Feb 16 2010

Tacift Commando vs. Crossfit

TacFit Commando is a bodyweight-only program recently launched by Scott Sonnon and Ryan Murock. This program has actually been used for many years by Scott Sonnon to train top military and law enforcement personnel.

Crossfit is a fitness movement started by Coach Glassman which combines gymnastics, weight lifting, and cardiovascular conditioning to form a generalized fitness program that will boost your overall levels of conditioning.

Lets take a side by side look at both these programs:

How to Get Started?

TacFit Commando – The program was previously unavailable to the public. But it is now available in digital format for less than $200. There are no additional costs.

Since TacFit Commando is bodyweight only and features highly detailed exercise videos and workouts, you can do it all at home. In addition, the flow-fit and prasara yoga which is a part of every Scott Sonnon program helps prevent injury and boosts recovery.

CrossFit – All the workouts are free off the main website. However, you will need quite a bit of equipment including pullup bars, barbells, dumbbells, and Kettlebells.

It is also recommended that you work with a Crossfit Trainer or attend Crossfit classes, which can run about to $200-300 per month. Performing Crossfit by yourself at home can be dangerous.

Best Program for Average People

Both programs train your body at a high intensity level. For the average person, neither program is actually NECESSARY. You can get by with basic pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats.

But if you don’t want to just get by. And if you want to try something truly unique, powerful and something that works, both programs are sufficient. The one you choose will be the one that is best suited for your lifestyle.

If you have a full time job and limited time and equipment to workout, then TacFit is the program you want to choose. However, if you have the luxury of going to a CrossFit gym for a few hours a week, then Crossfit is your choice.

Scott Sonnon vs. Greg Glassman

Scott Sonnon practices what he preaches. Greg Glassman does not. Here is what each look like:

vs.

Scott Sonnon on top, and Greg Glassman on the bottom.

Greg Glassman also walks with a limp, so to be fair he may have had some sort of injury. But once again, CrossFit does not seem to have any sort of injury-prevention system in place.

Scott Sonnon’s Circular Strength Training (CST) system of training does have a system in place for injury-prevention.

Additional Resources

For more information on TacFit Commando, click here to read my review.

For more information on Crossfit, click here to check out their website.


Jan 27 2010

Crossfit vs. Turbulence Training

Everyone wants to know: what is the difference between Crossfit and Turblence Training? Well, lets take a look at some pros and cons:

Crossfit

Pros:

  • Provides you with free, intense workouts that help you lose fat, gain strength, and boost your athletic abilities.
  • Recommends sound nutritional guidelines
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) provides a great tutorial for beginners trying to get into Crossfit
  • Crossfit Forum is free, and is relatively beginner-friendly
  • Promotes the use of Free Weights and Bodyweight Training as opposed to Machines
  • Provides detailed instructions for each movement they use
  • Credited for workouts that helped transform the “300″ crew
  • Best training programs for professional athletes and military personel
  • Crossfit Journal costs only $25 per year
Cons:

 

  • Too advanced for average individuals and complete beginners
  • Potential for injury is too great
  • Recommended frequency for workouts is too high
  • Not the best program to increase lean muscle mass
  • Not recommended for obese or overweight individuals
  • There is no clear-cut answer to the development of the articles
  • Too random – workout schedule makes no sense
  • Former Crossfit trainers complain of “cult” mentality
  • Founder of Crossfit is extremely out of shape
  • Crossfit trainers are expensive

Sample Workout:

For time:

  • 225 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
  • 50 Pull-ups
  • 225 pound Deadift, 12 reps
  • 40 Pull-ups
  • 225 pound Deadlift, 9 reps
  • 30 Pull-ups
  • 225 pound Deadlift, 6 reps
  • 20 Pull-ups
  • 225 pound Deadlift, 3 reps
  • 10 Pull-ups
Sample Workout Video:

Turbulence Training

Pros:

  • Perfect training program for men and women of ages 14 to 75.
  • Able to get individuals who are even 300+ pounds into great shape
  • Very clear cut, simple approach to training
  • Uses minimal equipment. Most workouts only require your bodyweight.
  • Full support from Trainer Craig Ballantyne via Members Forum
  • Craig Ballantyne is in great shape
  • Minimal Risk of injury
  • Does not promote steady state cardio
  • Does not recommend machines
  • Extremely safe method of training with controlled intensity
  • Recommends the use of Free Weights and Bodyweight Training
  • Saves you money on trainers
  • Saves you money on gym membership
  • Saves you money on training equipment at home
Cons:
  • You have to pay for it.
Sample Workout:

1A) DB Bulgarian Split Squat – 8 reps per side
No rest.
1B) Spiderman Pushup or Pushup – 10 reps per side or 15 reps
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Superset #2
2A) Inverted Row or Beginner Inverted Row – 12 reps
No rest.
2B) 1-Leg Deadlift – 12 reps ====>>>> (see photo)one leg deadlift
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 supersets.

Triset #3
3A) Stability Ball Rollout – 10 reps
No rest.
3B) Cross-Body Mountain Climber – 10 reps per side
No rest.
3C) Side Plank – 30 second hold per side
Rest 1 minute & repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 trisets.

Sample Workout Video:

Final Verdict

I like to use some Crossfit workouts in my regular training, although at a much lower intensity level. In the forums and material presented on their website, they do not give you any guidelines to use when scaling the workouts to meet your intensity level.

The biggest mistake you can make is to perform the Crossfit workouts as is. You will need to modify them slightly based on equipment you have access to, training level, and level of mental strength.

The Turbulence Training workouts on the other hand, can be taken as is. There is no guesswork. All the information is provided to you. If you need to make them harder, simply add another set, more reps, or add weight.

Craig Ballantyne also shows you how to make a workout more easier. Turbulence Training was developed with the average individual in mind. Crossfit was developed with the athlete in mind.

It’s up to you to make your decision. But, I recommend Turbulence Training for the average individual. Click here to try Turbulence Training for just $4.95.

Craig Ballantyne has developed hundreds of fitness programs that revolve around the basic concepts of Turbulence Training.

To get an overall introduction to Turbulence Training, you should grab the original Turbulence Training manual. The manual includes everything you need to get started on your fat loss journey. There are workouts for beginners, intermediate, and advanced trainees. If you go through each program separately, in a few months you’d have literally transformed your health and physique. Click here for more information.

For individuals who have had some experience with exercise or even Turbulence Training, then Craig has numerous other workouts specifically designed for women, muscle mass, bodyweight only, abs training, and more.

You need to make the decision today: Are you going to continue to follow pointless, boring workouts and never get any impressive results, or you going to take a chance and try some trully unique ideas using Craig Ballantyne’s workouts? Start today with either one of the Turbulence Training workouts:


Nov 17 2009

Crossfit Plans

When I was in high school, I loved to experiment. I still like to experiment, although my principles are more grounded than they were back then. I came across a website called Crossfit and was immediately mesmerized.

Their idea of constantly challenging yourself with a new stimuli and doing crazy things by combining forms of exercise that you wouldn’t normally combine drew me immediately to the WOD’s (Workout of the Day). I followed Crossfit WODs on and off throughout the years.

There are definitely certain things I love about Crossfit, but there are also things I don’t like:

PROS:

1. Trains your entire body in one session
2. Very good crossover between gym, real life, and sports
3. Incredibly effective method of burning fat
4. Very challenging and fun
5. Randomized stimuli keeps your body guessing

CONS:

1. Too much randomness
2. Not something a beginner can jump right into
3. Not very optimal for pure muscle mass
4. Athlete may have problems with recovery if they are not used to high intensity training
5. Does not seem to have a singular goal
6. Can be very confusing and frustrating to a typical gym goer
7. Huge learning curve

These are my personal beliefs about Crossfit. Overall, it is a very good program, but I have a problem with the fact that there really doesn’t seem to be much of a “program.” It seems like a bunch of workouts thrown in together. Over the years I’ve studied the programs both by reading message boards, comments on the main website, and trying out workouts on myself.

Hands down, a Crossfit approach to fitness is much more effective than a bodybuilding approach. Crossfit will help more people in their daily lives, and deliver faster results than a Bodybuilding approach.

This is because bodybuilding is a very specific form of training. A regular housewife has no business trying to put on a half inch on her arms, unless she’s training for a figure competition.

A truck driver has no business jogging on a treadmill for 30 minutes every morning, unless he’s cutting for a bodybuilding competition. What average people need is an exercise program that focuses on developing skills that carry over to normal life.

One program that uses the same form of athletic Crossfit training and workouts, without all the randomness, is the Athletic Body Workout. This is a program that beginners, intermediate, and advanced individuals can easily perform.

If you’re absolutely serious about developing a lean, athletic physique, then you need to grab a copy of the Athletic Body Workout. Click here to learn more about this incredible program.


Sep 8 2009

The Biggest Lessons I’ve learned from Performing Crossfit Routines

My training system is unique because I like to borrow a lot of ideas from a variety of sources. Crossfit is one of these sources. Over the years, Crossfit has expanded in popularity, while at the same time being at thereceiving end of jokes from the bodybuilding community.

Well, Crossfit did pick the fight. It claims that it is the “ultimate” method to improving your fitness. But, all training systems claim the same exact thing (except myself, of course). Problems occur when you claim that your training style is better than another.

Lets focus on the positives. Even though, honestly, the training methods that Crossfit claims to have invented have been around for dozens of years before Crossfit even opened up it’s first gym, you must give credit to Crossfit for a variety of things:

  • For spreading the “functional fitness” movement.
  • For showing people the importance of bodyweight training.
  • For getting more people interested in learning Olympic Lifts.
  • For training some really tough MMA Fighters.
  • For taking our Military’s training methods to a different level.
  • For getting “average” people to move faster, be stronger, and improve their fitness.

So, which is better? Crossfit or Shah Training? Well, both are ever changing methods of fitness. But, here’s the thing – Shah Training is not really a training style, and was never meant to be a brand. I’mtruly flattered to see a whole bunch of people searching for my website  on Google, but honestly, Shah Training is just my way of expressing my training ideas and publishing them to help others.

How can I Create my Own Workout?

I’m a creator and a doer. I like to create my own things and do things on my own. Every single program I’ve ever bought, I’ve always dissected it and modified the fitness program to suit my own needs. And so, Crossfit was nothing different.

When I first came to the Crossfit site, I was very intrigued by the workouts. Like most people, the first workout took me 40 minutes to do. After I posted my results on the board, I realized I did it completely wrong. Every day I would pick a workout from the main site, then modify it according to my level of fitness and available equipment.

As I experimented more and more, I started jotting down training techniques. Now, Crossfit doesn’t have a section where they talk about all the different ways they organize their workouts. But there are many people on the Crossfit forum who create their own workouts.

These individuals have created their own methods of coming up with Crossfit workouts. One of the individuals had a list of all the different types of workouts and developed templates to design your own workouts. I thought this was a great idea, and I began to jot down and name all these different methods.

Ascending, descending, and inverse repetitions are my own names I’ve given to Crossfit-style program design. But the biggest lesson I’ve learned from Crossfit is creativity. According to them, workout design is part art and part science.

I still don’t understand the science part, but I certainly understand the “art” or the creativity necessary to develop really unique, high intensity workout programs.

Be Like Greg Glassman

Greg Glassman is a pioneer in fitness, simply because he’s created a system that combines Gymnastics, Olympic Lifting, and Cardio Training for maximum fitness. Some people may think he’s a bit strange, but we can all learn a lot from him.

One major thing I’ve learned from Coach Glassman is to create your own system. Look at things from a unique perspective, and throw your personality into your training. Break all the rules and try something new. There is no right and wrong way of improving your health and fitness.

The Future of Your Training

After the popularity of Crossfit, there are dozens, if not more, programs out there that are very similar to Crossfit. Crossfit claims to be ever changing and expanding. Many people have called it a “cult” movement. Well, if you are going to compare it to a religion, orbelief system, then each religion has their own sects.

Similarly, these new systems all branch off of Crossfit’s enormous popularity and unique approach to fitness. I don’t see why you can’t do the same. Earlier this year I wrote an article about starting your own “backyard revolution.” The idea was to start training with other people to expand your training knowledge and experience.

Now I want you to take this concept a step further and create your own unique system that’s ever expanding and always fresh. Don’t get stuck in a “box” mentality.

What halts progress for most people is that they find a system of training that gives them results once, and they end up sticking to it for the rest of their lives, whether or not the system keeps givin them results.

Well, doing the same thing over and over again does not produce different results.

If you’re ready to switch up your workouts and get serious about training, then you should check out Gladiator Body Workout:


Gladiator Body Workout

  • Gladiator Body Workout is an Athletic Fitness system which combines Dumbbell and Bodyweight exercises along with interval training to help you Drop Fat, Build Lean Muscle Mass, Get Stronger, and Improve Athletic Performance.
  • If you purchase the Combo Pack, you can also get two other eBooks which Author Coach Eddie Lomax sells separately: “Ultimate Gymless Workout” and “Extreme Dumbbell Fitness.” When you include all the workouts in all three systems, you’ll get literally months worth of fitness programming.
  • The Basic version sells for just $27. Each separate eBook in the Combo Pack sell for $27 but coach is giving them to you for just $49.00.


I’ll Give you TWO FREE Bonuses if you Grab Gladiator Body Workout Today. Click Here for More Information


Aug 3 2009

Will Caveman Training Replace CrossFit as the new Fitness Frontier?

Image by jamingray

There is no shortage of new training routines, techniques, and programs that claim to be the next big thing. After Crossfit, people have been jumping on the bandwagon to creating high intensity routines for an extremely niche market: Mixed Martial Arts. One such program is Caveman Training. Caveman training was conceived by Scott Ramsdell, owner of Athletic Performance Inc. (API), based in Minnesota. Here are three main things you need to know about Caveman Training before we continue:

  • Caveman Training combines traditional and novel strength and conditioning exercises to create a program that Continue reading

Jul 31 2009

Discover these Two High Frequency Bodyweight Crossfit Training Secrets

One thing I’ve learned from Crossfit is that the more often you workout, the better. Now, I know a whole bunch of people are going to start talking about over training and potential over use injuries.

The reason why most Crossfitters do not burn out is simply because they train in a different manner each day. For example, one day they’ll do a high intensity metabolic circuit. The next day they’ll do steady state cardio, and on a third day, they might do heavy strength training.

Continue reading


Jul 30 2009

Crossfit Muscle: 15 Crossfit Tips to Help Improve your Bodyweight Workouts

Crossfit is the go-to place if you want truly intense workouts. What I teach through this site is honestly a dumbed down version of Crossfit. The types of workouts I see them posting on the main Crossfit site are tough, and are certainly not for everyone.

Click here to learn over 100 Bodyweight Exercises, Plus Tips and Techniques you can use to Create Safe, Effective, High Intensity Workouts in the comfort of your Own Home

There’s a lot I love about Crossfit, but there’s also a lot that I don’t like. In this post, we’ll focus on methods that can help you create your own high intensity Crossfit-style bodyweight workouts.

Crossfit Tip #1: Start from the Basics

Continue reading


Oct 12 2008

Am I a Bodybuilder or a Crossfit Athlete?

Image by Nadeem

I’m not a bodybuilder!

I’m not a Crossfit athlete!

No matter how many times I try to tell people that I do not belong to a particular category of fitness, people still tend to categorize me!

“Oh but you’re a bodybuilder,” says a customer at my Dad’s store while we’re talking about nutrition. “You’re a CF (CrossFit) athlete,” writes my bodybuilder friend on AIM.

Why do we Categorize?

Human begins use categories as a way to store information. It’s a great way to organize information, but a dangerous way of living your life. If you call yourself a Crossfit athlete, or a Bodybuilder, you will forever be a part of a stereo type of training methodologies and will inadvertently disregard anything that does not fit into the Crossfit or Bodybuilding methodology.

I feel that there are certainly things that bodybuilders can learn from Crossfit athletes, and vice versa. Each method has a particular flaw, and the best way to fill in the gaps is to “reach across the aisle” and try something new.

I think people should follow some sort of hybrid of a variety of fitness programs. Use the following guide to create your own unique program:

High Intensity Training

  • Crossfit, Heavy Duty, Tabata
  • Pro: Exercise can be done in a short period of time.
  • Pro: You can improve strength and mass dramatically (depending on program)
  • Pro: Can drop fat and improve athletic conditioning dramatically (depending on program)
  • Con: May not be suitable for beginners
  • Con: Can easily lead to over training and fatigue if there is poor focus on diet

High Volume Training

Strength-Based Training

There you have it. Try each program out for a few months.

Then:

  • Choose one program that you really like and know will stick for the rest of your life
  • Identify the strengths and weaknesses of that program
  • Fill in the weaknesses of the program using principles from other programs.
  • Now create your own website and brand your program!

Oct 9 2008

If It’s Not Measurable, Then It’s Not Manageable

I’ve been making a HUGE mistake. I’ve been tracking my workouts, but not measuring them. Before I go any further, I should probably clarify two words: tracking and measuring. There is a difference.

Tracking is the recording of an event, in our case a workout.

Measuring is estimating by evaluation or comparison.

Image by jeysun35
When you combine tracking and measuring, you get progress. I have been tracking, but I have not been measuring.

Here is the major flaw: Each of my workouts is random, from week to week I perform a completely different workout than the week before, and my workouts rarely ever repeat.I had adopted this training style simply because I realized that I adapted extremely quickly with my workouts and could not stand the thought of performing the same workout week in and week out. However, this was before I had discovered fast, intense workouts. This was when I was doing some hybrid form of martial arts and bodybuilding. I didn’t know anything about metabolic conditioning or how to train with your bodyweight. All I knew was that you were supposed to stay in a gym for 2 hours and do “stuff” until the clock told you to leave (or someone from the staff).

To say that I have not been making progress is a false statement. I have. I see it in my movements. I see it on video. And I see it in the mirror. But all this “seeing” is dangerous. There is something about writing down your time and then comparing it to last weeks time with the same workout: it never lies. When you “see” things you rationalize your way into thinking that you are making progress. Or for some people, you rationalize your way out of making progress.

How do you know you are making progress?

This question was actually posed to me by my bodybuilding friend: “How do you know you are making any progress if you keep doing random workouts?” Good question, and one that I really couldn’t answer. I went to the Crossfit forum to pose the same exact question, and they referred me to their benchmark workouts. Benchmark workouts are simply workouts that are used to measure progress and appear in the Crossfit programming once or twice a week. For example, one of their workouts is Fran. This particular workout may be performed on, say, December 8th, 2006, and will not appear again until February 16, 2007. I’m just throwing out random dates here. But the point is that Fran will appear a few weeks apart, but they will have other Benchmarks within the weeks such as Barbara and Nate.

I have attempted to create benchmark workouts in the past. But honestly, at that moment I was not as familiar with Crossfit’s programming as I am now. I respect Crossfit, but I’m not sure if all their methods are a right fit for me.

I have two options in terms of measuring progress:

  1. Create a training program based on five to six workouts per week, and repeat them for six weeks straight, attempting to make as much progress on them as possible. This progress can be measured by being able to complete the workout at a faster time, the amount of weight used in the workout, increasing reps, or increasing rounds.
  2. Develop a series of benchmark workouts that appear in your programming each week along with a few other random workouts. Use these benchmarks as measures of progress.

Ok, so the second method is Crossfit. The first method I’ve actually seen on a few bodybuilding forums. People will choose one workout and then perform it along with their bodybuilding workouts as a form of cardio or conditioning. They’ll choose a goal, say drop total time by 3 minutes, and keep working on it until they reach their goal.

Hmmm…I think this time around I’m going to side with the bodybuilders.

I’ve decided to create 5 workouts, some of which I’ve done before, and work on them Monday through Friday. Each workout will have a set of measurement, a different one for each workout. For example, the Monday workout may be focused around time. The Tuesday workout may be focused on increasing weight. Etc. you get the point. I will try this for 6 weeks as an experiment, and then show you guys the progress I’ve made on this very website. Stay tuned!