Customer Reviews

Super Strength Super Fast; Fun Faster Jump Higher: Eight-Week Exercise Guides for Sprinting, Jumping, and Developing Super Strength Through Explosive Weightlifting

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just got into this book that I first passed by. My gut feeling redirected me to picking this book up. The key workout features in this book have already shown results. Within one week of changing my workout just a little, I gained 25 pounds in my max bench. 250 was a wall for me for a few months. Within one week, I'm at 275 and climbing. I reccomend this book to anyone who wants to get stronger and doesn't mess with drugs. Thank you Mr McCrane, you've changed my life.

i've been a fitness coach for 25 years. i've written articles on exercise, sport, & periodization. my fitness programs have been featured in books, and magazine articles. my sport fit card for golf predated the brown university / ymca studies -- back when golf fitness was an oxymoron -- and sold well, worldwide. so, i'm not unfamiliar with fitness routines.

mccrane's super strength, super fast, is a cut-to-the-chase regimen that will force improvement in well conditioned athletes. with what is known about periodized training, that this sort of program isn't used regularly by strength, and power athletes seems to defy reason, but sometimes the obvious is overlooked. could it be expanded? sure, but yessis, hatfield, chu and others have already produced extensive volumes that are not necessarily any more useful.

while a bit shy of erudite, mccrane's treatment is honest and authentic. you're getting his step by step, nuts and bolts workout just as he'd describe it to you in the gym. this, from the guy who used it himself to accomplish rather remarkable feats -- training himself up to olympic qualification in a couple of months, and directing other elite athletes to break their own records.

the program is leg-centric, but with a little creativity, and suggestions from mccrane, himself -- he responds to emails -- you will be on your way to whole-body power.

one thing i'd add is that it is best for you to use "super strength, super fast" as a phase within a larger training plan that's geared toward power and quickness, or, you can simply use it to lift you off one of those inevitable, frustrating strength plateaus. that said, it's prudent to change any routine after two or three months, regardless...and you, as an experienced lifter / athlete already know that, right?

finally, at under $10, it's a bargain -- for less that what you would pay for a couple pints of ale, you will get a chance to win that next barroom bench press bet, and recoup your investment, to boot.

[personal experience: sure it's anecdotal, but just last week, after three weeks of doing the sequence of jumping drills recommended by mccrane i was given an opportunity to test it out. while trail running hills in southern california at the top of a berm i happened upon a roughly 3 foot diamondback rattlesnake. i was on top of it just as i saw it. the snake went from stretched out to coiled instantly, and in that span i was airborne, gliding well above the serpent even before i knew it, and went on my way without missing a beat. whew! neither my last year of training (very low intensity, save for the recent jumps & hops) nor my genetic makeup (i lack the high calf / high glute combo common of springy athletes) would have suggested that i would easily bound a couple feet into the air, as i ran up a hill, but, sure enough, happily, that was the result. mccrane's program? fight / flight / adrenaline? slow snake? i'll let you decide.]

While enhancing performance, this program takes away the mundane task of always doing the same exercises and seeing little progress. This book kick-starts your enthusiasm to see such results so quickly. You can even add these programs to your already existing routine. The book is simple, easy to follow and affordable.
Absolutely Awesome for any age!

Like many 'older' athletes, I was pessimistic about anything carrying the label "super". But after working out and carefully following McCrane's well thought out program, the results spoke for themselves, especially in my legs which are usually the first place us older guys lose strength. The increased strength was immediately apparent when I went skiing and then on the golf course. I'm not building bulk but I am building strength and that is exactly what the book says it would help me with. 'Super' job!

My 14 year old son who is on the track team has made substantial improvements on his time. He has also increased his weight lifting and continues to do so. The book has given him the passion to excel in athletics!

I used his 8 week program and my max Bench press increased by 40 lbs!

Maybe I should have read the description better, but this was a big disappointment. It really tells you nothing that you shouldn't already know.

I took issue with its lack of evidence and research. Saying things like "Add 200 pounds to your bench" kind of leaves me wondering. Jump higher by jumping off stairs? Anyone who knows anything about plyometrics can tell you that.

It tells you what to do, but leaves a lot unanswered.

I'd pass on a 30 page paper with no research, and focus on something a little more robust.

Though the book is a little small I still think the information in this book is very very good. Excellent in fact and I am lucky to have come across it and to have bought it a few months ago. I wish I could have had this information back in the 80's and 90's. I used to buy books back in the mid 80's to late 90's from companies like Atletika and from authorslike Fred Hatfield,Dr. Michael Yesis and many others. They had a lot of good information in them but nothing in detail and straight to the point was ever pointed out like this book. After all ,all these authors and Dr.'s throw so much fluff at you and there is so much that is good but really unnessecary if you think about it later, You want to get to what works and is proven fast or as fast as possible. I had some theories of how to increase power when I had time to lift weights and did pretty well but always knew deep down it could be done better and faster with the right training and this great little book hits it right on the head. I had this football training manual I ordered from Canada through Muscle and Fitness titled "Get Super Big in 6 Months" and it was the best workout I ever used to gain power and size. You can't find it anymore. Not anywhere or even on Amazon or on the net. This book reminds me a lot of that book except for the 2 different 12 week programs detailed out and of course the other section where you added in the plyometrics which is also a big plus when combined with weightlifting program. All I can say is that anyone who dismisses this book hasn't read enough on explosive power development. This could be called by some as "just the basics" or it can even be called by me "the nuts and bolts" from which to work with but I could just call it "power development 101" which I believe it is. Starting this late fall or winter I am taking time off from work enough to incorporate the principles from this book into my workout and see what happens after 8 weeks. I do recommend and respectfully ask though that Mr. Mcrane at least try to come up with another book based on these workout techniques into a full bench program and a squat program maybe with support muscle group exercises with the bench programs. Maybe a squat plyometrics based 8 week workout for sprinters. These are books or workouts I would definitely be purchasing if they were available. I saw the website and read where you have worked with guys that have made incredible gains in just weeks so I think it would be great if you could maybe come out with something to add to this very informative book. Thanks Mr. M and have a nice day. I highly recommend this book to athletes of any age.

I am sorry to say that this book doesn't add much to any existing literature. In addition, it is rather outdated in its approach to training for explosive sports. Moreover, it is poorly written as well as illustrated.
In fact, I cannot believe it was first published only a few years back. All in all, it has a strong seventies feel to it.