I got the opportunity to interview Craig Ballantyne, the author of Turbulence Training. Besides being an awesome guy, we also totally agree on a lot of training fundamentals. I was really stoked to get the chance to interview him, because I had some questions I’ve always wanted to ask him. This was my chance. You’ve gotta read this, the stuff he gives us is golden.
1.) Tell me a little about yourself and your background:
Answer:
Josh, I’ve been writing for Men’s Health since about 2000, when I was finishing up my Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology here in Canada. One of my research studies was on Androstenedione, the hormone used by Mark McGwire in his infamous home run chase season of 1998.
It was during the analysis of this study, while I was spending 12+ hours in the lab each day, that I came up with the Turbulence Training workouts – by necessity – since I had no time for my traditional long workouts. So I put my training and coaching experience together with the research studies I had conducted and read, and came up with the high-intensity, short workout approach to building muscle and burning fat.
Since the first TT workout in 2000, I’ve been refining the program to include more dumbell exercises, more bodyweight movements, and a wide variety of interval methods. And still now, 8 years later, I’m coming up with new workout strategies to keep things fresh for my readers.
2.) What makes a great fat loss program?
Answer:
I think the key, to the average man and woman, is "results in as little time as possible". And that’s what I’ve been working on – getting the most from the least.
Rather than dedicating, 60, 90 or even 120 minutes per day to working out with long, slow, inefficient methods, a great fat loss program uses intense, efficient, multi-muscle exercise methods to get more fat loss results in less workout time. Whether its free weights, bodyweight exercises, or intervals, all three of these techniques cut time from your workout.
And I can’t neglect nutrition. I agree with the old saying, "You can’t out-train a bad diet". So if someone is on Turbulence Training or your Stubborn Fat program, following it perfectly but eating poorly, then they just won’t get the results they want.
But, if on the other hand, they are eating perfectly and only following our programs half-heartedly, they will still make great progress.
So nutrition is the ultimate key to success.
3) You mentioned most of your readers and members are busy people who workout at home, how does this change your approach?
Answer:
Mostly just in terms of equipment.
If I was working with a client in person, we’d do more barbell work. But with online readers, everything is done with limited equipment, so we use more dumbells and bodyweight exercises.
We maintain the high intensity principles though, and try to use similar exercise substitutions whenever possible.
4.) What separates Turbulence Training from all of the other systems out there?
Answer:
Mostly the fusion of dumbell, bodyweight, and interval training, but let’s be honest, I’m not the only person in the world that uses all of these concepts in one workout. There are a lot more similar programs coming about these days.
But 5 years ago, interval training and using low reps for fat loss was a renegade approach. Today, the interval training research studies are getting a lot of press, and interval training and low-rep free weight training are much more commonplace, although I think a lot of people still don’t really "get" how to do intervals correctly.
Because most people have that "cardio mentality" ingrained, its hard for them to take the proper amount of rest between intervals. What most people do is sprint, then work at normal cardio pace, then sprint, etc.
But really, a good interval training program is a series of sprints separated by almost complete recovery. That way, you can work much harder during the sprint portion of the workout. By doing cardio at a normal intensity between sprints, you sacrifice your sprint intensity.
People need to stress less about exercise heart rate. Heart rate does NOT determine fat loss rate. I’ve been saying that for years now – and I know I’m the only one that’s ever really pointed that out.
Finally, the Turbulence Training workouts are unique and full of variety. Perfect for the reader that goes crazy sticking to one program for more than 4 weeks. I’ve come up with a library of hundreds of unique bodyweight and dumbell exercises to keep my readers getting results and having fun.
5.) What was the biggest turning point in the evolution of your fat loss programming? Was there an "ah-ha moment" that spawned Turbulence Training?
Answer:
Without a doubt, the research and experience with interval training.
I first started using interval training in the mid-90’s for sport performance purposes, because the research was pretty clear that interval training is essential for improving athletic conditioning in hockey, soccer, basketball, and rugby – the 4 sports I was working with the most.
At the same time, I noticed the positive effects it had on fat loss in the athletes (and in myself), and I came across the original intervals for fat loss study that was published in 1994.
So that info, combined with the "a-ha" moment I had one day in 2000 during a break from my lab work when I did the first TT workout, is how Turbulence Training came into existence.
6.) What’s so great about green tea?
Answer:
The taste, obviously.
I’m a big green tea fan because of the health benefits. I know that other teas are also healthy, but I think that green tea has the most benefits.
On the other hand, I’m very skeptical that green tea will have any effect at all on your weight loss. I don’t think its a magic fat loss drink or fat loss supplement.
7.) What’s the biggest mental hurdle people have to overcome in a fat loss program?
Answer:
There are several, but "giving themselves permission" to succeed is a big one. Most people are so used to being out of shape and have never been on a good program before, that they don’t know what its like to actually get results.
And when they do finally get a good program, like Turbulence Training or your Stubborn Fat ebook, they tend to sabotage their results with poor eating. But if they accept that it IS possible to change their body, then things start to fall into place and they make amazing changes.
Another big mental hurdle is that people lie to themselves about their nutrition compliance. Far too many people say they are eating "right", but in truth are missing the boat 25% of the time. And 75% compliance just won’t give them the results they want. So they need to take a hard look at their eating and be honest about the changes they need to make.
8.) You use a lot of cool variations in squats and lunges, some of which I’d never seen before. Why are squats important? Why so much variation? And what’s the difference between prisoner squats, t-squats, y-squats and siff squats? Any other favorite squats or lunges?
Answer:
Squats fit into our "multi-muscle, efficient, and effective" exercise selection criteria. It gets the most results done in the least amount of time.
Let me get off topic for a second. The other day I was thinking that you could really build a great body in just 30 minutes per week – yes, per week – if all you did was 10 minutes of squats or dumbell split squats on day 1, 10 minutes of barbell or dumbell presses on day 2, and 10 minutes of deadlifts, barbell rows, or dumbell rows on day 3. That’s all most of us really need.
Do a warm-up set, rest 20 seconds, another warm-up set, and then your first work set of 6-8 reps. Rest 30 seconds and do your next set. And keep going till your 10 minutes are over. You could change the reps and tempo each week, but its that SIMPLE approach that would work. Its just hard work, done efficiently.
Now back to your question. Since so many people I train don’t have access to equipment, and also have short attention spans, I need to come up with a huge variety of exercises to keep people coming back for more. So that’s what I’ve done.
Plus, these squat variations work the upper back and mobilize the shoulder joint – something we all need since we sit so much at a computer or in our cars. So we get multiple benefits from one exercise. All you need to do is change the arm position and you get more out of an exercise. Good stuff.
I like Bulgarian Split Squats and Split Squats with the Front Foot Elevated for two of my favorite single leg exercises. My favorite barbell exercise these days is "Trap Bar Deadlifts", and my least favorite remains the "front squat". I curse that exercise.
One other thing I want to mention is that I insist that all clients master the split squat first, before they ever attempt a lunge. Far too many overweight, unco-ordinated men and women are doing lunges (with weight sometimes!) with the most horrendous form you can imagine. It boggles my mind that the trainer just stands there and watches their client lunge around like a drunk frat boy. I think you get more targeted muscle stimulus from split squats anyway.
9.) What is the biggest thing a person can do nutrition wise for fat loss? I know you are a big fan of eating good, whole foods. Is it just that simple?
Answer:
It really is just that simple.
Honestly, I shake my head at nutrition programs that include a laundry list of supplements and amino acids. Too much theory, not enough real world common sense.
I look at the big picture, not tiny, microscopic snapshots of what’s occuring at 6.3 minutes after your last rep, or 83.9 minutes after your last meal. I look at what goes on over the course of the day, and that simple approach is working just as well as these high-maintenance "theoretical" approaches to nutrition. (And its cheaper too!)
10.) What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about fat loss this year?
Answer:
In December we did a little case study, where we had some people sub out all their whole-grain carbohydrates and replace them with fruits or vegetables. That simple substitution was very, very effective for helping to achieve advanced fat loss.
Its tough, no doubt, when we are conditioned to night-time "reward" carbohydrates like pretzels, chips, bread, etc. But the results were well worth the discipline.
Again, it goes back to the whole, natural foods approach. The less processed your diet, the less body fat you’ll keep when using a short, but intense workout program like Turbulence Training.
Thanks Craig, that was awesome!
