C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

Staggered Volume Training      This little gem was designed by an exercise physiologist named Douglas Christ over a decade ago.   He claimed—and probably still does—that it’s the best program for maximizing growth hormone release.   I wasn’t sure about that claim when he first made it, and I’m still not sold.   However, what I do know is that it’s an excellent way to pack on some muscle mass when stuck in a rut, particularly when you have been pounding away at more heavy duty, low rep style routines.      Here are the three factors to making this program work: Always perform full-body workouts 3 days a week. Pick one exercise for each bodypart.   The exercises selected should be “bang-for-your-buck” ones—exercises that work a lot of muscle groups at once. Perform a high volume of work.   Depending on your fitness and strength level, you want to perform 8 to 12 exercises for 12 to 16 reps each.   Also—and here’s the kicker—perform all...

     Here's a simple program that really works well when it comes to gaining strength and plenty of muscle to go along with it.  In fact, it may be more conducive to muscle growth than to pure strength.      Okay, first things first.  Go back and read my post on "The 3 to 5 Method for Strength and Power."  Here's a quick link .      Read it?  Good.  Now, the one thing I want you to do different with the training program here is I want you to limit your training to just 3 days each week (as opposed to 4 or 5).  This way you have enough energy to perform the "plus" part of the training program—don't worry, we'll get around to just what the "plus" part is in a moment—and enough recovery time between workouts.      So the 3 to 5 part of the workout might look like this: Squats: 5 sets of 5 reps Deadlifts: 5 sets of 3 reps Bench Presses: 4 sets of 5 reps Close-Grip Chins: 4 sets of 5 reps      When you are finished with that portion of the worko...

Advanced Heavy-Light-Medium Power Training      What follows is a program designed for intermediate to advanced powerlifters who would like to use the H-L-M program.  This program is not for outright beginners.  It's also best suited for those of you who are actually "built" for the three powerlifts.  (Or at least built for two of them.  This kind of training, for instance, is very effective in bringing up the numbers on my squat and deadlift.  I have short legs, a fairly short torso, and long arms.  Squats and deadlifts increase for me without my having to do much else other than squat and deadlift.  For the bench press, I need a little something extra—but we'll get to that in due time.)      This workout program also tends to add muscle mass, so it might not be ideal for those of you who have trouble staying in one weight class.       Without further ado, here it is: Monday: Heavy Day Squats: Perform 3 to 4 progressively heavier sets of 5.  Follow this with 5 work s...

     Okay, everyone, be sure to check out the latest issue of Planet Muscle  magazine (Jan/Feb 2010 issue).  If it hasn't already hit your local newsstand, it should do so soon.      I have an article in it entitled "Split Training for Ultimate Muscle Size" (pg.61).  I really do believe that the workout I lay out in the article is the  best split workout in existence if your goal is muscle mass—as opposed to just strength.  (And, yes, I still love full-body workouts.)

     First things first—before we get to the actual training for today—as you can probably tell, this will NOT  be your typical training journal (for the most part).  I will try to also include plenty of the psychological and the spiritual in my entries.  Hopefully, this will allow you to see—if not completely understand—how physical training (especially certain kinds of physical training) can become a true  mind-body-Spirit process. Training Entry #1: The One with the Colds and the Christ Presence Tuesday, December 15th, 2009      When I arrived home from work this afternoon, I absolutely—and in no friggin' way—felt good.  I had (and have as I write this) a cold.  My body ached—not too bad, but plenty enough to be annoying—and my throat was sore enough that it was hard to swallow.      I walked through the kitchen, dropped my keys and my wallet on the counter, then headed straight to the bedroom.  I took a 30 minute nap, but made sure I set the alarm on my phone so that I could ca...

Advanced Strength and Power Training Exceptional Training Methods for Exceptional Results A Soviet strength coach once remarked that “exceptional athletes require exceptional training methods.”   He was referring to the sheer volume and intensity (weight) in training that his lifters utilized.      In the west, where reduced volume and infrequent training has become popularized by pro bodybuilders, such routines as ones used by Eastern Bloc nations and former Soviet countries are often scoffed at.   They are considered only beneficial for “genetically gifted” strength athletes or lifters on a heavy regimen of anabolic steroids.   It’s unfortunate that many western lifters have never taken a serious look at these methods.   If they would, they’d find a wealth of information at their disposal—they would discover the type of training advanced strength athletes need to utilize. Taking it to the Next Level      I want to make no bones about it.   This article is intended for lifters...

     Here's an older article of mine that appeared in "Iron Man" some years ago.  It's still pretty good... and it's still one of my favorite ways to train. Big Weights...Big Sets A Fresh Approach To High-Volume Training        If you have read any of my past articles, then you understand that I am a big proponent for basic, brief and intense training sessions, especially for building muscle mass.   It's the type of training that has proven itself over the years to be extremely effective for a large majority of lifters.      Also, you might have noticed that at times I have touted another form of training to be very effective, especially if you are after a combination of size and raw strength.   That form of training is high-set, low-rep lifting.      Unfortunately, most bodybuilders and powerlifters perform way too many sets and reps in their training.   When you lift with high sets and high reps, you are asking for trouble.   This type of traini...

     After a couple of years of "light" training—including a lot of bodyweight-only training this past year—I have returned to some heavy powerlifting training.  I absolutely love training heavy (as much as I've avoided it as of late) and so I'm glad to be back doing it (as long as my body holds up).      Anyway, I thought I would begin to share a lot of my training with you as I continue to do it.  Also, I'm training a handful of lifters who would like to (either) enter competition or get back into competing again.  And so I'll also include some of their training, as well.      I've been training hard again now for a couple of weeks, and after two weeks of training I'm already using over 400 in the squat and over 400 in the deadlift for reps (not bad, considering that I haven't trained either of those lifts in about a year).      So... continue reading all of my posts entitled "Training Journal" if you want to see how my training goes—an...

     Do you want the two secrets that unlock massive strength and size gains?  Do you want the two keys to becoming the strongest and  all-around biggest mutha-trucker walking around in the gym?      Okay, here goes.  You ready for it?      Key #1: Heavy Leg Training      Key #2: Heavy Back Training      Did you expect something else?  Did you think I was going to talk about some new supplement that just came out on the market?  Or did you think I was going to lay out the latest "super-diet" to massive gains.      Well, some things never change.  People want the easy way—they want to take the road most-often travelled.  But it is the road least travelled that makes all the difference.      Your average gym-rat will gladly read the latest chest-training article or the latest gimmick for arm-training.  But it is the lifter who concentrates on heavy leg training and heavy back training who makes the most gains.      Now, I'm going to give you something that you probably want...

     For those of you who don't know—and most of you who have read my training articles do  know—my primary inspiration in training and writing has always been Bill Starr.  Perhaps nowadays people—powerlifters, strength athletes, readers of the major bodybuilding magazines—think that Starr is too "old-school."  Well, old-school, in my book is just fine.  Bill Starr is still, and always will be, one of the best-of-the-best.      When I grow tired of writing training articles, I return to Bill Starr.  (Who writes damn good, by the way.)      When I grow tired of my current training program, I return to Bill Starr.      When I grow weary of all the modern gadgets—stuff like training balls, chains, bands, and one-legged whatever —I return to Bill Starr.      When I grow weary of all the modern "trainers" and all of their methods (like everyone that writes for T-Muscle, for instance—as much as I like that magazine), I return to Bill Starr.      And when I just need a...