I just received this email from a happy Maximum Strength customer:
“I just did my post-testing two weeks ago after the Maximum Strength Program. I thought you might want to know the results:
OLD Lifts | NEW Lifts
Box Squat: 315 | 345
Deadlift: 365 | 385
Military Press: 160 | 175
[note from EC: I guess he opted to test this instead of his bench press]
Chin-up 3RM (total system weight): 200 | 210
Bodyweight: 175 lbs | 195 lbs
I am very happy with the results. Thanks a lot!
Ashiem"
20 pounds in four months? That's five pounds a month! Not too shabby at all...
Buy Maximum Strength now.
Q: A lot of strength coaches and athletes (myself included) utilize variations of the box squat. I've heard other strength coaches (one in particular) indicate that it does not fully stimulate/activate the piriformis.
What are your thoughts on the issue of the box vs. free squat in terms of advantages and disadvantages? I currently utilize both variations however it would be nice to be able to articulate to an individual the pros/cons.
A: I don't buy it. For one, the piriformis is a tiny muscle that is typically very overused. I wish we could get more people to calm it down and used their glutes for the majority of the work!
Second, box squats are one tool in your toolbox; we use them in addition to a lot of other lower extremity exercises. In fact, they're an integral part of the Maximum Strength program. Nobody ever criticized chin-ups because they don't target the gastrocnemius - but that doesn't mean that they aren't useful for what they're intended.
Additionally, I haven't seen any EMG studies to show the piriformis argument is legit.
I'm headed down to Maryland today for my longtime friend Greg's wedding. It'll be quite a car ride, but luckily, I've got my girlfriend to keep me company. Of course, I don't know why any of you would care, but I was a little short on introductory content this week, so you had to put up with my senseless rambling. Sorry about that.
1. Speaking of Greg, I'm happy to say that I'm at least partially responsible for him being a stud in his tuxedo this weekend. You see, Greg did my Maximum Strength program over the past four months, finishing two weeks ago. Here are his pre-post numbers:
Weight: 205 to 193
Broad Jump: 81" to 93"
Bench Press: 245 to 275
Squat: 245 to 295 (Greg is coming back from a knee surgery last year)
Deadlift: 275 to 315
3-rep max Chin-up: 250 to 263 (total system weight)
His friend Bill did the program with him, and he proved to be another example of a guy who can either maintain or decrease his weight while still improving strength appreciably:
Weight: stayed at 170
Broad Jump: 91.5" to 105"
Bench Press: 275 to 300
Squat: 315 to 335
Deadlift: 365 to 405
3-rep max Chin-up: 260 to 285 (total system weight)
Pretty soon, when he does chin-ups, Greg will have to also include the ball and chain around his leg in his total system weight calculations. Zing!
2. I've come to the conclusion that it kind of weirds me out when people email me and address me as "Coach." To be honest, nobody around the facility calls me "Coach." And, if the people I see in person all the time don't call me Coach, why should people I don't train call me that? I mean, do I look like any of these guys?
While we're at it, I'm not a fan of being called "Bro" or "Comrade." And, the word "Yo" is stupid and really 1990s.
3. This isn't really what I had in mind with my focus on unstable surface training, but it's amusing nonetheless.
4. Speaking of unstable training surfaces, you see what happens with you swallow your bubble gum?
Commit that to memory, kids.
5. Someone asked me earlier this week if for someone needing extra scapular stability work would find value in doing 1-arm DB punches flat, incline, and even overhead for the serratus anterior rather than just doing them solely on a flat bench all of the time. My response was that I actually think it could potentially be worse to do it on an incline or decline. The decline would encourage a bit more scapular anterior tilt (emphasizes pec minor over serratus anterior), whereas the incline might actually irritate an already-angry shoulder injury. So much for innovation!
6. My newsletter for this week focused on the state of the fitness industry. At risk of sounding overconfident, it's definitely worth a read.
7. I had the best steak of my life on Tuesday night. For those who haven't been, definitely check out Abe and Louie's on Boylston if you are ever in Boston. It was pure, succulent, dead cow bliss. If you're a vegetarian, sorry - but you can at least take solace in the fact that the asparagus and broccoli sides were pretty good (especially since they were drenched in steak juices).
8. While on the topic of steaks, I cooked up some moose meat earlier this week - and it was great. I'm from Maine, so it's not THAT weird-sounding to me. The secrets are to a) use a lot of spices, b) not overcook it, and c) try not to think about how it was carved on the back of a pick-up truck until after you've eaten it.
*For the record, I resisted the urge to post a picture of a hunter posing with his rifle in front of the moose he'd just shot. I figured I'd upset the vegetarians enough already with random thought #7. So, I'll just upset the kiddies and cartoon fans by saying that I ate Bullwinkle.
We just have eight thoughts this Friday, as my mind's on all the travel I have to do and programs I have to write. With all our pro baseball guys rolling or in the process of getting started, there are a lot of logistics to which I am attending. I'm psyched for a great off-season, and we'll have plenty of blog video content for you along the way.
In the meantime, have a great weekend.
1. This has been quite possibly the busiest week of my career, and it won't be slowing down over the next two weeks, as I'm heading to Baltimore, Miami, and Atlanta in three separate trips. We will persevere with this blog, though...
Factor in that I was up until the wee hours of the morning last night watching the Sox pull off without a doubt the greatest comeback I've ever seen in a single game in any sport, and sleep deprivation is becoming part of the equation...
2. Quite possibly the most awesome forum post directed to me ever:
I own your Magnificent Mobility DVD and Maximum Strength book. The content is revolutionary, at least to somebody like me, who's never had professional strength and conditioning training.
Each is presented in an easy to understand format, but dive into science enough to capture the technical audience as well. The pictures and demonstrations are very valuable to illustrate the key points in each exercise.
There is one thing missing, though. The guy modeling all the exercises could look a little tougher. He absolutely needs a fu manchu moustache.
That would perfect your programs. I know it's too late to revise the current products, but please promise me that in future products the model will be sporting some Goose Gossage handlebars.
He makes a good point. Once you're magnificently mobile and maximally strong, you might as well be dead-sexy...
3. A lot of people mistake a big butt for anterior pelvic tilt. When the butt sticks out (known as a "badonkadonk," if you ask Tony Gentilcore), it can give the illusion of anterior pelvic tilt when, in reality, these folks might be fine posture-wise. So, you have to look closely (but not too closely; they might slap you, pervert).
So, to recap: Big Butt = Good. Anterior Pelvic Tilt = Bad.
4. The Anti-Cressey Performance. Soooooo Lame.
5. In the upset of the week, in the "Stupidest Thing Ever Invented Bowl," the Smith Machine Deadlift narrowly defeated the Meat-Cleaver Colonoscopy.
6. In the past week, I've had three different people tell me that Cressey Performance needs to get with the program and offer mentorships with me. To be honest, it's something I've been pondering for the past month or so, and we're really thinking about putting something special together. If we did it, it would be tight-knit: no more than six attendees at a time. If you'd be interested in something like this, drop us an email at cresseyperformance@gmail.com and let us know.
7. Interesting little fact for the week: 85% of ACL reconstructive surgeries are performed by surgeons who do fewer than ten ACL surgeries per year. So, ask around before you let someone stick an arthroscope in your knee! Or, better yet, pick up a copy of Bulletproof Knees and avoid the ACL injury in the first place!
8. Speaking of healthy knees, check out last week's newsletter. I had some great knee-related content courtesy of Mike Robertson.
Lots to do. See you next week.
My fantasy football team was beyond bad this week, scoring a whopping 73 points. I'm trading all of them away for a bag of beef jerky, a car wash, and Joseph Addai's soul (for getting injured after only two carries). Congrats to Brian on a good win - but moving on to something more uplifting: military men getting strong halfway across the world.
I just received this feedback from a US soldier deployed to Iraq:
“Eric, I finished you Maximum Strength Program, and wanted to give you my Packing and Moving Day numbers. My numbers aren't as good as I would like, though. I got sent to Kuwait for eleven days and was working 15 to 18 hours a day five days, with one day of rest before Moving Day. Here are the numbers:
Body Weight: 176lbs to 181lbs (+5lbs)
Broad Jump: 82” to 91” (+11”)
Box Squat: 385lbs to 440lbs (+55lbs)
Bench Press: 295lbs to 315lbs (+20lbs)
Deadlift: 335lbs to 375lbs (+40lbs)
Chin-up: BW+115lbs to BW +135lbs (+25lbs)*
"Thanks for the program I'm pleased with the results, but I probably could have done better if I were in Baghdad and not in Kuwait. I can't wait for your next book.
Thanks again.
Rob”
Thank YOU for what you're doing, Rob. Me writing a book pales in comparison to the efforts guys like you are putting in overseas.
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.
Anthony Lucia is a guy who came to Cressey Performance just over eight weeks ago with some chronic, painful shoulder issues – and he had just pre-tested for the Maximum Strength program. I gave him some takeaway mobility and soft tissue drills, plus a few subtle modifications to the Maximum Strength program. This morning, I got this email from him:
"Hey Eric,
"I just thought I'd give you some feedback. I have been doing MS for 8 weeks now, in fact I just started phase 3 today. On packing day my shoulder hurt so much I tried to bench 245 and just about couldn't rerack it. After seeing you personally, and 8 weeks of stretching and stretching and stretching, I benched 285 for 1 the other day, with no discomfort!
"You set straight an average gym guy with 25 years of lifting experience, who thought he knew it all. In fact, after I told my dad (age 70) what you did for me, he went out and bought your book.
"I can honestly say, I never believed in stretching, I thought my warm-ups were good enough. Boy, was I wrong. Stretching has made me more flexible, and most importantly more aware of my form and balance.
"You have helped me with my recovery so much, thank you. I can't wait for the sequel to Maximum Strength!"
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.
1. My girlfriend is good at pullups.
2. Nice front squat, Clark (430).
3. Not to be outdone, here's a 350 bench and then an easy 315x3 from me.
4. Last night, I managed to convince one of our new high school pitchers that the YMCA dance was good for shoulder health (Y=lower trap activation, M=pec minor stretch, C=external rotator stretch, A=lat stretch). He totally went for it - but when I asked him if he knew the dance, he looked at me like I had two heads. I guess I'm finally getting old and recognizing the generational gap between my high school guys and I...
5. My girlfriend and I are moving back to the city next week. I'll be ten minutes from Fenway - yet my commute to work is only five minutes longer. Not too shabby - and it'll be nice to be back closer to all the action.
6. Here is a great review on Maximum Strength and Art of the Deload.
7. I've been here (to a degree). Not making weight is the worst feeling in the world - and I can only imagine how rough it is when it's for the Olympics. My heart goes out to him. Poor guy.
8. As a bit of an experiment, we're moving to lighter medicine balls with our guys for our throws over the next few months - particularly with our overhead variations. It'll be interesting to see what happens when we jack up the speed and lower the load a bit - and if it works, I'll need to brainstorm a bit more on which loads are appropriate for which exercises.
9. Speaking of medicine balls, one of my online consulting clients told me the other day that they have "several" BOSU balls at his gym, but ZERO medicine balls. People really don't have a clue what functional is anymore, do they?
10. In the most random thought of the week, if you want to be my friend on Facebook, put your shirt on in your profile picture. If you're that in love with yourself, you probably don't need friends, weirdo.
Have a good weekend!
