cardio 5 program that will be released ONLY to TT Members on Memorial Day.

That’s it for this week.

I’ll be back to Toronto on Sunday morning for a regular weights workout.

Train hard but safe,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer
Author, Turbulence Training

There I was…stuck in New Jersey at a relatively nice hotel that unfortunately had one of the worst gyms in the world.

It was cramped, tiny, dark, and dirty, equipped with 20 pound dumbbells, a tiny treadmill, and some elliptical machines (ewwww).

It was the worst set-up for a hotel workout, BUT it was also the best inspiration for creating a bodyweight cardio hotel room workout program.

As I walked back to the elevator, my emotions were mixed.

I had really wanted to do a hill sprint treadmill workout to prepare for my upcoming Tough Mudder race, but I was also excited to do my first bodyweight cardio circuit in a while. We’ve accumulated a few new exercises here in the TT world and it was time to put them to the test.

Back in my room I slipped into an instant classic workout – a new 5 rounds of 5 exercises bodyweight cardio circuit -that left me dripping with sweat despite the air conditioning being cranked in the hotel room.

Lucky for me my room was equipped with a sturdy stool that allowed some new exercises.

Here’s just one of the 5×5 circuits I did.

Each exercise was performed for 50 seconds followed by  10 seconds rest before doing the next move.

1A) Low Box Jumps
1B) Bulgarian Split Squats
1C) Decline Pushups
1D) Sprinter Step-Ups (driving the knee up)
1E) Mountain Climber into Sprint Start

And remember, that was only one of the five rounds that I did. Other circuits included Total Body Extensions (my favorite bodyweight cardio move) plus other pushup variations
and single-leg movements to light a fire under your metabolism.

It’s liberating to be able to ditch the equipment and use unique exercises for fast fat loss and conditioning.

That’s why the Turbulence Training bodyweight cardio program series remains so popular year after year.

Smart folks, like you, have had enough of the slow cardio propaganda. You know there is a better way, you know there are better workouts. You love the past bodyweight cardio programs and you’re ready for a new challenge.

Here it is.

Bring on the bodyweight conditioning.

Get over 6 months of intense fat burning bodyweight workouts here.

You’ll discover dozens of new no-equipment bodyweight exercises that you can use to lose fat and sculpt the ultimate beach body.

Say goodbye to boring cardio,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

“I’ll have a short-stack of chocolate chip pancakes and two eggs, overeasy“, I ordered from our table on the patio at the Broken Yolk in San Diego.

“No, wait, make that a large stack,” I said with a smile.

Twenty minutes later, as I mopped up the last pool of syrup with my final forkful of delicious, chocolatey pancakes, my business partner and friend, Bedros Keuilian said, “Good
thing you ordered the large stack.”

I smiled. Darn right. I love pancakes, I love chocolate, and I love syrup. It’s the triple threat.

Now here’s where things get interesting.

Once we returned to the uber-cool Hard Rock Hotelool Hard Rock Hotel and met up with the other trainers at our meeting, I wandered over to the buffet breakfast and continued to make a peanut butter sandwich on whole-wheat toast. Accompanied by a bowl of fresh blueberries, strawberries, and pineapple, it made for a perfect second breakfast.

At lunch (just 2 hours later), there were fewer carbs, as I filled my plate with chicken, salmon, and a giant spinach salad (full of spinach and candied pecans).

I admit it, I kind of dug around the bowl – with the tongs, of course – to get as many candied pecans as possible.

Delicious.

Later in the afternoon I had a protein-carb bar as a snack, and then at dinner at Donavan’s Seafood house (we went there five nights in a row, lol) it was sea bass with mushroom risotto. You wanted to lick the plate clean, it was so good.

And then – yes, AND then…the team at Donavan’s brought out some desserts – on the house – to thank us for visiting so often.

I couldn’t resist the brownie and ice cream, because I love chocolate. So I had half of that dessert.

Do you think I had enough carbs that day?

I did. But…guess who is still as lean as ever?

Yep, still at 9% fat with my famous ripped abs (from the photo that has been stolen around the world).

How do I do it?

Well, I don’t eat like that every day…but, you can eat like that on a cycle. A carb-cycle.

You can enjoy eating like this too, once in a while, IF you have the right eating plan.

In fact, so many TT readers have asked me over the years “How do you do carb-cycling?”

I haven’t had a good answer…until now.

Here’s the best carb-cycling method called “macro-patterning” explained by nutrition expert Shaun Hadsell in this free video:

==> How to NEVER store carbs as fat

In fact, “macro-patterning” is already getting a TON of national attention, and for good reason…it WORKS.

Get the full scoop here:

==> Eat carbs and NEVER gain fat (here’s how)

Get lean WITH carbs now,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

Time to get rid of belly fat before summer – and maybe even win $1000 of my money.

Here’s how you can get a nice fat check from me…

The 14th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest starts today and the winners of our four categories all win $1000 of my money.

All the details on how you can win $1000 as the top prize are here:

=> The Simple TT Transformation Contest Rules

Some of our past winners include these hot bodies…join them today.

The top prize of $1000 – each – will be given to the winners of these 4 categories:

1) Women Under 40
2) Men Under 40
3) Women Over 40
4) Men Over 40

And you don’t have to buy anything. Just use your Turbulence Training or
24-7 Fat Loss workouts to enter the contest.  Start today by taking your
before photos and then let’s get started working on your new sexy body.

NOTE: If you need more inspiration, just check out the winners of
our latest contest here:

=> TransformationContest.com

Amazing results…especially on Lisa, Nikolay, Torrie, Drew, and the rest
of our winners from the 13th TT Contest.

Nikolay lost 55 pounds in 12 weeks. That’s a new record.

Lisa lost 22 pounds in 12 weeks to win the over 40 women’s group (a
new record for the age category).

What could YOU accomplish in the next 12 weeks?

Looking forward to YOUR best body ever,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS – Here’s one secret about the contest…

…our winners almost ALWAYS get online social support.

That’s because social support – such as a fat loss forum – has been research proven to help you lose fat.

Looking forward to sending our next winners their checks for $1000 – just for losing their belly fat.

That’s the best trade you’ll make all year.

Recently Men’s Health magazine interviewed me on the perfect workout set-up, and then I created a more advanced workout for Men’s Health UK. Then you’ll get a workout I designed for Men’s Health that they decided NOT to use in the magazine due to space constraints. So it’s a TT reader exclusive.

You get my answers, the workouts, and a really important mindset tip at the end of today’s email.

But before you finish this newsletter, make sure you go over to the TT Summit registration page and reserve your spot. We have over 65 of the 100 seats filled, and the price DOUBLES on Monday.

Reserve your spot here

Ok, now to the Men’s Health and reader QnA:

Q: “Craig, could you give your top tips for making a workout ore efficient?” – Men’s Health magazine

Answer: First, skip the 10 minute walk on the treadmill. That doesn’t prepare you specifically for a real workout. Use a circuit of low-intensity bodyweight exercises instead.

Follow that with at least one set (and up to three sets) for each major movement pattern, including a squat motion, a pushing motion, and a pulling motion. Rest only 1 minute between sets.

Finally, finish with 15-20 minutes of interval training, alternating one minute of slightly harder than normal
cardiovascular exercise with one minute of easy cardiovascular exercise. There’s no best type of interval training for fat loss, but that method is proven to work.

That’s the template for a fast, effective workout. Heck, you could call it the perfect efficient fat loss workout.

Q: “Craig, we need a 4-exercise metabolic workout with dumbbells and bodyweight.” – Men’s Health UK edition

Answer: Cool, let’s do:

1A) DB Reverse Lunge – 8 reps per side
1B) Decline Pushup – 2 reps short of failure
1C) DB Row – 15 reps per side
1D) DB Goblet Squat (feet hip width apart) – 30 seconds

- Rest 15 seconds between exercises
- Rest 90 seconds at the end of the circuit
- Repeat 4 times

Q: “Craig, we need a workout that readers can do in their backyard with minimal equipment.” – Men’s Health

Answer: This is a great metabolic circuit. Rest 15 seconds between exercises and 1 minute at the end of the circuit. Do up to five rounds for a full body session. Do as many repetitions as possible in the given time.

Make sure to do a bodyweight warm-up of squats, lunges, and pushups before this circuit (2 sets of 8-12 reps each).

1) Lunge Jumps – 20 seconds
2) Pullup or Bodyweight Row – 30 seconds
3) Spiderman Pushup – 30 seconds
4) KB Swing – 30 seconds
5) Walking Prisoner Lunge – 30 seconds
6) Cross-Body Mountain Climber – 30 seconds
7) KB Goblet Squat – 30 seconds

Q: So, this may sound silly but after my chest workouts it never really feels like I’ve worked my chest out at all. For example, when following the TT workouts I’ll have sore lats or whatever the day after the workout but when I do workouts focused on chest for example I never get soreness. Am I’m doing something wrong? – TT Member on the TT forums

Answer: Can’t say for sure if you are doing anything wrong, I’d have to be there to be certain…

However, you could switch the exercises to moves that you haven’t used in a while.

You could also increase the time spent in the lowering phase of the exercise from 2 seconds to 4 seconds per rep.

Start with those two changes and let us know how it goes for the next two weeks to see if you get your muscles to respond.

Finally…

This week’s KickButt Mindset Tip:

The main reason we are “not good at something” is because we tell ourselves we are not good at that thing.

We say, “Oh, I’m not strong enough to stick to that nutrition plan OR I’m not dedicated enough to train at 6am even though that’s the only time I can workout OR I’m not brave enough to try a Tough Mudder race OR I’m not this…OR I’m not that…”

But it’s that mindset that is the BIG BLOCK holding us back.

It may be the only thing holding you back from being as great as you can be.

Change really is up to YOU.

Let me know how else TT can help,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS – See you at the 2nd TT Summit in June.

We’ll talk more about your mindset and destroy the obstacles
that are holding you back from success.

Reserve your seat here before the price doubles on Monday

The Personal Trainer Dream Lifestyle – By Mike Whitfield

Growing up, my Mom was there for everything. She would wake me for school, get me to the bus on time, and then pick me up at the end of the day to take me on errands, like our weekly trip to the grocery store.

There she would let me pick out my favorite cereal and I’d help her unload the groceries once we got home.

An hour later my Dad would arrive home and my entire family, including my two sisters, would sit together and talk about the day around the big table in the kitchen.  It was the perfect lifestyle for a family.

My wife, Sabrina, and I have long been dreaming of giving my 15-month old son, Champ, the same lifestyle.  “Maybe one day” was the mindset.  We knew we had to

Thankfully, I made a decision to travel all the way to San Diego last year for the TT Summit and that switched my dream into reality.

Now I’ll be honest with you, financially, it was a stretch to book a flight and hotel to attend the seminar.  But deep down inside, I knew I couldn’t afford NOT to go.

And I was right.

The TT Summit weekend was the “switch” I needed not only for my business, but for my life.  The weekend was packed with meeting new friends, creating amazing connections and having numerous “A-ha” moments, including Craig’s presentation about creating your vision (it literally changed my life).

There were also amazing workouts (and ideas), as well as client attraction strategies from Bedros Keuilian, Josh Carter and others, but the real magic happened between the learning sessions; a magic that I still can’t quite describe to this day.

What the Switch Has Allowed Me to Achieve

When I returned home from the Summit, my wife even saw a change in me.  She knew I was on a mission – a mission I didn’t even know I had until I realized it in San Diego.

It’s been less than a year since that epic weekend, and things have progressed so fast that I still can’t believe how far I have come.  Prior to the TT Summit weekend, my info product business had $0 in my Clickbank account. I hadn’t made a single sale, which is ironic, since an online business is my passion.  I absolutely love writing and helping people all over the world.

Since then, … the clickbank account has made $32,227.37!

But the real, true value is not even in the income numbers.  No way. Instead, the TT Summit and my Clickbank success has given me a hope that I didn’t have before.

As a matter of fact, after the launch of my 2nd product, my Ab Finishers manual, I developed what Craig calls, “Internet Liquid Courage”.

I made a bold claim for all the world so see.

“My wife will be able to step down from her math-teaching job to be a stay-at-home Mom by next Fall so she can take care of our little boy, Champ, and he won’t need to go to daycare anymore.”

I thought that would take at least a year or so, if not longer, but Sabrina happily turned in her resignation notice this week telling the school board that she wouldn’t be there this next school year.  She and I both agreed that the momentum will allow her to do so.

My wife will be home with my son to take care of him… you can’t put a price tag on that, but  we wouldn’t have this opportunity if I hadn’t gotten on that plane to the TT Summit. That TT Summit transformed my business and my mindset.

If you would have told me a year ago that a quiet guy like me would be doing a presentation in front of hundreds of other trainers at the 2012 Fitness Business Summit, I would have thought you were crazy.

Yet at FBS 2012 back in March, I presented for almost an hour about Workout Finishers, and even did a spot-on impersonation of one of the most influential coaches in my career, Alwyn Cosgrove.  And you know what?  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Finally, I’ve discovered myself.

As a matter of fact, I’ll be presenting at the TT Summit, too.  The old Mike would have admitted he’s really nervous.  But that’s not me anymore.  I’m on fire about life and I’m excited about the opportunity to present again and surround myself with such great people. That’s been the power of my TT Summit Switch.

Get Exactly What You Want in Life

Thanks to the strategies I’ve learned at the TT Summit, I’ve been ridiculously productive, too.  Last month I wrote eight 1,000 word articles (I had 2 promos going on), created content for my readers, and designed a new bonus workout product, all while still maintaining my clients’ web coaching programs and my offline bootcamps.

There’s no way I would have been able to do that a year ago.  I still get up at 4:30 because one of those strategies I learned was to discover your magic time.  That’s when I write a majority of my content and besides, that’s when I WANT to get up. It’s amazing what you can get done in your magic time (mine is between 4:30 and 7:30 each morning), and I thank Craig for sharing that success secret with me.

This is the best job in the world.

I’m Getting What I Want Out of Life, And You Can, Too

One day, Bedros asked me face-to-face, “Where do you see your business going?”  I told him an answer that really didn’t have anything to do with income numbers.  It was this -  “I want the freedom to take my parents out for lunch on a random Tuesday, along with my wife and son.”

That is becoming a reality in about 5 weeks, once school is out.  It is these simple things I get to enjoy that I wouldn’t have been able to do without that amazing weekend.  Again, this is something you can’t put a value on.

My wife periodically asks me, “Who are you?” with a smile.  I constantly have this amazing energy all of the time.  That’s what getting what you want out of life gives back… energy and a purpose.

It’s hard to believe that was the first TT Summit less than a year ago.  I can’t even imagine what’s in store for the second one.

I’ll see you there making your Switch. (I’ll be the guy with the big smile on his face.)

To your success,

Mike Whitfield
Certified Turbulence Trainer

It worked.

My plan to sleep for most of the 15-hour flight back from Hong Kong to Toronto went smoothly. I snoozed for an incredible 10 hours on the way home.

But it’s left me a little upside-down in terms of alertness, and my workout kind of stunk yesterday morning.

However, I’ll just keep pushing on, and today will be another training session for the Tough Mudder race in June.

BTW, this is your last chance to get the TT Adventure Race workout program and for you to learn how to combine running with Turbulence Training.

Get the TT Running and Resistance program here

Question: I’m doing the 247fatloss.com program and want to know if I can add long runs on off-days? – John

Answer: Hey John, thanks for the question.

First, the 247 program really is NOT meant to be combined with marathon or half-marathon training.

Second, if you insist on running heavily when doing the 24-7 program, please cut back all leg exercises to just ONE set per movement.

Also, cut resistance training to just ONE day per week.

And replace 247 intervals with regular running training.

That’s the simple way to do it.

But an even better way to train for fat loss with TT-style workouts while simultaneously training for endurance events would be to use the new TT Adventure Racing program.

Get the TT Running and Resistance program here

Question: I have never gotten a clear answer to this question…if you worked your muscles really hard for example on Monday, and you are really sore on Tuesday and still sore on Wednesday, do you have to wait until the soreness is completely gone before you can work the same muscles? – Maureen

Answer: Hi Maureen. There is not a clear answer to everyone…it is an individual situation. The first thing you need to do is to adjust your program to do less volume so you aren’t sore for 3 days. That’s a really long time to be sore, and it’s not necessary for results.

Second, ask yourself this, “Is there something else I can do instead of my regular workout that won’t stress my really sore muscles?”

If not, then it is a judgement call depending on your goals, fitness level, experience, etc.

But at the end of the day, be conservative.

No need to risk injury.

And now to answer all of your DIET questions at once, since I received several on Facebook yesterday…

Question: Diet wise, do you recommend the paleo diet as a base for nutrition? – Martin

Question: Speaking of diets, what is your opinion on the slow carb diet by Tim Ferriss, Craig? – Nick

Question: What are your thoughts on Jay Ferrugia’s The Renegade Diet? – Femi

Question: Can you recommend a good book on nutrition? – Tim

Answer: First, all of these diets are good.

Second, Tim, you could get any of the above programs, or you could get Isabel’s Diet Solution Program.

They are all awesome. And heck, almost every diet works.

What doesn’t work, most often, is the PERSON, not the diet.

So yes, you’ll need to try a few diets to see what works for you. Or more honestly, if YOU will work with the diet.

That’s right, I’m suggesting it’s YOUR personal responsibility that you aren’t getting results with a diet. If that’s the case, it’s because you aren’t using a diet that you can stick with.

Almost all diet plans work. Just like almost all methods of investing work. Whether you save your money and smartly invest in real estate or save your money and smartly invest in companies, it doesn’t matter…when done smartly and consistently, you’ll succeed.

What matters is that you match your method with your personality and schedule.

And that brings us back to nutrition.

Fasting works. And eating 6 meals per day works. And so does using a combination of both.

Eating “clean” can work (whatever that means), and so can eating low-carb or slow-carb.

All of these work.

It is up to us to find the method that works best for ourselves – based on our schedules, likes, dislikes, and personalities.

Keep on trying, experimenting, and monitoring your results.

That’s why a diet journal is so important.

It helps you establish cause and effect…and that is essential to improving any aspect of your life.

I hope that helps.

Everyone is on a diet,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

Last year’s event was amazing.

This year will be even better.

We have Bedros Keuilian, Alwyn Cosgrove, Mike Whitfield, and a few other surprise guests speaking at this event, showing you how to get EXACTLY what you want out of life through fitness.

Just check out our schedule of events for the 150 lucky attendees. The Saturday is dedicated to workouts in the morning and inspiration in the afternoon.

I guarantee you that my speech on getting EXACTLY what you want out of life will – no hype – change your life for the better.

It’s a method that has worked for me in a way that gives me goosebumps every time I explain it. So don’t miss that session.

(And YES, there are one-day only tickets available for 50 attendees. More details here.)

Friday, June 22nd, The Personal Trainer Day

9am – How to TRIPLE Your Productivity and Have More Time for What REALLY Matters in Life – By Craig Ballantyne

10am – Brand NEW, Exclusive Secret Strategies to Getting More Clients – By Bedros Keuilian

12pm – Networking Lunch Break

1pm – Bootcamp Blastoff: How to Go From Zero Clients to Being On Pace for Over $100K Per Year in Just 90 Days

3pm: The Missing LINK in Creating a 7-Figure Fitness Facility From Scratch – By Alwyn Cosgrove

5pm: Dinner Break

7pm: VIP Trainer Reception for First 50 Registered Trainers…

Hang out with Alwyn, Bedros, Craig, and all of the Certified Turbulence Trainers

Saturday, June 23rd, The Fitness Training Day

7-9am: Early Morning Bootcamp Workouts (7am and 8am workouts)

9am: Breakfast Break

9:30am: Kettlebell, TRX, and Secret Ballantyne Workout Demos

10:30am – TT Pushup Contest with BIG Prizes

11am: Workout Finishers With Mikey Whitfield

12pm: Lunch/Networking/Photo Op

1pm: How to Change Your Life in 3 Easy Steps

2:30: Surprise Exercise Contest with BIG Prizes

3pm: How to Get EXACTLY What You Want in Life – By CB

5pm: Closing Ceremonies & TT Trainer of the Year Awards

I’m excited just reading about it.

Heck, I’d pay $1000 just to attend that seminar to learn from Bedros, Alwyn, and Mikey W.

But you don’t have to pay that much. Not EVEN 10% of that.

It’s just $97 for the first 50 fast-action takers.

Reserve your spot at the 2nd TT Summit with me

See you there,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer