Ok, so I need a new log, since I am finished with my Stronglift’s 5x5 cycle. It really worked for my squats (18kg/40lb increase), which was my primary focus. I didn’t bench well during the cycle, but I did hit a 167kg/370lb bench in my meet. I really didn’t follow the deadlift plan, so I won’t mention any of that.
5x5 log- Forums - T Nation - The World's Trusted Community for Elite Fitness
Now, I started Sheiko #29 today, since I’m a beginner. And I will follow that up with a Skills Eval and deload before I move on to my Russian Peaking Cycle. Unfortunately, I am still feeling the ill-effects of the meet and could not squat up to my low standards. The bar that I was using was bent. This had to have happened during my two week absence from the gym. It was one of my favorite to use for squats, but it kept rolling off my shoulder. But, that was just part of it, because I did not have the “gas” for 5x5 w/171kg(378lbs). I hit one rep and my legs were extremely shaky, so I called it quits for squats. Bench went well enough, but I did miss my very last rep and had to re-rack and hit a single really fast.
I will run the rest of the week and see how “bad off” I am. If I can hit the next two sessions without missing many reps (if any), then I will move forward to week 2. If it is a sub-par week, I will repeat week 1.
Sidenote: my next meet has changed the date from late November to early December (but that may change back), so I’m not too worried about falling off schedule.
Bench 5x1 90kg (198lbs)
4x2 108kg (237lbs)
3x2 125kg (277lbs)
5x3 134kg (296lbs)
Squat 5x1 122kg (270lbs)
5x2 147kg (324lbs)
5x5 171kg (378lbs)
Bench 5x1 90kg (198lbs)
5x1 108kg (237lbs)
4x4 125kg (277lbs)
Mach Flies 10x5 41kg (90lbs)
GM’s 5x5 84kg (185lbs)
So, night 2 is kind of in the books. The “kind of” is because I fell short of the required set/rep schema again. The focus was on Dead’s, not my favorite and not something I am very good at doing. The dead’s from the floor to my knees was no problem, the sets and reps flew by. But, after the incline work and dips, the rack pulls were not so much fun. My hands have become soft, like a woman’s, and my grip failed me once I got to the last sets (4 sets of 3 w/200kg/440lbs).
Overall, I feel better about today’s training. I have done rack pulls with significantly more weight, but that was over a year ago. The good thing about Sheiko so far is that my weaknesses are GLARING, which pisses me off and makes me work harder. I can’t wait to see how Thursday’s squats go…
Deadlift to knees 3x1 118kg/260lbs
3x1 142kg/312lbs
3x2 165kg/364lbs
3x4 177kg/390lbs
Incline bench 6x4 27kg/60lbs
Dips 5x5 11kg/25lbs
Deadlift from pins 4x1 130kg/286lbs
4x1 153kg/338lbs
4x2 177kg/390lbs
3x4 200kg/442lbs(FAIL)
Bulgarian S.S 5x5 20kg/45lbs
InclineSit-ups 10x3 bw
Well, week one ended on a positive note: all sets and reps hit during today’s session. My hips are still below 75% and my quads are pretty fried since the meet, so I will have to add a light week after the off week following the meet. Not much to say, everything fell into place fairly well.
Bench 5x1 90kg/198lbs 3x2 134kg/296lbs
5x1 108kg/237lbs 4x1 125kg/277lbs
4x1 125kg/277lbs 6x1 108kg/237lbs
3x2 134kg/296lbs 8x1 90kg/198lbs
2x2 143kg/316
DB Flies 10x5 18kg/40lbs
Squat 5x1 122kg/270lbs
4x1 147kg/324lbs
3x2 171kg/378lbs
3x5 184kg/405lbs
GM’s 5x5 43kg/95lbs
Late update: 8/9
Long f-ing day. 3 1/2hrs to get thru the session. Hit all the reps, but my joints are taking a beating. Time to start popping the fish oil again. I’m glad this is only going to last 5 weeks, cause my wife would start getting suspicious.
Squat 5x1 122kg/270lb
4x1 147kg/324lb
3x2 171kg/378lb
2x5 196kg/432lb
Bench 5x1 90kg/197.5lb
4x1 108kg/237lb
2x2 125kg/276.5lb
3x5 143kg/316lb
Seated Flies 10x5 41kg/90lb
Flr Press 10x5 84kg/185lb
Front squat 3x2 61kg/135lb
3x2 75kg/165lb
2x4 82kg/180lb
GM’s 5x5 70kg/155lb
Good luck with sheiko, it sucks being in the gym for 3 hours everyday, keep it up!
Yeah. The good thing is it’s a LOT more intense than I thought it would be with the percentages. But working 12-14hrs a day and having a family makes 3+hr session bad.
Tonight sucked a fat one. My callouses got torn pretty good tonight and all of this benching is starting to get to my shoulders. I need to put on my big girl panties and suck it up…
Deadlift to knees
3x1 118kg/260lb
3x1 142kg/312lb
3x2 165kg/364lb
2x4 177kg/390lb
Bench 6x1 90kg/197lb
6x2 108kg/237lb
6x4 116kg/256lb
Incline DB Bench
10x5 23kg/50lb
Deadlift from pins
4x1 130kg/286lb
4x1 153kg/338lb
4x2 177kg/390lb
4x2 189kg/416lb
Yeah the percentages seem pretty tame but the fatigue accumulates. It can be kind of a mind fuck when easy weights feel heavy, but it is for the best.
I feel your pain on the torn callouses. Two things that have helped me: liquid bandages and athletic tape.
Good luck with the rest of the program.
If you don’t feel the need for the whole 4 week competition cycle don’t use it. I believe Sheiko 32, the generic comp cycle is commonly run after 2 or 3 prep cycles.
I guess I didnt record my Thursday workout. My joints were stiff, but all sets/reps were completed. I tood Sunday off, because my back was not feeling very well and I wanted to hang out with the little lady.
Squat 5x1 122kg/270lbs
4x1 147kg/324lbs
3x2 171kg/378lbs
2x5 196kg/432lbs
Bench 5x1 90kg/197.5lbs
4x1 108kg/237lbs
3x2 125kg/276.5lbs
2x2 143kg/316lbs
3x1 134kg/296.25lbs
5x1 116kg/256.75lbs
7x1 99kg/217.25lbs
DB Bench 10x5 32kg/70lbs
Squats 5x1 122kg/270lbs
5x2 147kg/324lbs
4x4 171kg/378lbs
GM’s 5x5 61kg/135lbs
So, running behind on updating. Since I skipped my Sunday workout and my back was not feeling great, I moved Sunday’s workout to Tuesday. I was running behind and I dropped the second squat “cluster”. These workouts are waaayyyyyy too long. I only have 1 week left, then I can start the peaking program…so much fun!
Tuesday:
Squat 5x1 134.7kg/297lb
4x1 159.2kg/351lb
3x2 183.7kg/405lb
2x4 208.2kg/459lb
Bench 5x1 89.6kg/197.5lb
4x1 107.5kg/237lb
3x2 125.4kg/276.5lb
3x6 143.3kg/316lb
Flies 10x5 20.4kg/45lb
Flr Press 10x5 88.5kg/195lb
Tonight:
Squat 5x1 122kg/270lb
4x1 147kg/324lb
3x2 171kg/378lb
3x6 196kg/432lb
Bench 5x1 90kg/197.5lb
4x1 108kg/237lb
3x2 125kg/276.5lb
2x3 143kg/316lb
2x2 152kg/335.75lb
3x2 143kg/316lb
DB Press 10x5 23kg/50lb
Mil press 4x5 23kg/50lb
My “Honey-Do” list was a killer on Saturday, so I had to do a few things differently for my Sunday workout. I had to sport my Inzer briefs for the first time in almost two years. I forgot how much those things can pinch and how much they help my hips. I may have to wear them every other session till my hips feel better. I also had to drop front squats and the Good-Mornings. I figure moving and manuvering 12 railroad ties alone makes up for the skipped exercises.
Squat 5x1 122.5kg/270lbs
4x1 147.0kg/324lbs
3x2 171.5kg/378lbs
3x5 196.0kg/432lbs
Bench 5x1 88.5kg/ 195lbs
5x1 116.5kg/256.75lbs
4x5 134.4kg/296.25lbs
Flies 10x5 18.1kg/40lbs
Dips 8x5 18.1kg/40lbs
Today was an “ok” day. I got most of the deads done (my back and hip were kind of hinkey, so I dropped the last 3 drop-sets). Maybe, my deadlift sucks not because I have back issues, but because I’m lazy… I was happy to be doing some regular pulls instead of rack or box pulls. One more session and then I can go back to my 2- 2 1/2hour sessions. I am interested in seeing how my body will react when I switch to the peaking program, since I haven’t done any work over 85%.
Bench 5x1 89.6kg/197.5lbs
4x1 107.5kg/237lbs
3x2 125.4kg/276.5lbs
3x2 143.3kg/316lbs
2x3 152.3kg/335.75lbs
Deadlift 3x1 117.9kg/260lbs
3x1 141.5kg/312lbs
3x2 165.1kg/364lbs
3x2 188.7kg/416lbs
2x3 200.5kg/442lbs
Bench 5x1 89.6kg/197.5lbs
5x1 107.5kg/237lbs
4x2 125.4kg/276.5lbs
6x2 125.4kg/276.5lbs
Pull-Ups 5x5 BW
The last session of Sheiko#29 was painful. Squatting hurt, only because my hips didn’t want to cooperate. After the first 2 sets, the last 4 felt a bit better. My bench was ok, but my back was sore still from the pull-ups. I had to take off, so I dropped the Good-Mornings. That’s not a bad thing, since I will be finishing my retaining wall tomorrow and Saturday. I will do the Evaluation next week. It will be interesting to see how 95% feels, since I haven’t been there since my last meet.
Squats 5x1 122kg/270lbs
4x1 147kg/324lbs
3x2 171kg/378lbs
3x6 196kg/432lbs
Bench 6x1 90kg/197.5lbs
5x1 108kg/237lbs
4x2 125kg/276.5lbs
3x2 143kg/316lbs
2x2 152kg/335.75lbs
3x2 143kg/316lbs
4x1 125kg/276.5lbs
6x1 108kg/237lbs
8x1 90kg/197.5lbs
DB Press 10x5 27kg/60lbs
Tri Ext 8x5 14kg/30lbs
I skipped Sundays workout, due to it being a very light day and my back was extremely tight from moving railroad ties yet again. It paid off. My back was still a little tight, but not “hindering” tight. Squats went better than expected, since this was the first time I had gone over 208kg(460lbs) since my meet in July.I felt really comfortable. Bench was a different story. I have developed a “nag” in my right shoulder joint. It showed when I went for 170kg(370lbs).
I exploded off my chest, but my arm locked at 4inches above and it was THROBBING. I was ok with missing the press though, cause that was 5lbs more than what I hit easily in the meet. And, even though I missed the lift, I know healing is all I have to do to nail it. I also did a static hold with 181kg(400lbs). I was going to do a negative, until my shoulder issue happened upon me. I have two months to hit that goal. Dead’s sucked because we have ghetto bars in the gym, no knurling left at all and we cant use chalk. So, that means I have to focus too much on my hands and I usually don’t get in a good position for my pulls.
The manager ordered 2 new bars, so that wont be an issue soon. But, today it was hell. Max’d out at 224kg(495lbs) and it was not the easiest lift because I could barely hold on to the bar, but it was smooth. Unfortunately, I took my cam, but forgot both a tape and the usb cable, so I can’t even reveiw. But, I know how it felt and that’s good enough.
Sheiko #29 is an ass-kicker. The only things I would change are benching every session. My shoulders hurt like hell. And, I would add in more back work. Since I only did one 4wk cycle, I didn’t expect my numbers to jump up. I was using Sheiko as a jump off for the extended peaking cycle I am going to run in preparation for my Nov/Dec meet. So, I will close out this Evaluation week and do a “deload” just to give my joints a break before the pain starts again.
The last of the Sheiko workouts are completed (for now). I will have to figure out when I can do the workouts justice. Unfortunately, I don’t know when that will be, since all of my projects will be over and my schedule will return to normal. It will be a slow week, so that I can move 3 tons of dirt before I pick it up again. I can’t wait…
Squat 2x1 122kg/270lbs
3x1 146kg/324lbs
3x1 171kg/378lbs
3x4 183kg/405lbs
Bench 3x1 98kg/217.25lbs
3x2 116kg/256.75lbs
3x4 134kg/296.25lbs
Seated Flies 5x10 45kg/100lbs
Good mornings 5x5 61kg/135lbs
This well be a deload-ish week, just so I can get my my timing down to peak in time for my next meet and not over-exert myself.
Single-Leg Extensions 10x3 22kg/50lbs
Single-Leg Curls 10x3 27kg/60lbs
Cable Hip Flexion 10x3 22kg/50lbs
Front Squat 3x3 61kg/135lbs
DB Bench 8x3 24kg/55lbs
DB Shoulder Press 5x3 24kg/55lbs
Seated Calf Raises 20x3 49kg/110lbs
High-Pulley Crunches 15x3 36kg/80lbs
Cable Rows 10x3 68kg/150lbs
It’s getting hard because I am starting to feel the itch. I really need to push some heavy weights. It’s coming soon and I am going to miss this relaxed feeling.
Single-Leg Extensions 10x3 22kg/50lbs
Single-Leg Curls 10x3 27kg/60lbs
Cable Hip Flexion 10x3 22kg/50lbs
RDL’s 8x3 102kg/225lbs
Shrugs 10x3 102kg/225lbs
Lateral Raises 8x3 11kg/25lbs
Calf Raises 20x3
Today felt really solid, other than a few form breakdowns on squats and needing to get used to my 2-setp drop again. That was due to a lack of concentration (I don’t workout well around female gingers) and I was NOT hydrated at all. I broke into the cold sweat between squat sets 2 and 3. And it didn’t help that I was pushing myself pretty hard and trying not to rest too long. I was trying to cut down on my time at the gym and I ended up having to take quite a long break before I started benching. Next week, I will keep the rest as short as possible for the first few sets to see how my body reacts when I’m ready.
I am still fine-tuning the assistance exercises, so you may see things change drastically after week 2. After week 4, the assistance exercises will modify in frequency until the final peaking week, when they will be dropped completely.
Single-Leg Extensions
10x3 22kg/50lbs
Single-Leg Curls
10x3 27kg/60lbs
Cable Hip Flexion
10x3 22kg/50lbs
Squat
3x6 192kg/425lbs
Bench
2x6 136kg/300lbs
Bent Over Rows
8x1 83kg/185lbs
7x1 83kg/185lbs
6x1 83kg/185lbs
5x1 83kg/185lbs
5x1 83kg/185lbs
Pushdowns
10x1 36kg/80lbs
10x1 36kg/80lbs
10x1 31kg/70lbs
High-Pulley Crunches
10x3 36kg/80lbs
Lateral raises
6x3 13kg/30lbs
Squat- xtended peaking Wk1 Day1 Squat - YouTube
Instead of doing the deadlifting cycle from the extended peaking workout, I am substituting the Phillipi/Coan deadlifting cycle. The workout was good, but it felt a little light on the workload end. This is only week 1, so it is really hard to judge how everything is going to fall into place at the end.
I know with stronglift’s 5x5, the first and second weeks were candy and I wasn’t really happy. But after that, it really started cranking. I’m hoping to produce something like that with this program, only with a better feeling first 2 weeks.
Single-Leg Extensions 10x3 22kg/50lbs
Single-Leg Curls 10x3 27kg/60lbs
Pull-Thrus 10x3 36kg/80lbs
Deadlift
… 2x1 188kg/415lbs
… 3x8 150kg/330lbs
Shrugs
… 10x2 102kg/225lbs
… 10x1 111kg/245lbs
Bodyweight Pull-ups
… 5x3
Barbell Calf Raises
… 15x3 2 Plates
Deadlift: xtended peaking Wk1 Day2 Deads - YouTube
Other than a little nag in my lower back, I felt really good going into today. Since that was the case and I have 3 days of recovery coming, I wanted to push the pace a bit. The only break I took on my squat warmups was to load more weight. Once I got to my work sets, I took 90secs rest between sets. If you watch the vid, you will see me get out of my groove on a few reps due to laziness. I finished all the working sets in a little under 15 minutes and broke a good sweat doing so. I took about 3minutes break before I started benching. I was feeling pretty good, so I just did two warmup sets before hitting the work. I didn’t time between the sets, but I am sure it wasn’t much more than 120secs on most sets. The rows, presses, and pushdowns were all completed within 5 minutes. I liked the feel of this workout. The only thing missing was core work, but that got in a lot of action on the single arm work. i will do some planks and shoulder-bridges tomorrow.
Single-Leg Extensions
…10x3 22kg/50lbs
Single-Leg Curls
…10x3 27kg/60lbs
Cable Hip Flexion
…10x3 22kg/50lbs
Squat
…2x6 195kg/430lbs
Bench
…3x6 136kg/300lbs
SA make-shift T-Bar Rows
…8x1 20kg/45lbs
…8x2 29kg/65lbs
…8x1 34kg/75lbs
…8x1 41kg/90lbs
SAO Press
…1x5 20kg/45lbs
…1x5 25kg/55lbs
…1x5 25kg/55lbs
Tricep Pushdowns
…3 drop sets 18 to 36kg/80 to 40
Standing Calf Raises
…3x15 2 Plates
Squat- Xtended peaking Wk1 Day3 Squat - YouTube
Bench- Xtended peaking Wk1 Day3 Bench - YouTube