#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 Athl

Brought to you by Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, AeroPress 3-in-1 coffee press for delicious brews, and Athletic Greens’s AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement. 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! * This episode is brought to you by AeroPress! If you haven’t tried coffee made with an AeroPress, you’re in for a treat. With more than 45,000 five-star reviews and customers in more than 60 countries, it might be the highest-rated coffee maker on the planet. This press uses a patented 3-in-1 technology that combines the best of several brew methods into one, easy-to-use, very portable device. Because it combines the best of 3 methods, you get a cup that is full bodied, like a French press; smooth and complex, like when using the pour-over method; and rich in flavor like espresso. As I wrote in The 4-Hour Chef: “This is now, bar none, my favorite brewing method.” And now, exclusively for you, get free shipping and 15% off the new Crystal Clear AeroPress at AeroPress.com/Tim. * This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG1 further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.  Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and 5 free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product. * This episode is also brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature. Go to EightSleep.com/Tim and save $300 on the Eight Sleep Pod Cover through June 6th. Eight Sleep currently ships within the USA, Canada, the UK, select countries in the EU, and Australia. * [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. [48:25] Practical exercises. [53:37] Shocking controversies surrounding fascial manipulation. [1:02:18] Role of the glutes. [1:04:02] Strengthening the posterior chain. [1:06:06] Power and strength vs. aging. [1:08:57] Recommended reading. [1:12:21] Medical diagnosis vs. movement diagnosis. [1:24:53] How to ask the right questions when seeking treatment. [1:34:00] Overrated exercises? [1:35:39] What a movement diagnosis will look like for me. [1:36:23] Infrasternal angle. [1:39:06] Age and injury predisposition. [1:41:58] “Get long, get strong, train hard.” [1:45:34] The downstream effects of orthopedic interventions. [1:48:21] Creating bulletproof athletes. [1:52:42] Worst advice given often. [1:55:29] What has Eric recently changed his mind about? [2:00:06] Important upstream variables. [2:02:38] Good stiffness. (Oh, behave!) [2:04:49] Vetting reliable sources of information. [2:11:39] How Brijesh Patel changed Eric’s career perspective and other parting thoughts. * For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast. For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday. For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts. Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books. 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