Eric Cressey - Maximum Strength

[rookie]

Well I posted in the Off Topic about adding a full body routine to my Crossfit workouts but think I may get this going instead and do some xfit on the weekends if I want. I have not read this entire thread so not sure what to expect but it seems a lot of you like it. I will it the bookstore this afternoon to see if I can find it.

[Bill2380]

I've got a full week in and like it very much.

[allenkt]

Originally Posted by rookie

Well I posted in the Off Topic about adding a full body routine to my Crossfit workouts but think I may get this going instead and do some xfit on the weekends if I want. I have not read this entire thread so not sure what to expect but it seems a lot of you like it. I will it the bookstore this afternoon to see if I can find it.

Maybe that's what I should have done as well. I ordered it from Amazon on the 8th and it STILL isn't here yet I was really looking forward to starting today (Monday) but now I'll have to find something else to do until the book gets here.

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by Doo

In order to fit my schedule, I have been doing Maximum Strength on M/Th/Fr/Su. However, I missed the upper body workout on Su. So, I was thinking of combining Phase 1/Week 2/Day 4 with Phase 1/Week 3/Day 1 tonight.

I could eat at 3PM, do lower body (Phase 1/Week 3/Day 1) first at 5:30PM, eat, wait 2 hours, and then do upper body (Phase 1/Week 2/Day 4). Alternatively, I could do pick exercises from both routines and do them as a workout.

What do you suggest?

That's an awful lot to do on one day. Week 3 starts the highest volume of this phase. I don't think I'd want to do that lower body workout while fatigued from an upper body workout earlier in the day.

I suggest you just do the Week 2/Day 4 workout tonight, and then begin Week 3's workouts the next day you can lift. IMO it's more important to be fresh for lifting, and increasing the recovery time occasionally is better than driving yourself in the ground with too little recovery time. Considering the fact that you're already using a 2-day on, 2-day off schedule (which shoves the workouts together more than originally intended), I suggest you spread them out instead. I know you just had two days off, but I still think you need to be fresh for that Week 3 lower body workout.

I'm not really sure what Eric would recommend, but that's what I think.

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by allenkt

Maybe that's what I should have done as well. I ordered it from Amazon on the 8th and it STILL isn't here yet I was really looking forward to starting today (Monday) but now I'll have to find something else to do until the book gets here.

How frustrating! Amazon usually ships pretty fast (at least in my experience). Have you tried to track it?

If it was me, I think I'd probably go to the gym and goof around today. I'd do all the stuff I like the most and none of the stuff I include because I know I should. Just have a fun day. Talk to people more than usual, take way too long rest breaks, , and generally have a good time. I love days like that in the gym. THEN, when the book gets here (hopefully tomorrow *insert fingers crossed smilie*) you can get serious and down to business.

[rookie]

Just picked it up at Border's for $18.95

[Doo]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

...I suggest you just do the Week 2/Day 4 workout tonight, and then begin Week 3's workouts the next day you can lift. IMO it's more important to be fresh for lifting, and increasing the recovery time occasionally is better than driving yourself in the ground with too little recovery time...

OK. I will only do Week 2/Day 4 today. I should be able to get back to M/W/F/Sa schedule next week so maybe I will do some light work when I return home Th and more light work on Sa and then start fresh with Week 3 next M.

[Mahler]

Okay, Eric. I am calling you out. You are officially a monster. I started Phase II today with the lower body workout with those evil clusters of front squats, followed by step-ups, glute ham raises and other assorted devilry. I used to think of you as a nice guy, but now I see the dark side of you. They may very well find me unconscious on the floor of my gym.

[maxattack]

I am finishing up phase two this week, (this is my back-off week), and I just noticed how much the volume increases in phase three...I can't wait to start it!

I have a question in regards to back-off weeks and cardio. I have been following the mesomorph plan with sprinting(HIIT) on Tuesday and regular cardio/technique practice on Thursday.
Eric or anybody else, Should I scale back my cardio during back-off weeks? I just don't want to overdo it and not be optimally recovered.

[maxattack]

Originally Posted by Mahler

Okay, Eric. I am calling you out. You are officially a monster. I started Phase II today with the lower body workout with those evil clusters of front squats, followed by step-ups, glute ham raises and other assorted devilry. I used to think of you as a nice guy, but now I see the dark side of you. They may very well find me unconscious on the floor of my gym.

Just wait until you get to Wednesday with pull-ups and incline presses supersetted.... with clusters

[rookie]

I started reading it last night. Good stuff Eric.
I suspect I will figure it out but am I going to have issues with not having a workout partner to spot. I assume not.

Oh and I have to ask.....

In the analogy you made to the Hemorhoid surgeons, how many times did you have to rewrite that first sentence to get the word analogy to be broken up at the end of the line to say anal - ology.

[Eric Cressey]

Originally Posted by maxattack

I am finishing up phase two this week, (this is my back-off week), and I just noticed how much the volume increases in phase three...I can't wait to start it!

I have a question in regards to back-off weeks and cardio. I have been following the mesomorph plan with sprinting(HIIT) on Tuesday and regular cardio/technique practice on Thursday.
Eric or anybody else, Should I scale back my cardio during back-off weeks? I just don't want to overdo it and not be optimally recovered.

I would just drop a few minutes off - particularly in the session early in the week. If you are really dragging, though, just skip the HIIT and go for a walk. Get some sunshine; Vitamin D is really good for you.

[Eric Cressey]

Originally Posted by rookie

I started reading it last night. Good stuff Eric.
I suspect I will figure it out but am I going to have issues with not having a workout partner to spot. I assume not.

Oh and I have to ask.....

In the analogy you made to the Hemorhoid surgeons, how many times did you have to rewrite that first sentence to get the word analogy to be broken up at the end of the line to say anal - ology.

Can't take too much credit for that one; Matt Fitzgerald (my co-author) did a lot of the "fill-in" writing while I provided all the expertise on programming, photos, expertise, etc. A lot of the content was based off phone interviews he did with me - but suffice it to say, we both wrote about 50%.

[rookie]

As I am looking through some of the lifts I am realizing that some of them I can not do. Like anything being off the pins. We do not have an adjustable squat rack. We have a rack with two permanent bars that are well below what parallel would be for me and we have two smith machines.
Is this a problem or am I making excuses?

[Bill2380]

I'm thinking like MacIver.....maybe boxes or work benches for the Anderson Squats. But, they're not 'till Phase 4, a long way off. Worst case, I'll just do front squats. How bad could that be?

[Lisa~]

Rookie, I think this will be such a good program for you. The only work off pins in phase 1 is the rack pull, and it's not that hard to find something to elevate the bar for rack pulls. You don't even have to substitute the exercise.

Just get started. When it's needed, we can help you work around your lack of equipment.

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by Bill2380