C.S. Sloan's Integral Strength

Various Split Training Options With the 3 to 5 Method for Mass, Strength, and Power      When it comes to serious strength and power training, one of the best ways to train is with the sub-maximal effort method, also known as “grease the groove” training, or to be nerdy about it, synaptic facilitation .  One of the simplest, easiest, and not to mention result-producing means to go about this is with the 3 to 5 method.      The 3 to 5 method is generally used with full-body workouts.  When I’ve written about it in the past, that’s the way that I’ve suggested doing it.  Here's how the 3 to 5 method works: Using big, compound, free-weight movements, you train 3 to 5 days each week.  You use 3 to 5 lifts at each session.  For each lift, you train with 3 to 5 sets.  On each set, you do 3 to 5 reps.  To top it off, you rest 3 to 5 minutes between each set.      It’s a great way to eas...

Some Ready Made (yet Do-it-Yourself) Size and Strength Programs      In the 5 th grade, way back in 1983, I was obsessed with “Choose Your Own Adventure” books.   If you were a kid in the ‘80s, you may very well have experienced this obsession yourself.   According to Wikipedia, between the years ‘79 and ‘98, the books sold 250 million+ copies, so apparently it was, in the words of Ron Burgundy, sort of a big deal.   In fact, until I started reading muscle magazines voraciously starting around ’86, I’m pretty sure that the extent of my reading was comprised of Choose Your Own Adventure books, Conan the Barbarian novels, and various-assorted comic books.   (My favorite comic book series at one point was “Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters,” so take that TMNT.)      Choose Your Own Adventure books, if you’re not familiar, were exactly what they sound like: books where you, the reader, decided what happened to the m...

       I may give the impression at times that I’m not a fan of split workouts.  That’s not true, of course.  I have a lot of split programs here on the blog—in fact, I’ve probably written considerably more split workout programs than full-body ones over the course of my writing career.  But it’s also true that I do have a certain disdain, and don’t try to hide it, for “modern” workout splits.  Programs where you train only one bodypart at each session, and take off a week between training sessions for individual bodyparts, pretty much drives me crazy.  And, of course, yes, I’m obviously a fan of full-body workouts.  Not only are they highly effective, but they’re probably the  best form of training for the “average” gym-goer, allowing you to train your muscles frequently (always a plus in my book), while also minimizing the amount of time that you have to go to the gym each week.  You just can’t beat workouts like th...