Eric Cressey is one of the few people I keep in my circle of advisors. He’s been training, studying, lifting and writing with passion and enthusiasm that’s rare in this field. Cressey Performance is definitely a place to check out if you’re in the Massachusetts area. So if you missed part I of my interview with him, be sure to check it out here.
Now we’ll pick up the rest of his interview where Eric discusses his awesome new training manual, Show and Go, for a bigger, stronger, healthier body.
CW: I got a good laugh reading your statement in the introduction of Show and Go. You said, “This book is for people who give a sh*t.” Care to elaborate?
EC: I was actually pretty excited to be able to swear whenever I wanted; I guess that’s the beauty of self-publishing! Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ll share a little excerpt from the text that I think will answer the question:
““…you’ll find that the tone of this manual is much less conversational and entertaining, and much more “troubleshooting” and “do this and get diesel.” Fortunately, just as you’re more tolerant to cursing, you’re also more tolerant to training programs that will challenge, educate, and motivate you to all news levels of strength, performance, and health. My feeling is that you didn’t purchase this e-book to be entertained; you purchased it to get direction and results.
“In the program that follows, I can do a lot more in terms of exercise variety, at least within the confines of what “typical” gyms’ equipment selections allow. I can build more “on the fly” strength tests into the programs on top of the already-challenging loading protocols. I can include both 3- and 4-day-a-week training programs to accommodate your unique schedule. I can provide exercise alternatives if you lift somewhere that doesn’t have all the equipment you’d need to perform the program as-written. And, I can create an online video library to make it easier for you to see the exercises and learn some of the exact coaching cues we use with our athletes at Cressey Performance.
“Additionally, self-publishing affords me several luxuries; most notably, I have no restrictions on the length of the text. I can write as much or as little as I want – and basically do whatever is required to make the program exactly what I want it to be. Exercise descriptions aren’t limited to a certain number of sentences, and if I want to include seven exercises in a specific day’s session instead of six, for instance, it’s okay. I can also include ready-to-use templates that you can print out and take with you to the gym to record weights used, whereas traditional books are never conducive to this. Rather than do just one chapter on nutrition, I (thanks to the help of Brian St. Pierre) can have an entire supplemental product that could be an exhaustive resource in itself.
“And, on perhaps the most badass note, instead of just exercise photos for demonstrations, you’ll find an entire video library where you can view the proper technique for every single exercise in the Show and Go program. That’s about 175 exercises – which constitutes just enough on-camera time to qualify me for an Oscar in the “Best Performance by a Balding Meathead Strength Coach” category. Assuming an average of 12-15 seconds per video, you’ve essentially gotten yourself the equivalent of a 35-45 minute DVD on top of all this programming and my charming wit and personality.”
CW: Ha! Well said. So what kind of results can guys expect on this program? Is Show and Go for females, too?
EC: We put a big group of “guinea pigs” through the program with some outstanding results. It wasn’t uncommon to see increases of 80 pounds and more on the squat and deadlift, with improvements about half those amounts on bench pressing and chin-up totals (understandably smaller, given the smaller window of adaptation for upper body strength). We had people drop more than 25 pounds and 5% body fat while on the program, and we had scrawny guys who gained as much as 24 pounds in the four months. It came down to what their starting goals were, and how they attacked things nutritionally on the side. We even had many athletes who used this program in conjunction with their sports training – from endurance competitors to rugby players – with excellent improvements.
The cool thing is that literally every single one of these “guinea pigs” made a point of noting how much better they felt; they improved mobility and moved more fluently by the end of the program. This is a stark contrast to the aches and pains you normally see with programs geared toward performance improvements; the program not only improved performance and made people bigger, stronger, and leaner; it also helped set the stage for healthy future training.
It’s definitely a good fit for females looking to take things to the next level. We had several females go through the program with outstanding results – and in particular, we saw a lot of girls banging out a lot of chin-ups! Here’s a testimonial.
“My fiance, Mathew, and I completed Eric’s 16-week Show and Go program in June. We were both extremely pleased with our results. I increased my squat by 55lb, my deadlift by 33lb, my 3-rep maximum chin-up by 12lb, my bench press by 8lb and my standing jump by 7.5”- great results in just 16 weeks.
This is the first intensive strength program I have undertaken. The program will produce amazing results if you are completely committed, determined and motivated for the 16 weeks. I even managed to complete my training with international travel and demanding work pressures. Mathew was an ongoing source of support and this program highlighted the importance and value of a committed and motivated training partner.
As a female who up to three years ago focused their entire fitness regime on cardio, I highly recommend Eric’s program and his strength and conditioning expertise for maximizing strength gains and sculpting a lean physique.”
Cassandra Lees
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
CW: Thanks for the interview!
I give Show and Go my highest rating. It’s one of the most complete programs I’ve seen in years. If you’re ready to take your body to the next level, and fix a nagging joint or two, be sure to check out his program at $50 off HERE.
Stay Focused,
CW
