#675: Eric Cressey, Cressey Sports Performance — Tactical Deep Dive on Back Pain, Movement Diagnosis, Training Principles, Developing Mobility, Building Power, Fascial Manipulation, and Rules for Athletes

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Jun 1, 2023

Eric Cressey, President of Cressey Sports Performance and Director of Player Health for the Yankees, shares insights on tackling back pain and enhancing athletic performance. He emphasizes the importance of movement diagnosis and individualized assessments for pain management. Cressey discusses effective training principles, mobility, and power development, and addresses thoracic mobility to combat sedentary lifestyles. He also highlights the rising elbow injuries in youth baseball and advocates for comprehensive strategies to protect young athletes.

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ANECDOTE

Cressey's Shoulder Recovery

Eric Cressey's shoulder pain led to an undersurface cuff tear diagnosis and scheduled surgery.
Through self-rehab, ART, and training adjustments, he canceled the surgery after becoming pain-free.

INSIGHT

Movement Diagnosis Importance

Treat movement issues, not just medical diagnoses.
A movement diagnosis considers how you move relative to your symptoms.

ANECDOTE

Subluxating Ulnar Nerve

A young baseball player with elbow pain saw a general ortho; MRI was clean.
An elbow specialist diagnosed a subluxating ulnar nerve, requiring surgery for recovery.

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Decisive

How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work

Chip Heath

Dan Heath

In 'Decisive', Chip and Dan Heath address the critical topic of decision-making, highlighting the biases and irrationalities that disrupt our choices. The book introduces a four-step process—WRAP (Widen your options, Reality-test your assumptions, Attain distance before deciding, Prepare to be wrong)—designed to counteract these biases. Through engaging stories and practical tools, the Heaths provide strategies to stop agonizing over decisions, make group decisions without destructive politics, and ensure that valuable opportunities are not overlooked.

Anatomy Trains

Myofascial Meridians for Manual Therapists and Movement Professionals

Thomas W. Myers

This book provides a multi-dimensional understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy, focusing on the application of anatomy trains across various clinical assessment and treatment approaches. It demonstrates how painful problems in one area of the body can be linked to a 'silent' area elsewhere, leading to new treatment strategies. The fourth edition includes updated evidence-based research, new sections on Anatomy Trains in Motion using Pilates-evolved movement, myofascial meridians in horses and dogs, and an updated fascial compendium. It is an essential read for physical therapists, massage therapists, craniosacral therapists, yoga instructors, osteopaths, athletic and personal trainers, dance instructors, chiropractors, and acupuncturists.

The 4-Hour Chef

The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Chef', Tim Ferriss uses cooking as a vehicle to teach 'meta-learning', a step-by-step process for mastering any skill quickly. The book is divided into five sections: Meta-Learning, The Domestic, The Wild, The Scientist, and The Professional. It includes tips and stories from world-class chefs, athletes, and other experts, and focuses on overcoming common obstacles in learning and cooking. The book aims to make readers self-sufficient in the kitchen and in life, applying principles of failure points and margin of safety to ensure success.

The 4-Hour Body

An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Body,' Tim Ferriss shares the results of over a decade of self-experimentation and research, involving hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of personal testing. The book covers more than 50 topics, including how to lose weight quickly, gain muscle without steroids, sleep less and perform better, and improve sexual health. Ferriss emphasizes the importance of finding the smallest changes that produce the biggest results, making it accessible for readers to achieve significant improvements in their physical health and performance.

So Good They Can't Ignore You

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Cal Newport

In this book, Cal Newport challenges the conventional wisdom that following one's passion is the key to career happiness. Instead, he argues that passion often follows mastery and that developing valuable skills and expertise is essential for creating work you love. Newport presents four rules: Don't follow your passion, Be so good they can't ignore you, Turn down a promotion, and Think small, act big. He supports his arguments with case studies from various professionals who have found satisfaction in their careers through hard work and skill development.

Outlive

The Science and Art of Longevity

Peter Attia

Bill Gifford

In this book, Dr. Peter Attia draws on the latest science to deliver innovative nutritional interventions, techniques for optimizing exercise and sleep, and tools for addressing emotional and mental health. The book aims to replace the outdated medical framework with a personalized, proactive strategy for longevity, focusing on creating the best individual plan for long-term health. It covers topics such as the limitations of cholesterol tests, underdiagnosed liver conditions, the importance of exercise, and the integration of overall health with relational health.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes

Shirley Sahrmann

This book presents a classification system for mechanical pain syndromes, providing tools for physical therapists to identify movement imbalances, establish diagnoses, and develop corrective exercise prescriptions. It covers both evaluation processes and therapeutic treatments, offering detailed descriptions of exercises and case management strategies.

Upstream

The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen

Dan Heath

Upstream explores the psychological forces that push us into a cycle of response rather than prevention. Dan Heath introduces the concept of 'problem blindness' and highlights successes of thinkers who have overcome these obstacles by switching to an upstream mindset. Examples include an online travel website reducing customer service calls, a school district cutting dropout rates, a European nation reducing teenage substance abuse, and an EMS system improving response times. The book delivers practical solutions for preventing problems rather than reacting to them.

Built to Move

Kelly Starrett & Juliet Starrett

Kelly Starrett

Kelly Starrett's "Built to Move" is a comprehensive guide to improving movement and mobility. It emphasizes the importance of proper movement patterns and addresses common movement limitations. The book provides practical exercises and strategies for improving posture, flexibility, and overall physical function. Starrett's focus on functional movement and injury prevention makes it a valuable resource for athletes and individuals alike. The book's clear explanations and practical approach have made it a popular resource for those seeking to improve their movement quality and prevent injuries.

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Eric Cressey (@EricCressey), MA, CSCS, is president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance, with facilities in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and Hudson, Massachusetts. He has worked with clients from youth sports to the professional and Olympic ranks but is best known for his extensive work with baseball players; more than 100 professional players train at CSP each offseason. He also serves as Director of Player Health and Performance for the New York Yankees.

Eric double-majored in exercise science and sports and fitness management at the University of New England and then received his master’s degree in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science at the University of Connecticut. He has published books and video resources that have been sold in more than 60 countries. He regularly lectures both nationally and internationally, and his research has been published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. He serves as a consultant to New Balance, Proteus Motion, and Athletic Greens.

Eric has a free blog and a free newsletter on his website, EricCressey.com, and has a podcast at EliteBaseballPodcast.com.

Please enjoy!

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[06:08] The email responsible for this conversation.

[09:19] Why pinpointing the cause of lower back pain can be so challenging.

[20:22] Initial diagnosis through movement.

[22:59] How seemingly unrelated meds can exacerbate pain.

[24:38] Posture considerations.

[26:55] Addressing and correcting suboptimal patterns of movement.

[28:55] Resources for understanding movement screens.

[30:00] Ingredients that make up a lower back pain cocktail.

[34:42] Even with the greatest care, wear and tear over time is normal.

[40:19] Improving thoracic mobility.

[43:56] Conquering Quasimodo.

[45:14] Defusing deskbound damage.