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Every Day Is Game Day: Train Like the Pros With a No-Holds-Barred Exercise and Nutrition Plan for Peak Performance by Mark Verstegen Peter Williams
Noted sports performance expert and bestselling author of Core Performance, Verstegen reveals the training program he uses with elite athletes and U.S. Special Operations Forces. As founder and president of Athletes Performance, Mark Verstegen has trained the world’s top athletes in sports including the NFL, Major League Baseball, and worldwide soccer powers, along with the most elite “tactical athletes”—U.S. Special Operations Forces personnel. More than a decade ago, Verstegen’s groundbreaking book Core Performance revolutionized the fitness industry and made core conditioning and functional training mainstream. In his new book, Verstegen presents his most hardcore program a demanding system that challenges readers to perform at the highest level. Borrowing heavily from his regimens used by the military and NFL-combine hopefuls, Verstegen breaks the system down into tough but easy-to-follow workouts that help readers become faster, more explosive, and more powerful while moving with greater efficiency and with far less potential for injury. If you’ve ever wanted to perform like the top sports champions or elite fighting forces, this is the book for you.
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First published December 2, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 10, 2014
As an athlete, I'm obviously very interested in what it takes to achieve elite performance. In all the unnecessary time I spend on the internet, I found out about this book and its author: Mark Verstegen is the Director of Performance for the NFL Player's Association and his combine prep training has produced the number 1 draft pick in the NFL for the past 6 years. What really sold me as a rugby player is that he trained Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe of Argentina, one of my favorite loose forwards. Needless to say, I eagerly awaited the arrival of this book.
This book does many things right. The first sentence, in all caps, says "YOUR BEST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH". From the first page, I knew that I'd enjoy this book. While I feel that nutrition was the weak part of the text, the rest of it will serve me well in my training. The best part of this book is probably the programming, I've seen many of the concepts that he discusses before but have had trouble implementing them in a structured way. The Movement Skills section and sections on mobility and flexibility are undoubtedly highlights. As a college kid, it's always useful to be reminded to set a consistent sleep schedule.
For someone so qualified, Verstegen makes practically no reference to the scientific literature. For example, in the nutrition section, he recommends 6 meals a day to boost metabolism, when this has never been shown to be more effective than 3 meals a day. Furthermore, I'm suspicious of his claims that the color of a fruit or vegetable dictate its functions in the body. Overall, I think nutrition is the weakest section, but there are still certainly practicable and helpful tips. He also makes reference to some pseudoscience, such as when he talks about reflexology and its effects on movement and recovery. The body of the book is only 134 pages long, which is disappointingly short. I would have liked to see a more in depth, technical analysis of the mechanisms at work in the adaptations that his training drives, so the reader has more scope for customization. Smaller niggles: The table of contents has only 4 topics, but these are subdivided in the text itself, making reference a little bit more difficult. At least there is an index.
PROS:
A lot of common sense advice that we athletes must often be reminded of
useful recommendations for programming that integrates the different aspects of athleticism
Sections focusing on recovery, nutrition, and mobility/flexibility, which are often neglected
simple, concise
CONS:
Perhaps oversimplified, lacks reference to scientific literature. Could be more rigorous.
Short, could be more detailed
Could be better structured for reference
This book does many things right. The first sentence, in all caps, says "YOUR BEST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH". From the first page, I knew that I'd enjoy this book. While I feel that nutrition was the weak part of the text, the rest of it will serve me well in my training. The best part of this book is probably the programming, I've seen many of the concepts that he discusses before but have had trouble implementing them in a structured way. The Movement Skills section and sections on mobility and flexibility are undoubtedly highlights. As a college kid, it's always useful to be reminded to set a consistent sleep schedule.
For someone so qualified, Verstegen makes practically no reference to the scientific literature. For example, in the nutrition section, he recommends 6 meals a day to boost metabolism, when this has never been shown to be more effective than 3 meals a day. Furthermore, I'm suspicious of his claims that the color of a fruit or vegetable dictate its functions in the body. Overall, I think nutrition is the weakest section, but there are still certainly practicable and helpful tips. He also makes reference to some pseudoscience, such as when he talks about reflexology and its effects on movement and recovery. The body of the book is only 134 pages long, which is disappointingly short. I would have liked to see a more in depth, technical analysis of the mechanisms at work in the adaptations that his training drives, so the reader has more scope for customization. Smaller niggles: The table of contents has only 4 topics, but these are subdivided in the text itself, making reference a little bit more difficult. At least there is an index.
PROS:
A lot of common sense advice that we athletes must often be reminded of
useful recommendations for programming that integrates the different aspects of athleticism
Sections focusing on recovery, nutrition, and mobility/flexibility, which are often neglected
simple, concise
CONS:
Perhaps oversimplified, lacks reference to scientific literature. Could be more rigorous.
Short, could be more detailed
Could be better structured for reference
March 9, 2019
Verstegen introduced the importance of core training with his book Core Performance and has since built the brand EXOS around those early ideas. His methods are very functional, with his primary audience being professional athletes and covers topics such as pillar and movement prep, sleep, recovery, and regeneration. A good resource but not ideal for the everyday layman and gym goer or one that is not training for sports specificity.
More on physical preparedness at www.outworkinc.com
r/Onward
More on physical preparedness at www.outworkinc.com
r/Onward
August 19, 2017
Best suited for elite performers who want to take their athleticism to the highest level, “Every Day Is Game Day,” is the philosophy of world-class strength and conditioning coach, Mark Verstegen. Best known for his work with hundreds of National Football League players, he was also behind the scenes improving the skills of the German Men’s Soccer team, who won the World Cup in 2014. The U.S. Department of Defense also trusts him to shape-up their most highly touted strongmen, Special Operations. The philosophy deals with the daily requirements, some might say sacrifices, that must be met in order to be the best version of yourself. My list included afternoon naps, breathing practices, drinking less, strengthening my core more, and creating an “IT” statement. I had a weakness in all four “pillars” that must be mastered to be elite: Recovery, Mindset, Movement, and Nutrition.
Probably the least practiced of the four pillars, but perhaps the most beneficial to anyone who reads this book, is the Mindset section. This is where you will develop your IT statement. An IT statement is five words or less and it is your “purpose.” These are the words used to govern all your behavior when you are not training. My IT statement is: “Spiritual Confidence leads to Freedom.” I developed my statement by choosing the 10 words that meant the most to me from each of the nine following categories: physical performance, health, emotional well-being, pain, relationships, work performance, appearance, energy, and challenge, and then I narrowed the list down to my top three. The top three were then arranged to create a story about being my best self. Whenever I feel frustrated, bogged down, or in the least bit defeated, I think of my IT statement. Remember, “Training for an hour a day is the easy part. The challenge is living a high performance lifestyle the other twenty-three.” An IT statement can help you do just that. Remember, mindset is what keeps you exercising so it is just as important as nutrition and practicing the right exercises.
Nutrition was the second pillar discussed and this section of the book had the least to offer. I understand it is an obligatory part of any fitness book, but how many times have we heard: eat breakfast, hydrate, eat clean and eat often. Fruits and veggies are good for you. Check the labels of all supplements, avoid caffeine and eat these “superfoods.” However, I did like the section on “how alcohol negatively affects performance” because it helped me understand that my daily cocktail was still too much. “It [alcohol] increases the release of the stress hormone cortisol, impacts the immune system, and decreases protein synthesis for muscle fiber repair. Alcohol diminishes water-soluble vitamins required for hormones to do their work, impairs reaction time up to twelve hours after consumption, disturbs REM sleep, and decreases the body’s ability to recover.” Seven cocktails per week is too many if I want to achieve elite status. “If you’re going to drink, limit yourself to one or two drinks per week.” This advice is the most important thing I took away from the Nutrition section.
Because of my love for all things athletic, especially athleticism at the highest level, my favorite section of any fitness book is always the movement or training section, and this book has one of the best I have seen. Not only was I was able to increase the number of quality movements in my skills library with new core exercises like quadruped thoracic spine rotation, quadruped weight shift or supine fallout at 90 degrees, but I also learned a few new moves involving medicine balls, kettle bells and resistance bands. And the best part of it all, Mark and his team have designed programs for you to follow using the above exercises and more. Thus insuring that you are combining the exercises in such a way that your workouts are more efficient, more productive, and more exciting than they otherwise might have been. The training section of this book is in-depth and more thorough than most you will find.
All of this and yet there is more. Recovery. The enlightening moment for me here was when Verstegen says we should recover “for it” (our workouts) and not “from it.” Yes, you must train as hard as you can during your hour long session, but you need to be able to do this on a daily basis and the only way to do so is by preparing for it. Gone are the days where you train till you puke and then recover from it. We take a more proactive approach instead and immediately after our training we eat or “fuel,” nap if possible, take supplements, get massages, use hydrotherapy, and foam roll, so that during the next day’s training session we are once again performing at our highest level. Keep in mind that “every day is game day.”
Warning: this book is only for those who want to be the best version of themselves. From the time you wake up until the time you go to bed you must act as if “Every day is game day.” This is a hard-driving, no excuses, “I want to perform at my highest level and be the best version of me” type of book. I recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated with excellence and interested in performing at his/her highest level.
Probably the least practiced of the four pillars, but perhaps the most beneficial to anyone who reads this book, is the Mindset section. This is where you will develop your IT statement. An IT statement is five words or less and it is your “purpose.” These are the words used to govern all your behavior when you are not training. My IT statement is: “Spiritual Confidence leads to Freedom.” I developed my statement by choosing the 10 words that meant the most to me from each of the nine following categories: physical performance, health, emotional well-being, pain, relationships, work performance, appearance, energy, and challenge, and then I narrowed the list down to my top three. The top three were then arranged to create a story about being my best self. Whenever I feel frustrated, bogged down, or in the least bit defeated, I think of my IT statement. Remember, “Training for an hour a day is the easy part. The challenge is living a high performance lifestyle the other twenty-three.” An IT statement can help you do just that. Remember, mindset is what keeps you exercising so it is just as important as nutrition and practicing the right exercises.
Nutrition was the second pillar discussed and this section of the book had the least to offer. I understand it is an obligatory part of any fitness book, but how many times have we heard: eat breakfast, hydrate, eat clean and eat often. Fruits and veggies are good for you. Check the labels of all supplements, avoid caffeine and eat these “superfoods.” However, I did like the section on “how alcohol negatively affects performance” because it helped me understand that my daily cocktail was still too much. “It [alcohol] increases the release of the stress hormone cortisol, impacts the immune system, and decreases protein synthesis for muscle fiber repair. Alcohol diminishes water-soluble vitamins required for hormones to do their work, impairs reaction time up to twelve hours after consumption, disturbs REM sleep, and decreases the body’s ability to recover.” Seven cocktails per week is too many if I want to achieve elite status. “If you’re going to drink, limit yourself to one or two drinks per week.” This advice is the most important thing I took away from the Nutrition section.
Because of my love for all things athletic, especially athleticism at the highest level, my favorite section of any fitness book is always the movement or training section, and this book has one of the best I have seen. Not only was I was able to increase the number of quality movements in my skills library with new core exercises like quadruped thoracic spine rotation, quadruped weight shift or supine fallout at 90 degrees, but I also learned a few new moves involving medicine balls, kettle bells and resistance bands. And the best part of it all, Mark and his team have designed programs for you to follow using the above exercises and more. Thus insuring that you are combining the exercises in such a way that your workouts are more efficient, more productive, and more exciting than they otherwise might have been. The training section of this book is in-depth and more thorough than most you will find.
All of this and yet there is more. Recovery. The enlightening moment for me here was when Verstegen says we should recover “for it” (our workouts) and not “from it.” Yes, you must train as hard as you can during your hour long session, but you need to be able to do this on a daily basis and the only way to do so is by preparing for it. Gone are the days where you train till you puke and then recover from it. We take a more proactive approach instead and immediately after our training we eat or “fuel,” nap if possible, take supplements, get massages, use hydrotherapy, and foam roll, so that during the next day’s training session we are once again performing at our highest level. Keep in mind that “every day is game day.”
Warning: this book is only for those who want to be the best version of themselves. From the time you wake up until the time you go to bed you must act as if “Every day is game day.” This is a hard-driving, no excuses, “I want to perform at my highest level and be the best version of me” type of book. I recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated with excellence and interested in performing at his/her highest level.
February 13, 2018
Read this because the director at our gym at school recommended it. You can tell it's the program that they use at our gym a the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy, so I've seen it in action, and I know that the plan is for true, functional, life long fitness.
July 31, 2021
3 stars because if you are an avid runner already, most of the information is stuff you should already know.
There was one thing that I learned though. I had always known I needed to incorporate it, but have never tried and that is a proper breathing technique when resting.
There was one thing that I learned though. I had always known I needed to incorporate it, but have never tried and that is a proper breathing technique when resting.
January 10, 2022
A good book with a great training program. I love the content at the beginning about routines and developing an understanding of your why. A lot of the nutrition stuff is no longer relevant (and a repeat of his other books).
January 31, 2023
solid training principles
I liked this book. Easy to read. Some great exercises and programs are laid out and ready to follow. Great info in this book for athletes outer regular people trying to get fitter
I liked this book. Easy to read. Some great exercises and programs are laid out and ready to follow. Great info in this book for athletes outer regular people trying to get fitter
October 31, 2020
Samo za trenere početnike
April 15, 2025
el mejor libro que me he leído de rendimiento deportivo.
February 25, 2017
This is a great educational and inspiring book! It will change the way you wake up every day and take advantage of every moment to maximize fitness and happiness in your life. Recommend to those who have great self-motivation and to those who really want to make a powerful impact on conquering their goals for the rest of your life.
April 6, 2014
I read this book not because I'm a athlete (actually I'm the exact opposite) but for ways to help train my staff. The athlete metaphor is one I use for leadership. You have to prepare for a new career/position. Everyday you have to work towards your goals. You have to feed your mind new knowledge and work to apply that newly acquired information daily. You need to continuous train and better yourself through challenging your goals and stepping out of your comfort zone. Finally you must schedule breaks and allow your brain time to rest. This is exactly what Verstegen discussed in this book...
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews