How an Overweight Man Changed His Life
How a 50-Year Old, Former 2-Sport College Athlete got in the Best Shape of His Life
Todd Thompson emailed me 4 years ago with the goal of getting back into shape by losing a lot of body fat. Since then, Todd’s been a great client, using the right workouts (Strength training plus interval training) with great success. Todd made such a triumphant return to healthy living that he even developed a website dedicated to men’s health.
In this interview Todd shares his tips and tricks to getting the most out of your fat loss efforts and lifestyle changes. These will come in handy on those days that you don’t have the motivation or direction to train. Todd’s the true
...Looking at this basic 3 day a week muscle fitness training system, Monday three different muscle groups are worked. The pectorals (chest), the deltoids (shoulders), and the triceps. Since there is some overlap in muscles being worked, that is the ...
CB: What impact does Turbulence Training have on your energy levels?
Todd Thompson:
I find I have a lot more energy when I’m in full training mode, and I use heavy weights and supersets almost exclusively in my weight training. My energy levels seem to be directly associated with how much excess fat weight I carry around, and this keeps it off better than anything I’ve tried.
Of course, I follow proper eating guidelines as well, and this goes a long way toward keeping me filled with the right foods. It’s basically hard work plus clean eating. It’s the efficiency of strength and interval workouts
...help you stay motivated to continue your workouts through sticking points or other training obstacles. But if you generally don t need anyone to spot you and you re self-motivated, chances are you ll be better off working out on ...
CB: What time of day do you train and how do you structure your meals around this training time?
TT:
Craig, as you may recall, when I started getting into shape last year, after a 25 year layoff, I made the commitment to work out the first thing every morning so that nothing would get in the way of my training.
After reaching my weight loss goals last year, and working it into my schedule differently, I moved my workout time to early evenings, right after I get home from work. I eat my regular noon meal, something like cottage cheese or
...If you perform a bench press using a barbell, the chance of being trapped is possible if you fail to complete the repetition. You always want to workout with spotter to assist you if needed. Greater amounts of control are ...
I hit the weights hard, which takes about 40 minutes, and then I get on the elliptical or bike for my HIIT (interval training). As soon as I get off the machine, I drink a protein shake. I’m usually finished with the whole thing around 6:30 p.m. At that time, my
...movements and pace by your online fitness training pro? How do you know you're doing the exercises right? How would you know if you're actually making body shaping and fitness progress? These are the key questions that critics offer to ...
CB: What nutrition tips work best for you?
TT:
I’m no expert on nutrition, but my experience this past year is that I need a little more carbohydrates than what a lot of the newer nutrition programs are recommended. When I drop carbohydrates to a minimal level, it does seem to have an effect on my energy levels. I think of carbohydrates as an energy provider, and on workout days, I make sure I get enough carbohydrates to get my energy level where it needs to be for my workout.
CB: So overall,
...long as possible. Repeat for a total of 8-10 times. You'll need to keep a few extra tennis balls within a short distance, because you'll only have 10 seconds from the end of your last sprint until the rally begins. ...
TT:
It keeps it from getting boring, and I have a bit of a creative streak in me. This seems to keep things interesting. No matter what workout I’m doing, the strength and interval program is the design I use.
There are three basic things I do, no matter whether or not the exact exercises are called for:
1. Do 18-22 sets, emphasizing full body. Sometimes, I may emphasize certain muscle groups for an entire workout, but that’s rare. I usually make sure there is some impact on every muscle group at each workout.
2. Do “superset” style without a rest period between sets within each superset. Each superset is
...alignment will help ensure your blood and breath can move uninhibited throughout your upper body. 3) And finally, Dan recommends that you take more breaks from your seated position. Stand up, stretch, and take a short walk around at least ...
(CB note: Here’s a tough push-pull superset that you can do in a crowded gym or at home - DB Presses & DB Rows)
3. Every workout ends in an hour or less and is capped off with a very intense HIIT session. I don’t let myself feel guilty if I only have time to do a 12 to 15 minute HIIT. The intensity is so great that I don’t have to worry about whether I’m working hard enough or not.
CB: Do you have a favorite part of the workout?
TT:
It’s basically a flurry of non-stop activity, so I
...for 12-15 reps and perform 2-3 sets with 90 seconds between each set. It's important to first develop proper form before increasing the weight. The more advanced trainee should perform 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps with a bit heavier weight ...
Truly, though, getting finished each day is what I like best. I always do a full body assessment of how I feel after each workout.
Seldom do I walk away from a workout thinking I could have worked a little harder on any one muscle group. When it’s done, I’m spent. Maybe, it’s just because I turn 50 years old this year, but I’ve talked to a lot of younger
...and use alternate exercises to strengthen your shoulders to help your tennis game! As one of the nation's most in-demand fitness trainers, Todd Scott is a training advisor to Men's Fitness and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines. You can find ...
CB: How do these workouts compare to others that you have done in the past?
TT:
The intensity is awesome. From the time I drink my pre-workout shake until I finish HIIT an hour or so later, it’s like I’m heading down the field on a long run, and I’m not going to let anyone keep me from scoring. I don’t stop for anything. If an area is being used, I just go to the next superset and pick the other one later in the workout. I think the benefit is that it is very time-efficient and manageable, and it’s really hard to get
...and arms for a certain amount of time per day. You can do these exercises while sitting in your garden, watching TV, reading a book or whenever you choose. The benefits will not only be to your muscles, joints and ...
CB: What are the health benefits you have achieved in your return to training?
TT:
In short, I have better health, stronger muscle (and more of it), great cardio endurance for my every day life, and I’m looking good.
Altogether, these benefits have helped me enjoy my life a lot more, and that’s the ultimate benefit as far as I’m concerned. My life is much better disciplined now, and even when I cheat on my eating, I don’t worry about it any more. I know the commitment is strong, and I’ll get back. This has caused me to enjoy life to the fullest. Recently, I got into an elite musical performing group, and I find that
...can a cured by taking a 1000 microgram pill of vitamin B12 once a day. They usually do not need to take injections. Low levels of B12 are also associated with stomach diseases and infections such as Helicobacter pylori. Dr. ...
Recently, you were made aware that I had given my body a break for a month or so. That went on a lot longer than I intended, and consequently, I put on about 10 pounds. I must say, however, that I knew all I had to do was start back on my workouts, and it would all come back to me.
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in
...all the other guys in the gym. I made the decision that it was more important for me to be physically attractive to women, then it was to impress the other gym rats. I aimed to get a physique similar ...