When returning to train with Murray for my second summer I was excited but nervous. I was coming off a serious knee injury, a torn meniscus, which required surgery and myself being on crutches for 7 weeks. The following months after I was off the crutches were spent in physiotherapy and attempting to regain an active lifestyle. By the time my first session with Murray came around my knee was still not at 100% and my overall health and fitness level were at a low. My training with Murray would go from April 16 to August 17, four times a week.
With Murray’s expertise and motivation I was quickly back at 100% and looking for more. My training consisted of intense cross-fit workouts using everything from gymnastic rings to tractor tires. These workouts produced immediate results in improving strength, cardiovascular conditioning, and fat loss. These were by far the best all around workouts I have ever participated in. On top of the cross-fit workouts Murray used a combination of one-rep max and high endurance lifts to improve my strength and explosiveness. Murray’s knowledge does not stop at weight lifting and training. He also instructed and monitored my daily nutrition and supplementation, as well as my sleeping patterns. With the combination of all these things my results by the end of the summer were dramatic. I was able to lift weights that at the start of the sessions I would have thought would be impossible for myself.
This is a look at some of my gains from the start of the summer to the end:
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- Start End
Bench Press 9@225 22@225
Squat 6@225 10@315
Clean 7@185 10@260
What impressed me was that although I put on 20 pounds during the training I did not have to sacrifice any speed or agility. In fact, it had improved along with my strength. At the start of the summer when I had asked Murray if I would have to trade being fast for being strong he simply replied, “Why can’t you be both?” When I left that summer for training camp I was in the best all around shape that I had ever been in. My knee injury had been forgotten and I was confident that I could physically match up with almost anyone on the field.
As much as I would like to take the credit for this, most of it must go to Murray. He is an exceptional trainer with a gift for motivation. You would be hard pressed to find a trainer with such a wide range of knowledge. For me to be in the shape I wanted it took an overall lifestyle change, Murray was able to instruct me in every aspect of this transition.
Tag Russell
Linebacker, University of Guelph
