Reviews

This book is a fantastic read super informative with years of programming knowledge. Paul's approach to comfort zone expansion training is revolutionary. Looking forward to putting this information into practice and continuing to get stronger.

I have always been a fan of Paul and when I got a chance to know a bit more about his training philosophy, I jumped at it. As I was in India, it took some time for the book to reach me. Now that it has and I had some time to go through it, I am very pleased with the purchase. Not only is the book rich with information, but is also of a very high quality. I will put this approach to practice after the current cycle I am on and see how it goes. Based on everything I have read and seen across the internet, I expect great results.

I stayed up all night and read Paul McIlroys Book Perpetual Strength (twice ) it already looks well worn with ear tags all through it, marking spots to refer back to.
When it comes to programming, Paul is a mathematical genius. I've known this for a very long time, from coaching his Amazing 12 week physique program, being coached by him for multiple strength, performance and physique events as well as Endurance events that most would say that an athlete my size wouldn't be able to do at the level I completed them.
Plus I recently travelled to Ireland to learn from him again, in person at his newest workshop.

But this book lays out exactly what it claims... How to get stronger, for as long as possible, regardless of your age or present ability level.
Beginner through to advanced strength athletes have programs to take them to all new heights of performance and the recreational athletes, parents or beaten up gym rats have the blueprint for simple strength training whilst not living in the gym.
It's not going to be for everyone. Because, honestly, it looks "too simple" but after my recent stint following what I learnt in Ireland, I can attest to the fact that this "simple" is going to bring AMAZING results
If you love strength training you need this book in your collection.

I'll be 77 in 8 days, and I love the concepts and specifics provided by Paul McIlroy's new book, Perpetual Strength!

I've been working McIlroy's Deadlift program for the past few weeks, and have been using the same "Justa Singles" protocol for One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Side Presses as well. I've had wonderful results with the Justa Singles program in the past. I originally learned the Justa Singles protocol from Steve Justa's recommended book Rock, Iron, Steel, and then sometime later was reminded of this program in Pavel and Dan John's Easy Strength book, where McIlroy discussed his positive experiences with this protocol. I've already had many productive Justa Singles cycles, and this book encourages me to continue to use this approach, get back to using it for deadlifts (I was using it for only Kettlebell Presses), and extend it in the various ways suggested in Perpetual Strength.

I'm looking forward to working through Paul's various Power Grids over time, and learning how to really work his system. I've begun to use Power Grid 1 (as detailed for the Bench Presses) for dumbbell rows to strengthen my rhomboids, etc. I play Table Tennis and strengthening these muscles really helps to avoid/eliminate shoulder-blade pain.

I'm so grateful for Paul's wonderful info and program, and I feel like I can productively and progressively use this program for years to come!!!

I love the notion of Comfort Zone Expansion - makes great sense to me, and is consistent with so much that I've seen over the years (but which is so easily forgotten) - that training in the 70-80% 1RM zone is the most productive, long-term, and especially closer to the 70% level.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Paul and DragonDoor!

Paul's philosophy on programming is unlike anything I've seen. Expanding the comfort zone increases strength and muscular gains in a surprising fashion while avoiding nervous system burnout and excess joint stress. His methods have produced gains faster than any other training program I've used.

Highly recommended.

I've actually been putting off this review for a while now, because I wanted to do it proper justice. While other knowledgable authors are playing checkers, Paul is playing chess and is an unquestionable chess master. The book could be written as a text book, but it's too entertaining to label it that. With the progressions clearly laid out, it could be a field manual, but it's got to much info to be called that either. This is probably the most important book you ever read on the subject.

Adopting Paul's philosophy of "comfort zone expansion" has transformed my physique as well as my personal training business. I've used it to help national beauty pageant winners, and helped grammy award winning musicians prepare for the biggest stages. It gets quick results at the onset, and can transition to sustainable results for years on end. The holy grail of strength training.

One thing I had mentioned to someone the other day, is that I don't want to get old and reflect on how strong I "used to be". I want to look back and think "wow, how far I've come". This book, could be the most important book you ever read on the subject of strength...specifically getting strong year in and year out.

As a modern day professional performing strongman, people sometimes ask me what I plan to do when I get old. I tell them I plan on being strong and have no plans on slowing down anytime soon. Now I have the book and progressions to accompany me.

If you have this book, and the self discipline to stick to the program, picture where you'll be in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. You're going to get old either way, why not be stronger when you get there?

This is the first program I've stuck with in my 68 years. It works. The results are amazing. I bought multiple copies to share it with friends and family. I'll be doing this for the next 20 years.

Paul really explains his comfort zone expansion approach with tons of practical info to improve your strength and size! I've use the Justa Singles program in the past with great results so excited to try the Power Grids to work and get stronger without burning out! Great Job Paul thanks!

If you want to think about your training in the long term rather than 8-12 weeks then this book is for you. Total game changer.

Have given a lot of thought to this review. fFrst know that merely reading this book is a commitment. That's fine, it's worth it. It's well written and beautifully produced, though some flaws come along with the benefits. I'd like to speak of both here.

Let's start with the positives, since largely it's a damn good book and I'm glad I bought and read it. What Paul does that's strikingly unique is to cluster intensity-volume-density into a single LONG TERM process. Almost every other training book would have you treat these variables in series.

Paul provides a kind of parallel process for this, allowing a trainee, even advanced, to take a multi-years long approach to building strength. The programs at the end culminate the first 4/5ths of the book into this, as promised. It's a different way of working the numbers and I am going to try it. (His own strength reports are incredibly high, so every reason to believe he is walking the walk and legit.)

This somewhat quantum math he uses is fascinating and I think may address what has been a persistent problem for me and surely millions of other dedicated strength trainees (and train-ERS). That is: running into walls of exhaustion, loss of progress, and an overall demise in progress once you get to some reasonably good level of body development. At age 62 and wanting to keep moving forward for a long long time more this is especially relevant to me.

So that's all the good stuff. I probably should revisit this review in a year and see what effects his programming turns out to have, but I'm game to try.

What I find flawed in the book, and why I think it needs a V.2:

- There is really a great deal of personal stuff about growing up in N Ireland, and his personal journey through boxing, kettlebells, powerlifting meets, and such. I'm not opposed to reading this but there's no real take away and for $40 I just don't need all this. If it were 20 or so pages fine, but it's like 100+ pages of this. So the content is unbalanced.

- For a book titled Perpetual Strength, I think it's somewhat misleading to wind the book down to getting stronger in the 3 major powerlifting exercises. There is not a dip or a pull-up to be found. Not a kettlebell is swung. Zero cardio training mentioned. Really mostly nothing for the shoulder muscles / overhead lifts. Core training is minimally referenced to leg lifts.

I'd have really appreciated a more multi modal approach particularly because it's pretty apparent Paul knows quite a lot about these. (The important question I'm left with: if I want to improve my kettlebell snatch levels, how can I apply his system? I feel he sidestepped this.

- The meat and potatoes of the training programs come not until the last 50 or so pages. Thus isn't necessarily too short, but it's suddenly rather dense and has a series of power grid alternates that are either to be trained in series, or are they options..,it's ambiguous. And as mentioned these are strictly applied to the big 3 lifts. It's unclear how you would apply the metrics to accessory lifts. (There is some commentary on this but not much.)

- 2 more: the bench press technical advice is very good and in depth. I cannot say the same for the deadlift and squat chapters. The hi-bar vs lo-bar difference in squat is not just a preference, it is a totally different anatomical movement pattern. I don't think I have ever seen an advanced powerlifter use a high bar option. Your quads simply cannot do what your posterior chain muscles can. He makes it a choice based on shoulder comfort. I disagree.

The deadlift presentation is unfortunate. The set up shows the knees way past the bar. This would obstruct your rise. And in both cases there is little to no dive into the crucial bracing of the lumber/hip structure. But then again, in this program you're not going to be lifting gigantic weights to failure.


- Finally, a few numerical errors in the tables slipped by like 5% instead of 75%. Others too.