Stephens Training Log

Hi Everyone

I purchased the Sheiko App and started on the Advanced Medium Load on Monday 14/09/2015. I thought I would log my training on here on a weekly basis so everyone can see the progress or have a good laugh (whichever comes first). Some information about me:
1. I train at the Muscle Pit so I am very lucky to have access to all the necessary equipment so many, many thanks to Henry Day for starting the first powerlifting gym in Australia and keeping the sport alive in Western Australia.
2. I started powerlifting and training at the Muscle Pit in December 2008 (some men buy a sports car when they have their midlife crisis whereas I took up powerlifting - go figure!)
3. I have pretty consistently competed in the WPC and GPA (through CAPO) 4 times a year since starting but haven't done any competitions in 2015 and haven't renewed my membership with CAPO in 2015 (or any other powerlifting organisation for that matter). Cant say I have trained that much in 2015 either so not sure where I am going with powerlifting but will probably leave that to 2016 to sort itself out.
4. I am 47 (no idea how that happened - one minute I am 25 then got married and next thing I know I am 47)
5. My best competition lifts are Squat (with wraps) - 170kg, Bench - 115kg and a 235kg deadlift at 75kg (so sort of but not quite raw - whatever the hell that means)
6. Don't take any steroids and I have weened myself off aspirin although I think the Sheiko program may make that a mistake.
7. Sleep about 6 hours a night if I am lucky
8. Eat 4 meals a day and eat extremely well thanks to my lovely wife.
Well that pretty much wraps it up (if you will excuse the Pun). If you are reading this I hope your training is going very well and that you hit all the goals you have set for yourself over the next few years.

Advanced (Medium Load) - Prep Cycle 1 - Week 1
Monday 14/09/2015 - Sunday 20/09/2015
Day 1
1. Front Squat - 50kg x 4(30%), 67.5kg x 4(40%), 85kg x 4 x 3 (50%) found the 85kg quite challenging
2. Bench Press - 57.5kg x 5(50%), 70kg x 4(61%), 80kg x 3(70%), 87.5kg x 2 x 4
3. Squat - 100kg x 3 (59%), 110kg x 3(65%), 127.5kg x 2 x 4(75%)
4. Dumbell Bench - 60kg (30kg dumbells) x 8 x 4
5. Ab wheel of death - 15kg x 10 x 3
Rating 3

Day 2
1. Deadlift with pause at knees - 120kg x 3(51%), 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 3 x 4(70%)
2. Bench Press - 57.5kg x 5(50%), 70kg x 5(61%), 80kg x 3(70%),80kg x 5(70%), 80kg x 7(70%), 80kg x 4(70%), 80kg x 6(70%), 80kg x 8(70%) started to get a bit challenging on the last set
3. Deadlift with pause just above knees - 130kg x 3(55%), 152.5kg x 3(65%), 177.5kg x 2 x 4(76%)
4. Chest Supported Rows - 55kg x 6 x 4
5. Standing Good Mornings (Safety Squat Bar) - 60kg x 5 x 5
Rating: 4.5 found the volume of deadlifting quite a challenge as I don't normally do much deadlifting at all

Day 3
1. Bench Press - 57.5kg x 5(50%), 70kg x 4(61%), 80kg x 3(70%),87.5kg x 3 x 4(76%) found the last two sets quite hard.
2. Squat with pause on the way down - 85kg x 3 (50%), 102.5kg x 3(60%), 120kg x 3 x 4(71%) just quietly these really sucked
3. Board press (used a foam board so it sat on my chest without anyone holding it) - 70kg x 3(61%), 80kg x 3(70%), 92.5kg x 3 x 2(80%), 97.5kg x 2 x 3(85%)
4. Dumbell Bench Press - 60kg x 8 x 4 (two 30kg dumbells)
5. Hyper extensions - 20kg x 8 x 4
Rating: 5 found this session very difficult but had to start it at 0545 hrs so no wonder it felt horrible. I am just not a morning person any more.

Day 4
1. Deficit Deadlift (standing on thick rubber mat - 5cm) - 117.5kg x 3(50%), 140kg x 2 x 4(60%) found this very difficult
2. Incline Bench Press - 80kg x 3 x 5(70%) found this much easier than anticipated
3. Deadlift off blocks (about 5cm below knees) - 130kg x 3(55%), 152.5kg x 3(65%), 177.5kg x 3 x 2(76%), 200kg x 2 x 3(85%) when will the hurting stop - found the 200kg difficult to get going as at that height I am struggling to get any leg drive into the start of the lift
4. Chain push ups - 34kg x 4 x 5 my shoulders just aren't dip friendly so substituted push ups off kettlebells.
5. Leg Press - 200kg x 5 x 5 now I am not really sure on the weight as its an Elite FTS Mondo leg press and I think the actual moving footplate is 160kg without any weights so I added two 20kg plates (one a side) and that weight was just about right as I just got the last couple of sets done.
5. Reverse Hypers - 90kg x 8 x 4
Rating: 4 I am finding the volume of deadlifting quite a challenge
Bodyweight: 75.7kg

Advanced (Medium Load) - Prep Cycle 1 - Week 2
Monday 21/09/2015 - Sunday 27/09/2015

Day 1
1. Squat - 85kg x 5(50%), 102.5kg x 4(60%), 120kg x 4 x 3 (70%), 127.5kg x 3 (75%), 135kg x 2 x 5 (80%) found the 135kg quite challenging
2. Bench Press - 57.5kg x 5(50%), 70kg x 4(61%), 80kg x 3(70%), 92.5kg x 2 x 5
3. Nose crushers with football bar - 35kg  x 6 x 5
4. Dumbell bench press - 35kg x 8 x 4
5. 45 degree back raise – 20kg x 8 x 4
Rating 3.5 

Day 2
1. Bench Press with chains- 57.5kg x 3(50%), 70kg x 3(61%), 80kg x 3 x 5(70%) fairly easy
2. Deadlift with pause below knees – 117.5kg x 3(50%), 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 3 x 4(70%), 177.5kg x 2 x 5(75%)
4. Side Delts – 12.5kg x 6 x 5 weight was just about right
5. Leg Press – 180kg x 6 x 5 finding this very difficult
5. Ab wheel of death – 17.5kg x 8 x 4
Rating: 3

Day 3
1. Front Squat – 50kg x 4(30%), 70kg x 4(40%), 85kg x 4 x 4(50%)
2. Board press (used a foam board so it sat on my chest without anyone holding it) - 70kg x 3(61%), 80kg x 3(70%), 92.5kg x 3(80%), 97.5kg x 2 x 2(85%), 102.5kg x 3(90%)
3. Dips – 20kg x 6 x 5 first time I have been able to do dips in many years and my shoulders were fine
4. Chest Supported Row - 50kg x 8 x 4
5. Standing Good Mornings with SSB - 60kg x 5 x 5
Rating: 2 found the front squats a bit of a challenge but the board presses were very easy

Day 4
1. Bench Press with close grip (index finger on the smooth) - 57.5kg x 4(50%), 70kg x 3(61%), 75kg x 3 x 4(65%)
2. Deadlift with chains - 120kg x 3(50%), 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 2 x 2(70%), 177.5kg x 1 x 3(75%) Strangely the last sets felt easier than the first few
3. Dumbell Bench – 70kg x 6 x 5 (35kg dumbells)
4. Leg Press – 202.5kg x 4 x 4 couldn’t complete the last set and this is definitely aggravating my lower back.
5. Reverse Hypers - 90kg x 8 x 4
Rating: 2
Bodyweight: 75.1kg
Notes – the leg press will have to go but I am really happy with having no shoulder issues with the dips.

Advanced (Medium Load) - Prep Cycle 1 - Week 3
Monday 28/09/2015 – Sunday 04/10/2015

Day 1
1. Front Squat – 67.5kg x 4(40%), 85kg x 4(50%), 92.5kg x 3 x 3(50%)
2. Bench Press - 57.5kg x 5(50%), 70kg x 4(61%), 80kg x 3(70%), 92.5kg x 2 x 2 (80%), 97.5kg x 1 x 2(85%), 92.5kg x 2 x 2(80%)
3. Squats with pause on the way down – 85kg x 3(50%), 102.5kg x 3(60%), 120kg x 3(70%), 127.5kg x 2 x 4(75%)
4. Chest Supported Row - 55kg x 6 x 5
5. Seated Good Mornings – 75kg x 5 x 4
Rating 3.5 

Day 2
1. Deadlift with pause at knees – 117.5kg x 3(50%), 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 3(70%), 177.5kg x 2 x 4(75%)
2. Bench Press – 57.5kg x 5(50%),70kg x 5(60%), 80kg x 3(70%), 80kg x 7, 80kg x 4, 80kg x 8, 80kg x 2, 80kg x 6 (interestingly I found the low rep sets so easy and the high rep sets quite challenging)
3. Deadlifts off blocks (bar 7cm below knees) – 140kg x 4(60%), 165kg x 4(70%), 187.5kg x 4 x 4(80%) found the last few sets quite challenging as at this position I find it hard to get any leg drive into the movement, its almost all lower back and hamstrings and glutes.
4. Dumbell Bench – 35kg x 6 x 4 (was meant to be 37.5kg but couldn’t find the dumbells and I am not 100% sure I would have been able to do the 40kg)
5. Ab wheel of death – 17.5kg x 10 x 3
Rating: 3

Day 3
1. Board press (used a foam board) – 62.5kg x 3(55%), 75kg x 3(65%), 87.5kg x 3(75%), 97.5kg x 2 x 2(85%), 102.5kg x 1 x 3(90%)
2. Squat - 85kg x 5(50%), 102.5kg x 4(60%), 120kg x 4 x 3 (70%), 135kg x 2 x 5 (80%) found the 135kg quite challenging
3. Bench Press with chains- 57.5kg x 3(50%), 70kg x 4(61%), 75kg x 4 x 4(70%) fairly easy
4. Chest Supported Row - 50kg x 8 x 4
5. Seated Good Mornings – 65kg x 8 x 4
Rating: 2.5 found the squats a bit of a challenge but the board presses were very easy

Day 4
1. Deadlift with pause below knees – 117.5kg x 3(50%), 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 3 x 4(70%), 177.5kg x 2 x 5(75%)
2. Bench Press - 57.5kg x 5(50%), 70kg x 4(61%), 80kg x 3(70%), 92.5kg x 2 x 2 (80%), 97.5kg x 1 x 2(85%), 92.5kg x 2 x 2(80%)
3. Deadlift with chains - 120kg x 3(50%), 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 2 x 2(70%), 177.5kg x 1 x 3(75%) Couldn’t complete the 165kg set and couldn’t even budge the 177.5kg so that was a fail
4. Triceps (Rolling dumbell pushes) – 17.5kg x 6 x 5.
5. Reverse Hypers - 90kg x 8 x 4
Rating: 5
Bodyweight: 75.8kg
Notes: Training was pretty good all week until I hit Day 4. I just could not move the bar that well on the 2nd deadlift variation exercise. Interesting to note that I have a training checklist and that I had poor sleep and poor diet on both Saturday and Sunday (Day 3 & 4) and that it obviously caught up with me on Day 4. Pretty much kicked an “Own Goal” there didn’t I. Piss Poor Preparation Produces Piss Poor Results.

4. I am 47 (no idea how that happened - one minute I am 25 then got married and next thing I know I am 47)

damn man

Quote from: William on September 21, 2015, 07:25:20 AM

4. I am 47 (no idea how that happened - one minute I am 25 then got married and next thing I know I am 47)

damn man

Yeah came as a shock to me too  :o

Advanced (Medium Load) - Prep Cycle 1 - Week 3
Monday 05/10/2015 – Sunday 11/10/2015
Day 1
1. Front Squat – 67.5kg x 3(40%), 77.5kg x 3(45%), 85kg x 3 x 2(50%), 92.5kg x 3 x 3(50%) still finding these quite difficult but at least I was quite explosive with these
2. Bench Press - 57.5kg x 5(50%), 70kg x 4(61%), 80kg x 3(70%), 92.5kg x 3 x 2 (80%), 97.5kg x 2 x 3(85%), 92.5kg x 3 x 2(80%) very easy
3. Squats – 85kg x 3(50%), 102.5kg x 3(60%), 120kg x 3(70%), 135kg x 3 x 4(75%) these were quite difficult and I was really struggling on the last couple of sets
4. Dips - 30kg x 6 x 5 couldn’t quite finish the last set
5. Chest Supported Row – 55kg x 6 x 4
5. 45 degree back raise – 20kg x 8 x 4 Need to go up in weight the next time round
Rating 3.5 

Day 2
1. Deficit Deadlift – 117.5kg x 3(50%), 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 2 x 4(70%)
2. Bench Board Press – 70kg x 3(60%), 80kg x 3(70%), 92.5kg x 3(80%), 97.5kg x 3(85%), 102.5kg x 2 x 2(90%)
3. Deadlifts off blocks (bar 7cm below knees) – 140kg x 3(60%), 165kg x 3(70%), 187.5kg x 3 x 2(80%), 212.5kg x 2 x 2(90%), 222.5kg x 1 x 2(94%) found the last few sets quite challenging as at this position I find it hard to get any leg drive into the movement, its almost all lower back and hamstrings and glutes.
Rating: 4

Day 3
N/A – off site with work
Day 4
N/A – off site with work

Advanced (Medium Load) - Prep Cycle 2 - Week 1
Monday 12/10/2015 – Sunday 18/10/2015
Unfortunately this week was a bit of a no go with an old back injury rearing its ugly head and work being quite hectic. Not the end of the world just need to back off from training this week and let it calm down so should be fine next week.