C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

On Striving to do Fewer Things Better      In my recent Go Heavy or Go Home essay, I discussed Pavel Tsatsouline’s “7 rules of Russian training.”  The last of the rules is “You must strive to do fewer things better.”  In this essay, we will look at the importance of this rule and some various training strategies to accomplish it.      I often write about the different reasons that lifters don’t get the results out of their training that they’re looking for.  Not using the right movements, following so-called bro-split routines that are also coupled with too many machine and cable exercises, along with jumping from program-to-program are just a few of the workout ideas that I’m apt to rail against.  For these reasons and some others, there are a lot of average gym-goers—even ones who have been “training” for years on end—who don’t look like they lift.      The best programs often involve doing...

The High-Set, Low-Rep Training Manifesto Part 4: How to Grow Massive and Powerful Bis and Tris      After a brief reprieve in order to write on some different subjects, I have finally returned to the 4th part of our series on gaining mass, strength, and power with high-set, low-rep training.  When it comes to building a lot of mass along with an impressive level of strength, I don’t think any other training can compete with this method of lifting, especially for the natural lifter/bodybuilder.      If you haven’t done so, then I would encourage reading the first 3 parts.  Here are the links: Part 1: Legs and Back Part 2: Chest and Lats Part 3: Shoulders      This series has been arranged in this manner because I believe that different lifts should be trained slightly differently; each part represents how those muscle groups should best be trained.  Arms are no exception.     ...