Background
I have been doing a one day full body workout since November. This is my first work in the gym in a long time. In my 20’s, I was working towards 400lbs dl and squat, but life, jobs, and girls got in the way…and here I am, 6ft 1, 320lbs. I’ve got a natural “linebacker” frame and although I am clearly fat, most people guess I’m more of in the 260-280lb range.
I am 36 now, and have been studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu off and on in a bara that focuses on conditioning and splits the class with a boxing program. The BBJ/boxing is great but is too rough on my shoulders for the longterm. Prior to training with weights this year in my own estimation I have good core strenght, fair cardio I could keep up with the 20 somethings half my size.
After a month, at the begining of December I pulled 285 lbs x3. Squat was 265lbs x 3, and bench 235lbs (with two bad shoulder from wrestling that have healed, but I am overly cautious with them)
I started Sheiko # 29 last monday 9/12 because I like the safety of staying below 1rm, the structure of the program, and the don’t mind the volume…so far.
Goals, (high-level intangibles) short-term, make sure my joints, tendons, ect., can take the strain. Seems to be good so far.
longterm, a workout I can stick with and be able to function a work the next day. General health and feeding my love of lifting heavy things…and putting them down again
(tangible) Short-term, 315lbs dl and squat. I think I am very close but have not tested. I feel stronger every workout but have been resisting the urge to move up too fast.
After the holidays I will start cutting weight, through carbs but again with a focus on close monitoring and safety.
I tried Sheiko this summer. Fun stuff, I was amazed how much volume I could take. But . . . you gotta keep eating lots of good food, protein, supplements, etc. And get loads of sleep. Otherwise, it will bury you.
[quote]FISCHER613 wrote:
Coming back after a long-term layoff with a Sheiko routine while doing BJJ, wait till week 3…good luck with that!
I would reccomend a lower volume routine to follow till you get used to the additional stress that the weights will bring.
I would reccomend doing 5/3/1 3/week or a 2/week template with not much assistance.
Oh and welcome aboard!!
[/quote]
I left BBJ because it too rough on the joints, so it’s just the gym now. I also did a one day full body workout 3 times a week for about five weeks prior to Sheiko. So far, so good…
I know Sheiko probably isn’t the best beginner program but I have the time to devote to the gym at the moment. The volume is a lot ( I could feel my pulse in my spine after DL day) but I think it is a recipe for disaster. Today, an off day I was ready to get under the squat bar.
Holy benchpress batman! Pecks feel raw 2 hours after leaving the gym.
Does anyone else get aggressive while doing squats? I, all of the sudden, have zero tolerance for stupidity. Some highschool kids invaded the free weight area doing curls on the other squat rack, curls on a bench press bench with an olympic bar with 10 lb plates next to the preacher curl bench and about 30 sets of dumbells and barbells, and something like a sissy hack box squat on a smith machine. Damned ragamuffin kids!
[quote]Colin Wilson wrote:
Welcome to the forum! Tear it up!
(The gym not your shoulders…lol)[/quote]
I have been so careful with my shoulders I only benched on the smith machine or another machine…but yesterday I did warm up and the lightest sets on the regular bench. I have been reading all the articles on bench here especially Dave Tate’s article and video which have made a huge difference.
My understanding is that Sheiko is designed for regular bench, since the whole program is geared for powerlifting. My experience, however, is that you really need to keep form very good. There’s so much benching, my shoulders & chest & arms started feeling a little sensitive to the bench movement. Again, keep food and sleep up.
Between cycles, I did a couple of weeks of non PL movements, which was good for variety.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
My understanding is that Sheiko is designed for regular bench, since the whole program is geared for powerlifting. My experience, however, is that you really need to keep form very good. There’s so much benching, my shoulders & chest & arms started feeling a little sensitive to the bench movement. Again, keep food and sleep up.
Between cycles, I did a couple of weeks of non PL movements, which was good for variety.[/quote]
I believe you are right there, Sheiko is certainly focused on PL’ers. Part of what got me interested in it was that focus and the lack of direct shoulder work (where I have hurt myself in the past) and the focus on compound movements, or strength instead of size.
Coming from a martial arts background I am a big believer in technique, both for joint safety and overall performance. Applying Tate’s advice on a PL bench vs BB bench made a huge difference. Right now my lats are a little sore from benching, staying tight all the way through. I have been trying to keep strick form on everything from warmup to the last set. If I start to lose form on a given lift I drop the weight and do it right.
I found that Sheiko helps reinforce good form. The weights and reps are not quite enough to make form break down. Also, when I did it, so much lifting that it’s a kind of practice, form just gets better.
Sounds like you developed some good discipline from martial arts.
Sorry so late on the responce to the Surge after doing squats, just had to add my 2 cents. I get the same thing with various workouts . Often I plan a 30 min cool down decompression afterwards . If it can’t wait til then I simply tell people, " I just worked out and meaningful conversation is impossible due to a biochemical reaction beyond my control is now taking place, are you reading ME." say this with a curled eyebrow and they will get the point.