questions on two workout programs, advice please, please, please!!!!!!!

So I had been looking up what to do for a new workout routine that had strength training in it and stumbled upon Turbulence Training, which is a program designed by Craig Ballantyne. It is a weight training program that combines noncompeting supersets that takes about 20 or 25 minutes plus about 25 minutes of interval training. Does anyone know about it? I don't really know what a strength training program should have so I don't know if it is good or not, plus its only 45 minutes 3 or 4 days a week, just seems too little which makes me happy and skeptical all at once. Could I have some opinions? 

The second one is sorta following what miranda kerr (the victoria secret model does). It seems she works out about 75 minutes, 3-4 times a week (and I understand no matter what I do I will never look like her or any model since I am about 5'4"..but her workout program seems good and those girls are all in great shape besides being naturally thin and tall)...here is the link for it (towards the bottom of the page)

What does everyone think of these?I'd have to modify both a bit since I have a shoulder injury but still the general idea.. Is one better than the other? Are both good? Are both horrible? I searched already and no one seemed to have anything to say about either and even with reading this forum a lot I'm still pretty clueless with all this and am afraid of picking the wrong program and overthink things a lot so having some assurance that I am doing a good program would be helpful, comforting, etc....thanks so much in advanced!!

oh and my stats/goals: 5'4'' (5'5'' on a good day..lol) around 116 pounds...wanting to not "tone" (i know people hate that word) but decrease body fat (especially around thighs, butt area) and not get a lot of muscle but some, doing strength more to decrease fat, so I look leaner overall (too muscley would be jessica biel, she looks great but thats not for me, leaner is more like jessica alba..I can dream can't I?)...thanks, sorry for the long post!!

bump...because I basically rewrote my post not realizing it wouldn't start back up at the top..oops...thanks again for any help to come!

I don't know about Turbulance Training, but the Miranda Kerr workout is really lacking in details (use medicine balls and resistance bands, but what does that even mean?).  The specific exercises they list seem pretty terrible though.

Also, just to note, doing a certain celebrities workout program (even if you know you aren't going to look like that person) isn't a very good idea.  Picking an exercise program needs to take into account your physical limitations, past training experience, goals, etc and you have no way of knowing if you match any celebrity in any of those aspects.

There are plenty of great programs in the stickies, or New Rules of Lifting is always a great way to start.

Yeah I know the MIranda Kerr one is lacking, I just mean sorta the overall idea of it. The new rules of lifting is probably too intensive for my shoulder, which is why I haven't done it and I wasn't sure if that was the right program for me....I understand what you mean about following a certain celebrities program but I chose it because it was already planned and I don't know enough to make one on my own....

I'm figuring in order to lose fat and I suppose gain some muscle (or rather maintain muscle, I don't care if i get more) that I'd need to do some lifting, some HIIT, and maybe some traditional cardio on days I don't do either to keep me active, plus maybe some hiking and daily walking....does this seem right? I just don't know what those details should be...thanks!

Yup, that is exactly right for the macro picture, the fine details of exactly how each part of the complete program is structured varies according to sports-specific and individual needs.

 Craig wrote this home bodyweight workout that I've been passing out as an example of what you can do for a workout without using weights, his stuff is pretty decent if you're in the target demographic. That is, you're not practicing for sports-specific performance in anything, you're looking for a reasonably minimal workout routine that'll get you a base level of fitness for life.

 I've only chatted with him a couple times online, he strikes me as a decent enough guy and his workouts are legit. You don't actually need to buy his pre-made routines though, you already know what's in there: antagonist supersets of compound movements and some HIIT, plus count calories. And of the two, counting calories count for more.

 One reason for buying a pre-made routine from someone else is something Dan John spoke about a while back; there's less thinking involved. But if you already have to develop your own workout using Exrx.net to train around your injuries you already have to think more, and getting some workout ideas from Turbulence Training that you then have to go in and modify to work with what you actually can do strikes me as an unnecesary step where you'll just wind up paying extra for no reason. Since you probably won't be able to use Craig's stuff as is, I mean - if you could use it as is TT isn't bad, his workout designs are in the same space as Alwyn Cosgroves' from NROL and NROLW so they'd fit right in if you're looking for something in that space that isn't by Cosgrove.

 But given that you're going to have to do a lot of work to adapt anything you pick up to you own use anyway, I'd just as soon recommend that you just stick with poking about Exrx.net and follow along with their instructions.

I dont' know what your shoulder problems are, but I had rotator cuff surgery 1.5 years ago, and it was six months before I could do much with it.  I did NROL with no problem.  You only lift as heavy as you can, and your shoulder will get stronger.

Also, you can read a million threads on here about it, but it's hard for women to get bulky.  They don't have the hormones, and unlees eating to gain, muscle growth will be minimal.  But you *can* grow stronger.

Like karozel, I also have shoulder issues - I got a chip fracture in my shoulder, which shouldn't have been a big deal, but it was right where the rotator cuff muscles connect, and I was very lucky that I didn't need surgery. Physical therapy got me moving my shoulder again. When I started lifting, I had to start lower on the work that involves the shoulder, and even now I use pretty light weights for things like cuban snatches and ytwl's, but I'm still able to follow New Rules - you can always adapt a particular exercise to work for your shoulder.

OK thanks everyone! Yeah I had my surgery a few years back but never had time to do the PT and it just never healed right...and it was for a super loose shoulder that dislocated all the time

I know NROLW is really popular but I didn't want to shell out the cash...turbulence training was an e-book that I downloaded via a torrent for free (yes bad...I know)....

Melkor: So I'd like to get more than a base fitness level..my goal is to get in super good shape this summer before I go to school and I have a bunch of time this summer...so maybe his program isn't right? The reason I was going with a premade program is I have no idea what my own should include..I'm assuming like squats, lunges, and then after that I'm really lost and there are so many exercises, do you have any reccomendations as to which ones are good for a program? Also, I am assuming I should be doing like 3 reps of 10 or so, does that seem right? HOw long is a good program supposed to last? I am willing to put in as much time as needed to get the best body possible. And then I assume I'd do that like every other day, so 3-4 days a week, and then add in HIIT on the other days? And maybe traditional cardio one or 2 of the lifitng days...not sure how the schedule is supposed to be exactly....sorry for all the questions!!! Thanks in advanced and to everyone that responded, it's been super helpful!! Just need to iron out the detials and any advice would be great (those questions weren't just for melkor but anyone!)

Whatever you decide to go with is fine.  And I'm 100% sure melkor will steer you right. 

I just didn't want you to think that the shoulder issues would necessarily get in your way. 

Ok thanks! Yeah I have just been nervous about my shoulder and making it flare up again, but I feel more reassured now, and yes from what I've seen Melkor's advice is always great...thanks, if you could do it after rotator cuff surgery I am sure I can too!

Ah, you have mobility/stability issues, more than a current injury you need to train around? Here's a shoulder rehab protocol from Jimmy Smith you should be using then if you can't get to a physical therapist to give you an individualized routine - start with no weights at all for a runthrough to see how your shoulder holds up.

 That, plus the YTWL exercise is a good combo for shoulder rehab, you'd use surprisingly low weights on either to have a training effect. My preferred YTWL runthrough uses 8 reps of each letter before moving on to the next, and it's perfectly acceptable strength training for a beginner to just use your arms with no weights at all ;)

 The reason I call TT good for base fitness but not necessarily good for sports-specific performance is that it lacks specificity. When it comes to sports-specific performance you're better off with an exercise program that's designed specifically around exercises with a high degree of athletic transfer from your workout to your sport than a generic fitness routine. If you don't have a specific sport you're practicing for, you have limited training time, and you're looking to get into good all-round condition with a combination of strength, aerobic and anaerobic fitness and flexibility TT, NROL/NROLW, or something like Real Fast Fat Loss would work awesome.

 If your goals have a bit more specificity to them it's often a better strategy to train each component separately; "Starting Strength" for any strength goals, a combination of steady state and interval training for endurance, and yoga for flexibility for example. The downside of a program like that is that while it'll get you better results than a combination workout will, it'll also take quite a bit more time.

 You'd probably devote as much time to each individual component (20-60 minutes depending on activity, 1-3 times a week, 4-6 hours total) as you would to one of the combination workouts. If you've only got 2-3 hours a week to squeeze in a workout that's not a very useful approach just from a time management perspective, even if you'd see better results from a pure fitness standpoint.

 Muscle/body size is entirely down to your diet - if you're training for strength with low-rep training and keeping calories in check you'd look more like little 97-lbs Suzanna who's about 50% stronger than me pound for pound than Jessica Biel. Or you'd look more like Gisele who's known for rockin' the Romanian deadlift at Peak Fitness. As long as calories are kept at maintenance or slightly lower there's no growth signal to your muscles, while the strength training preserves what you have and adds to bone density and neural tonicity of your muscles.

Thanks so much for the links! That will really help and I am going to try to go to a physical therapist this summer as well before I go back to school.

As for a combo program vs training things seperately, I have a lot of time this summer (no summer job as of now) and I think I will go crazy doing nothing so I have decided to focus a lot on getting in shape, meaning I have as many as hours as it needs...so would be doing a bunch of seperate programs be more effective if I have the time? I don't mind spending a few hours each day if thats what it takes, and I have a bit more than 2 months before I head to school so I'd like to see some results by then.

As for my diet, I am trying to stick around 1500-1600 calories most days, and then up to 2000 one or maybe 2 days a week when I go out to eat or a really good meal is put in front of me. I am eating 3 egg whites in the morning plus nonfat greek yougrt with 10 berries or so....then an apple for a midmorning snack if I am hungry; lunch I am going to try to eat a salad with just vinegar dressing, some tomatoes, some chicken, and maybe a few other veggies depending on whats available; for a snack I like to have a smoothie with maybe some protein put in since I barely eat meat but I am triyng to add in chicken; and for dinner maybe some salad or steamed veggies with chicken breast, or a sweet potato, or maybe some pasta on occasion (i am triyng to cut down on the amount of white bread and pasta I used to eat)....haha looking like gisele, i wish...maybe if I grew 6 inches, but I know what you mean and thats more of the physique I am going for (well who isn't...)....neural tonicity is what makes your muscles look hard right?

ok I should go out for a run before the heat kills me..