C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

     Simplicity can be a virtuous thing.  For some reason, in our current age, we want to make things decidedly not simple.  Perhaps this is because our lives are not simple – we have made them more and more complex by a stream of never-ending texts, instant messages, YouTube videos, music streaming, and the general need to always feel as if we need to be doing something.  I might add, however, without us actually doing anything, since we are more slothful and gluttonous – not to mention pear-shaped; especially the younger generation – than ever before.      Life should not be that way.  We were built for simplicity – in fact, the only way to enter into the complexity of things is to purposefully simplify.  If for instance, you want to enter the depths of your consciousness, the very depths of your being , you don’t do so by anything so complex as various ascetic feats of standing on your head or other odd yogic poses, or by flailing yourself in a medieval manner; you do so by t

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

     This type of high-set, low-rep training has become popular among strength coaches in various sports, and has been used by powerlifters and Olympic lifters for quite some time.   It only makes sense that bodybuilders should start taking advantage of it as well.      Powerlifting super-coach Louie Simmons uses a form of it to achieve the awesome results he gets with his lifters.   Another proponent of this training is strength/bodybuilding coach Charles Staley.   His method is similar to what I prefer when it comes to building muscle mass.   It's probably the method that would best be preferred by the majority of you out there who just want to pack on some more muscle mass.      Basically, for accelerative low-rep training, the force produced by each rep is more important than the amount of reps performed in each set.   More sets are performed to compensate for the lack of volume.   Let me explain.      Let us assume that you can perform 10 reps in the bench press with a