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Craig Ballantyne Interview Part 1
December 31, 2007
Can you believe it? 24 hours to go in 2007…
I’ve got an AWESOME interview for you to kick off 2008 (especially if you’re goal is to get LEAN and APPEAR more muscular)…
Being on the net, I’ve heard A LOT about this guy named Craig Ballantyne… you may have heard of him?
He writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen regularly and he’s famous for his fat-burning workouts (known as Turbulence Training) He has this new 500 workout out that’s supposed to be tougher than the 300 workout.
Anyways, I always wondered if he was the real deal, till I had an opportunity to meet him in Florida a few weekends ago…
… I figured, I would try some of his fat loss workouts on myself (the first test) and then on my clients (the 2nd test).
I also tracked down his cell phone (he lives 45 minutes from me) and called him and texted him with no response until he FINALLY answered on a Sunday morning (I think he answered because he knew he was going to have to meet me face to face in a few weeks after that 
Both Craig and I would tell you that based on “the lean threshold” you will create the *illusion* that you are MORE muscular by stripping off the fat before building any NEW muscle !
… so the question is, “How are you going to strip the FAT in 2008?
This is only PART 1 of our phone conversation (make sure to read to the bottom to hear about some gifts Craig has for you)….
Vince: What’s the worst thing someone can do in 2008 if they want to lose stomach fat?
Craig Ballantyne: Eat crap and not exercise of course! Actually, just trying to “wing it” is going to leave most people frustrated. You have to put some work into preparing your plan, and if you do that, you’ll succeed.
If you lack education about nutrition and exercise, you’re going to run into a lot of problems. But the more you know, the better off you will be.
Vince: What is the best thing someone can do in 2008 if they want to lose stomach fat?
Craig Ballantyne: Plan. Get a good workout plan that suits your lifestyle, physical interests, time constraints, equipment availability, and training history.
Don’t do a heavy cardio program if you don’t have a lot of time and hate doing cardio. If you only have time for 3 short workouts per week, then grab something like Turbulence Training that you can do at home or the gym with minimal equipment.
At the same time, plan your nutrition. Figure out what eating schedule works for you. Address your weak points and work around them. Get rid of all the bad foods in your house and replace them with good, fat fighting foods.
Look at your schedule and determine the two best times each week to spend an hour or so preparing your meals for the next coming days (for example, an hour on Sunday and an hour on Wednesday). If you have your plan set out, all you have to do is follow it.
Once you commit, stick to it. Don’t bounce from program to program, or diet to diet. Also, plan in “mental breaks”, such as cheat meals (once per week), and fun workouts - such as taking a long hike on the weekend or replacing one workout every month with a sport or workout with a friend. This plan will be your guide to success. Do it once and you don’t have to spend mental energy on it every week.
Vince: A lot of readers ask me, “Should I build muscle or lose stomach fat first?” When we were hanging out in West Palm together, you shared with me some interesting numbers on how to decide whether you should build muscle first or lose fat first. Can you provide my friends with those numbers and guidelines.
Craig Ballantyne: Here’s the range…if you are at this height and below the corresponding weight, my rule is you MUST gain MUSCLE…
5′4″ - 130 lbs
5′6″ - 140 lbs
5′8″ - 150 lbs
5′10 - 160 lbs
6′0′ - 170 lbs
And so on…5 lbs per inch in either direction.
Vince: I agree. So you don’t think you can build muscle and lose fat a the same time?
Craig Ballantyne: No, I do believe you can. Of course, the worse off you are, the easier it is. In fact, over fat beginners with poor exercise and diet habits can make dramatic gains in muscle while losing fat. In fact, I also found a research study last year that shows it is possible in men and women over the age of 50.
Vince: So this is where you and I would slightly disagree. I’ve seen it happen too but I teach my clients to chase one goal at once. Put ALL your efforts into LOSING fat or GAINING muscle.
Interestingly, most people would *appear* more muscular IF they dialed down to 10% fat (for males) and 16% fat (for females).
I know you teach short and intense weight training workouts for fat loss but you see bodybuilders and fitness models doing 2 hours a day of cardio plus 1 hour a day of weights to get lean. How is Turbulence Training so different?
Craig Ballantyne: I believe that resistance training and interval training are more efficient than most people give them credit for. So I think you can get the same results with 50% less volume.
Four chest exercises done for 3 sets each does NOT result in four times as much muscle growth as doing one chest exercise for 3 sets. At some point, you have to ask yourself, what is this set really doing? By the time most guys get to their chest flyes, haven’t they already stimulated the pecs to maximal growth?
I truly believe you can stimulate the muscle with much less volume than most people use. So focus on 1-2
exercises done hard, and then move on.
Same with interval training versus cardio. There is more going on here than just the numbers of calorie counter readout. Long, slow cardio is inefficient. And to keep things in perspective, my programs are designed for men and women that don’t have 2 hours per day to train anyway… so its not an option. These people are lucky to have 2 hours per week. So there is no option but to use total body workouts, supersets, and intervals. Nothing else will work in that short of a time frame.
Vince: I have an issue with interval training for fat loss. As a competitive endurance athlete with zero fat on my body we stayed lean by doing lots of long, steady cardio and you preach the opposite. Why is interval training more superior?
Craig Ballantyne: A couple of things make it better… First, it works in less time. We are getting great results with our three sessions of 20 minutes of intervals per week, sometimes even less time than that. It works, and it works in less time per week than most long endurance workouts require per session.
Second, we see less overuse injuries with shorter, less frequent workouts. As a young guy, you might not have had too many aches and pains from your training, but go into any physio office and its packed with runners and triathletes that have overuse injuries. If you do the same motion thousands of times per long workout, the stress adds up. Almost no one can avoid it.
Third, I’ve found that long cardio works best for young guys, and worse with age, and worse with women. We’ve all seen too many women on the same machine day after day for months with the same body, no changes. Now that’s also due to diet and often a lack of resistance training, but I’m just not convinced long cardio works for everyone.
Vince: Also, interval training is HARD and intense on your joints if you don’t have a conditioning foundation to build off of. How do you make interval training safe and effective for everyone?
Craig Ballantyne: Well, interval training is subjective, right? I mean, for a beginner that is 150 pounds overweight, no trainer in their right mind would ask them to sprint all out for 30 seconds. But, we can ask them to take their walking speed from 3.0 mph to 3.6 mph for 30 second intervals. And then they would go back down to 3.0 mph for recovery.
Now that is interval training, safe and effective for beginners. Alternatively, I use bodyweight circuit
training in “place” of interval training for both beginners and advanced fitness levels.
For a beginner, we could do a circuit of hip extensions, kneeling pushups, planks, side planks, and stability
ball leg curls and we’d burn just as much fat as slow cardio, but we’d also get the benefit of total body
strengthening at the same time. And this will prepare them for future, harder workouts.
Basically, I’m asking everyone to take a leap of faith and trust the latest research along with my years of
experience, and see that there is a better way to burn fat rather than 2 hour marathon workouts of long slow
cardio and light weight machines.
Train hard,
Vince DelMonte
P.S. Now check this out…
Craig’s put together the ultimate Turbulence Training package that contains not only 16-weeks of advanced fat loss workouts and 10 weeks of beginner programs, but he’s also added 5 new bonuses that are available only for the next three days.
1) Secrets of the Transformation Masters E-book
You’ll learn the insider fat burning secrets from 3 of the most experienced Transformation Trainers in North America. We squeezed every last one of their fat burning secrets from them so YOU can achieve your ultimate body transformation.
It will help the absolute beginner and even the fitness competitor. The report contains detailed, step-by-step information for every fat loss level.
No fat burning stone was left unturned, diet plans were scrutinized and reviewed, and these experts share the exact details for looking your best on the big day (whether it is at a wedding, a physique contest, or simply to be ready for your transformation “after”photos).
2) Fit Yummy Mummy Fit-Fast 4-Week Workout
When you are pressed for time and have no access to equipment, the Fit Yummy Mummy Fit-Fast Workout is your rescue routine to keep your metabolism burning strong and fat loss efforts on track.
America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert for Moms, Holly Rigsby, has designed an exclusive 4-week workout plan you can do in the comfort of your own home.
3) Workouts for Busy Dad’s Bonus
The World’s Busiest Dad and personal trainer, Chris Lopez, shares with you his 20-minute workout secrets to get Dad’s back into fighting shape so they can keep up with their kids and outlast their wives.
4) The Revolutionary Eat-Stop-Eat Diet Book from Brad Pilon
Brad is a nutrition expert and his controversial fat loss eating guideline is making waves in the dieting community. People are busting through fat loss plateaus and loving the lifestyle that Brad’s approach allows. It’s a simple, anti-diet approach to fat loss.
5) Mastering the Fat Loss Mindset - A How-to Guide for Fat Loss Goal Setting that is Guaranteed to Help You Get Maximum Results
This is the year. How many times have we all said that? Well, this IS the year. Listen to the UK’s top fitness and motivational expert Dax Moy and learn how to set goals and live the lifestyle to reach those goals. No more dropping out, this is the year you will go all the way and finally succeed in changing your body!
But this entire package is only available for the next 72 hours. On Wednesday, January 2nd at midnight, all 5 of these bonuses will disappear from the bonus package and will never, EVER be offered again.
Click here to get more information
– http://www.NoNonsenseFatLoss.com
If you don’t pick-up this incredible collection of fat loss bonuses today, you might kick yourself for missing out. This is the kind of information that can take a fat loss program from zero to sixty in just days, snapping you out of even the deepest, darkest fat loss plateau you’ve ever experienced.
Remember, if I didn’t know Craig personally and if I hadn’t used Craig’s workouts personally, I would not be recommending his fat loss resource…
This is ONE fat loss package that EVERY committed person should take into 2008 if they are truly committed to losing fat!
#1 Thing To Do For 2008 (for more muscle)…
December 27, 2007
So if you were in my office and asked, “Vince, what’s the number one thing I should do to build as much muscle possible for 2008?”
I would say three things:
PLAN PLAN PLAN
I would then quote the late Benjamin Franklin, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
Training without a program is like building a house with out a blueprint.
(I’ll add, not just a “program” but a program specifically designed for YOU… not a body part bodybuilder program that only works if you’re using drugs and have great genetics… )
So what should a muscle building “plan” include?
– You need a specific weight training program. You need to know how to split up your muscle groups. You need to know how many reps and sets. How fast to lift the weights. How long to rest for. When to switch the program completely…
– You need a specific meal plan. You need to know EXACTLY what and how much food to put in your mouth every 3 hours.
– You need proper lifting technique. You need to train safely and effectively so you don’t hurt yourself and so that you isolate the targeted muscle group.
– You need to know EXACTLY which supplements to use and which ones to avoid.
– You need to know how much sleep you should be getting.
– You need to know how much cardio you should be doing on your workout days and non-workout days.
– You need to know how to stretch and when to stretch or else you will get injured (if not now… later).
– You need to know how to cut all the fat after you bulk up.
– You need to know when and for how long to take take recovery periods.
These details MUST be pre-planned before you start… before you start going to the gym!
Having this information is TRUE planning.
Once you have your plan… you have ONE job only …
… WORK IT and EXECUTE IT.
Click here to get your complete muscle building plan:
– http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com
Here’s what you get when you use my plan:
Two 29 week muscle building workouts (beginner and advanced included) are essentially your blueprints – they are very powerful and intense workouts I used to gain 41 pounds of muscle.
84 day meal plans that range from 2000 calories to 6000 calories in 500 calorie increments can be printed off and put in your kitchen so all you need to do is FOLLOW YOUR PLAN!
An exercise database that will teach you how to do EVERY single exercise with proper lifting technique (even if you workout at home).
The Supplement Watch Files will tell you exactly which supplements to buy and which ones to save your money on.
My private email. If you get stuck with your plan then you can contact me personally!
What else do you want?
Now man up and show me you’re truly committed to your goals in 2008!
Click here to get started with your 2008 muscle building workout:
– http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com
Train hard,
Vince DelMonte
My Christmas Gift To YOU :)
December 25, 2007
Accept this skit and song as my little Christmas gift to you. It’s been downloaded by almost 3 million people. P It’s amazing how powerful a message can be sent with just song and drama! Hope this helps you remember the true reason for the season.
Enjoy!
Have a VERY Merry Christmas!
Vince
This Missing Muscle Factor
December 21, 2007
What is the MAIN thing that will determine your fitness results in 2008?
Not genetics. Not drugs. Not time. Not motivation. Not knowledge. Not a better program. Not a coach. Not a piece of equipment.
There is one thing MORE powerful, in my confident opinion, than any other factor - CONSISTENCY!
Here’s what is going to happen in about 10 days when 2008 hits:
Every single person is going to be surfing Google for “bodybuilding program” or “build massive muscle” and they will be surfing every bodybuilding website and forum, until they find the ONE.
Once they find the ONE, they will feel confident that this is the solution to their problems. They are excited because the program is new.
But after 3 or 4 weeks (maybe they make it 3 or 4 months if they’re really ambitious) it gets old. It’s not “exciting” anymore which results in a few more Google searches until they find another program from someone they have never heard of before or perhaps they discover a unique training method which looks better than the hard training they are already doing.
They immediately print off this new workout, and the program you planned on being the ONE a few weeks ago, is suddenly by the waste side because it’s been replaced with a new one.
This will happen over and over and over again until, believe it or not, it will be 2009 and they’ll have little to show for all the programs they’ve “taste tested” and not been consistent with.
Can you relate?
The program has not failed you. You have failed yourself. You have failed in NOT being consistent and NOT giving it enough time to work.
Do you think pro bodybuilders switch between full body workouts for a few weeks then kettlebells another month then sand bag training, then Olympic training, then Pilates then 10 x 10, blah, blah, blah. NO!
Pro bodybuilders (or elite athletes for that matter) do not program hop. They do the same things year in and year out - they are consistent! Sure, they might incorporate some better methods over the years but they are consistent in applying the FOUR things that truly make a difference in a muscular physique:
Overload + Progression + Caloric Support + Consistency
That is it. Nothing more. Nothing less.
In recent conversations with some of my most muscular friends, a common theme arises. Each of these guys and gals have built their physiques with only 1 (or maybe 2) methods of training. But they are CONSISTENT, year in and year out, with the method they follow.
They are okay with “missing out” on the latest trends, programs and philosophies because they are getting great results being consistent and not getting distracted by the “latest” no matter how promising something may seem.
Commit yourself to being consistent in 2008!
Vince DelMonte
The Anti Gym - My thoughts
December 16, 2007
I can’t resist sharing my thoughts on The Anti Gym.
I have not read the entire site so forgive me if some of my info is not dead on…
Here’s some background on The Anti Gym (before you go to their website which looks like a soft core porn site):
– Their motto: “Have sex with the lights on.”
– The owner wears a shirt that reads, “NO CHUBBIES”
– During your workout you might get handcuffed to the treadmill.
– You’ll be interviewed for the privilege to work out there.
– They throw cupcakes and Twinkies at you (literally) while you work out.
– They have super hot, stripper like girls, dancing on boxes while you work out.
– You might get urine tested to see if you had any ice cream last night!
– The owner runs around the gym screaming stuff like, “You gotta pick up the pace if you ever want to wear lace,” or “You gotta pick up the pace if you want a girl who wears lace,” or “You’ll never get a hubby if you’re chubby.” It goes on and on… pretty funny stuff actually.
– It’s the only gym in history that does not discourage alcohol and marijuana use as part of a healthy lifestyle.
– Their meal plans include favorites like pizza, steak, and even pot pies. They say, “We know you don’t actually like tofu.”
– The owner offers people who call in with hate calls, death threats and law suit warnings, $1000 to come down to the gym to show that they are in shape, as they claim, and not fat or chubby. If proven “guilty” then Michael, the owner, donates the $1000 to charity - www.getphysical.org
You really have to go to The Anti Gym website and watch Michael’s commercials and T.V. interviews… personally, I got all fired up after watching them, but I can see why people hate this guy in Denver Colorado! All I have to say is that this guy has BIG balls!
It’s not the approach I take, have taken or will ever take but if it gets even ONE person fitter and healthier then that’s great.
Enjoy my comments and thoughts on the AG…
1. The Anti Gym hates excuses. So do I. Excuses are for the weak and people need to stop supersizing their orders, get off their butt’s and stop making excuses. I always question obese clients who say, “I don’t want to lose weight,” or “I’m happy with myself.” I’m not overweight so maybe I should not be talking but I find this hard to believe… perhaps the truth hurts?
2. The Anti Gym does not sugar coat the truth on the obesity epidemic. Our nation is 61% sloppy, lazy and chubby. It’s out of control. Nobody is being held accountable and people hide in a field of excuses and a kitchen of gluttony.
I agree with the AG on this point. “How can you truly agree that it is tolerable for America to be fat?” And to make matters worse, is it acceptable to pull youth into this disgusting behaviour?
In my opinion, parents should be CHARGED fines of $50 for taking their kids to McDonald’s and $100 if they let their kids supersize their meals!
Not enough money is being spent on nutritional education. I think it’s interesting that the same angry chubbies and “bearded ladies” (the site talks about) who are protesting against the AG are the same ones buying wacky exercise gimmicks from late night infomercials…
…the same people who are looking for an easy way out are the ones causing a stink when they are told the TRUTH about their weight problem by an obnoxious bald guy (don’t worry Mike, I think the bald looks good on you).
3. I think (and hope) Michael’s intentions are genuine and that he has the obese persons best interests at heart/strong. Only he can answer that. Michael believes in accountability so I’m sure he does not mind being held accountable and questioned by his fellow trainer.
4. The Anti Gym knows what it stands for and (hopefully) believes in the message it’s sending. The message is only as strong and credible as the messenger. I’m not going to say if Michael’s marketing is right or wrong but I will say that if people sense he is not TRULY committed to helping obesity then he will lose his integrity and influence.
5. Results only matter. It would be interesting for Michael to compete against another professional fitness trainer. Take 10 of his clients and 10 of my clients and see which group gets better results in 12 weeks from now! I would gladly accept the challenge
6. I want more testimonials. I had a great time reading the Pillow Talk section (testimonials) on his site but was a little disappointed when I didn’t see any Before and After pictures, any contact information (to boost credibility) and only SEVEN testimonials… (sorry if I missed something). If I was the owner of The Anti Gym, I would be building my business around client success… not around the controversy I’m stirring up in the media etc… It just goes to show there is no “one size fits all” way to motivate.
7. I don’t know Michael’s background or story, but I would be interested in knowing what he was doing to help the obese before he opened the Anti Gym… please post below if you know. I’m genuinely interested.
8. Is the Anti Gym really any different from any other gym? People join gyms for ONE reason - to get results and to make friends (social component)! The gym industry has a 60% failure rate in the first 3 months unless the person is seeing results. To get results they use the exact same methods of any high quality trainer at any other gym: Weight training, body weight training, interval training and nutritional counselling.
More importantly: Structure and progress, proper technique, variety, motivation, intensity, consistency and commitment. These are things you can find in any reputable fitness club.
9. The new definition of “chubby…”Michael has come up with his own definition of “chubby,” which is, “A person who is lazy, makes excuses and blames others for their behaviors.” That’s fine but he should put that on the back of the shirt he wears because the reality is this: The word “chubby” is a physical description of 99% of the population, not a mental description. So if he is trying to rewrite a term, he should make an effort to go to the other end of the world to explain himself, or I question his motives for helping others… I trust Mike and his team are not trying to boost their own egos. Great way to make me curious but this can result in loss of credibility to many if not explained.
10. The AG site is a little too vain and obsessive about “looking sexy” for me… Life is not all about looking “sexy” and “hot” although that appeals to a large market. The truth is… there are millions of people who are “sexy” and “hot” and even super fit who are NOT happy with themselves… maybe you are one of them? Happiness is not a result of what is on the outside. It can be a starting point but it will NEVER be an ending point.
10. The reality is this. Any reputable fitness coach or gym, including the AG can bring all the training knowledge, marketing, hype and whatever else… but the INDIVIDUAL must TAKE ACTION and DO IT. You must bring one thing to the table that no gym can do for you - that is “JUST DOING IT.” You, still, must do the work! No trainer, no piece of equipment, no website, no gym, no Twinkie, no handcuff, no urine test, no hot stripper, no $1000 can do the work for you.
I applaud the AG for TAKING ACTION and attacking the obesity epidemic. I look forward to hearing more success stories from their “lifestyle boutique.”
Train hard,
Vince DelMonte
Are Readers More Muscular?
December 15, 2007
Would you agree with the statement? “Leaders are readers.”
I don’t know who coined this phrase but it’s something that has had a massive impact on my physical, intellectual and spiritual life.
If leaders are readers then let me ask you a question…
Why do less than 4% of North America even own a library card?
Why only ten percent of people who begin reading a non-fiction book ever get beyond the first chapter?
Did you know that Abraham Lincoln used to walk miles to borrow and return books. He read them by candlelight after working long, hard days. Do you think his reverence and devotion to books made
a difference in his ability as a leader to lead a troubled nation?
I do.
I personally can’t go into a bookstore without buying a book (lately I have been getting lots of audio books - I’m probably the only guy who looks forward to a 24 hour drive because I get to learn the entire time.)
I was once asked, “If your house set on fire and you could only grab one thing, what would it be?”
I can’t answer that 100% but I’m guessing my personal library collection since I consider that one of my most valued material possessions. I take MASSIVE pride in the fact that I have over 300 non-fiction books in my office.
So what does this all have to do with muscle building and getting super buff, ripped and muscular for 2008?
Here’s what Chalres Poliquin would advise you:
“The basic rule is that you have to read ten hours a week on a particular topic for five years to develop an appreciable level of expertise on that precise subject. If you’re not willing to commit that much time, you might consider a different line of work.”
To get to the point where you know enough, you’ve gotta make some serious investments - probably both time and money are required.
That what I did before I wrote my book.
This should be true for any serious student of success.
If you are truly committed to building the strongest, healthiest and most muscular body ever this 2008, I implore you to become a voracious reader.
A book a month will keep you in the middle of the pack. A book a year and you’re in the very back of the pack.
I don’t care if you love it or hate - reading is just one of those things you NEED to do to be successful.
So what are you reading these days Vince? Remember, leaders are readers and if you need the best book
to kick start your quest for your best body ever in 2008, you know where to go
–http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com
Train hard,
Vince DelMonte