Review: Eric Cressey's Max Strength

Lately I've decided to outsource my personal program design. I'm seeing the need to NOT do everything myself now that I've started the gym, bought a house, and still trying to attempt some type of social life....yeah right. But some where along the line I've seemed to run low on the time/energy I'm willing to program for my own workouts.

I read Eric Cressey's book Maximum Strength awhile back and enjoyed it. For the most part I tend to agree w/ Cressey's views on training. They're logical and the research and conclusions I've come to are along similar lines.

However, the book was published in 2008 and publishing and print take awhile. There are a few things I would've totally done in 08 that I wouldn't do today.

So, what did I change about MaxStrength? Basically I just changed it around to fit me better and leave out some stuff that I don't use in my programming anymore.

• Changed some core stuff (I don't use any lumbar flexion work)
  
  • No reverse crunches
  • No dragon fly's
• Added some plyometrics, sprinting and medicine ball work
• Increased the horizontal pulling volume (rows to be specific, especially unilateral cable rows)
• Increased psoas work
• Changed the bilateral jerks to unilateral
• Along w/ some of the post workout stretching

All in all though, I really think this book would be a great read for someone in their first 5 years of the lifting realm or that have never gotten out and seen what other coaches are doing w/ their programming.

Unfortunately too many people who work at gyms are outstanding at being dumb and don't continue their education past college (which doesn't teach you even close to enough), or they get sold on all the wrong stuff b/c they lack any type of critical thought process. Sad and pathetic. So hopefully they all pick up a book worth reading this year so they can stop wasting their clients time, $, and health.

Maximum Strength would be a great start.

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