C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

Bottom-Position Training for New Gains in Size, Strength, and Power      Once you reach a certain level of strength, you need to do at least some bottom-position training to ensure continued progress.  For many lifters, the only bottom-position training they do is on lifts that naturally start from the bottom position, such as any “pull” lift—deadlifts and the quick lifts, for example.  The deadlift is called that for a reason—you start the movement from a “dead” stop.  But you’ll mightily increase your strength on bench pressing and squatting movements if you also start those lifts from a dead stop; i.e. the bottom-position.      Some lifters decide to give bottom-position training a try, only to stop because of how weak they are on them.  You might be able to squat 315 pounds, only to find that you can’t do more than 250 from the bottom-position.  Same thing with the bench press, a lift many gym-goers pride th...

     This is the 2nd part of my new series on Adventures in Muscle-Building.  Part One covered arm training, so read that if you haven’t yet and are interested in growing big, massive, and massively strong arms.  Unlike other series that I have, this one doesn’t require that you read the previous articles in it.  That’s one thing that I like about this series.  Even if I end up writing something like 50 separate essays, you will be able to read any of them without having knowledge of the others.  The only thing that “holds” this series together is that each one will be about the methods, techniques, and various training programs and workout routines that lifters have used throughout the history of lifting for that particular lift, muscle group, or even competitive sport.  For instance, I might do an “adventures in track and field training” or something even more specific such as “adventures in throwing” where I discuss the workouts...