C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

High-Frequency Training for Fast Growth in Muscle Mass plus  Some Serious Strength and Power Gains "A day without work is a day without food." —Zen Master Hyakujo      After my son posted his previous article on some easy ways to lose fat ( fast ), I thought I would do something similar, assuming, of course, that your goals in this instance are fast gains in both strength and  muscle mass. Matthew Sloan builds his muscle with HFT      I have many other articles on this blog that cover high-frequency training, but it's amazing how many emails I still  get from folks—typically guys, of course—who want more information on how to properly design a high-frequency training program, or use HFT for a period of a few weeks as a break from their typical routines.  Consider this post—and the subsequent ones that will follow during the remainder of this month—as my answer(s).      There are many ways to build both stre...

5 Simple Ways To Make Dieting Easier by Matthew Sloan Matthew Sloan shows off his lean physique      The New Year of 2016 has arrived, and, with it, comes New Year's resolutions. The vast majority of these resolutions involve something such as this, “I'm going to get ripped!” or “I want to be toned”.  Unfortunately, the majority of these lost souls who go on their journey to that "dream physique" never make it past the month of January. Although much of this failure is the result of being misinformed on the correct way to lose fat (which I have talked about before), it is also the result of a lack of willpower. A very small percentage of us can follow a strict dietary program and never slip up, even if it's only now and then. But many of us, have a hard time not to binge-eat on the weekends while watching the latest episode of our favorite TV show(myself included). But over this past year(as I embarked on my journey from fat to shredded), I have le...

Grow Dragon-like Wings and Torch the Three-headed Monster by Jared Smith The Massive Back and Triceps of Dorian Yates I recall the first time I ever stepped foot in a gym. I saw a man—who would later become one of my mentors—standing in front of the mirror sporting a stringer tank, with a back that looked wide enough to project a movie upon, and thick enough to cushion a fall from a ten-story building.  From that point on, I knew that in order to really look powerful and “swole”, I had to pack on plenty of back beef!       In addition to having an impressive back, his triceps were monstrous. I had never seen someone standing relaxed that looked so impressive. I remember seeing the veins snaking up the long head of his triceps, and being in awe of the density they displayed. That image stuck with me—and has inspired me ever since: from the first set of barbell rows to the last set of skull crushers. Inspiration is great, but how do we sculpt such g...

Little Known Training Routines for Massively Muscled Arms   Arnold shows off his "guns" at their most massive!      The “x-factors” are those little-known training programs that not many people even know about, let alone actually do.   But for the bodybuilders who do perform these workouts, there can be little doubt: these are the best programs in existence, capable of transforming physiques, and turning proverbial 98-pound weaklings into the big boys of the beach.      For this installment of “x-factor” training, I thought I would turn my hypertrophy-inducing beacon of light on every bodybuilder’s favorite bodypart(s): the arms.   So if you’re prepared to go down the rabbit hole, to swallow Morpheus’s red pill and enter an arm-training world that you thought only existed on some quantum paradoxical alternate universe, read on.   (And prepare to put inches on your arms as never before.) Arm Traini...

PRIME time for sliced Hams and PUMPED quads! by Jared Smith How a person trains can tell you a lot about that person. There are always the guys and gals who only train the “beach” muscles and seldom pay attention to the really important things such as legs and back. You can also tell when someone has spent too much time doing the “more bang for your buck” movements without properly preparing themselves for it. I have fallen victim to the same thing in the past. I was so excited to get under the bar that I all but ignored the preparation aspect of training, and, after a while, I started feeling the effects. I have no intention of being that old man who still packs a little muscle, yet can hardly get off the toilet without the joints sounding like someone pouring milk over a bowl of Rice Crispies! There is a way to keep pounding at the king of all exercises while preserving your knees and hips—and I will show you how. If you have read the previous installments of Prim...

Control Your Calories, Your Macronutrients, and Your Training for an Awesomely "Ripped" Physique by Matthew Sloan Matthew Sloan displays the results of his hard work, both in the gym and in the kitchen.      This is a very important topic and it is important for one reason: millions of people set their goal to lose fat every year, and only a very small percentage succeed. Some people will say that these people are just lazy, but the simple fact is that the majority of people who fail to lose the fat have been misguided in the way to accomplish their goals. So I am going to attempt to enlighten you on the real way to lose fat and to lose it permanently .      Let me begin by saying that this is not the ONLY way to lose fat, but this is an effective way and many of these principles are necessary in any fat loss journey. The most important factor in losing fat is one thing, and one thing only, and that is calories . You must be expending mor...