Round 3 / Day 13: 2K3 Turbulence Training Workout B + RKC Get-Ups + P90X+ Abs / Core Plus

Sorry about the lack of posts today -- swamped at work. (I know it's hard to believe, but I actually have a job. One that pays money, no less!) Still, I managed to squeeze in my morning workout before being buried in meetings and conference calls and emails.

First up was Workout B from Craig Ballantyne's 2K3 version of Turbulence Training, which starts with the same warm-up sequence as Workout A: two circuits of Reverse Lunges, Close-Grip Push-Ups, and Stick-Ups. But unlike Monday's Workout A, which emphasized upper body resistance moves, Workout B targeted the legs and core with the following moves:

Superset One:

• Dumbbell Forward Lunges (8 reps per side): I hadn't done these since I used to hit the gym on a daily basis. In other words, it's been a loooooong time. Thankfully, my body still remembers how to pull off this exercise without toppling over.

• Side Planks (30 seconds per side): Not to be an asshole or anything, but this was way too easy. If you're a veteran of Ab Ripper X, you'll need to modify this by going for 90 seconds per side or doing a leg raise or something.

Rest for a minute, and then repeat twice more for a total of three supersets.

Superset Two:

• Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts (8 reps): Much easier than the first time around.

• Stability Ball Jackknifes (15 reps): Start in a low plank position, but with your forearms resting on a weight bench and your shins on a stability ball. Contracting your abs and maintaining a straight back, use your feet to slowly roll the ball towards the bench while tucking your knees in to your chest. Pause, and then reverse the motion. That's one rep.

Rest for a minute, and then repeat twice more for a total of three supersets.

Superset Three:

• Dumbbell Step-Ups (8 reps per side): Stand facing a bench with a pair of dumbbells in your hands. Place one foot on the bench and the other on the floor. Push up with your raised leg and lift yourself so that you're standing on the bench. Slowly reverse the motion. Do this eight times, and then switch legs.

• Stability Ball Leg Curls (15 reps): Lie on your back. Put the soles of your feet on top of a stability ball, keeping your body and legs in a straight line. Contract your glutes, push down on the ball with your feet and bring your knees and hips up. Pause, and then slowly reverse the motion. That's one rep.

Rest for a minute, and then repeat twice more for a total of three supersets.

Next up: Kettlebell Get-Ups. I only managed to crank out six awkward-looking get-ups in five minutes. As soon as I can free up some time, I need to schedule a consultation with Mark or Tracy Reifkind or Jordan Vezina. I really have no excuse not to get some personal kettlebell training, seeing as I'm lucky enough to live almost within spitting distance of the studio where these world-class instructors train.

To finish things off, I popped in the P90X+ Abs / Core Plus DVD. I had fun with the hanging core moves, but in my opinion, many of the exercises in this video aren't as challenging as they first appear.  In the end, I think Ab Ripper X offers a better core workout, though I do enjoy the variety of moves in Abs / Core Plus. (You'll see what I mean when I get around to describing them, but I'm too damn tired tonight to go into details.)

All in all, a decent workout.

Round 3 / Day 10: 2K3 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

For the sake of maximum variety, I've decided not to linger on any one particular version of Turbulence Training during Round 3; rather, I'm doing a different Turbulence Training workout each week for the first month (before doubling back in subsequent months).

Last week, I tried out the "Original" flavor of Turbulence Training. Today, I got a taste of Craig Ballantyne's "2K3" version. (By the way, "2K3" just means he developed it in 2003.)

Workout A starts with a quick warm-up sequence (repeated once), consisting of Reverse Lunges, Close-Grip Push-Ups (a.k.a., Military Push-Ups), and Stick-Ups.

Stick-Ups look super-easy: You basically flatten yourself against a wall, reach your arms straight up, and then move them down to a "stick-up" position -- keeping your arms, shoulders and back against the wall at all times. It's a super-low-impact move, but I was surprised to find that this was a challenge for me; my flexibility, mobility, and range of motion aren't as great as I thought.

After the warm-up, you move into the three supersets that form the core of this workout:

Superset 1:

• Chin-Ups (8 reps): No description needed, right?
• Dumbbell Chest Presses (8 reps): I'm pretty sure you know this one, too.

Repeat twice for a total of three times, resting for one minute between supersets.

Superset 2:

• Dumbbell Elbow-Out Rows (8 reps per side): Just like Elbows-Out Lawnmowers from P90X Back & Biceps, only done using a bench rather than from a low lunge position.
• Dumbbell Low-Incline Press (8 reps): Same as Dumbbell Chest Presses, but with the back of the weight bench angled up slightly to better hit your upper chest. 

Repeat twice for a total of three times, resting for one minute between supersets.

Superset 3:

• Decline Push-Ups (15 reps): Same as the ones from P90X Chest & Back.
• Dumbbell Incline Curls (8 reps per side): These are similar to the Lean-Back Curls from P90X+ Upper Body Plus, but with some back support. This is a great isolation move, and keeps you from cheating -- I definitely felt the burn in my arms.

Next, it was onto 12 minutes of Man Maker training with my kettlebell. It's tough as hell, but I'm slowly getting into the "swing" of things. (Ha! Get it? GET IT??? I fucking love puns.)

Last but not least, M joined me for a round of Insanity Cardio Abs. As I've said before, I prefer Ab Ripper X (Cardio Abs overemphasizes hip flexor movements, in my opinion), but it's nice to break up the monotony with some jumps and planks.

Tomorrow: Fountain of Youth yoga! (I'm genuinely looking forward to it. Fer real, yo.)

Post-Round 2 Recovery Week: Original Turbulence Training Workout A + Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit

And now for something completely different.

I know I'm only a few days into my post-Round 2 recovery week, but I got a little restless this morning and decided to give Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training a try.

The super-ripped Ballantyne (pictured above) -- a fitness trainer, author and entrepreneur -- has been developing and refining his Turbulence Training workout program over the past decade. Using his website, he sells downloadable e-books that guide users through various iterations of Turbulence Training; in addition, paying members can access Ballantyne's online forum (similar to the Beachbody.com forums) to get coaching, support and advice.

Knowing that some of you have had success with one or more of Ballantyne's programs, I started looking into Turbulence Training a while back. Initially, I was turned off by the sheer ugliness of the Turbulence Training website -- it's cluttered and difficult to navigate, and its dizzying use of various font sizes, styles and colors made my eyeballs want to shrivel up like prunes and fall out of my head. Even more problematic was the fact that I couldn't differentiate between the products and packages offered for sale. Ballantyne desperately needs to hire a new web designer. (Of course, it's very possible that I'm just a tasteless idiot.)

But once I finally decided to plunk down $40 for the "Basic" Turbulence Training package and flipped through the materials, I was impressed by the content. Ballantyne's created a number of different exercise routines suitable for beginners and advanced athletes alike. Each workout combines brief (but intense) supersets of compound heavy-resistance exercises and interval training, giving users a full-body workout that doesn't eat up hours of time. Turbulence Training's greatest selling point is that it's meant to help you torch calories, burn fat, and build muscle -- all in a time-efficient way. Each workout is designed to take only about 45 minutes in total.

More after the jump...

When Tony Met Craig

Not too long ago, Craig Ballantyne (creator of Turbulence Training) interviewed Tony Horton, and posted a link to the audio here.

I quickly lost count of the celebrities that Tony name-checked (Tom Petty! Pink! Annie Lennox! Billy Idol! Ashton Kutcher! Usher!), but overall, Tony comes across as thoughtful, well-spoken, inspirational, and thoroughly un-douchey. He discusses how he got into personal training, how he transitioned into making home fitness videos, and his fitness and diet regimen. It's good stuff. (Really.)

(More about Turbulence Training from The Fitness Black Book here, and more about Craig Ballantyne here.)

What Happens Next?

Now that I'm just about done with Round 2, I'm starting to plan for Round 3, though I'm not yet sure what that's going to look like. Pavel Tsatsouline's RKC Kettlebell training, P90X+, One-on-One with Tony Horton, Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training -- all are presently under consideration. But ideally, I'd like to cobble together a Frankenstein-monster of a hybid routine, picking and choosing from exercises and workouts in P90X, Insanity, and some (but probably not all) of the programs above.

For Round 3, to stave off boredom, I'm determined to add more variety. So while I'm not sure I can mash up a bunch of different workout programs into a cohesive whole (especially without the risk of overtraining), I might try to do it anyway.

More to come...