2/24 – Sheiko Hybrid – Session 4

Solid workout. Slowly getting back into form, but my top end strength is still lacking. My CNS feels like it is still recovering from being sick a few weeks ago. Push presses went well, so did squats – better than last week, but still not where I would like them to be. Managed to get another rep PR on my rep-effort set on presses today. My lower back, right side, is still bothering me during push presses (but nothing else). Trying to decide how to handle that – stay light, drop them for a while? Assistance work was pretty simple today.

Push Press:
135x10x1
175x5x1
215x4x1
250x3x1
280x3x1
290x1x1
290x1x1
280x1x1
255x7x1 (PR)

ATG Squat:
225x6x1
325x2x1
390x2x1
455x2x1
520x2x1
540x2x1
550x2x1
520x2x1

Flat DB Flye:
60x10x1
65x10x1
70x10x1
70x10x1
70x10x1

Chest Press Machine:
167x10x1
167x10x1
167x10x1
167x10x1
167x10x1

Reverse BB Rows:
bw x5x1
bw x5x1
bw x5x1
bw x5x1
bw x5x1

Duration: 90 minutes

2/21 – Sheiko Hybrid – Session 3

This was a pretty great workout, despite being incredibly sore. Started out with dynamic effort squats – 8 doubles in 5-6 minutes. Fast and explosive. Bench was real slow and stiff to start but I ended up hitting the 2 scheduled doubles, then threw an extra heavier single in there for good measure. Ended up with a strong effort for a rep effort set – 250 for 11. I thought my head would explode. Finished with solid accessory work.

DE ATG Squat:
135x10x1
225x5x1
315x2x1
315x2x1
315x2x1
315x2x1
315x2x1
315x2x1
315x2x1
315x2x1

Paused Bench Press:
195x5x1
230x4x1
270x4x1
290x3x1
310x2x1
310x2x1
320x1x1
290x3x1
290x3x1
270x4x1
250x11x1

Flat DB Flye:
55x10x1
60x10x1
65x10x1
65x10x1
65x10x1

Tricep Extension Machine:
125x10x1
125x10x1
125x10x1
125x10x1
125x10x1

Standing Rope Cable Crunch:
75x10x1
100x10x1
112x10x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x30x1
red band x30x1
red band x30x1

+ stretching

Duration: 80 minutes

2/19 – Sheiko Hybrid – Session 2

Pretty awesome workout today. Super, super sore but everything really clicked. Really took an aggressive approach to deads today and did deficit pulls with the bar starting resting on the top of my feet – about 5″ lower than the normal starting position. It is amazing how much harder that makes the pull. Really pushed the weights and ended up with a 545 single PR, which is quite a bit above any deficit conventional pull I have done from this height. After deficit pulls I did a rep effort set from the normal starting height, 495×10. May or may not be a PR for conventional pulls; I would have to look way back in my logs to see. Moved on to inclines where I hit a 4-rep PR with 305. Finished with some decent assistance work.

Deficit Conventional Deadlift (bar @ top of feet):
135x10x1
225x5x1
350x3x1
410x3x1
475x3x1
535x2x1
545x1x1 (PR)
515x2x1

Conventional Deadlift:
495x10x1

Incline Bench Press:
225x4x1
255x4x1
285x4x1
305x4x1 (PR)
275x4x1
275x5x1

Dips:
bw x5x1
bw x5x1
bw x5x1
bw x5x1
bw x10x1
bw x10x1

Seated Leg Extension – Single Leg:
135x10x1
135x10x1
135x10x1
135x10x1
135x10x1
135x10x1

Strict GMs:
135x10x1
135x10x1
135x10x1

Seated Bicep Curl Machine:
100x8x1
100x8x1
100×8-75×8-50×8-25x10x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x30x1
red band x30x1
red band x30x1

Duration: 100 minutes

2/17 – Sheiko Hybrid – Session 1

Decided to start things off a bit differently this cycle. I’m following Sheiko #39, but employing some Westside practices in my training. Lower volume for the big 4 work sets, but more intensity, and more instinctive training. Also adding in repetition effort and dynamic effort work, as I feel I am not as explosive as I would like in my lifts.

Today I would regularly have been set to do a handful of triples at 270 but I altered things a bit by hitting a triple with 265 and then doing a few sets @ 285. I was pretty pleased by how things felt considering these were the first real work sets I have done in over two weeks. Went back down to 250 for a rep effort set and hit a PR with 7 reps. Had a few more but I was not used to the effort and my legs started getting wobbly on me. Squats were OK – not feeling the most stable in the hole today, but I pushed things and hit some decent weights, considering everything. Finished with standard Sheiko assistance work.

Push Press:
135x12x1
175x5x1
215x4x1
250x3x1
265x3x1
285x1x1
285x2x1
250x7x1 (PR)

ATG Squat:
225x5x1
325x3x1
390x3x1
455x3x1
495x3x1
525x3x1
545x1x1

Flat DB Bench:
100x6x1
110x6x1
120x6x1
130x8x1
110x6x1
110x8x1

Wide-grip Pulldown:
186x10x1
186x10x1
186x10x1
186x10x1
186x10x1

Kneeling Rope Cable Crunch:
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x30x1
red band x30x1
red band x30x1

Duration: 100 minutes

2/14 – Recovery/Deload

Took Monday and Wednesday off this week due to traveling (and to make sure I was over last week’s illness). Everything felt achy and stiff today, hopefully due to being cramped in the plane all day yesterday. Didn’t push anything too hard. Not sure what I will start next week’s new training cycle with yet…maybe Sheiko 39, or 32.

Push Press:
135x12x1
175x5x1
210x4x1
245x3x1
265x3x1

ATG Squat:
320x3x1
385x3x1
445x1x1
445x1x1
445x1x1

Paused Bench Press:
185x3x1
225x3x1
265x3x1
265x3x1
265x3x1

Incline Bench Press:
225x4x1
255x4x1
225x4x1

Seated Curl Machine:
62x10x1
62x10x1
62x10x1

CG Pulldown:
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1

Tricep Extension Machine:
100x10x1
100x10x1
100x10x1

Seated Leg Extension:
305x10x1
305x10x1
305x10x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x50x1
red band x50x1
red band x50x1

+ stretching

Duration: 60 minutes

2/7 – Recovery/Deload

So I came down with a case of strep throat that kept me out of the gym all week until today – fun stuff. Today was simply a workout to get the blood flowing again, and to simply do something. Started with strict military presses, where I hit 230 for a double, which might just be a full-rom military PR, but I don’t feel like looking it up. Did a few push presses, moved on to bench and incline. I did not want to push anything too hard and set my recovery back at all.

Strict Military Press:
135x10x1
175x3x1
210x3x1
230x2x1

Push Press:
230x3x1
230x3x1

Paused Bench Press:
135x10x1
185x3x1
225x3x1
265x3x1
300x2x1
265x3x1

Incline Bench Press:
135x10x1
225x6x1
225x6x1
225x12x1

Pec Flye Machine:
100x20x1
120x20x1
120x20x1

Wide-grip Pulldown:
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1

Seated Lat Row:
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1

Close-grip Pulldown:
150x10x1
150x10x1
150x10x1

Standing Cable Curl:
23x10x1
33x10x1
43x10x1
53x10x1
63x10x1
73x10x1

V-bar Pushdowns:
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x50x1
red band x50x1
red band x50x1

+ stretching

Duration: 60 minutes

1/31 – Sheiko – Session 15

OK workout. Push presses went fine, and I was able to throw in an extra rep on the last set. Mostly grinding presses,with no real leg drive today. I think the extra single between the 245 and 280 jump helped a lot. Moved on to squats and bailed after doing my first double @ 510. Was supposed to do 3 more, but I could feel the right-side of my low back tightening up so I stopped. On my last squat rep on Monday I had a sharp back spasm there and, while it did not affect deads on Wednesday, I could feel it tightening today. Better safe than sorry. Inclines were sluggish, due to the hard overheads.

Push Press:
135x10x1
175x3x1
210x3x1
245x3x1
265x1x1
280x2x1
280x2x1
280x2x1
280x2x1
280x3x1

ATG Squat:
320x3x1
385x3x1
450x3x1
510x2x1

Incline Bench Press:
225x4x1
255x4x1
255x4x1
255x6x1

Flat DB Flyes:
55x8x1
55x8x1
55x8x1
55x8x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x50x1
red band x50x1
red band x50x1

+ stretching

Duration: 80 minutes

1/29 – Sheiko – Session 14

Nice day in the gym. Deads felt real explosive and bench went great. Long, long pauses on the singles and they all moved fast. Felt good to have a lower volume day.

Deficit Conventional Deadlift (bar @ ankles):
135x10x1
225x3x1
315x3x1
375x3x1
405x2x1
405x2x1
405x2x1
405x2x1

Conventional Deadlift:
435x3x1
495x2x1
495x2x1
530x2x1
530x2x1

Paused Bench Press:
190x3x1
225x3x1
265x3x1
300x2x1
320x1x1
320x1x1
320x1x1
300x2x1

Wide-grip Pulldowns:
157x8x1
170x8x1
170x8x1
170x8x1

Bicep Curl Machine:
50x10x1
50x10x1
50x10x1
50x10x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x50x1
red band x50x1
red band x50x1

+ stretching

Duration: 80 minutes

1/27 – Sheiko – Session 13

Lucky number 13. This session sucked. Not for a lack of strength or anything, but I just lacked focus and drive today. Was supposed to hit 280 for 5 triples on overheads, ended up doing 3,2,3,3,2, for whatever reason some of the sets were brutal, others cake. I am thinking I might need a warmup set or two between the 245 and 280 jump. Squats were OK. Got the scheduled sets but my right hip is still acting up. I am about 99% positive it has to do with my lowering my drum throne 15″ a few weeks ago, which really makes me use way more hips/glutes when playing. Need to lay off the drum sessions and let my hip recover/rest up. DB bench and inclines were easy.

Push Press:
135x10x1
175x5x1
210x4x1
245x3x1
280x3x1
280x2x1
280x3x1
280x3x1
280x2x1

ATG Squat:
350x3x1
415x3x1
480x2x1
545x1x1
545x1x1
545x1x1
545x1x1
510x2x1

Flat DB Bench:
110x8x1
110x8x1
110x8x1
110x10x1

Incline Bench Press:
230x8x1
230x8x1
230x8x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x50x1
red band x50x1
red band x50x1

Forearm Curls:
45x50x1
45x50x1

+ stretching

Duration: 120 minutes

1/24 – Sheiko – Session 12

Just killed this workout. Last night I could barely fall asleep my low back was so tight and cramped, assuming from the conventional deads which do not help my already fatigued core from all the volume Sheiko calls for. Was not sure I would be able to even lift today, but I managed to focus and pound out everything I needed to, and then some. Push presses were solid, and went for reps on my last set with ease. ATG squats yielded a new beltless PR effort, with 2 singles @ 575. I had to skip sumo sldls again, due to the low back being so sore, but I am still pleased with this workout.

Push Press:
135x10x1
175x5x1
210x4x1
245x3x1
265x2x1
265x2x1
265x2x1
265x2x1
265x5x1

ATG Squat:
320x3x1
385x3x1
450x2x1
510x1x1
575x1x1 (beltless PR)
575x1x1 (beltless PR)
450x5x1

Flat DB Flyes:
60x8x1
70x8x1
80x8x1
90x10x1

Single-arm DB Hammer Curls:
60x10x1
70x10x1
80x10x1
90x10x1

Standing Rope Cable Crunch:
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1

Tricep Cable Pushdown:
80x10x1
80x10x1
80x10x1

Pull-Aparts:
red band x50x1
red band x50x1
red band x50x1

+ stretching

Duration: 90 minutes