Eric Cressey - Maximum Strength

[Mahler]

Eric,
I don't have my copy yet, but will be getting it from Greg (hard_rox) at the summit. Just wanted to say how great it is to have you here answering questions about the book.

[AFI82]

Just got my copy from amazon yesterday. I skimmed through it quickly and was excited to see some of my favorite movements in there. I was even more excited to see some things I had never tried before.

[dynamicfitness]

Originally Posted by Eric Cressey

It isn't that I'm against static stretching at all; in fact, I'm all for it when the timing is right. It's just that, well, I'm a realist. I know what people will do and what they won't do. The truth is that when you give people too much information, they choose to do nothing. So, you give them what you think is the right dosage - or slightly less - and hope for adherence. Truthfully, people can get great results just with foam rolling and dynamic flexibility work - and the static stuff is icing on the cake.

All that said, you'll notice a bit of static stretching incorporated into the warm-ups.

I think this approach is one of the key selling points of MAXIMUM STRENGTH:
Thorough coverage of a few key ideas, rather than a book that tries to be all things to all people. Hey, it got me foam rolling--finally--and I'm feeling so good I blogged about it (blog.dynamicfitness.us).

Very much appreciate the "realist" approach as well: Not just, "in an ideal world," but what are people actually going to DO? Totally works for me.

Great book, great approach. Looking forward to more.

Andrew

[LWilson212]

I too finally was persuaded to order a foam roller. I should get it this week.

I have been doing NROL for about a year and never really warmed up. I tried both the warm-ups (minus the foam rolling) before each of my workouts this weekend and was very happy with the results. The blah, I don't feel very energetic feeling went away before I got to my work sets and I lifted more weight.

[pdellorto]

I ordered "Maximum Strength" online and I'm waiting for my copy to arrive.

One question ahead of time - Does the book suggest alternatives for the prescribed exercises if you are lacking equipment? I saw Eric Cressey's blog post about non-rack alternatives, so I know the workout plan is replacement-friendly. But does the book suggest replacements if you lack certain kinds of gear - for example - my gym has no cable station or back extension/GHD, so those are generally out - or are you on your own to find replacements? I'm sure I can find my own (always do). Just want to know if it's in there before I get my copy and crack open the cover.

I'm looking forward to reading the book when it arrives. M2 and I/O were both excellent, and I've gotten some very useful knowledge from other Eric Cressey products as well. Sounds like I won't be disappointed.

Thanks,

Peter

[Deserve]

Originally Posted by LWilson212

I too finally was persuaded to order a foam roller. I should get it this week.

I have been doing NROL for about a year and never really warmed up. I tried both the warm-ups (minus the foam rolling) before each of my workouts this weekend and was very happy with the results. The blah, I don't feel very energetic feeling went away before I got to my work sets and I lifted more weight.

This program sold me on warming up. It was strange but I could actually see me getting better depth in the movements when I was stretching between sets.

I forget what phase that was in but it worked.

[Eric Cressey]

Originally Posted by pdellorto

I ordered "Maximum Strength" online and I'm waiting for my copy to arrive.

One question ahead of time - Does the book suggest alternatives for the prescribed exercises if you are lacking equipment? I saw Eric Cressey's blog post about non-rack alternatives, so I know the workout plan is replacement-friendly. But does the book suggest replacements if you lack certain kinds of gear - for example - my gym has no cable station or back extension/GHD, so those are generally out - or are you on your own to find replacements? I'm sure I can find my own (always do). Just want to know if it's in there before I get my copy and crack open the cover.

I'm looking forward to reading the book when it arrives. M2 and I/O were both excellent, and I've gotten some very useful knowledge from other Eric Cressey products as well. Sounds like I won't be disappointed.

Thanks,

Peter

Just make a list of the specific exercises you'd like to replace and I'll chime in right here.

[pdellorto]

Originally Posted by Eric Cressey

Just make a list of the specific exercises you'd like to replace and I'll chime in right here.

Thanks! I just got the book today, and I'm finishing up a workout cycle next week...so let me read it through and then I'll post.

As always, thanks. It's much appreciated.

[Mahler]

Okay, started today. I am duly impressed with the warmup.

First question. My summer is filled with Saturday activities that will put a Saturday workout in question. This week is one of them, since I will be traveling.

Can the 6 day protocol be crammed into 5 days, such as:
Mon - Lower Body
Tue - Upper Body
Wed - Energy Workout
Thu - Lower Body
Fri - Upper Body
Sat - Energy Workout (if possible when traveling, etc. )

[Lisa~]

Mahler, I'm excited that you're doing this program.

I am confident that Eric would say "of course" to your question. On weeks you don't travel, spread the lifting out into his day 1, 3, 5, 6 schedule; it gives you one more rest day between lifting days. But when you do travel, it's OK to adjust slightly for that week.

[Mahler]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

Mahler, I'm excited that you're doing this program.

I am confident that Eric would say "of course" to your question. On weeks you don't travel, spread the lifting out into his day 1, 3, 5, 6 schedule; it gives you one more rest day between lifting days. But when you do travel, it's OK to adjust slightly for that week.

Thanks, Lisa. I didn't want to get into a program that I couldn't complete effectively and this looks like a great one.

[EricLikesLifting]

For all the people that have been loving the foam rolling and mobility drills, I would recommend picking up Magnificent Mobility at some point if you haven't already. It's got the mobility drills from maximum strength, but they are performed by Eric and Mike with technique tips, common errors, etc. It's nice to be able to see somebody perform several repetitions of a mobility drill instead of seeing a picture with a description. Between the two, you can be assured that you are going to have effective warm ups before you start your workouts.

[mel]

We got the book a few days ago. My husband, Chris, has already started the program and I'm incorporating the warm ups into my current program. I can't say enough about the set up of the book and the program and how easy it is to use. We have mag mobility and used it well for a while until our fitness ADD kicked in. The way these select mobility exercises are fit into the overall program is really working well for both of us!

I can't wait to get started with the program!

mel

[pdellorto]

Eric - thanks for the offer on exercise subs. I'm going to have to pass for the moment.

It looks like I won't be able to do the Maximum Strength program; my schedule and upcoming job/location changes and a lack of certain gear is going to make it impossible. Doing a 4-day a week, 16-week program when you've got 2-3 days to hit the weights and might move to a different country in 8 weeks seems silly. I'll keep doing what I'm doing now.

But, I didn't buy the book expecting to use the program. I bought the book expecting to get a look at how Eric Cressey programs a 16-week program, with warmups, foam rolling, rep/set schemes, exercise selection, etc. For that alone it was worth my money.

- I'm going to try clusters, which I haven't yet.
- It's encouraged me to do more speed work, and heavier bands for my pull-aparts.
- I'm already deloading every 4th week, but now I have a better idea of what deloading looks like.
- I got to see how to incorporate changing lifts every 2 weeks in with a 4th week deload plan. It's simple but I didn't know how to do that before.
- I got two new mobility warmup layouts to try, which is good because as great as MM is, it didn't really tell you how to put it all together.
- the foam rolling section was excellent, it's gotten me to do it a bit more regularly than I had been before.
- the volume variations and exercise selection is really interesting, and although I knew from a former distance client of Eric Cressey's what a workout might look like, I've never seen the layout in this depth.

So I learned a lot, and it's positively affected my lifting even though I can't just go out and do the 16-week program. Like I said, I didn't buy it for the program per se. If I get a chance to do it, though, I'm going to, it looks really good. It was interesting to see how much my current approach mirrors the one in the book, and where it differs, and what I can do to improve my workouts. So I got a lot for my money (1,873 yen, I think).

I have two questions, though:

- What's a good substitute in the mobility warmups for Cradle Walks? Whenever I do them I end up (re-)injuring my right knee. It just doesn't want to go into that position without post-workout pain or sprains.

- The book doesn't seem to touch on warmup sets except for the 1RM approach on Packing Day and Moving Day. Are lifters expected to do warmup sets before all of the work sets in the routine, or just before the ME or explosive work at the top of the day's workout?

Thanks!

[Deserve]

Originally Posted by Mahler

Okay, started today. I am duly impressed with the warmup.

First question. My summer is filled with Saturday activities that will put a Saturday workout in question. This week is one of them, since I will be traveling.

Can the 6 day protocol be crammed into 5 days, such as:
Mon - Lower Body
Tue - Upper Body
Wed - Energy Workout
Thu - Lower Body
Fri - Upper Body
Sat - Energy Workout (if possible when traveling, etc. )

John. You of all people will love this program. I would honestly try and give yourself the rest and do the Saturday on Saturday. If you stick to the recommendations on the loads it will really tax you. I would try to do the Sat work out as recommended as much as possible allowing for a little slippage.

[jijin]

Originally Posted by Deserve

John. You of all people will love this program. I would honestly try and give yourself the rest and do the Saturday on Saturday. If you stick to the recommendations on the loads it will really tax you. I would try to do the Sat work out as recommended as much as possible allowing for a little slippage.

I'd like to chip in and say that MoTuThFr schedule with energy work on Wed and Sat is doable, ad EC okayed it in his Maximum Strength FAQ. However, I tried it on my first week do to havign to travel on Saturday. It was pretty tough having back to back ME-type days. I'm now back to MonWedFrSa, and it feels a lot better to have one day between ME-type days. I'll have to go back to MoTuThFr schedule if I have to work on the weekends, but otherwise, the schedule in the book works better for me in terms of recovery

[Mahler]

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