C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

An “Easy” High-Frequency Training Program for Plenty of Size and Strength + Some Other Tips and Workouts for Transforming Your Physique      I began training in martial arts more than 40 years ago, when I was around 10 years old.  By the time I was a teenager, it was my life.  (In many ways, it still is.)  I was at the dojo just about every day of the week but I also trained at my home every day.  However, when I was around 16 or 17—I’m not really sure of the exact age; I just remember that I could drive by that point—I only started going to the dojo about once per week.  Sometimes just once every two weeks.  I’m pretty sure that a lot of my fellow karatekas—especially those who had known me for many years—thought I had become lazy or that something was “wrong” with me or that I no longer took my martial training very seriously or even cared about it anymore, for that matter.  But I had a reason for it, though I didn’t really c...

How to Run a Systematized Training Plan Using the 3 to 5 Method      In my recent 3 to 5 Split Training article, I discussed some different split schedules using the 3 to 5 method.  The method is typically run using full-body workouts or, most commonly—such as how Pavel Tsatsouline generally suggested it—using a “full-body split”.  So, you might do squats, bench presses, and chins at one session and, at the 2nd, you might do deadlifts, military presses, and rows.      If you’re already familiar with this method of training, you can skip ahead to the next paragraph.  For anyone not familiar with it, the method works like this: You train 3 to 5 days per week.  You train with 3 to 5 lifts at each session.  You do 3 to 5 sets on each lift.  You do 3 to 5 reps on each set.  You rest 3 to 5 minutes between sets.  Simple as that.  It’s a great way to ensure that your workouts are “programmed” witho...