Maximum Strength by Eric Cressey

One of my biggest influences when it comes to strength training is Eric Cressey. Years ago, his articles helped me fix my back & shoulder injuries by pointing me out to the importance of posture, mobility & balanced training programs.

April this year I heard Cressey had a book coming up: Maximum Strength. I was familiar with his other products like Magnificent Mobility DVD, so I pre-ordered Maximum Strength without hesitation. Here’s the review.

Who’s Eric Cressey? Eric Cressey, MS, CSCS is a strength coach and owner of Cressey Performance in Boston, MA. He’s also a competitive powerlifter: 400lbs Bench Press, 500lbs Squat and 650lbs Deadlift in the 180lbs category.

Cressey works with athletes of all kind, but mostly baseball athletes. They call him the “shoulder guy” or the “mobility guy” because he can not only get you stronger, he can also make you lift pain- and injury-free again.

Maximum Strength. Tagline reads “Get your strongest body in 16 weeks with the ultimate weight-training program”. Maximum Strength counts 12 chapters, 190 photos & 227 pages. Table of contents:

• Foreword by Dr. John Berardi (from Precision Nutrition)
• Introduction
• 1. Why Stronger is Better
• 2. Building Strength
• 3. Maximum Strength Program Overview
• 4. What to Expect
• 5. Maximum Strength Warm-ups
• 6. Phase 1: Foundation
• 7. Phase 2: Build
• 8. Phase 3: Growth
• 9. Phase 4: Peak
• 10. Nutrition for Maximum Strength
• 11. The Muscle Between Your Ears
• 12. Maximum Strength for Life

Introduction. Maximum Strength starts with Eric Cressey’s background. How he got into weight lifting doing bodybuilding routines before switching to strength training, and the changes in physique & mindset which occurred.

His point: always train for strength instead of size, even if size is your goal. Get stronger to build muscle, lose fat and live healthier. If you’re a regular reader of StrongLifts.com, this will sound familiar.

1. Why Stronger Is Better. In the 1st chapter Eric Cressey compares strength training with bodybuilding. You get 6 reasons to train for strength instead of for size, even if size is your goal.

• Why strength training is more time-efficient
• Why strength training is more useful in the real world
• Why strength training is more motivating
• Why strength training is a faster way to build muscle
• Why strength training is a better way to build self-confidence

2. Building Strength. The 2nd chapter further compares training for strength vs training for size. You get a lot of theory, but Cressey manages to explain things in layman’s terms. Some things you’ll learn inside chapter 2:

• How does strength training differ from bodybuilding in terms of training?
• The dense vs. pump look: how does your training affect your physique?
• What makes muscle grow? What makes muscle strong?
• The different methods you can use to build strength

Maximum Strength: phase I program overview

3. Maximum Strength Program Overview. Maximum Strength starts with a strength test on the Box Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, Chin-up and Broad Jump. 16 weeks later you’ll end the program by doing the same test & compare.

• 4 Day Routine. Monday & Friday lower-body, Wednesday & Saturday upper-body. Each day starts with soft tissue work & mobility exercises. The workload varies from week to week: high, medium, very high, low.
• Cardio. HIIT, slow-and-steady or light-intensity exercises. Cressey explains which one you should do based on your bodytype and how.
• 4 phases. Each phase lasts 4 weeks. Phase 1 accustoms you to heavy weights. Phase 2 includes cluster training. Phase 3 increases muscle size. And phase 4 has you lift loads above 90% 1RM for single-rep sets.

Chapter 3 ends with information on what equipment you need to do Maximum Strength: Squat Rack, barbells, dumbbells, pull-up bar, bench, foam roller, …

4. What to Expect. Chapter 4 answers how much stronger Maximum Strength will get you in 16 weeks. Cressey gives you results of his past clients. This is a strength training program, so the results aren’t surprising:

• Increased Strength. Chris Paul, 31, increased his Deadlift from 385lbs to 435lbs, Box Squat 315lbs to 395lbs & Bench Press 265lbs to 295lbs.
• Increase Muscle Mass. Majority of people doing Maximum Strength gain about 7lbs muscle. Not body-weight, muscle.
• Lowered Body Fat. Ryan Gleason, 24, dropped from 244lbs to 237lbs. Body fat went from 23% to 19% while he increased his strength.
• Improved Posture & Mobility. This is thanks to the soft tissue work, mobility exercises and exercise choice. Expect old injuries to disappear.

Maximum Strength: Soft Tissue Work

5. Maximum Strength Warm-ups. Each Maximum Strength session starts with a 10-15min warm-up which consists of soft tissue work and mobility exercises. Chapter 5 starts with the benefits of both.

• Soft Tissue Work. How to do soft tissue work for 10 different muscles using the foam roller/tennis ball. Pictures & instructions included.
• +20 Mobility Exercises. Static stretches, glute activation, hip mobility, ankle mobility, shoulder-blades, … Always with pictures and technique.
• 2 Warm-up Routines. Cressey put the exercises together for you into 2 routines. Alternate between both each session.

Maximum Strength: Mobility Exercises

6-9. The 4 Phases. Chapter 6-9 of Maximum Strength counts 100 pages. Every chapter consists of training schedule and cardio recommendations for each of the 4 phases. Technique is explained using text & pictures for 84 exercises.

• Squat. Box Squat, Front Squat, Anderson Front Squat, …
• Bench Press. Close Grip Bench Press, Floor Press, Pin Press, …
• Deadlift. Rack Pulls, Snatch Grip Deadlifts, Suitcase Deadlifts, …
• Rows. 1-arm Db Row, Chest Supported Row, Inverted Rows, …
• Abs. Pallof Press, Bar Rollouts, Side Bridges, Reverse Crunches, …
• Biceps. Zottman Curls, Db Hammer Curls (Get the book to know why).
• Single Leg Work. Bulgarian Squats, Walking Db Lunges, 1-leg Squats, …
• and much, much more

Maximum Strength: Sumo Deadlift & Barbell Reverse Lunge with Front-Squat Grip

10. Nutrition for Maximum Strength. Chapter 10 is about nutrition. Cressey recommends you to follow the guidelines from Precision Nutrition when doing the Maximum Strength program.

• 10 Eating Habits. These come straight form John Berardi’s Precision Nutrition program. Eat every 3 hours, eat protein with each meal, etc
• Example Meal Plans. One meal plan in case you train in the morning, another if you train in the evening.
• Supplements. 4 supplements you can consider with Maximum Strength, and 5 you should absolutely avoid.

11. The Muscle Between Your Ears. Eric Cressey holds several state, national and world records in power lifting. Chapter 11 of Maximum Strength shares his views on building the right mindset for weight lifting.

• 5 tips to get in The Zone
• What to think about during a lift
• Your training environment: training partners, gym atmosphere, …
• How to deal with setbacks: lack of motivation, fatigue, injuries, …

12. Maximum Strength for Life. Maximum Strength takes 16 weeks. In the last chapter Eric Cressey gives you 10 tips you can apply after you’ve finished his program. Some of these tips include:

• Why you should always set quantifiable goals
• Why you should pull more than you push
• Why you should do single-leg work

What I Liked About Maximum Strength. Maximum Strength is one of the best books I’ve read so far in 2008. I picked up several things to apply to my own training, and those of the ones I train. What I liked most:

• Exercise Technique. Maximum Strength teaches you correct technique for about 100 exercises. A lot of these are not in Starting Strength.
• Soft Tissue Work. Maximum Strength is the first book I know of that explains how to use foam rollers/tennis balls for soft tissue work.
• +20 Mobility Exercises. Half come straight out of Magnificent Mobility & Inside/out DVDs. Some exercises like the Split-stance Broomstick Pec Mobilization were new to me, but already favorites.
• The Routine. Variety, focus on injury prevention and great choice of exercises: Anderson Front Squats, single leg work, external rotations, …

What I Didn’t Like About Maximum Strength. There should have been a test to see if you’re ready for this routine. Maximum Strength isn’t for beginners. If you can’t Squat 1.5x your body-weight for 1 rep, build some base strength first.

However as a beginner you could start with the soft tissue work & mobility exercises. Especially if you have nagging pains or lack flexibility. The nutrition & mindset chapters also provide good information you could use as a beginner.

How to Order Maximum Strength. There are 2 ways you can get Eric Cressey’s book. Either through Amazon at 12,95$ or through Eric Cressey at 18,95$. Why the difference? Because Amazon has a huge volume.

For you it’s more interesting to get it through Amazon: it’s cheaper. However, Eric hardly makes a nickle on his book that way. So I arranged a special deal with him that’s interesting for both you & him.

Special Offer for StrongLifts.com Readers. Here’s what you’ll get when you buy Maximum Strength through Eric Cressey instead of through Amazon.com:

• 10$ Coupon. 1x 10$ off coupon for Magnificent Mobility, The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual or Building The Efficient Athlete.

This offer is valid for 60 days, that’s until July 30th 2008. Mention “Mehdi” in the comment box when you order Maximum Strength and you’ll get a 10$ off coupon for the product of your choice.

Click here to order Maximum Strength for 18,95$.

Build Muscle. Image: Ron Fedkiw.

The biggest mistake when building muscle is imitating Pro Bodybuilders. Most of them don’t train naturally, are genetically gifted and never started training that way. Doing their routines won’t make you build muscle fast.

The average person needs a different approach. One that builds muscle fast and prevents physical & mental overtraining from doing too much, too soon. Here’s how to build muscle: the definitive guide to building muscle.

1. Get Stronger. More strength is more muscle. Get into strength training. I recommend weight lifting because it allows you to start light and add weight endlessly. Body-weight exercises work too.

• Weight Lifting. Start with an empty bar. Learn proper technique. Add weight each workout to keep pushing your body out of comfort zone.
• Calisthenics . Push-ups, Pull-ups, Dips, Pistols, Reverse Crunches, etc. Switch to harder versions or add weight when they get easy.

2. Use Free Weights. You can lift the heaviest weights using barbells. More weight is more stress, thus more muscle. Dumbbells are great for assistance exercises, but not for your main lifts. Stay away from machines.

• Safe. Machines force you into fixed, unnatural movement patterns which can cause injuries. Free weights replicate natural motions.
• Efficient. Free weights force you to control and balance the weight. This builds more muscle than machines, which balance the weight for you.
• Functional. Strength built on machines doesn’t transfer to free weights or real life. No machine balances the weight for you in real life.
• Versatile. You can do hundreds of exercises with just 1 barbell. Saves a lot of money and space, especially if you want to build a home gym.

3. Do Compound Exercises. Don’t imitate Pro Bodybuilders. Isolation exercises are ok once you’ve built base strength & muscle mass. But if you’re starting to build muscle, exercises that hit several muscles at the same time are better.

• No endless Biceps Curls -> Pull-ups, Chin-ups & Barbell Rows
• Also no Triceps Kickbacks -> Bench Press, Overhead Press, Dips
• And definitely no Leg Extensions -> Squats & Deadlifts

4. Train Your Legs. Squats work your whole body, they’re the most important exercise. You’ll look totally different once you can Squat 1.5x your body-weight. That’s a free weight Squat with hips coming lower than knees.

All your muscles tense when doing Squats & Deadlifts. They work your body as 1 piece and let you lift heavy weights. Don’t lose time with Biceps Curls. When you can Squat & Deadlift heavy weights, you’ll have bigger arms.

5. Do Full Body Workouts. Don’t compare to Pro Bodybuilders. 3rd time so this gets into you. Body part splits with isolation exercises is fine once you’ve built a foundation. That’s once you can Squat 1.5x your body-weight.

You can’t Squat that much or never did Squats? Check StrongLifts 5×5. It takes 3×45mins/week and includes compound exercises like Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Barbell Rows, Overhead Press, Pull-ups, Dips, etc.

6 Get Recovery. Pro athletes workout 5-6 times per week. But they didn’t start that way. They added workouts as they got stronger & bigger. You’ll overtrain if you jump into their routines. As a beginner you need more recovery.

• Rest. Muscles grow when you rest, not when you workout. Start with 3 full body workouts per week and focus on intensity, not gym time.
• Sleep. Growth hormone releases when you sleep, building muscle. Aim for 8 hours sleep. Nap post workout if your lifestyle allows.
• Drink Water. Avoids dehydration and helps muscle recovery. Drink 2 cups water with each meal, and sip water during your workout.
• Eat. “Eat like a horse. Sleep like a baby. Grow like a weed”. Your training is useless if you don’t eat plenty of whole foods. More below.

7. Eat Whole Foods. You’ll achieve a lower body fat, so the muscles you’ve built show better. And the vitamin & mineral content helps recovery. Stop eating food coming from a box. Eat whole foods 90% of the time.

• Proteins. Meat, poultry, fish, whey, eggs, milk, …
• Carbs. Brown rice, oats, whole grain pasta, quinoa, …
• Veggies. Spinach, broccoli, tomato, salad, carrot, …
• Fruits. Banana, orange, apple, pineapple, peers, …
• Fats. Olive oil, fish oil, real butter, nuts, flax seeds, …

8. Eat More. You need food for energy and for muscle growth & recovery. More frequent meals also boosts your metabolism, helping fat loss.

• Eat Breakfast. Get calories from the first hour. Read how to build the habit of eating breakfast. Try these 7 breakfast recipes.
• Eat Post Workout. Get proteins & carbs post workout to help muscle recovery & replenish energy stores. Try this post workout shake.
• Eat Every 3 Hours. 6 meals/day. Gives your muscles a steady intake of protein, speeds up muscle repair & recovery, boosts your metabolism.
• Eat BW in lbs x 18kcal. Track your daily calorie intake using FitDay. You need at least your body-weight in lbs x 18kcal to maintain weight.

9. Gain Weight. You’ll never look muscular weighing 140lbs at 6″. No matter how much training you do. Check the guide on how to gain weight for skinny guys. Here’s the most important part.

• Eat Calorie Dense Foods. 100g raw spinach is 25kcals. But 100g raw rice is 380kcals. Eat pasta, oats, olive oil, mixed nuts, etc.
• Get Stronger. Increase your Squat to 1.5x your body-weight for at least 1 rep. Deadlift 2x BW for at least 1 rep. More strength is more muscle.
• Drink Whole Milk. If you don’t bother gaining some fat, drink 1 gallon whole milk daily on top of your current food intake. You can gain 25lbs in 1 month if you combine this with 3 weekly Squat sessions.

10. Get Protein. Proteins have the highest thermic effect. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight daily to build & maintain muscle. That’s 160g of daily protein if you weigh 160lbs/72kg. Eat whole proteins with each meal.

• Red Meat. Ground round, steaks, deer, buffalo, …
• Poultry. Chicken breast, whole chicken, turkey, duck, …
• Fish. Tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, …
• Eggs. Eat the yolk, it’s full of vitamins.
• Dairy. Milk, cottage cheese, quark cheese, yogurt, whey, …

If you weigh 160lbs: 1 can of tuna at lunch, 300g quark as snack, 300g meat at dinner and 500ml milk through the day gets you 160g protein. Read also how to get your daily protein when you’re a vegeterian/vegan.

Persist. Get stronger, track progress and persist until you’ve built the muscles you want. You’ll see the biggest change in physique after following this method for 2 months. For a free muscle building guide, get StrongLifts 5×5 FREE eBook.