Aaron Horschig - Rebuilding Milo

First published in 2021 by Victory Belt Publishing Inc.

Copyright 2021 Aaron Horschig and Dr. Kevin Sonthana

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-1-628604-22-1

The information included in this book is for educational purposes only. It is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult their healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information in this book does not constitute a physician-patient relationship. The statements in this book have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, nor are they intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The author and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the information contained in this book.

Cover design by Eli San Juan

Interior design by Allan Santos and Charisse Reyes

Illustrations by Allan Santos

TC 0121

d_r0

For Christine

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely. E. O. Wilson

Aaron Horschig is a unicorn. He is that uncommon person who can simultaneously occupy the roles of user, teacher, and synthesizer. There is a trend today amongst the internet elite to do a lot of talking about problems without really ever having to live those problems on a daily basis. Dont get me wrong; not working in the trenches in real time is far easier. You can just talk about the world of others work in a critical way. You dont really have to produce anything original, problem-solve in real time, work within the context of crazy professional/high-performance environments, or show any of your own work. If you could create a photonegative of this kind of phenomenon, the image would be of Aaron.

This book you are holding isnt actually that remarkable an achievement for the man behind Squat University. Dont mistake me here. This book is remarkable both for its content and for the paradigm shift that it represents. It is, however, altogether typical of Aaron and his drive to share his considerable success in helping people untangle the complexities of their pain and movement problems.

Perhaps its the way our mentors and thought leaders engaged with us, or perhaps its because its the foundation of science, but Test, Retest, Share has been the mantra of every great thinker since the dawn of time. The E. O. Wilson quote is one of my favorites, but Dr. Wilson was always quick to point out that the ultimate goal of science was actually to improve the humanities. Think on that for a moment. Open your Instagram feed. Look at the educators who come up. Run their feeds through the filter that I use to try and make sense of what Im seeing. Does what Im seeing explain whats happening? Does it predict future movement behavior? Is the thinking reproducible and transferable? These are features of all good models. Good models arent social media thirst traps. They arent always that sexy, but they work. And they improve the lives of the people who use them.

If you look at the considerable amount of teaching Aaron has put into the world, you will see synthesis at its heart. This is a trait he shares with the entire crop of thought leaders who are driving the human movement train. Aaron was classically trained as a physical therapist, but he wears the mantle of a coach. This is his true superpower. He is a movement genius but trained as an expert in understanding the all-too-common problems of injury, pathology, and human durability. When Aaron teaches, he has one eye on going faster and heavier and one eye solidly on the problem of sustainability. Integrating these sometimes competing forces can require an iron stomach and a solid foundation in the complicated and always messy experience that constitutes any field that involves working with complex humans.

Dont be fooled by the casual way Aaron can spot the heart of a movement problem. Ultimately, no matter whats going on, you will be moving. Ergo, its a movement problem. Hes only going to be satisfied when he has fulfilled the last parts of both promises: share, and make sure you can see what he sees.

You are holding that promise in your hands. Test and retest it. Let us know what you find.

Kelly Starrett

Introduction

Behind many a legendary tale, there is a hidden lesson to be learned. Those who incorporate weight training with the goal of improving their physique, strength, or power should look to the story of Milo of Croton.

Milo was an ancient Greek Olympian and the poster child for athletic excellence in his time. Legend has it that at a young age, Milo started his strength journey by lifting a small calf and carrying it on his shoulders every day. As the calf grew over the years, so did Milos strength, until one day he was hoisting a full-grown bull! Although it is unlikely that he was able to lift a 1,500-pound bull, like any good story, the legend sprang from humble beginnings.

The 2,500-year-old story of how Milo built his heroic strength set forth the training principle that all athletes adhere to. That principle is now known as progressive overload. Within Milos story is the idea that hard work combined with consistency can lead to legendary feats of strength and awe-inspiring athletic performance.

Deep inside each and every one of us is an innate desire to become our own version of Milo. The idea of building incredible strength and meeting our physical goals is why so many of us push our bodies day in and day out. While at surface level the story of Milo may seem simple, the reality is that the process of building extraordinary strength is as much about grit, hard work, and determination as it is about science.

You see, our bodies adhere to a scientific code, a simple framework of rules governed by the laws of biology and physiology. The code is simple. To develop strength, you must strike a balance between stress and recovery. Every time you perform a set of squats, pick up a heavy deadlift, or press a barbell overhead, you place a stress on your body. The harder your training session, the more stress you accumulate. To progressively develop more and more strength, the demands of your training must not exceed the adaptive capabilities of your body. Therefore, training must be balanced with recovery for the body to adapt, rebuild itself, and gain strength. If you follow this code, the sky is the limit for athletic performance.

Sounds simple enough, right?

Not so fast.

In our pursuit of amassing strength, we all push the envelope. Our inner competitor drives us to complete one more rep, put 10 more pounds on the bar, and take one more attempt at setting a personal record on a lift. This kind of determination is vital if you want to excel as a strength athlete. However, it can just as quickly become a double-edged sword.

When we push our bodies to their physical limits and ignore the code, they eventually push back. I have never met a strength athlete who didnt have a nagging injury at some point in their career. Sometimes these injuries interfere with their training. When we push our bodies to the max and dont focus on sufficient recovery and/or lack ideal technique, injuries will occur. As fate would have it, in our quest to become our own version of Milo, we wind up falling short of our destination.