LOVE THIS STRETCH!

I really just wanted to share this bit of info with you guys because as it has helped me, I think it will benefit you as well. Aside from stealing hugs and kisses from my beautiful niece and hanging out with the fam, this has been one of my most exciting and most lucrative things to do lately.  My body has thanked me big time.

I have been getting in anywhere between two and four extra stretching/recovery/regeneration sessions in per week at home with a heavy band, a lacrosse ball, a pvc pipe and a sweet wooden floor that allows for above average gliding skills during the SMR (self-myofascial release).

I cannot believe how healthy my joints, muscles and body feels after the last 3 weeks of these extra rejuvenation session.

I am thinking of filming some of these home office/training lab feel good sessions so be on the look out for some training footage of some serious damage control and heavy duty foam rolling without the foam.

The fun part about these sessions at home lately is I have been able to spend some quality time without interruption on a specific muscles and get the lax ball in there and than follow that up with a static stretch for that particular muscle group.  Many times I get sidetracked at when doing certain exercises at the gym.  Usually when I am squatting, benching or deadlifting people tend to let me be however when I am lounging on a foam roller or lacrosse ball I can get sidetracked by messages, questions, etc. So doing this type of workout at home for me is ideal because it has allowed the peace and quiet I am looking for in this type of recovery workout.  Some may actually benefit by coming to the gym to do this type of workout because that will give them the most peace and quiet and if that’s so than get you butt in and STRETCH!

The other thing I think that has been really effective and helpful during these at home stretch sessions is the choice of music I have been listening to.  This is not to say that it has not been a mixture however I have been stretching and foam rolling to music that feels relaxing and soulful at the time I start my home workout.  Sometimes it’s heavy music, some days its reggae, but most always it is something in my collection of tunes that has given me some really good experiences over the years and I can feel in my soul on that day.  This type of music selection has helped tremendously in relaxing and healing some muscle issues that I have been having.  Music is key and I think if you try this home workout you will feel exactly like I do which is refreshed and this feeling is priceless for many of us with such busy, hectic lives.

Lastly I think by adding in these home recovery sessions I have been able to spend more quality time playing and rolling around with my baby boys Harley & Titan. It is pretty neat being able to roll around and stretch while the boys are licking my face, wrestling each other, bullying me around.  They have really enjoyed having me down on the floor where they are like one of them.

Here is just a quick of the top of my head list of the exercises I do during these at home recovery sessions:

• Lax Ball SMR on calves, glutes, ITBand, hip flexors, hamstrings at certain spots, bottom of feet and anywhere that hurts
• Leg Swings both forward/backward and side to side
• Green Band 2 Way Hamstring Stretch
• 90/90 Hip Stretch on Floor
• 3 position Hip Flexor Stretch with Quad Stretch
• Side Lying Rib Pulls
• REPEAT Lax Ball SMR on rhomboids, lower/upper traps, rotators, delts, triceps, anywhere that hurts
• Green Band Shoulder Dislocators
• Standing No Money w/ Band
• YTWL’s
• Green Band Traction Stretches on each chest, shoulder and lat.
  

  THIS REALLY HURTS!

I have also included the following exercises if I felt good and need a good sweat and workout:

• Band Pull Aparts
• Single Leg Bridges
• Passive & Active Leg Lowering
• Scapular Pushups
• Close grip Pushups
• TRX Y-Raises
• TRX Rows
• One Arm KB Row (with various elbow positions)
• KB Swings
• KB Windmills
• Turkish Get Ups
• 1/2 Turkish Get Ups
• All Types of Planks

So if you are feeling beat up and run down than back off some heavy sessions and add in some regeneration sessions and you will feel WAY BETTER!

If you are not sure what some or any of these exercises above are than just post a comment or shoot us an email letting us know and I will be sure to put some fresh educational videos up for you guys.

Here is how it went:

Question #1 – Can you give us a little idea of what this product is about?

Sure thing.  It’s call Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel and Move Better.  I hesitate to call this a book, as it’s more of a “resource.”  Plus, it’s completely online.

In addition to the main manual – which features some background on the program, how it works, how to interpret the exercise recommendations, plus some frequently asked questions – we have four separate 4-week programs for a total of 16 weeks of training.  Taking it a step further, we have a password protected online database of over 175 exercises videoed – basically, everything in the program.

The program themselves are already inserted into the exact training templates we use with our clients at Cressey Performance, so people can just print them out and record everything they do during each session.  There are 4x/week and 3x/week training options – and a 2x/week training options available as one of the bonuses (ideal for in-season athletes and endurance athletes).  Within each of the 3x/week and 4x/week programs, there are five different supplemental metabolic conditioning options from which people can choose to help individualize the program to their goals.  Each phase has a unique full mobility warm-up.

In the main manual, there is an entire chapter (and corresponding video library) on exercise modifications for those who have limited equipment access (e.g., no squat rack or cables) and those who may have mobility issues that prevent them from performing a specific exercise (e.g., squatting deep).

Question #2 - How is it different from the other training products out there now?

Most products are written with a specific market – trainers, females, fat loss, or something else – in mind.  In the marketing world, they tell you to not try to be everything to everyone.  Well, I’m not a good marketer – so I decided to make this resource extremely versatile and a good fit for a LOT of people.

The reason is that there are a lot of things in a comprehensive strength and conditioning program that everybody needs to utilize.  From the minutia to the big picture, I could go on all day: foam rolling, mobility warm-ups, single-leg training, more horizontal pulling, fluctuation of training stress, sufficient deloading periods, extra posterior chain work, a balance of open- and closed-chain upper body pressing, glute activation, rotator cuff strength – the list goes on and on.

So, I guess you can say that the #1 thing that is different about this product is that there are easy-to-apply modifications in it that make it a versatile resource that offers something for everyone.  From the 2x/3x/4x per week training options to the supplement conditioning options, there are ways to make it the right fit for YOU.

And, the guy who created it is also extremely good looking, charming, witty, and charismatic!

Question #3 – Will I get fast results with this program or is more for long-term gains?

You’ll see some excellent improvements in body composition and performance in the 16 weeks, no doubt.  However, I think a key benefit that will be overlooked is that you’ll learn a lot about programming along the way, pick up a ton of new exercises you can use for the long haul, and get an appreciation for how to “tinker” with things for different goals.

Question #4 – Is this only for advanced trainers?

It is certainly geared more toward those with some resistance training under their belt, but that’s not to say that a beginner wouldn’t be able to apply this with great success if he/she simply is conservative with weight selection and really focused on perfect technique.

Question #5 – Will this program work for improving athletic performance?

Absolutely!  One guarantee that I’ll make is that everyone – even those utilizing this for fat loss – will get stronger along the way, and that’s going to carry over to athletics for sure.  That said, the exercise selections definitely have an “athletic flavor” to them, and by selecting the appropriate supplemental conditioning option, you’ll get even more carryover to athletic performance.

Question #6 – What if I don’t know how to do the exercises?

It’s no problem at all.  As I mentioned earlier, every single exercise included in the programs are featured in an online video database.  And, one of our bonuses is a “Quick Reference Guide” – which allows you to link directly to each video (listed alphabetically) from your computer, iPhone, or Blackberry – even if you’re at the gym and need to check between sets.

Question #7 – Is this program for a male or female or can it be performed by both?

I’m proud to say that we put quite a few females through the program with some great results.  They got a ton stronger and dropped body fat in the process.

One interesting observation: several of these females commented specifically on how much better they got at chin-ups.  Some went from  being unable to do a single rep to doing several – so this might have been an accidental specialization!

Question #8 – Will I have to think much or read a lot to understand how to use this program?

No.  In fact, I call it a “resource” because it’s a lot more “meat and potatoes” than it is me writing.  I’ve written mainstream books that require you to entertain readers a fair amount – and I really didn’t want to dilute this product in any way.  So, everything you read will be directly applicable to the task at hand.

Question #9 – Do I need to have a full gym or can I use this program at home?

Thanks to our exercise modifications chapter and video database, you’ll be able to quickly and easily plug in substitutions to make this program happen in a home gym (assuming you have a barbell and some dumbbells).

Question #10 – Can this program be used for fat-loss, too and I can use it to gain muscle and burn fat at the same time?

You can certainly use it for fat loss – and accelerate your results with the right supplemental conditioning option and nutritional component.  In terms of gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time, it really depends on your experience level (beginners can do so easier) and how hard you’re willing to work in the gym and the kitchen!

Question #11 – Anything else we need to know about the program?

Yes; accompanying the product are some pretty sweet bonuses:

1. Five Fantastic Finishers, by Tony Gentilcore – Tony pulled together some crazy innovative add-ons for the end of training sessions to keep things interesting.

2. The Top Five Glute Exercises, by Bret Contreras – Bret offers some forward-thinking lower-body exercises in light of some detailed research he’s done.

3. Innovative Soft Tissue Strategies for Health and Performance, by Chris Howard – Chris is the massage therapist at Cressey Performance, and in this write-up (which is accompanied by several videos) he details some new strategies you can use for self-myofascial release (in addition to the foam rolling techniques I teach you in the main manual).

4. The Show and Go Quick Exercise Reference Guide, by Eric Cressey – As I noted, this is a collection of links that go directly to every exercise in the program so that people can quickly refer to it when they’re at the gym and using an iPhone or Blackberry to get an exercise technique refresher.

5. 2x/week Show and Go Training Programs, by Eric Cressey – This is available for all four phases, and these are perfect for in-season athletes and endurance athletes.

The product will be available for sale at midnight on Monday, September 20 at the introductory price of $77 – which is a big discount off of the price of $127 we’ll charge for it after the launch period ends on Friday the 24^th at midnight.  So, you’ll want to get in on the action sooner than later.

Thanks for having me, Mike!

His product goes on sale tuesday September 21st.  You can check it out HERE.

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