Author: stealth

I am really enjoying these shorter workouts. Would have been done in less than 30 min if it did not take me 15 minutes to recover after the top deadlift sets. Not used to that cardio! 10 reps at 540, all from a dead stop, might just be a PR as I usually go touch-and-go on the high deadlift sets. More reps were there, but I was seeing stars after the 10th rep. Short (60s) rests between assistance sets.

Deadlift (reps deloaded):
135x10x1
225x5x1
315x5x1
410x5x1
475x5x1
540x10x1

SLDL:
225x10x1
225x10x1
225x10x1
225x10x1
225x10x1

Hanging Leg Lifts:
bw x15x1
bw x15x1
bw x15x1
bw x15x1
bw x15x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 45 minutes

First day of 5-3-1. The last set of each 5/3/5-3-1 day is to be taken to failure. My elbow was aching more than it was last week so it affected things a bit, but I managed to tie my paused PR at 315 with 6 reps. Probably could have had another rep if I really pushed it. Rests on the assistance work was kept to 30s between 20rep sets and 60s between 10 rep sets.

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
135x10x1
185x5x1
225x5x1
275x5x1
295x5x1
315x6x1

Incline Bench Press:
185x10x1
225x10x1
245x10x1
255x10x1
225x10x1

CG Pulldown:
150x10x1
200x10x1
250x10x1
264x10x1
200x10x1

Rope Face Pulls:
80x20x1
80x20x1
80x20x1
80x20x1
80x20x1

Seated Bicep Curl Machine:
50x20x1
50x20x1
50x20x1
50x20x1
50x20x1

Duration: 60 minutes

Deloading this week but decided to try some bench work and see how the elbow felt (it has been feeling better each day now). The plan was to stop when I felt any discomfort, and stick to touch and go reps since that feels easier on the elbow. I ended up hitting a new PR with 385. No real discomfort and there was more there, but I shut it down just to be safe. Moved on to deads, but it is hard to get any good pulling in when I cannot grip the bar well.

Bench Press (touch and go):
135x10x1
135x10x1
205x3x1
245x1x1
285x1x1
325x1x1
355x1x1
375x1x1
385x1x1 (PR)

Deadlift:
135x10x1
225x3x1
315x3x1
405x3x1
495x1x1
585x1x1
635x1x1
585x4x1

Bicep Curl Machine:
50x50x1

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

Duration: 60 minutes

Last workout of this block. Skipped bench again and did some zercher squats for a variation. They felt pretty good but my hip was obviously disliking the 495 set, inducing visible shaking in my right leg at lockout. Lame. Assistance work felt solid – all done with 15-30s rests between sets.

Zercher Squat off Pins (pins ~26″ high/mid thigh):
135x10x1
225x5x1
315x5x1
405x5x1
495x3x1
405x5x1

Straight-arm Side Laterals:
25x12x1
30x12x1
30x12x1
30x12x1
30x12x1

DB Hammer Curls (one big drop set):
55x10x1
50x10x1
45x10x1
40x10x1
35x10x1
30x10x1
25x10x1
50x10x1

Overhead Double-Bicep Cable Curl:
20x12x1
30x12x1
40x12x1
40x12x1
30x12x1

Rear Lateral Machine:
50x12x1
50x12x1
50x12x1
50x12x1
50x12x1

Chest Press Machine (various grips):
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1

Pec Flye Machine:
100x12x1
120x12x1
120x12x1

Single-arm Rope Cable Rows:
30x12x1
50x12x1
70x12x1
80x12x1
80x12x1

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

Duration: 75 minutes

I suppose I should not even be labeling these as sheiko workouts anymore since I have deviated so much to let things heal up. Anyways, this workout was good – worked up to a triple at 725 on rack pulls from mid-knee, which was not too hard. The biggest challenge today was my grip. Even with straps it was slipping at 585+. My forearms just would not produce any crushing/holding power. The elbow felt ok with 725 – no achniness. The tendonitis in my right elbow is still persisting, so I skipped bench. Again. I may just take next week off to let everything heal up more. Maybe max out squat and bench next Friday. All assistance work was done with 30-60s rests between sets.

Rack Deadlift (bar @ mid-knee):
225x5x1
315x5x1
405x5x1
495x5x1
585x3x1
675x3x1
725x3x1
585x3x1

BTN Pulldowns:
100x12x1
150x12x1
150x12x1
150x12x1
150x12x1

Rope Cable Pulls:
80x12x1
80x12x1
80x12x1
80x12x1
80x12x1

DB Front Raises:
25x12x1
35x12x1
35x12x1

DB Rear Laterals:
35x12x1
35x12x1
35x12x1

Single arm DB Preacher Curl:
35x12x1
35x12x1
35x12x1
35x12x1
35x12x1

Single-leg Leg Extension:
150x6x1
150x6x1
150x6x1
150x6x1
150x6x1
150x6x1

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

Duration: 60 minutes

Good session today. Got the requisite squat work done today without the hip bothering me too much. Was supposed to do 5 doubles but ended up doing 2-2-6 instead. Paused most reps slightly to take as much stress off my hip as possible (ie: no exploding out of the hole like I like to do). Skipped bench to let the elbow rest. Maybe hit it again Friday before maxing next week. Did some nice bb-centric assistance and that felt pretty good- nice change of pace.

ATG Squat:
135x10x1
225x3x1
275x3x1
325x3x1
435x2x1
435x2x1
435x6x1

Chest Press Machine:
50x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1

Neutral-grip Chest Press Machine:
100x10x1
100x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1

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

Straight-arm Lat Pushdowns:
40x12x1
60x12x1
60x12x1
60x12x1
60x12x1

Single-arm Cable Curls:
17x12x1
17x12x1
23x12x1
27x12x1
30x12x1
33x12x1
37x12x1
23x15x1

DB L-Laterals:
25x10x1
25x10x1
25x10x1
25x10x1
45x10x1

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

Duration: 90 minutes

Not much to write about for this workout. Took squats and bench off to let things rest and did a few sets of BTN push presses instead, working up to an easy 265 double. Then I shut down and finished with 44 sets of light stuff – db shoulder work, lat pulldowns, flyes, etc…

Pretty exciting workout – I decided to do deadlifts for the first time since 6/4 and they felt pretty good. Everything was pretty easy and fast, but I feel my forearm aching after the 585 and 655 doubles so I shut it down. No sense in overdoing it right from the start. Pleased that I could hit 655 without much trouble after the extended ‘time off’ from deads. Did some rack pulls afterwards to finish things off. Moved on to bench and things went fine until my first double @ 345. After racking the bar I had a sharp pain in my right elbow (where its been hurting the last month) and could barely extend or bend my arm. I pulled off my elbow sleeves and rested a bit and started doing some light chest presses (which were excruciating) and then I felt a ‘pop’ in my elbow and the pain instantly went away and I had no troubles finishing some light pressing after that. I must have pinched a nerve on that set. Feeling OK now but will probably skip bench on Friday to let it rest. Just to be safe.

Deadlift:
135x10x1
225x6x1
315x3x1
405x3x1
495x2x1
585x2x1
655x2x1

Rack Deadlift (bar @ mid-knee):
315x5x1
405x5x1
495x5x1
585x5x1
495x10x1

Bench Press (touch and go):
135x15x1
205x3x1
245x3x1
285x3x1
325x3x1
325x3x1
345x2x1

Chest Press Machine:
100x12x1
100x12x1
100x12x1
100x12x1
100x12x1

Chest Press Machine – Neutral Grip:
100x12x1
100x12x1
100x12x1
150x12x1
150x12x1

Standing Cable Crunch:
100x10x1
75x10x1
75x10x1

DB Preacher Curl:
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x10x1
30x12x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 75 minutes

Good benching today, but lackluster squatting. Did all paused bench today flat-backed again – feeling strong there. Squats were tough from the start – my hip was really agitated today and after doing two paused doubles @ 435 I shut it down. No sense in aggravating it more. Will try again next Monday.

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
135x10x1
205x3x1
245x3x1
285x3x1
285x3x1
325x3x1
325x3x1
325x3x1
325x3x1
325x3x1

Paused Squats:
135x10x1
275x3x1
325x3x1
385x3x1
435x2x1
435x2x1

Leg Press:
470x20x1
470x20x1
470x20x1

Seated Leg Extension:
305x15x1
305x15x1
305x15x1
305x15x1

Pec Flye Machine:
100x10x1
140x10x1
140x10x1
170x15x1

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

Duration: 60 minutes

Nice light recovery session. Added 5lbs to the bench training poundages for the remainder of the cycle. All bench was done flat backed, and was easy, despite being very sore and fatigued. Forearm held up well on rack deads – could have pulled 635 all day…

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
225x3x1
265x3x1
265x3x1
305x3x1
305x3x1
305x3x1
305x3x1
305x3x1
305x3x1

Rack Deadlift (bar@ mid-knee):
225x3x1
315x3x1
405x3x1
495x3x1
585x3x1
635x5x1

Flat DB Flyes:
55x10x1
55x10x1
55x10x1
55x10x1
55x10x1

Hanging Leg Lifts:
bw x12x1
bw x12x1
bw x12x1
bw x12x1
bw x12x1

Seated Bicep Curl Machine:
75x15x1
75x15x1
75x15x1
75x15x1
75x15x1

Band Face Pulls:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Band Pull-Aparts:
red x50x1
red x50x1
red x50x1

Duration: 60 minutes