You've probably come across Nate Green's name over the past few years - either in my newsletter/blog or at T-Nation.  He's established himself as a guy who knows his stuff, but also has a great writing style that is both entertaining and informative.  And, most specific to the product in question, Nate looks a lot of issues that nobody else considers.

I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of his new book, Built for Show, and I really enjoyed it.  The program itself is fantastic.  Those of you who enjoyed my Maximum Strength book would like it as a follow-up program, particularly if you're interesting a bit more interested in the physique side of things than pure performance benefits.  The program includes four unique training phases to keep your progress moving full-speed ahead.

Take a look at the current men's magazines and notices what's on the covers.  You'll see a ton of references to biceps, ripped abs, and a bigger chest - but those are three body parts women don't really care about as much as you'd think.  If you go back in time, you'll find that women are biologically programmed to be attracted to men who show more status and dominance.  One way to show that dominance is to have an imposing, strong body.  Take a look at your training and ask yourself why you're doing what you're doing.  I know this might sound sacrilegious, but maybe your question for the ultimate six-pack, biggest guns, or becoming so big that you frighten small children aren't the greatest goals for you after all.  If you want girls, and you want a capable, athletic, muscular body, then Built for Show was written for you.

This past weekend, I attended a great seminar here in Boston with Dr. William Brady.  In fact, it was among the best I've seen.  I was the only non-chiropractor/manual therapist in attendance, but walked away from the seminar with some tremendously valuable insights that'll help me with each and every one of my clients moving forward.

The first lesson of the day is that those of you who have an opportunity to see Dr. Brady speak should absolutely, positively check him out: Integrated Diagnosis.  Diagnostically, he's among the best I've ever seen - and that includes his ability to teach others.

The second lesson of the day revolves around an important concept Dr. Brady extended - and my take on how you can modify this message to accommodate your role as a coach, trainer, or fitness enthusiast/athlete.  There is a reason that almost any doctor or physical therapist gets results - and it resolves around understanding where symptom threshold occurs.  To illustrate this, let's examine a shoulder problem purely from a soft tissue perspective.

Dr. Brady talked about how you have building blocks to threshold.  Let's say that after an accurate physical examination, this particular shoulder problem (supraspinatus tendinosis, for example) presents with soft tissue restrictions at the infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, inferior capsule, and pec minor.  So, symptom threshold (the dotted line) might look like this relative to baseline (straight line):

Pec Minor - - - - - - - - - - - Inferior Capsule Subscapularis Teres Minor Infraspinatus BASELINE - NO SYMPTOMS

So, imagine a therapist who just addresses pec minor.  He gets that patient below threshold, but doesn't necessarily "fix" him; he might be back in with the same problem weeks later.  This is confounded by the fact that "overuse" is actually one of the building blocks, too.  So, even if you leave all the soft tissue restrictions alone, simply resting will get someone below threshold - even if the therapist has done ZERO to address the underlying problems.

This is one reason why a MRI might not tell you much at all about someone's problem.  With this problem, the MRI would probably just say "supraspinatus tendinopathy" and recommend physical therapy and rest from painful activities.  So, in the "full picture" - where soft tissue work is one of several components (assume they are equal contributors, for the sake of our argument) - the building blocks to threshold might look something like this:

Overuse Rotator Cuff Weakness Scapular Stability Poor Glenohumeral (Ball-and-Socket) Range of Motion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Soft Tissue Restrictions Poor Thoracic Spine Mobility Type 3 Acromion (non-modifiable, without surgery) Poor Exercise Technique Poor Cervical Spine Function Opposite Hip/Ankle Restrictions (baseball pitchers are great examples) Inappropriate Structural Balance in Programming (e.g., pressing more than pulling) Faulty Breathing Patterns BASELINE - NO SYMPTOMS

So, what do we do in an ideal scenario (not always possible with today's insurance plans)?

1. More time with patient education (exercise technique, programming strategies - or just outsource it to a qualified professional or good book/article or DVD). 2. Address Thoracic Mobility (Assess and Correct is a great resource for this)

3. When present, address Hip and Ankle Mobility 4. Retrain some breathing patterns with initial instructions home exercises 5. Provide some take-home neck drills and get people out of chronic forward head posture

All told, I think this could be as simple as 4-5 extra drills in each shoulder rehab program plus a brief sit-down conversation with each patient on exercise program modifications; it really is that simple.  Unfortunately, it rarely happens - and that's when things become chronic.

So, fitness professionals and coaches need to step up as advocates for their clients and athletes, respectively, and fitness enthusiasts need to be relatively informed "consumers" to look out for themselves.

New Blog Content

The Mainstream Media Lag Why Wait to Repair an ACL? (Abbreviated) Random Friday Thoughts

I don't watch a ton of TV, but when I do, it's almost always sports - be it football, baseball, basketball, or just regular ol' Sportscenter.  Likewise, when I'm at working, I'm constantly coaching athletes from a variety of sports on everything from weight-training, to flexibility, to sprint mechanics, to medicine ball throwing techniques.

Everywhere you look, you'll see destabilizing torques.  Maybe it's a running back trying to fend off a tackler; his feet are fixed while the destabilizing torque (the force applied to his body by that tackler) occurs further up the kinetic chain.

Or, maybe it's an athlete doing a suitcase deadlift.  The load in his hand is a destabilizing torque that attempts to shift him into lateral flexion as contralateral core musculature fires to keep him erect.  Again, the feet are on stable ground.

You're probably getting my point by now.  Our lower extremities operate in predominantly closed-chain motion on stable surfaces in the real world - and the destabilizing torques we encounter further up the kinetic chain are truly functional instability training.

Conversely, when was the last time you saw the ground move on a fixed athlete?  Perhaps the earthquake during the San Francisco-Oakland World Series in 1989?  It's a long shot at best.

With that in mind, why are we universally accepting unstable surface training in the lower extremity?  We know it has merit in the rehabilitation of functional ankle instability, but to assume that benefits would also be conferred on a healthy population is a dangerous.  That's where we came in with my research back in 2005 - and it's why I've got a great frame of reference for writing a book that discusses true core stability training and the appropriate and inappropriate applications of unstable surface training.  At risk of sounding overconfident, if you coach or rehabilitation athletes or regular fitness enthusiasts, The Truth About Unstable Surface Training is an important read for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I’m unsure about pre-testing some of these lifts heavily when I haven’t been performing them for an extended period of time to learn the technique. What do you recommend?

A: I’m not married to the idea of having everyone pre-test.  In the grand scheme of things, this program is based on the premise that you have some resistance training experience – but are looking to take it to the next level. That said, I realize that a lot of beginners are going to be buying this book, too – so we need to take that into account, particularly with pre-testing. If you’re in this situation, you have four options:

1. Spend 3-4 weeks practicing technique – following the descriptions in Maximum Strength – and then pre-test with conservative weights.

2. Skip pre-testing altogether – and just go directly into the program with conservative weights.

3. Test as recommended in the text – but only do those exercises on which you know you’ll be okay (broad jump, bench press, and 3-rep max chin-up). Then, do your squat and deadlift with conservative weights – stopping if you feel any sort of technique breakdown (although you should always stop your attempts if technique breaks down).

If you are at all uncomfortable doing one of the pre-tests, skip it.

Q: Do you have any recommendations of good online sites where I can download videos of various exercises?

A: Absolutely!

Robertson Training Systems

Exrx.net

UW-LAX

UI Strength Lab

Weight Trainers United

Q: I noticed that you recommend wearing shoes on some lower-body exercises, but not others. Can you put some general guidelines in place?

Category 1: No Shoes, or shoe that has little heel-lift (e.g., Nike Frees, Reebok Travel Trainers, Chuck Taylors/Converse All-Stars):

Mobility/Activation warm-up drills, all box squat variations, all deadlift variations, 1-leg squat-to-box

Category 2: Any shoes (that said, I like Nike Frees as a shoe you can use for both categories)

All single-leg movements (excluding 1-leg squat to box), all non-box squats

Q: I lack the flexibility to deadlift from the floor; what do you recommend I do to a) modify the program and b) work on my flexibility?

A: First off, you can elevate the bar until you get to the point where you can pull in good form. In other words, instead of all the pulling from the floor, do rack pulls.

As far as flexibility goes, you’ll need to do more of the various ankle mobilizations, overhead lunge walks, and thoracic extensions on the foam roller. I’d also highly recommend that you check out my three-part series, Mastering the Deadlift (you can find links to all three in the T-Nation section HERE).

Q: I tend to round over when I front squat. Any suggestions?

A: It could be several things: poor ankle, hip, or thoracic spine mobility; poor core stability; poor bar position; or faulty breathing patterns.

For the mobility issues, you can follow the suggestions for the deadlift flexibility issue above.

For core stability, keep plugging away at the core stability progressions in the book – and keep practicing your squat technique. That will come in a matter of time.

For your bar position, make sure that you’ve got it up on your shoulder girdle – and not just on your upper arms. It should be touching your Adam’s apple (or equivalent spot, ladies).

For your breathing patterns, make sure that you’re getting your air into your belly, not your upper torso. “Chest breathers” lack core stability, in my experience. Your goal is to make yourself a bit fatter by activating the core musculature and increasing intra-abdominal pressure with air in the right place; this mechanically makes the support for the load on your shoulders even bigger. A good trick is to imagine that you’re wearing a loose belt around your belly, and you want to tighten it up.

Q: The Maximum Strength program is a 4x/week program and you recommended lifting on MoWeFrSa; is it okay to deviate from this?

A: Sure.  My favorite is to lift on Days 1, 2, 4, and 6 - with rest days on Days 3, 5, and 7 (these might be energy workouts for you instead of lifts).  As long as the days are held constant, it doesn't really matter whether Day 1 is Monday or Friday.  Some people can't train on the weekends, too, so it's cool to go MoTuThFr, if you want.

Q: For my foam rolling, how long should I spend on each spot?

A: Generally, you should be at about 10-15s per spot – and make sure you spend a little extra time on any of the “hot spots” you find. That said, if a region isn’t at all uncomfortable, you can skip right over it eventually.  For a little more background, give this article a read.

Q: Also on the topic of foam rolling, I noticed that there are several different kinds of rollers. Which do you recommend?

A: At Cressey Performance, almost everyone is okay starting with the Foam Roller Plus.  Some people who are really balled up might need to start with a basic (soft) white roller.

Q: I lift weights with my upper body, but just run to take care of lower body strength.  Is this okay?

A: Not if you are hoping to build strength and an impressive physique!  How many marathoners do you know with impressive legs?  Not many.  And, to be honest, just because they run doesn't mean that they don't need lower-body weight-training.  I actually wrote an in-depth article on the subject HERE.  That said, do your lower body lifting sessions.

Q: You recommend board presses, but I don't have boards - or someone to hold them. What should I do?

A: First off, I'm a big believer in always making sure that you have a spotter handy when you bench press.  Hopefully, that's something that you can make happen.

A few options for board-substitutions include using a rolled-up magazine or a foam roller cut-in-half.  If you can't do these - and don't have someone to hold them in place, you can just do pin presses (as outlined in the text) instead.

Q: What should I do if I miss a day?

A: Call it water under the bridge and pick it up as soon as possible thereafter wherever you left off.  Often, you can make up a session within the week just by going back-to-back on days when you otherwise wouldn't.  For instance, if you were planning to train MoWeFrSa and couldn't make the Saturday session, you just push it back to Sunday.  I outlined some strategies for flexible training splits in my article, 4 Ways to Stay on Track.

Q: If I'm really pressed for time, can I skip the warm-up?

A: No.  I'd rather see you warm up thoroughly and knock a few sets off the end of your training session than I would have you skip a warm-up and get hurt lifting when your body wasn't ready for loading.

Q: I'm used to lifting 6x/week; is it okay to add a few sessions to the Maximum Strength program?

A: It's not a good idea.  You build muscle and develop strength while you're resting, not while you're training.  To that end, what you do aside from the sessions should be aimed at optimizing recovery, not pushing you further into "training debt."  Try doing some of the low-intensity resistance training circuits and light cardiovascular work I recommend; you'll be very pleased with how it helps to improve recovery - and makes gaining strength and muscle mass easier in the process.

Q: Can I substitute exercises I don't like?

A: Well, then you wouldn't be doing the Maximum Strength program, would you?

Kidding aside, if you have an injury or equipment limitation you have to work around, by all means, substitute.  However, if you're just taking a movement out because you don't like it, you're shortchanging yourself.  99.99% of the time, the exercises we dislike are the ones we need to do the most to succeed.  Suck it up.

Q: Can I repeat the strength tests in the middle of the program to check my progress?

A: You'll actually find that there are strength tests built in to the program.  They aren't identical to your pre-tests, but will definitely give you regular indicators of whether you're improving.  With that in mind, if you want to test a broad jump here and there, feel free.  And, if you're feeling particularly "fast" with your speed deadlifts or squats, work up to a moderately heavy single to see how you progressed.  DO NOT do this every training session; "pushing it" once a month is okay, but nothing more frequent than that.

Q: I work with a personal trainer; can he help guide me through the Maximum Strength program?

A: I don't see why not.  Then again, the personal training industry leaves a bit to be desired at this point - and you are paying them for their knowledge - so don't be surprised if they aren't amenable to supervising someone else's program.

Q: How soon will I begin to see results?

A: Individual results vary, but they almost always come in this order: mobility, strength, physique changes.  You'll notice that you're moving better in a matter of days, and the strength gains will be readily apparent by the time you come back to repeat exercises in Week 2 of Phase 1.  Increases in muscle mass and decreases in body fat will be dependent on your diet, too, so if you're diligent with your training and nutrition, you should see some noteworthy changes within the first 2-3 weeks.

Have a question for Eric to be featured in the FAQ or Maximum Strength Blog?  Email ec@ericcressey.com with the subject line "Maximum Strength Inquiry."

Finally, the truth is revealed and you can fully grasp one of the most misunderstood and controversial aspects of the fitness industry…

The Truth About Unstable Surface Training is the culmination of more than three years of intensive study, research, experimentation, and analysis on my part – combined with my “in the trenches” observations as a competitive athlete myself. Effectively, with this e-book, I’ve outlined and then translated the research to the real-world so that fitness professionals and exercisers can understand how to effectively integrate (or omit) unstable surface training in their programs.

Here's what a few industry leaders had to say about the product:

"I used to advise trainers and other strength professionals that they must always continue to develop themselves and continue their education by reading every book and article and attending every seminar – but I was wrong. My advice now is to be very selective with the resources you seek out and the research and products you obtain. There is so much misinformation in the fitness industry and so much junk on the internet that it's easy to be misguided.

"So what is the right information? Without hesitation, I can say anything from Eric Cressey. His new e-book, The Truth About Unstable Surface Training, is no exception. Learn how unstable surface training originated in a rehabilitative setting and led to one of the biggest controversies in the fitness industry today. I was honored to get a first look at this resources. It was not just the literature review, studies, exercise demonstrations and progressions that were eye-opening; it was the practical applications. As always, Eric provides a thorough explanation of complex ideas.

"If you’ve ever found yourself – or come across someone – using the term “functional training,” you absolutely must buy The Truth About Unstable Surface Training right now!"

Jim Smith, CSCS
Author, Combat Core: Advanced Torso Training

"In The Truth About Unstable Surface Training, Eric Cressey has created tremendous resource - and, in fact, the ONLY resource one should consult on the topic of unstable surface training. Eric's writing sheds light on the correct and incorrect times to incorporate these training initiatives in one's programming.

The best part of this manual? It covers both the scientific background AND the practical application of unstable surface training. If you're a personal trainer, strength coach, or fitness enthusiastic who has used or contemplated using these mediums in your programming, you owe it to yourself to pick up this e-book."

Mike Robertson, MS, CSCS, USAW
Author, Bulletproof Knees

What You’ll Learn in The Truth About Unstable Surface Training:

• The origins of unstable surface training

• The problems with research-to-date on unstable surface training, and why you’ve been mislead

• The difference between balance and stability

• The five factors affecting one’s stability, and how you can modify them to become a more stable athlete

• How unstable surfaces alter muscular recruitment patterns – and how you can use those alterations to your advantage or disadvantage

• The actual science – and research data – that quantifiably justifies or refutes specific uses of unstable surface training

• Guidelines for when and how to implement unstable surface training to maximize training efficiency and help you avoid wasting time and effort

• How unstable surface training can help or hinder performance in different athletes

• How unstable surfaces can increase the risk of injury in some populations, while actually rehabilitating others

• Guidelines for alternative, more sport-specific instability approaches when unstable surface training is not the best avenue to pursue

• 21 different stability progression models encompassing over 50 exercises with photos and descriptions

• How to train balance for maximum functional carryover and superior athletic performance

All in all, you get the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, and HOW: everything you could possibly want to know about unstable surface training.

If you are a personal trainer, just think of what $39.99 is: far less than the cost of a single session with one of your clients!  When you think about what you're getting - a lifetime of instability training exercise progressions for your clients - this e-book is an investment in your professional success, not an expense.  Just ask Matt McGorry:

"This e-book is the first real objective look at unstable surface training for non-injured populations that I have ever seen. When someone comes along who doesn’t accept anecdotal evidence and industry hype as dogma, it makes a lot of people angry. This manual is going to do just that.

“Cressey uses hard facts and research to disprove what many of the so-called fitness and performance experts have been touting as gospel ever since unstable surface training first hit the market. At the same time, though, he’s objective in pointing out the merits of such training in certain circumstances, outlining dozens of extremely effective, results-based exercise variations that can be scaled to challenge anyone from the novice trainee to the elite athlete.

“If you are a fitness or sports performance professional who is interested in learning about the real world of ‘core’ and ‘functional’ training, then you absolutely must buy this manual.”

Matt McGorry
Fitness and Performance Coach – New York, NY

1. This is my first post on the new blog, so apologies in advance if:

a) the font style or color is out-of-whack

b) it comes up in Portuguese (meaning that you’d have no idea what I am saying, anyway)

c) your computer freezes up on account of the complete and utter awesomeness that you’re beholding with the new site

Kidding aside, it’s been a royal pain in the butt thus far and I’m just anxious to have it done so that I can just go back to writing.

2. Believe it or not, as some of you probably have noticed, I haven’t blogged for a full week. There was just a ton of stuff to get gone for the new site as well as loads of other projects on my plate.

Interestingly, though, it was by far my best week of training since the spring. I had a great front squatting session on Tuesday, and although Wednesday was supposed to be a day off, I got antsy later in the day. So, I did a little sprint work – and it felt great. So, I figured what the heck: I might as well test my vertical jump and broad jump. I wound up jumping a personal best of 34.7 inches and then tying a personal best on the broad jump with 114 inches. As a cooldown, I wrestled a grizzly bear and then did walking lunges in the parking lot with an intern over each shoulder. Those whippersnappers will learn!

Random digressions aside, it’s very clear that this blog is completely counterproductive for my strength, power, and physique goals. In fact, I’d say that is roughly on-par with distance running as a competing demand for my attention and physiological recuperation. I’m going to take one for the team and keep writing, though; winners persevere.

(and in case you folks didn’t pick up on it, that was a joke)

3. Here is a cool study:

Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: Is there a Role for Polyunsatured Fatty Acids and Antioxidants?

Essentially, this is a survey of all the available research on the topic, and here is what they determined: “Only one trial was found that investigated the efficacy of PUFAs and antioxidants on tendinopathies. The findings suggest that some (low level) evidence exists to support the supplementation in the management of tendinopathies. Any conclusions based on this one article should be reached with caution. Subsequently, there is a distinct and clear need for well-planned randomized controlled trials that aim to investigate the efficacy of supplements in the management of tendinopathies including those of the rotator cuff.”

Meanwhile, we spend BILLIONS on NSAIDs, cortisone shots, and surgeries. Don’t you just love the medical model? While these options are certainly warranted in some situations, we’re studying for the wrong test by ignoring the role of PUFAs and antioxidants in the treatment of tendinopathies.

Chances are that the NIH won’t soon fund anything to look at this, though, as they are too busy doing the 38,736^th study in history on creatine.

4. A good cartoon, in light of the week ahead:

5. Speaking of turducken, is anyone looking forward to listening to John Madden on Thanksgiving as much as I am?  I mean, this is quite possibly the greatest broadcasting spectacle in football history, as Madden will be bouncing off the walls try to slip in as many Brett Favre references as possible - even if Favre and the Jets don't play until the following Sunday.

6. Another interesting study that ought to make you think:

Lumbar Intervertebral Disk Degeneration in Athletes

Basically, the researchers found that college baseball players and swimmers were 3.23 and 2.95 times more likely (respectively) than their non-athlete counterparts to have disk degeneration. And, there was a clear association between disk degeneration and lower back pain.

Now, here is something to consider…I would be willing to bet that if you took these athletes and actually trained their “cores” the right way, they would be better off long-term than the nonathletes – in spite of the amount of disc degeneration that’s present already. I feel very strongly that multidirectional lumbar stability goes a long way in overcoming any structural flaws – from vertebral fractures (spondylolysis) to disc issues; there are a lot of structurally jacked up backs out there that are completely asymptomatic.

To me, it’s the folks who do nothing that are most at-risk of debilitating back pain long-term. When s**t hits the fan for them, they are playing behind the 8-ball, as they’re older and completely untrained. So, they are starting from scratch when it’s the hardest to start from scratch. Food for thought.

In the meantime, pick up a copy of Combat Core and save yourself. It’s the best “core training” program out there.

7. That last thought was pretty heavy with techy stuff, huh? Did it blow your mind? You know, kind of like it blew your mind when David Hasselhoff talked to that car – and the car actually talked back?

Yeah, that was crazy.

Anyway, that's all for this week.  Did you miss me?

Have a good weekend...