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| Next time you set up to bench press, think about what you ask for:
a. a spot
b. a hand-off
I don't know about you, but I'm asking for the hand-off, because there's no way I'm thinking that I'll need a spot. How's that for a thought of the day?
Remember that this is half-full...
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| I just received this email yesterday from a happy Maximum Strength customer:
"Eric,
"I just finished up with your Maximum Strength program and wanted to write you to let you know of the results. Before I get to the good stuff, I wanted to thank you for writing such a comprehensive strength training program. Not only was it challenging but it was also laid out in a format where it is easy to understand and follow. I have not stopped talking about this program for 16 weeks and now that I have the results, I have people getting ready to jump on the Maximum Strength bandwagon.
"Not only did I see an increase across the board in lifts and movements, but the soft tissue and mobility work opened up my hips and all but eliminated any IT band issues I was having previous to this. I started this program with the idea that the conclusion would come just in time for me to start going back to my endurance training for this summer's triathlon circuit. Now that I am done, I am at the strongest I have been in 12 years, I set a PR in deadlifts and I am in a frame of mind for my next race where I know I will be one of the strongest competitors in the field.
"Here are the results from the program:
Moving Day Packing Day Difference
Weight - 201 212 lbs + 11 lbs
Broad Jump - 88" 115" + 17"
Squat - 385 lbs 445 lbs + 60 lbs
Bench - 300 lbs 325 lbs + 25 lbs
Deadlift - 385 455 + 70 lbs
3 Rep Chin - BW +30 BW + 60 30 lbs + 11 of BW
"To say I am excited about these results is an understatement. I was a little bummed on the weight until I got my new circumference measurements done. While I did add 11 pounds, I lost .5 inches off my waist and added 6, yes I said 6 inches to my chest/back/shoulders measurement. The compliments I have gotten from friends and family are even more indicative of a successful program. Not only did I set a new PR in dealift but I am most proud of the 3 rep chin max, where not only did I add muscle and body weight, I was also able to increase my strength and added additional external weight as well.
"Thanks again. I plan on recommending this program to friends, family and soon-to-be clients!"
-Chris Bartl
Click Here to Purchase Maximum Strength!
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| Q: Hi Eric, I just finished the Maximum Strength 16-week program, and was thrilled with my results, including a 40-pound increase on my bench press and 80-pound increase on my deadlift. I'm wondering, though, what I should do next? Should I start the program over? Or, do you reccomend something else?
A: Repeating the program is certainly an option, although probably not your best option. I'm actually planning on writing a more extensive follow-up to Maximum Strength at some point, but you could get away with it in the meantime. I just tend to think that variety is the spice of life, and that the same four months over and over again would get old over time.
With that in mind, I think a better bet would be checking out my Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual.
It's a bit more athletic oriented, but with some of the same principles included. It would be a good chance to integrate some movement training and new exercises and loading parameters to build on the athleticism that you built over the previous 16 weeks of training. Click here for more information. |
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It's become a bit of a tradition for Cressey Performance interns to not only pick up on training knowledge while they're at CP, but also get more diesel in the process by following the program in my book, Maximum Strength. This fall's intern, Chris Howard, just had his Moving Day today.
Here are his results:
Body weight: 159 to 174.5
Vertical Jump: 27.1" to 28.0"
Peak Power: 5,397 W to 5,855 W (8.5% increase)
Broad Jump: 91" to 103"
Box Squat: 235 to 265
Bench Press: 205 to 230
Deadlift: 215 to 335
3-rep max chin-up: 224 (BW+65) to 244.5 (BW+70)
Not too shabby for just under four months of training. Congratulations, Chris, and thanks for all your contributions to Cressey Performance!
Click here to pick up your copy of Maximum Strength! |
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I received this email earlier this week:
Eric,
I am a longtime follower of T-Nation and picked up your book, Maximum Strength, this past summer. I just finished with Moving Day and want to thank you for my great results in 16 weeks.
I am 6'3", 180 lbs and my weight stayed the same the whole time because I have low body fat to begin.
My Results:
Broad Jump: 91" to 122"
Squat: 225 to 295
Bench: 215 to 235
Deadlift: 365 to 455
Chinup 3RM: 45 to 60
This book worked great when I had a goal to strive for.
Thanks again, Eric.
Matthew Misiewicz
Baltimore, MD
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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, we've got 12 factors, and it's been my experience that conventional physical therapy only treats the first four - which would, in fact, bring a patient below symptom threshold. Put that patient back in the real-world with the other eight factors still present (seven of which are modifiable), and as soon as he gets back to bench pressing with terrible technique Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, he's going to be back in for more physical therapy sooner than later.
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.
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used by Cressey Performance Pitchers after they Throw!
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| In my newsletter earlier this week, I introduced you to Danny, a Cressey Performance client who had made some awesome progress on the Warpspeed Fat Loss diet over the course of 28 days. In reality, though, there’s quite a bit more to that story.
You see, Danny had actually made a lot more progress than that since December of 2007 when he really committed to kicking a** and taking names. As was the case on Monday, a picture is worth a thousand words; here are the ten-month progress pictures:
 
In my last newsletter, I told you that this wasn’t just about “Hooray for Danny” or “Horray for Warpspeed Fat Loss” – although both definitely deserve all the credit in the world! Rather, I’m a firm believer that anytime someone is successful, you have to look at what they’ve done right – and these are the three things so important for Danny’s success.
1. Danny got involved with a great training crew. I don’t care who you are: a training crew will always yield better results. Danny actually lifts quite a bit with our staff nowadays. Hell, with all he’s learned, he’d be a great addition to our staff!
Obviously, I firmly believe that our job is to hammer on technique in a coaching-intensive set-up early on when someone trains at CP. However, I think that our longer-term responsibility is to create the most motivating environment possible in which to carry out our programming.
Additionally, Danny had a great “crew” at home in the form of a very supportive wife who helped him on the diet side of things. It always helps to have someone along for the ride at home; I’ve seen a lot of people “sabotaged” by unsupportive family members.
2. Danny’s goal from the get-go was always performance. The physique stuff took care of itself when he just focused on getting stronger with each session and attended to his nutrition. Along the way, he got his first 300-pound bench and deadlifted well into the 400s.
I have said it before and I’ll say it again: train for performance, put the right stuff in your mouth, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the physique improvements you see. It’s a theme that resounded in my Maximum Strength book.
3. Danny realized that you can always get a training effect in spite of injuries. When he first came to us, Danny had been dealing with some pretty significant neck spasms. In fact, when we went to work on some bench press technique the first night, he was pretty nervous that 95 pounds on the bar would trigger a spasm. Toss in a testy lower back, shoulder, hamstrings, and adductor strain, and you’d think that Danny would have been on the shelf for months. In reality, he didn’t miss a training session, as he appreciated that there was always something he could do to get better around those issues – and get better he did!
These factors for success are just the tip of the iceberg, and they'll be different for everyone. However, it's important to recognize them early-on and use them to your advantage, as getting leaner, stronger, faster, and healthier isn't always peaches and cream.
The Truth About Unstable Surface Training: An Athletic Trainer's Perspective
“As someone who has both rehabbed injured athletes and trained healthy people for over 18 years, I can honestly say that Eric Cressey’s The Truth about Unstable Surface Training is a breath of fresh air."Being a certified athletic trainer and a strength and conditioning coach has afforded me a unique perspective in the training world. I have watched personal trainers, strength coaches, athletic trainers and physical therapists use and abuse unstable surface training.
"Eric has combined his in-the-trenches experience with research to uncover the truth behind unstable surface training. This book is a must-read for anyone that trains, rehabs, or coaches, people in anyway. Yes, that means Physical Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Personal Trainers, and Strength Coaches.
"I hope that this book will help to 'stop the madness' of a training fad that has gotten out of control and help to support the proper uses of unstable surface training.
"I know I will be referring this work to my network of athletic trainers, strength coaches, physical therapists and personal trainers.”
Keith Scott, MS, CSCS, ATC
Certified Athletic Trainer, and Strength and Conditioning Coach
www.BackToFormFitness.com
Click Here For More Information.
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| I just got an extremely thorough review back from a happy Maximum Strength customer. Check it out for yourself!
Hi Eric,
First of all, a big thank you for writing Maximum Strength. It is an awesome book and money well spent. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to get bigger, stronger and faster.
Improvements [note from EC: weights are converted from kilograms):
Broad Jump increased 12” from 93.5” to 105.5”
Box Squat increased 55 pounds from 297 to 352.
Bench Press increased 50 pounds from 220 pounds to 270 pounds
Deadlift increased 22 pounds from 462 to 484
3RM chin-up increased 22 pounds from BW+44 to BW+66 (BW was unchanged)
I could write a book on my verdict of the whole program, but I've just got back from Testing day at the gym and I'm shattered. The biggest thing the program showed me was that I had not been training hard enough. The training sessions in Maximum Strength were brutal and longer than I was used to prior to doing the program. My whole attitude changed. I now always dig deeper and push myself to the limit.
This brings me to another interesting point. I cannot over emphasize how important the deload weeks proved to be for me. I found that midway through the third week of each cycle, I was hammered and by week 4, my enthusiasm was nil. However, after the deload week I was always firing on all cylinders and raring to go for the first week of the next phase. I understand everyone is different, but three hard weeks followed by one easy seems to work great for me.
Needless to say, great product! I am ecstatic with my results and there will be more to come.
Thanks,
Elliot Newman
Leeds, United Kingdom
Find out more about Maximum Strength here.
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| It's a busy day at CP and I've got a big fantasy football draft tonight, but fortunately for me, Kevin Cox, age 36, of Denver, CO provided some good blog material for all of you:
Eric,
Maximum Strength quickly become one of my favorite purchases. Personally, I felt you did a great job of detailing the why's and how's of your program. I found it refreshing to see a book that focused on performance and promised "hard work" rather than promise results in only minutes a day.
I was more than happy with my results after 16 weeks.
Body Weight: Pre 220lbs, Post 210lbs
Broad Jump : Pre 84", Post 97"
Bench Press: Pre 230lbs, Post 265lbs
Squat: Pre 300lbs, Post 345lbs
3-rep Max Chin-up: Pre 250lbs, Post 265bs
Deadlift: Pre 340lbs, Post 405lbs
The mobility work and active recovery circuits were awesome. Toward the end of my 16 weeks there were times when I was feeling run down and I really believe staying on track with the circuits, mobility and flexibility work is what kept me in the game.
Pick up Maximum Strength for yourself.
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| Two Words: Bench Off!
(Narrated by Tony Gentilcore) |
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LEARN
HOW TO
DEADLIFT
- Avoid the most common deadlifting mistakes
- 9 - minute instructional video
- 3 part follow up series
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