6/30 – Sheiko #40 – Session 7

I was a bit nervous going into this workout, being that it calls for the heaviest weights on bench for the entire training block. The day off from benching last Friday helped, as my elbow was not feeling too achy (still has a ways to go before it is feeling 100%), and pressing felt real strong. The 40lb jump to 360 from 320 seemed daunting so I took an intermediary double at 340, which was easy. Ended up hitting the 3 doubles at 360 without any troubles. Only 10lbs off my paused 1rm PR, and I am pretty confident I could have done 375-380 today, even with the bad elbow.

After bench I gave squats a go. Hip was hurting a lot on warmups so I put on my single-ply briefs. These are meant for wide-stance squats/deads and not narrow stance squats and really messed with my dynamics, trying to pitch me forward on each rep while offering no rebound/assistance, but they kept my hip tight and that allowed me to push things a bit. 550 for a double is by no means special, but I was happy with it considering everything. Finished with some light curls and flyes, then some heavy-ish olympic GMs.

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
200x5x1
240x4x1
280x3x1
280x3x1
320x3x1
340x2x1
360x2x1 (PR)
360x2x1 (PR)
360x2x1 (PR)
320x4x1

ATG Squat:
275x3x1
325x3x1
385x3x1
435x2x1
495x2x1
550x2x1
495x2x1

Flat DB Flye:
55x10x1
55x10x1
55x10x1
55x10x1
55x10x1

Olympic GMs:
225x5x1
275x5x1
275x5x1
275x5x1
275x5x1

Single-arm Cable Curl:
20x12x1
20x12x1
20x12x1
20x12x1
20x12x1

Seated Curl Machine:
75x20x1
75x20x1
75x20x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 120 minutes

6/27 – Sheiko #40 – Session 6

Craptastic workout. Had to shut down squats early as my right hip was absolutely killing me. Squats on Monday were awesome, but Monday night my hip started hurting quite a bit. Has not really bothered me at all since, but squats today just plain hurt. No sense in pushing through. I skipped bench, and pressing in general, today to allow my elbows to get some extra rest. Next week is going to be brutal (ie: heavy). Positive note for today was a PR on seated good mornings.

ATG Squat:
135x10x1
275x5x1
325x5x1
380x3x1

Seated Hamstring Curl:
100x10x1
150x10x1
200x10x1
200x10x1
200x10x1

Seated GMs:
225x5x1
275x5x1
325x5x1
375x5x1
405x5x1 (PR)

Wide-grip BTN Pulldown:
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1

Rope Face Pulls:
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1

Seated Curl Machine:
75x20x1
75x20x1
75x20x1
75x20x1

DB Hammer Curl:
50x10x1
45x10x1
40x10x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 40 minutes

6/25 – Sheiko #40 – Session 5

Pretty good workout today. The sore elbow thing is getting really old. Not getting worse, not getting better. Just sore and achy. Really only bothers me at lockout. Regardless, bench went well today. Did my last double @ 320 touch and go and got 5 reps instead. That is fine with me. I still cannot really pick anything up over 100lbs with my left arm so no deads yet. Tried doing some light back movements, but they all still make the left forearm/elbow hurt. Annoying. I may skip bench on Friday (supposed to do 7 triples @ 320) and let the elbows get some extra rest.

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
200x5x1
240x5x1
280x4x1
280x4x1
300x3x1
300x3x1
320x2x1
320x2x1
320x5x1 (touch andgo)
300x3x1
300x3x1
280x5x1
280x5x1
240x7x1
200x10x1

Seated Chest Press Machine:
150x10x1
150x10x1

Pec Flye Machine:
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1

Seated Leg Extension:
305x5x1
305x5x1
305x5x1
305x5x1
305x5x1

Kneeling Cable Crunch:
80x10x1
100x10x1
106x10x1
106x10x1

Single-arm Lat Pulldowns:
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1

Lat Row Machine:
50x10x1
100x10x1
150x10x1
200x10x1
200x10x1

Straight-arm Lat Pushdowns:
50x10x1
75x10x1
50x10x1
50x10x1
50x10x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 90 minutes

6/23 – Sheiko #40 – Session 4

Absolutely blasted through this workout. As hard as squats were on Friday, they were that easy today. Super fast bar speed today. Bench was a bit of a challenge since my elbows are still aching, and I could not wear sleeves due to having poison oak/ivy(?) on my left elbow, but still managed the 6 doubles at 320 with hardly any arching, with ease. Grateful that bench intensity is lower this week so things can recover a bit. Pushed the knees-locked GMs a bit.

ATG Squat:
135x10x1
275x5x1
325x4x1
380x3x1
380x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1

High-bar ATG Squat:
405x3x1
405x3x1
405x6x1

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
200x5x1
240x4x1
280x3x1
280x3x1
320x2x1
320x2x1
320x2x1
320x2x1
320x2x1
320x2x1

Incline Bench Press:
225x5x1
255x5x1
225x5x1
225x5x1
225x5x1

Paused Neutral-grip Flat DB Bench:
75x8x1
75x8x1
75x8x1
75x8x1
75x8x1

Standing Knees-locked GMs:
135x5x1
155x5x1
155x5x1
155x5x1
155x5x1

Duration: 90 minutes

6/20 – Sheiko #40 – Session 3

This was a ridiculously tough workout. Squats were just slow and achy. Elbows and chest really sore – could barely pause and press 240 on bench. Switched to touch and go just to get through everything, but ended up doing 320 for 3 sets of 4 pretty handily. Really happy with that. Pushed seated GMs a bit: no problem.

ATG Squat:
135x10x1
275x5x1
325x4x1
380x3x1
380x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1
465x2x1
465x2x1
465x2x1
465x2x1
405x3x1
405x3x1
405x3x1

Bench Press (touch and go):
200x5x1
240x4x1
240x4x1
280x3x1
280x3x1
320x4x1
320x4x1
320x4x1

Slingshot CG Bench:
275x6x1
275x6x1
275x6x1
275x6x1
275x6x1

Single-arm Reverse Pushdowns:
23x10x1
23x10x1
23x10x1
23x10x1
23x10x1

Single-arm Cable Curls:
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1

Seated GMs:
225x5x1
225x5x1
225x5x1
275x5x1
325x5x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 90 minutes

6/18 – Sheiko #40 – Session 2

Mother of god this was a brutal workout. Tons of upper body soreness from Monday’s big bench workout so I knew today would be tough from the start. Everything felt heavy and those singles at 340 were tough. Absolutely no power off the chest so these pauses were ridiculously tough today. I managed to hit everything called for, and I was completely wiped out afterwards. Accessory work went well.

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
200x8x1
225x7x1
240x6x1
260x5x1
280x4x1
300x3x1
300x3x1
320x2x1
320x2x1
340x1x1
340x1x1
340x1x1
320x2x1
320x2x1
300x3x1
280x4x1
260x6x1
240x8x1
225x12x1
200x15x1

Seated Shoulder Press Machine:
100x10x1
125x10x1
125x10x1
125x10x1
150x10x1

Lying Hamstring Curl:
125x5x1
150x5x1
150x5x1
150x5x1
150x5x1
125x5x1

Standing Rope Cable Crunch:
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1

Standing Band Abduction:
red x20x1
red x20x1
red x20x1
red x20x1
red x20x1
red x20x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 90 minutes

6/16 – Sheiko #40 – Session 1

First session of #40. A few notes for this cycle: my left forearm/elbow got tweaked during my last set (last rep actually) of deads during week 4 of #39. It does not bother me until I pick something up of decent weight and does not affect pressing. It also hurts holding the bar during high bar squats (that forward elbow rotation). As a result I am switching back to low-bar full squats for this cycle, and will not be doing any pulls until the elbow lets me.

That being said, today went well. Squats were easy. It felt nice going back to low-bar. Cruised through squats with ease, pausing each rep of my last set. Moved on to bench where I was feeling so solid that I benched without an arch until my 340 doubles, which ended up being pretty hard since the extra work needed on the archless bench reps is not something I am used to. Got everything done, though. Inclines were kept light, but they were still a workout. For the first time doing knees-locked GMs I considered adding weight…next time maybe.

ATG Squat:
135x10x1
275x5x1
325x4x1
380x3x1
380x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1
435x3x1

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
200x5x1
240x4x1
240x4x1
280x3x1
280x3x1
320x3x1
320x3x1
340x2x1
340x2x1
340x2x1
320x3x1
320x3x1
300x4x1
300x4x1
300x4x1

Incline Bench Press:
225x10x1
225x10x1
225x10x1
225x10x1
225x10x1

Strict GMs:
135x5x1
135x5x1
135x5x1
135x5x1
135x5x1

Seated Leg Extension:
305x6x1
305x6x1
305x6x1
305x6x1
305x12x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 120 minutes

6/11 – Deload

Another deload session. Again, was not paying attention to poundages used; I just roamed around using whatever machine I felt like.

Seated Lat Row Machine:

x12x4

Tricep Extension Machine:

x12x2

Chest Press Machine:

x12x4

Shoulder Press Machine:

x12x4

Seated Leg Extension:

x12x3

Seated Hamstring Curl:

x12x3

Back Extension Machine:

x20x2

45-degree Hypers:
bw x12x3

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x3

Duration: 25 minutes

6/9 – Deload

Meant to start Sheiko #40 today but it just was not in the cards. My dog passed away unexpectedly last night so I really did not get any sleep, and I am just emotionally and physically drained. Sore elbows and hips from recent training does not help things either. Meant to just do a deload workout today but ended up doing heavy push presses for the first time in months. Somehow managed the easiest 305 effort to-date. Cruised through the rest of the workout doing machine work – I do not even remember the weights, I just used whatever was selected from the last person using.

BTN Push Press:
135x5x1
185x3x1
225x3x1
265x1x1
285x1x1
305x1x1
265x2x1

OH DB Extensions:
x12 x2

Lat Row Machine:
x12 x4

Chest Press Machine:
x12 x6

Lat Pulldown:
x12 x4

Lying Hamstring Curl:
x12 x3

Seated Leg Extension:
x12 x3

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 40 minutes

6/6 – Sheiko #39 – Session 12

Ahh, last session for the #39 cycle. Everything went well. Was feeling impatient with squats so I doubled up sets instead of doing 4 triples. Really no energy today – one of those days – but I pushed everything out. Decided to do bench press touch and go since it was the last workout of the cycle, just to see how they felt. Pretty easy. 335 for 4 is a PR, although I could get more if I was fresh. Did some slingshot bench without arching, to make the rom longer, and the movement harder. Felt good. CG bench with the slingshot is a real winner for me.

I should mention one new thing I have been doing the last several workouts. For one of my pull-apart sets I double up my red band and loop it around my forearms and then I do 50-100 reps with the bar. The doubled up band forces me to work hard to keep my hands spread apart while pressing, forcing my lats to stay firing the entire set, which has been carrying over to my actual bench in the form of more stability under the bar when lowering and pausing the weight.

High-bar ATG Squats:
135x12x1
275x5x1
325x4x1
380x3x1
380x3x1
430x3x1
430x6x1
430x6x1

Bench Press:
135x12x1
200x6x1
235x5x1
275x4x1
275x4x1
315x3x1
315x3x1
335x2x1
335x4x1 (PR)
315x5x1
315x5x1

Slingshot Bench Press:
365x5x1
365x5x1
365x5x1
365x5x1
365x5x1

Slingshot CG Bench:
275x8x1
275x8x1
275x8x1
275x8x1
275x12x1

DB Hammer Curls (one big drop set):
55x10x1
50x10x1
45x10x1
40x12x1
35x12x1
30x12x1
25x15x1
20x15x1
15x20x1
55x12x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x100x1

Duration: 120 minutes