Nothing…well depends on what you are doing on 12 days out and before.
For most I would say 3-5 singles at ~90% (opener) 8 to 12 days out and then if you want to hit a 5x1 at about 50% 5-7 days out just to remember the pattern that is it.
Deadlift I think will be there when you want it and since it is so much harder on the CNS I peak it earlier and let it sit there while Squat and Bench catch up a bit with out the Deadlift draining you. How long depends on the Athlete.
Ha I KNOW YOU!!! Personally I might hit a 5x1 at what you think your opener should be tomorrow or Sunday at the latest and then a 5x1@50-60% on Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.
Nothing. You maybe pull a few singles or triples at 50 per cent days out but that’s about it.
Thanks everyone! Yup, heavy stuff is done now after that deficit pull. That’s likely to be around my 2nd at comp. One light day coming up.
BW 95.1kg
Low bar, front, and overhead squats
Comp. sleeves on
5 sets from bar to 120kg
Ss/ Narrow neutral chins
5 x 5
Low bar
Belt on
150kg x 1
175kg x 1
200kg x 1 @ 8
215kg x 1 @ 9
225kg x 1 @ 9 - much better
Front squat - paused
Belted
130kg x 1
140kg x 1
150kg x 1
Comp. and close grip bench
5 sets from bar to 90kg
Ss/ Facepulls
5 x 30
Comp. bench - competition height
Belt and wraps on
100kg x 1
110kg x 1 @ 8
120kg x 1 @ 9 - felt back slip a bit
Band up bench
125kg x 1 @ 9
127.5kg x 1 @ 9.5 - pushed straight up instead of back towards my face off the chest and got in a weaker position but it was very easily saveable.
Long pause - 3 count
100kg x 2
110kg x 2
Focused on fixing that dodgy bar path on the long pause sets.
I’ve been benching on the slippery benches we have without putting bands on them because at BUCS I felt like I had less grip than I was used to and lost tightness. But these ones are crazy slippery so I stuck the band on for my top two singles and the back offs. There’s probably a happy medium somewhere but unfortunately I can’t seem to replicate it.
BW 95.1kg
Low bar, front, and overhead squats
Comp. sleeves on
5 sets from bar to 120kg
Ss/ Hanging leg raises
5 x 8
Low bar
Belt on
150kg x 1
175kg x 1
200kg x 1 @ 8
215kg x 1 @ 9
225kg x F - Cock. This should’ve been there, really not sure why it didn’t go up. Bailed without incident. Call it a bad day.
Comp. and close grip bench
5 sets from bar to 90kg
Ss/ Facepulls
5 x 30
Comp. bench - competition height
Belt and wraps on
100kg x 1
110kg x 1 @ 8
120kg x 1 @ 9
127.5kg x 1 @ 9 - good. I’ll be happy to take this as a 3rd on the day.
Close grip
100kg x 3
110kg x 3
Held back tightness much better today.
Ease of benching made up for the cock up on squats. Still gunning for 230 on the day.
BW 94.4kg - easy now, time to slow up on the cutting. Based on my home scales generally being 1kg over, this is a solid place to be 1 week out.
Low bar, front, and overhead squats
Comp. sleeves on
5 sets from bar to 120kg
Low bar
Belt on
150kg x 1
175kg x 1
200kg x 1 @ 8
215kg x 1 @ 9
225kg x 1 @ 9.5 - went up, could’ve been faster but moved like 232.5 did 7 days out from BUCS and I managed another 5kg on the day there so 227.5 or 230 is on the cards.
Comp. and close grip bench
5 sets from bar to 90kg
Comp. bench - competition height
Belt and wraps on
100kg x 1
110kg x 1 @ 8
120kg x 1 @ 9
125kg x 1 @ 9
130kg x 1 @ 9.5 - 127.5 is still my safe 3rd or risky 2nd (and I’m not doing risky 2nds this meet) but good to know this can up if necessary.
Conventional pulls
70kg x 3 x 1
Belt on
70kg x 3 x 1
120kg x 3 x 1
140kg x 10 x 1
Tightened my belt 1 notch and everything felt a bit tighter as a result. Squats upper back especially and deads just in general. Last time I did this I couldn’t brace properly because my waist hadn’t shrunk enough yet, so I guess the cut has gone well?
BW 95.3kg
Low bar, front, and overhead squats
Comp. sleeves on
5 sets from bar to 120kg
Ss/ Pullups
5 x 5
Low bar
Belt on
150kg x 1
175kg x 1
200kg x 1 @ 8
215kg x 1 @ 9
225kg x 1 @ 9.5
Comp. and close grip bench
5 sets from bar to 90kg
Ss/ Pullaparts
5 x 30
Comp. bench - competition height
Belt and wraps on
100kg x 1
110kg x 1 @ 8
120kg x 1 @ 9
125kg x 1 @ 9
130kg x F - complete technical fail - pushed straight up instead of towards my head. Videos of sets between 120 and 130 make the bar path problem really clear. Annoying cos the strength is still absolutely there.
Sheiko will give plenty of chance to fix that technique at lighter weights, and I guess a bit of front delt work won’t hurt in the early phases. Will get some OHP volume in.
Oh yeah, meet on Sunday. Unless 125 feels like an empty bar then I’ll hit 127 for a second attempt. All good.
BW 95kg
Low bar, front, and overhead squats
Comp. sleeves on
5 sets from bar to 120kg
Ss/ Pullups
5 x 5
Low bar
Belt on
150kg x 1
175kg x 1
200kg x 1 @ 8
212.5kg x 1 @ 9
222.5kg x 1 @ 9
230kg x 1 @ 9.5
Comp. and close grip bench
5 sets from bar to 90kg
Ss/ Pullaparts
5 x 30
Comp. bench - competition height
Belt and wraps on
100kg x 1
110kg x 1 @ 8
120kg x 1 @ 9
125kg x 1 @ 9
127.5kg x 1 @ 9 - Solid. Sound. Good.
BW 94.8kg
Low bar
All gear
Up to 150kg for 5 singles
Comp. bench
All gear
Up to 110 for 3 singles
Worked with a higher percentage on bench today because it feels better to do that. Tomorrow will be light on both, then openers on Friday.
Water loading going well.
Good luck sunday Max
Thursday did a similar light session with singles at 150, 100, and 175.
Squat opener at 212.5kg and bench opener at 120kg moving really nicely with commands yesterday.
Smashed the rest of my water load yesterday evening, was up to 100kg by bedtime. Good night’s rest and I was 94.4 on my home scales (read 93.4kg in real life) first thing this morning.
At the champs to handle a mate in the 83s this afternoon, snuck onto the scales and came in at 92.88kg with some breakfast in me.
Feeling good, today’s lifting is probably gonna drag on a bit but should get another good sleep in and nail stuff tomorrow.
Smart gameplan.
Smart game plan kinda worked.
Weighed in at 91.85kg
Second flight, kicked off at 10:45ish
Warmups were pretty
212.5kg - easy, fast opener. Sank it.
222.5kg - came forwards out of the hole, felt all my weight on my toes. Calmly shifted it backwards and it shot up from there but to everyone watching it looked like a grind.
Backed myself and went to the planned third.
230kg - nailed bar path and it moved great.
Not my best squat, but what I came for, with a little in the tank, and I’m happy that I can back myself on my favourite lift and pull it off under pressure.
Again, good warmups.
120kg - good, as I wanted it to go. Better than BUCS.
125kg - planned 2nd, moved ok, little wonky but fast.
127.5kg fail - no excuse for this not to have gone up after my 2nd. Frustrating. My handler wanted me to go to this for my 2nd and it may have gone up then but 5kg max jumps were the plan and it was better to take the 5kg competiton PR and bump my total a little.
Subtotal was 2.5kg below the goal at this point. That meant changing the plan for deads. If I’d been on track I’d be finishing with 255, if I’d managed to get an extra 2.5kg out of my bench or squat on top of my goals I’d have gone for 252.5 on my second and had the option to go for a PR 3rd (anything north of 255). I now had to hit 257.5kg to meet my goal total.
So,
225kg final warmup like butter
240kg - good speed, textbook pull
250kg - little back rounding, felt heavy off the floor but never slowed and once it was halfway up my shins I knew it was getting locked out.
The “big one”.
257.5kg x NOOOOOOPE - got to about the same height as 265 did at BUCS. Again it should’ve gone up.
Everything is a competition PR for the 93kg class, a good positive to take a away from today.
Vids and mild musings in the post
So finished with 605kg at 91.85kg for a 382 Wilks. Same Wilks as BUCS so I haven’t gone backwards, great competition experience, and a really good time. But obviously not what I wanted.
Always looking to the future: I’m gonna have to be 105kg again if we’ve qualified for world’s (still l waiting on that announcement).
I think 105 is actually the best option for me:
Literally the only things keeping me close to 93 are aesthetics and Wilks (see above). If I bulk slowly I won’t lose all that much in the aesthetics department and may even get my upper body looking a bit thicker. Not like I have a 6 pack I have to worry about protecting.
So I’m getting on Sheiko, eating clean, slightly above maintenance and will likely finish this 3 month peak walking around at 98ish with a bigger upper body and the ability to hit lifts I’ve hit in training in competition.
Also no pre-comp cut will be a) less stress and b) better for my performance on the day.
Smart game plan.
Final take away from yesterday is that I scraped the 93kg qualifying total for GB nationals from last year. Won’t be going but nice to know.
Fantastic to have our 2nd place at BUCS and qualification for world’s finally confirmed.
Ate 5000 calories today and went to the gym to get a sick delt and arm pump.
Ring dips
BW x 3 x 8
5kg x 5
10kg x 5
Drop to
BW x 6
OHP
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 10
60kg x 10 - sucked at bench yesterday, matched my best set of 10 on ohp with none of the gear today. Why.
Low incline DB press
22s x 20
30s x 15
38s x 12
Laterals
10s x 6 x 15-20
Ss/ Rear delts
10s x 6 x 10
Never put them down
Meadows partial laterals
20s x 5 x 20
Last set straight into
DB seated ohp
20s x 12
Last set straight into
Laterals - 3 count negatives
6s x 10
2s x 5, then rep out up to 20 with looser form
Broomstick dislocates
1 minutes work wondering why a bit of wood feels heavy.
Reverse hypers
50 to take a break from shoulders before doing a bit of arms
BB curls - in the squat rack
Bar x 20
30kg x 12
40kg x 12
45kg x 10 - loose
30kg x 12
Ss/ Dips - upright as possible for tris
BW x 5 x 10
Preacher DB curls
10s x 20
14s x 15
Ss/ Glance apprehensively at cable station
It was taken and I’d done enough pressing that pushdowns seemed unnecessary.
Fun pump with some mountain dog influences.
I’ll do a much more moderate version of this workout from time to time on weekend through the the early stages of Sheiko, so long as I can recover from it well enough. Will also do some GPP and dedicated mobility stuff.
Hey Max
Congrats with the Worlds
And that was an odd workout from you 
You might get sore tomorrow
@mortdk it was horrible. Sheiko will probably leave me feeling rough sometimes so getting used to it early is a good thing.
Today I somehow hit some solid pressing despite my delts and triceps having gone away.
Strongman gym today. Still in a deload lol.
Front squat
Bar x some
70kg x 2 x 1
100kg x 2 x 1
120kg x 1
140kg x 1
155kg x 1
167.5kg x 1
175kg x dumped halfway up cos whip. Properly thick bumpers and an oly bar meant these felt rough today. Also 3 days post meet lol.
Heavy squat wasn’t the goal of the session so meh.
Log press - single clean, multiple presses
Warmup with straight bar variations
60kg x 1
60kg x 3
Belt on
70kg x 1
70kg x 2
Bring leg drive in
80kg x 1
85kg x 1
90kg x 1
95kg x 1
100kg x 1
105kg x F
105kg x 1
First time putting any weight on a log and I pushed way past bodyweight. No idea what the standard is for log press but I’m pretty chuffed with that.
Tire flips
180kg x 10
It was out.
That was fun.
Fat bar pullups
5 x 5
Ring chins
3 x 5
Shins to bar
3 x 5
Ss/ Straight bar pushdowns
Some x 3 x 12
Prowler
High grip upright poles, turn and come back on the lowest handles. 10m ish each way
50kg
80kg
100kg
120kg x 3
Ss/ Die on the floor
Tire flip
370kg x 1
It was out.
That wasn’t fun.
Big Finnish guy tried and failed it afterwards though so that was nice.
Stone to shoulder
60kg x 1
135kg x HAAAAAAAAAA
Gonna come back again every week or so for a shoulders, back, and GPP session after the final Sheiko workout of the week. Obviously lighter and more reps than today. Strongman stuff is just a fun way to get that volume in. Won’t let it interfere with recovery, and in some cases I reckon some of it will help.
I’m compelled to say that for sure he was Swedish because he failed but I can’t say that if he was big as well.
You’re making this hard
If he had a knife, he was Finnish.
Deload is done, I’ve rested a lot and eaten a lot.
Running Sheiko’s 12 week prep for 80kg + lifters. It’s essentially a modified 37, then 31, and a modified 32.
BW: 97.5kg - did not deload on the food this last week. Won a wings challenge on Thursday and pretty sure I’m still digesting that.
Comp. bench - all paused
Warmups
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
Working sets
Wraps on
65kg x 5
77.5kg x 4
90kg x 3
95kg x 3
95kg x 3
95kg x 3
95kg x 3
95kg x 3
Low bar
Warmups
Bar x 5
50kg x 5
70kg x 5
100kg x 5
Working sets
117.5kg x 5
140kg x 5
162.5kg x 5
162.5kg x 5
162.5kg x 5
162.5kg x 5
162.5kg x 5
Left belt in the car.
Comp. bench
Working sets
65kg x 6
77.5kg x 6
82.5kg x 6
82.5kg x 6
82.5kg x 6
82.5kg x 6
Incline barbell bench
60kg x 6
60kg x 6
60kg x 6
60kg x 6
This was prescribed as “chest muscles 4 x 6” and I understand it’s meant to be flyes, weighted pressups, and the like. Went with incline just cos I’m meant to be hitting it for a main lift on Tuesday and thought I should feel it out and get an idea of my strength before then.
Good morning
70kg x 5
100kg x 5
100kg x 5
100kg x 5
110kg x 5
Hammer curls
20s x 3 x 12
Ss/ Rope OH extensions
Light x 3 x 30 - light enough that I don’t think I’ll suffer on Wednesday.
Cable straight bar
Some x 3 x 15
So everything was pretty light today and I was able to get through stuff pretty quickly. Not gonna lie though, squats were the roughest because fat boy cardio. Looking at the rest of the sessions this block it’s gonna step up a bit pretty fast.
Benching beltless and without elevating it to comp set up, and wearing my old, loose sleeves for the lighter squat sessions. Going by feel when it comes to adding more comp specific gear but I’m 3 months out and it’s time to get my body doing as much work as possible whilst using gear to keep healthy.
BW: 96.1kg
Rest day. Glute soreness set in at 6pm yesterday.
BW: 97kg
Conventional deads
Warmups
70kg x 3 x 3
100kg x 3
Working sets
127.5kg x 3
152.5kg x 3
Belt on
180kg x 3
190kg x 3
190kg x 3
190kg x 3
190kg x 3 - DOH no hook - not bad
Took a while for the hammies to warm up but then these were fine.
Incline bench
Working sets
50kg x 3
60kg x 3
70kg x 3
70kg x 3
70kg x 3
70kg x 3
Like I said on Sunday, these were prescribed with a percentage, but I haven’t done them in months. Went with 100kg as a max, which I hit a year ago when I was low 90s body weight benching 120 at RPE 10. Nothing felt too hard so probably on the right track.
Conventional block pulls - tibial tuberosity
Warmups
120kg x 2 x 3
Working sets
152.5kg x 3
180kg x 3
Belt on
205kg x 3
205kg x 3
205kg x 3
205kg x 3
Leg extension
Ascending weight x 5 x 8 - got up to the stack on these, so will work on controlling the weight better I guess.
Kettlebell pass plank
3 x 5/side