Thursday 27 February 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W2D1

Squat w/belt: 135x5, 165x4, 195x3 x2 sets, 225x2 x5 sets

1ct Bench Press: 95x5, 115x4, 135x3 x2 sets, 150x3 x5 sets, LS @8.5

DB Fly: 20s x10 x5 sets

Front Squat w/belt: 135x3 x2 sets, 155x3 x2 sets, 170x2 x4 sets

Goodmorning: 135x5 x5 sets

Pushups: x10 x5 sets

***

Got to the gym at 5:45. Nothing impressive here in terms of weights, but I feel this workout was a watershed for my continued gym compliance and overall motivation. Let's keep this up.

Nicely done getting back into a routine! I've started going before work as well, though not quite as early as you. I'm really liking just getting it out of the way.

Beard, for lack of a better word, is good.

Thanks, breaux.

Saturday 29 February 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W2D2

1ct Bench Press: 95x6, 115x6 x2 sets, 125x6 x4 sets

Deadlift to Knees: 135x3, 175x3, 205x3 x2 sets, 215x2 x4 sets

DB Fly: 20s x10 x5 sets

Block Pulls: 155x4, 185x4, 215x4 x2 sets, 235x4 x4 sets

W=154

***

Decent day.

Monday 2 March 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W2D3

1ct Bench Press: 95x5, 115x4, 135x3 x2 sets, 150x2, 155x2 @8, 145x3, 125x5, 105x7

Squat w/belt: 135x5, 165x4, 195x3 x2 sets, 225x2 x5 sets, 195x4 x3 sets

DB Fly: 20s x10 x3 sets

W=154

***

Bench weights felt kind of heavy. The top set was just over 80% of the training max and was probably closer to 87% of my actual max on the day. Squats felt pretty shitty too. I forgot my sleeves which made everything seem a bit heavier and my back pain was probably a 2 out of 10. Overall I'm just glad to keep the consistency train on the tracks. Another successful 5:30 am day on the books.

Wednesday 4 March 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W3D1

1ct Bench Press: 95x5, 115x4, 135x3 x2 sets, 150x3 x6 sets

Squat no belt: 135x5, 185x4, 215x3

DB Fly: 20s x10 x5 sets

Leg Press: 315x5, 365x5, 405x5 x3 sets

***

I forgot my belt/shoes/sleeves. Was pretty upset about that. I worked through some of the warmup sets and my back pain got progressively worse, so I went to a lower back friendly substitute. We'll get em next time. Training is becoming almost consistent, and bench is going decently well.

Saturday 7 March 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W3D2

Deficit Deadlift: 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 195x3 x4 sets @<1

1ct Bench Press: 95x5, 115x4, 135x3 x2 sets, 150x2 x3 sets, 160x2, 165x2 @8.5, 155x3 x2 sets

Block Pull: 185x4, 205x4 x2 sets, 235x3 x2 sets, 255x2, 265x2 @7

W=155

***

Probably my first objectively "good" session since christmas. Lower back pain was like a 1 out of 10. Bench is in PR territory. 165x2 with legit pauses matched my best double. 170x2 was there. Not sure about 180x1.

That is one weird looking gym. Where do you train?

It's a 3rd-rate black iron gym that used to be an eckerd pharmacy. Its in a busted out strip mall and the squat rack and deadlift area are all the way in the dankest corner next to the electrical panel. I can't quit it though because it's so cheap and I almost never have to wait to use the equipment.

Wowwwwwwww beard szn

Those are two of the most important things. Add in proximity to where you live and ability to use chalk at will and you've hit the gym jackpot.

Like a commercial basement gym

Looks like a good training environment to me.

Yeah they don't care about chalk. I'm not a huge fan of iron plates, though. They feel heavier, especially to squat. I do love their benches though. I can self unrack a 1RM load. Problem is that the gym is often so dead that there's nobody to spot that single. Luckily I'm on a program where failing reps is ~impossible.

Tuesday 10 March 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W3D3

1ct Bench Press: 45x5, 95x5, 115x4, 135x3 x2 sets, 150x3 x7 sets, LS @8.5

Squat w/belt: 45x5, 135x5, 185x4, 205x3, 225x3 x6 sets, LS @7

Goodmorning: 135x5 x5 sets
DB Fly: 25s x10 x5 sets
Machine OH Press: 45s x4, 45s+10s x4 x4 sets

***

Okay there's some good and bad here to discuss.

The good: I'm approaching the end of the first sheiko cycle and basically haven't missed a training session. I almost missed today, when this morning I woke up at 5:30am (2.5 hours before work) and ended up getting to the gym and realizing I didn't have my key. I managed to make it in for an evening session.

Today was my first workout since starting the program that I had zero back pain, which is pretty awesome considering that squats aggravate my lower back even more than deads. I feel like I can finally consider increasing the weights, though I probably won't. The #30 template comes with an across-the-board volume increase of like 1/3 so it will be tougher even if the weights stay the same.

The bad: I haven't been making it to the gym on Sheiko off-days for gpp/cardio sessions. I haven't been waking up at the same time every day, with times ranging over the last week between 5:15 and 10:00. I know it's terrible for me but it's just so tough to resist my natural inclination toward nocturnal patterns. Not to mention that work and life have been especially inconsistent lately. I really need to begin prioritizing getting my circadian rhythm in order because it's part of a bunch of negative feedback loops that are ruining my life right now.

Today was an okay session. Bench press was kinda heavy but that's probably to be expected considering its a 6:30pm session with no caffeine and I did some relatively hard work all day beforehand. Squats were the best they've felt since before xmas. The filmed set was the last set and I managed to bury the last two reps. No excuse not to do perfect reps with the submax nature of this program.

If the gym is so empty can you drag a bench over to a squat rack and then bench in there?

I can (and I have before) but it's less optimal than using their bench press equipment. It's hard to unrack a heavy weight from the squat rack j hooks without losing upper back position. Obviously if I'm there alone and have to do a set where failure is possible then I have no choice but to bench in the rack.

Tuesday 10 March 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W4D1

1ct Bench Press: 45x5, 105x5, 125x5, 145x4 x5 sets

Squat w/belt: 45x5, 135x5, 185x4, 205x3 x2 sets, 225x3 x5 sets

***

Pretty meh 6AM session. Back pain 1/10.

Yeah, that makes sense. I've actually almost forgotten that liftoffs are even a thing as pretty much all my lifting is alone at home.

So when's the first meet?

I'd like to do one once I'm in better shape (lower back and composition wise). Given my numbers I don't have any illusion that I'd ever be competitive, even at the local level in an ant weight class, but I think it would be a fun experience.


Tuesday 14 March 2020 Training
Sheiko #29 W4D2

1ct Bench Press: 95x5, 115x4, 135x3 x2 sets, 150x3 x2 sets, 160x2, 170x2 @9.5 [PR+5], 165x2

Deadlift: 135x3, 185x3, 205x3 x2 sets, 235x3 x2 sets, 245x2, 265x2

1ct Bench Press: 135x5 x4 sets

W=157

***

Fairly decent day. The template called for top doubles of 162 on bench, but I felt pretty decent so I decided to chip my PR double. I'm pretty sure I had a third rep, and was comfortable enough with the weight that I benched without a spotter (for what it's worth).

Deadlifts were a mixed bag. I had some back pain from the start that felt the worst during the 235 sets but then 245 felt awesome so I bumped the weight again. 265 felt pretty decent but I had some aching afterward that made me decide to cut out the back off sets. By the way, this was the first time the program had me doing actual deadlifts from the floor instead of partial range variants.

Monday 16 March 2020

Neutral Grip Pullups / Pushups Ladder:

1/2
2/4
3/6
4/8
5/10
4/12
3/12
2/12
1/12

Squat no belt: 45x5 x2 sets, 95x5, 135x5, 155x5 x5 sets

Pause Bench: 45x5, 95x5, 115x4 x2 sets, 125x3 x5 sets

161lb


Hi. Might be a long post later if this becomes a thing again. Only goal right now is getting back to a healthy routine.

Welcome back!

thanks bro

5x5 Squat with less than my weight made me ridiculously sore, despite having spent the last 6 weeks lifting heavy ass windows nonstop. Today I went in to do some light deadlifts, loaded 135 and pulled both of my adductors on the first rep and noped the rest. Could barely walk after. I guess I need to do some high block pulls until my mobility gets back to normal. I did some light cardio and decided to give it another day or two for compound lifts.

Deadlift: 95x3, 135x3 x2 set, 165x3, 185x3 x5 sets

Incline Bench: 45x6, 65x6, 85x6, 95x6 x3 sets

Block Pull: 135x4, 185x4, 205x4 x2 sets

Dips: x5 x5 sets

160lb

Probably the first real session. Mobility fine. Some minor pain in familiar area of left lower back. Nonetheless, I took it real easy on weights.