You look so lonely over here! So you got some new maxes? Great!
I did a couple cycles of Sheiko last year and it sure beat me up. I can relate to your injury stuff. I learned that I better eat eat eat and sleep sleep sleep, or it would kill me.
Great volume over here. I’ve looked at Sheiko and you’ve sparked my interest to check it out again.
Sheiko # 37 Week 3 day 3
1 Bench press
50% 5x1 135
60% 4x1 145
70% 3x2 170
80% 3x7 195
2 Squat 50% 5x1 170
60% 5x1 205
70% 5x2 235
75% 4x5 255
3 Bench press
50% 6x1 135
60% 6x2 145
65% 6x4 160
flys, tri extensions
Sheiko # 37, Week 4, day 1
Squat 50% 5x1 170
60% 4x1 205
70% 3x2 235
80% 3x2 275
90% 3x1 305 was supposed to be 3 singles, but I was phyched I just forgot and did a triple
Bench press
50% 5x1 120
60% 4x1 144
70% 3x2 168
80% 3x5 192
Dumbbell fly 10x5
Tri extensions
Squat 50% 5x1 170
60% 4x1 205
70% 3x2 235
80% 3x4 275 again, should have been 2x4…I guess I am programed to do triples
Holy crap! #37’s volume is brutal, but I can’t deny the gains. I have been putting in extra effort of squat days becuase of my lightened DL days. The second cycle of squats here is sinister. I drove 305 out of the hole fast, but then cooling off a little benching, only to get back under the bar just sucks…but I am stronger now than I ever have been.
thanks Cav, GV. I was wondering if anyone was reading this. I have been using the log for accountablity and a central tracking place…which is why I just did two posts, and now three back to back.
The volume is brutal. I wish I had a diet coach, and 21 hours a day to recover. I have been very slack on my carb back loading plan due to clear caloric needs, the holidays, and there being pastries and donuts around every corner at work. As a result, and seemingly “par for the course” my weight has gone up, but my clothes fit the same, but some of my suit coats are getting tighter on the arms and legs. Also, I tried to time sheiko to a normal slowdown in the recruiting world, but that has not happened this year.
I will finish #37 this week, have a lighter de-load week christmas week. Post holiday, I am going to go into a semi-cut phase switching back to 531. I want to drop a pant size, but will do my best to retain the muscle gains. I will follow CBL strickly, and I expect 2 inches off the waist will be a totally realistic 3 month goal. Depending on the results I might hit another shieko phase early spring, but I am sure I’ll be at it again.
I’d recomend sheiko to anyone, although I think most people wouldn’t. The big lifts are laid it out very scientifically, but as everyone says, EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT! As long as even a beginnner has solid technique, at least pay attention and heed the "so you think you can bench/squat vids) I think it can be a great program. The genius lies in the fact that the volume makes it brutal, not lifting at 95-110% of 1rm. You have ot understand that they are personalized programs, and should be taken as a template, not a written in stone program.
Diet wise, about all I can comment is that I have to keep meat and protein shakes coming through the day, or I will croak. Also the vitamins and fish oil. Don’t know if your schedule allows for a lot of sleep, but if I didn’t get plenty I couldn’t move the next day.
I feel you on the need for more recovery time and wondering if my posts are being read. The last three weeks or so my little girl has been sick and my sleep has dwindled to 4 or so hours a night many times which has been a killer. Few people post at my thread but I find it helps me to keep an accurate record and gives me an accountability I can access just about any time.
Losing 2 inches off your waist in 3 months is a very realistic goal.
So… I finished Sheiko 37…barely and decided to take a slightly self but also holiday imposed do nothing de-load. Soon after Christmas and my birthday, the day after I got sick. It started with a soar throat and quickly got worse, fever, cough and so on. It lingered and lingered, then 1/7-1/9 I took a work related trip to NYC where I was out late so that didn’t help.
Finally back in the gym this week after pretty much a whole month off.
Monday I planned on doing 5/3/1 but it was clear I needed a general preparedness week. I got to 185 squatting and felt a groin pull ready to happen so I backed off and did a lot of assistance work.
Today I finally had a respectable workout. I followed Madcow 5x5 because I somehow had it saved on my phone.
Squat
5x1 110
5x1 135
5x1 170
5x1 205
5x1 240
5x1 225 (should have been 270, but I’m still feeling week)
Bench
5x2 135
5x1 155
5x1 175
3x1 195 (same, should have been 205 but feeling week and injury prone)
rows
5x5 135 (this was damned awful, I hate rows with all my soul, but they’re done)
I’ll hit 5/3/1 although the Cube sounds interesting starting next week.
In other news, I am being considered for a position with a smaller insurance company, but for a national role. It’s a big step up (right past middle management into executive leadership visa vie, holy shit) and would put me in a position to build an organization ( I am a recruiter), or really the system for building an organization from small to medium to (hopefully) large organization…and to make more money than I thought I would ever make. This has taken up the bulk of my time and energy during January. There is nothing like interviewing with a CEO while trying suppress a fever and nagging cough. I have what should be (according to my recruiter) an offer presentation this week. Giggity!