In honor of the recent DVD release of my favorite piece of cinematic eye candy and workout inspiration this year, Frank Miller’s 300, here’s another bodyweight workout sequence by Craig Ballantyne based on the infamous 300 rep workout session performed as a timed fitness test by the cast of the movie “300″. The modified workouts aren’t meant to be performed every day, but they can be used periodically to test your progress or even (I’ve done this before) as an alternative to regular monotonous cardio.

Craig also created a monthly Turbulence Training manual for May 2007 based on the 300 workout. The manual, like other TT monthly programs, includes a 4-week training program that integrates intense, total body resistance training (using weights in this case) with efficient cardio intervals. Unlike the other manuals, however, this one leads up to a 300 rep fitness challenge at the end of the month. Unfortunately, it is currently available only to Platinum level members of the TTmembers.com site.

For free, weighted versions of the 300 workout, check out Josh Hillis’s posts on his modified 300 workout sets for men and women. These are scaled down versions that use less weight and/or exercise substitutions so those of us who haven’t been training like maniacs 4-7 hours a day, five days a week for 12 weeks straight won’t give ourselves hernias, LOL.

I recommend giving the bodyweight versions below a try before attempting any of the weighted workouts, especially if you haven’t been training for a while or are not sure how to perform the listed exercises with proper form.

Have at it!

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300 Movie Fat Loss Workout for Men & Women

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

The 300 movie workout is the talk of the fitness world. It’s helped actors chisel Greek Statue bodies while causing weight loss and calorie burning for the rest of us.

The 300 workout is legendary, having been featured in Men’s Health and on ESPN. Everyone’s looking for the 300 workout on the ‘Net. So I made mini-version of the workout for the average guy and gal, see those below.

But first, here’s how the original 300 Workout goes…but don’t try this at home…

a) Pullups - 25 reps
b) Deadlifts with 135lbs - 50 reps
c) Pushups - 50 reps
d) 24-inch Box jumps - 50 reps
e) Floor wipers - 50 reps
f) 1-arm Clean & Press with 36lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps
g) Pullups - 25 reps

And remember, there is NO scheduled rest between exercises.
Although eventually, you’ll slow down.

I tried this workout last week and managed to get ‘er done in only 19 minutes and 7 seconds. But what about a 300 workout for you?

Fortunately, this workout can easily be changed. Appropriate
exercises can be subbed in, and we can drop the number of reps down to 100, 150, or 200 - still making for a total body challenge.

For example, you might do this 200-repetition workout - this is
great for a man with moderate fitness:

5 Chinups
20 prisoner squats
20 pushups
100 Jumping Jacks
30 Bicycle Crunches
10 decline pushups
15 bodyweight inverted rows

Optionally, you could do 100 reps of rope jumping to finish off 300 total reps.

An intermediate woman could do a 150 rep workout:

5 Bodyweight Inverted Rows
10 Bodyweight Sumo Squats
15 bodyweight squats
15 Pushups (doing as many regular pushups, followed by kneeling)
50 jumping jacks
10 spiderman climbs
20 reverse lunges
25 bicycle crunches

Add in 50 rope skips for 200 total repetitions - or 150 skips for a full 300.

Tough, but fair. So you can do your own version of the 300 workout and build your own Greek God or Greek Goddess body. Work with a trainer to come up with other ideas. And always, train safe.

Don’t train like this everyday. Just use one of these workouts once every other month as an extra challenge.

For your regular fat burning workouts, stick to the Turbulence
Training workouts for men and women. You’ll boost your metabolism, burn fat, and maximize your fitness so that you’ll be ready for your very own 300 test day.

About the Author

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 Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training for Fat Loss.

If you are one of those folks like me who loathe cardio but love strength training, consider switching to bodyweight circuits for your fat burning needs. Here’s a great rule of thumb article by Craig Ballantyne on how to come up with your own bodyweight interval circuit. As an added plus, bodyweight circuits can be performed in your living room with no equipment for free! You don’t even need running shoes.

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

When you travel, you worry about missing your workouts and eating poorly…So you must plan ahead for both (apples and almonds for planes, trains, & automobiles)…and bodyweight circuits for “no-equipment fat burning”.

And while I have bodyweight exercises that are just as hard as the bench press and barbell squat in one of my bodyweight workouts, today we’ll focus on replacing intervals with bodyweight circuits.

To do a bodyweight circuit…

a) Pick 3 lower body exercises

b) Pick 3 upper body exercises

c) Alternate between a lower and upper body exercise without rest, till you are done all 6 exercises

d) Rest a minute.

e) Repeat 2-3 more times until you are done 20 minutes

For example, this is a great circuit that doesn’t need any equipment

1) Prisoner Squat (12 repetitions)
2) Elevated Pushups (8 reps per side)
3) Single-Leg Deadlift (10 reps per side)
4) Close-grip Pushups (As many reps as possible)
5) Jumping Jacks (30-60 reps)
6) Cross-Body Mountain Climber (12 reps per side)

Whew. That’s pretty advanced…for a beginner, we’d slow it down like this and take some breaks between exercises…

1) Wall Squat (8 reps)
2) Kneeling Elevated Pushup (5 reps per side)
3) Lying 1-leg Hip Extension (8 reps per side)
4) Plank (30 second hold)
5) Jumping Jacks (5-10 reps)
6) Side Plank (15 second hold per side)

Safe travels, and of course, always check with your doctor before beginning a fat burning bodyweight circuit exercise program.

About the Author

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 Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training for Fat Loss.