C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

  A Modified Westside Program for Natural and Raw Powerlifters      Recently, my youngest son Garret wanted to start back powerlifting.  He had spent the last year or so doing more “bodybuilding” type training, so I came up with a program that was essentially a “hybrid” Westside method in order to improve his speed and his low-rep strength, both of which can be “compromised” from doing standard hypertrophy workouts for a lengthy period.  After coming up with the program’s outline, and discussing it with him, I decided that it would probably make a good article.  Hence, the article you’re now reading.      This program combines the speed day or dynamic effort method, most commonly associated with Westside, with a more standard strength method found (typically) in Russian and other east European programs.  I will explain the training days first, then give you an outline of the program.  After that, I will give some pointers such as how to design your workout split, when to change exerci

      I am currently working on some writing projects that are still keeping me away from the blog.  I hope to get back to more regular writing in a week or two.  Until then, I thought today - being Thursday and all - would be a good time for another "Throwback" article.      This was published in 2003 in IronMan Magazine .   I actually got some "hate" from disgruntled readers after it was published, probably dealing with the fact that it doesn't paint "bodybuilding" in a very good light from a strictly "strength and power" perspective.  Since I wrote this over 20 years ago, I would probably change at least a couple of points if I was to re-write it, and I would change some of the "terminology" to fit in with recent advances in strength training.  Also, reading it again made me realize that I write better now than I did then (and not so hyperbolically), but I decided to just re-post it as originally written.  This way, it also gives

 For this week's "Thursday Throwback" I have selected an article that I originally wrote for Planet Muscle Magazine  around 15 years ago.  What is interesting is that the article as I wrote it for PM was essentially a "redux" of an article I wrote in the late '90s for MuscleMag International  when I competed regularly in powerlifting - and bench press-only - competitions.  Jeff Everson - the publisher and editor of Planet Muscle  - actually sent me a "clipping" of my original MuscleMag  article, and asked me if I could re-write it, and make enough changes that it was different from my original (and therefore wouldn't violate any copyright laws).  And the funny thing - for me, at least - is that I could hardly even remember writing that original article.  Anyway, the article itself as it appeared in PM is still great, I think (I am a little prejudice since I did write the thing), for anyone that is looking to build his/her bench press but doesn&