Turbulence Training is a popular weight loss and fitness program created by Toronto fitness guru Craig Ballantyne. The program has been around for more than 15 years, with thousands of satisfied followers. You can read their rave reviews on the Web and in fitness magazines. When you see the ‘before and after’ pictures, you have to agree, Turbulence Training works.
But why does it work? The program contradicts many accepted ‘facts’. It disproves ideas like:
- You have to do a lot of cardio exercises to burn fat.
- You have to exercise every day to lose weight.
- You can’t build lean muscle and simultaneously burn fat, it has to be one or the other.
None of these are true, according to Craig Ballantyne.
Let’s look at the science behind Turbulence Training.
First, it really is science. Ballantyne has a masters’ degree, and has completed countless hours of research and testing in association with established universities and doctors from all over the world to prove that his program works. And independent studies back up his findings.
Turbulence Training was inspired by ‘power sport’ athletes who obtain sleek and fit physiques without enduring endless hours of cardio. The program is two-pronged, combining strength training exercises with interval cardio training for maximum results. You work out just 3 or 4 times per week.
The Turbulence Training strength training exercises build up lean muscle while burning fat. The exercise sets are shorter than usual – 8 repetitions instead of 12, for example - and use your own body weight or free weights. For a beginner, the exercises start with short warm-up and then include hip extensions, planks, squats, push-ups and curls. You do fewer reps, but work your muscles intensely by lifting your own weight. This part of the workout lasts for just 15 to 20 minutes, including the warm up.
An interesting study was completed in 2007, monitoring subjects who completed 20 minutes of this type of strength training three times per week, with no cardio or other exercise. After 12 weeks, the participants had on average gained 4 pounds of muscle and lost 4 pounds of fat- proof that you can build lean muscle and burn fat at the same time.
The interval training part of the Turbulence Training workout is the longest part, and it is only 20 to 25 minutes. Multiple studies, including one published in March 2010 from McMaster University in Ontario, have shown that interval training – where you vary the speed or intensity of your cardio activity – burns more fat than a long, constant pace cardio workout.
Including high intensity intervals in your workout increases your body’s metabolic rate, which means you will be burning more fat and calories even after your workout is complete. You don’t need to stay on the treadmill at a steady pace for an hour to burn off 300 calories, you can vary your speed up and down for a quick 20 minute workout, and burn even more!