Fat Loss & Fat Burning Zone Q'n'A

Getting lots of great reader mail...here's some fat loss info that will help you or even your significant other...

Q: Why do you say the fat-burning zone isn't important?

There are more efficient ways to burn fat and change your body than
exercising for a long time at a slow pace.

Proportionately, you burn more fat as fuel when exercising at a low
intensity. I agree with that.


You burn as much or even more fat, proportionately, at REST! So if
you want the fat burning zone, why get off the couch? Just make
sure you don't watch anything too exciting, like "24", or your
heart-rate will go too high. Stick to something that's neither
suspenseful nor funny, anything starring Jim Belushi should work.

Seriously, we need to understand that it doesn't matter how much
fat we burn as a percent of total calories burned during the
workout. In fact, we don't even need to get hung up on the amount
of calories burned during our exercise session.

All we need to do is focus on...

A) Boosting metabolism with strength training

B) Boosting metabolism with interval training

C) Eating for fat loss with the proper nutrition guidelines (see
Dr. Mohr's TT Fat Loss Guidelines for male and female meal plans).

To boost your metabolism in a short amount of workout time, you
need to do strength training and interval training. If you have 2
hours per day to workout, feel free to do slow cardio in the
fat-burning zone. It's your time to waste. But if you want results
fast, the Turbulence Training workout approach will put you in the "fat burning
zone" all day long.

Q: What is an example of a strength training superset that women
can try to improve their results in tough to target areas (such as

For beginners, we use 1-leg hip extensions to target the glutes. We
could pair that with Stability Ball leg curls for the hamstrings.

For squats, if you use a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance,
you can sit your hips back more and work your butt harder than with
normal squats. In the Turbulence Training programs, that is called
a Sumo Squat or Wide-stance Squat. It can be done with weight or
bodyweight alone. That would go well with Stability Ball Hip
Extensions, and would be great for the intermediate crowd.

For advanced fitness levels, exercises like split squats, RDL's,
and reverse lunges target the glutes and hamstrings. These could be
paired with 1-Leg Stability Ball Leg Curls or 1-Leg RDL's.

Q: Is it mandatory to achieve the rep count on the last set of an
exercise? For example, when the exercise calls for 3 sets of 8
reps, I get 8 reps in set 1, but only 7 in the last two sets.
Should I reduce the weight?

Also, if I cut down on the recovery time, is there a benefit? I
have always read that cutting down recovery time is great if you
can manage it. Or is it necessary to allow some recovery time
before the next set?

Stick with the same weight for all sets if you can still get 7 or
even 6 repetitions. However, if you drop down to 5 or less reps
(when it calls for 8 reps), you should decrease the weight in the
remaining sets.

As for cutting recovery time, you won't achieve additional results
by doing so. And if you cut recovery time TOO much, then you will
have to significantly reduce the weight used per set, and that
could cut into your metabolism boost.

Please stick to the recommended recovery times.

Q: Could you address the following issue in of your newsletters:
Are intervals good for beginners? Isn't that too hard for them?

No, beginners can still do interval training.

I'm not talking about what people call "HIIT" (high-intensity
interval training). I'm simply talking about working at a slightly
harder than normal pace for the recommended interval time.

I don't like to use the phrase HIIT in my articles, for this reason.

Here's how beginners would do intervals.

Let's say you are a beginner that can walk on the treadmill for 20
minutes straight at 3.5mph. For your interval training, you would
increase the speed to 3.8mph for 1-2 minutes. Then for your
recovery, you'd drop it down to 3.0mph for an equal length of time.

Repeat for 4-6 intervals.

That's safe and effective interval training for beginners.

Get your very own copy of Turbulence Training & the Nutrition Guide
here: http://www.turbulencetraining.com/

Q: I've read you don't like spinning classes. Why not?

I find that spinning classes are inefficient. Why spend 45 minutes
in a class when you can get the same results in 18 minutes by doing
interal training on your own with the TT Interval Workouts?

Plus, I don't like high-RPM spinning, as I've met several women who
have injuries that can be traced back to high-RPM spinning. It's
likely that the combination of "messed up hips" from giving birth
to their children led to biomechanical problems that flared up when
they started spinning on a regular basis. Be careful, and make sure
you are strong enough for the cardio activities you choose!

The best part of a spinning class are the high-tension,
moderate-RPM intervals. Those intervals are what give you the
'turbulence' on your muscles and skyrocket your metabolism because
that is when you are doing the most work.

But if you like the camraderie of the class (remember, social
support is essential to success!), and you have the time, and you're
healthy, than spinning is a far better choice than spending an
equal amount of time on the elliptical at a slow pace while reading
People magazine (I used to see this everyday, and I'm sure you do
in your gym as well).

Personally, I can't stand being told what to do (even if its a cute
instructor), so I'll stick to doing my interval training on my own.

To each their own! (as long as it gets results)

Q: What actually happens in the body and muscles during and
after a Turbulence Training workout?

Strength training and interval training burn energy, and A LOT of it. So muscle energy
stores are depleted (i.e. glycogen), and there is some muscle
damage (as with regular strength training). Combined, those two
changes put your muscles into what I call, "turbulence". Scientists
call this a metabolic disturbance.

And just like an airplane needs to expend more energy to get
through turbulence in the air, your body and muscles have to burn
more energy to get back to normal...therefore, your body gets a big
boost in post-exercise metabolism.

The "turbulence" and increase in metabolism don't happen with
easier workouts and traditional cardio.

But the benefits you get from Turbulence can last for more than 24
hours, allowing you to burn more fat and calories all day long.

So while we don't burn as many calories during a TT workout as you
would if you did an hour of cardio workout, you end up burning more
calories in the overall 24-hour period with TT compared to normal

So we just have to look outside the workout for the results, and
not focus on the calories used during your gym time.

Q: I always want to move on to the next TT program after 2
weeks rather than the recommended 4. Is there any reason why I
shouldn't do this?

Yes, you should give each training phase more time. You want to get
some adaptation to the training, and that takes longer than 2 weeks
in most cases. Give it the full 4 weeks and then change to benefit
from the variety in training. You will get more results,
particularly if you are after building more muscle.

Q: I can only do interval cardio training on a separate day from
weights, is this a problem?

No, it is fine to alternate strength and interval days. I designed
the weights and intervals to be done on the same day so that people
would have more days off from structured workouts to spend being
active with their families or hobbies.

Q: In one of your articles you mention that bodyweight intervals is
the best method of interval training. Is that correct?

Acutally, I've written that sprinting is best. Bodyweight intervals
and the stationary bike are very close in effectiveness. I like to
switch interval methods every 4 weeks. That is the best approach.

Get your very own copy of Turbulence Training & the Nutrition Guide
here: http://www.turbulencetraining.com/

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


Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. What equipment do you need for Turbulence Training?

Dumbbells, a bench, an exercise ball, and if you are strong enough,
an adjustable pullup bar. That's it. Lose fat in the comfort of
your own home. You don't need any machines, a cable station, an
inner-thigh machine, a squat rack, barbells, or balance boards.

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