Reactive Training Systems

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Mark's Training Log

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Ok, first reactive training session today and it all feels a bit new and strange. Everything that ended up happening was completely unexpected:

BDB

Close Grip Bench
60kX5@5
70kX5@6
75kX5@6.5
80kX5@7.5
80k 3X5@8
80k 2X5@8.5
80kX5@9

So thats a total of 7 sets of 5 at 80k. Given that I'm probably not too good at estimating the RPE yet I'm waiting till it jumps a whole number to stop. However, it seemed like it was never going to happen and the 7th set was honestly only just a 9. I may put more sets in at lower RPE's to pre fatigue me?

Bear in mind in past programming I only ever did doubles and tripples at 80k and then quite rarely.

Deadlift

100kX5@5
120kX4@6
140kX3@6.5
150kX3@7
160k 3X3@8
160k 2X3@8.5
160k X3@9

Again, 6 sets to reach fatigue? Seems like quite a lot at this intensity. (80% of previous max).

DB Shoulder Press

20k X8@8
20k X8@8
20kX7@10

WTF? This always used to happen when I did higher reps before. Be fine one set then the next, I'm finished.

Chinups: 3X3
Pressups: 5X10

My intensity's are somewhat higher than I'm used to in training. I'm may well put more sets in at 6-7 next time to see if this reduces it. Its either that or up the weight a bit?

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Wenesday: Jog up a hill (10mins) then steep hill runsX3 in 10 mins, walk back. I'm a bit out of shape here.

Thursday: SBS

Squat

90kX5@5
105kX5@6
120k 2X5@7.5
130k 4X5@9 average

This was grueling for me after the fatigue of what else has happened in the week, but you've got to be honest with yourself, it definately didn't become a 9.5 until the 4th set.

Incline Press

40kX5@5
50kX5@6
55k 2X5@7
60k 7X4@8
65k 1X3@10
60k 1X4@10

Odd, as I'd never really done these much before I think I was getting used to the move. After 7 sets on 60k without the RPE buding I upped the weight and it took a fairly dramatic turn which wasn't what I wanted! Still figuring it out. 22.5 mins.

Olly Squat

100kX5@@6
105k3X5@7
110k3X5@8

I was going to go to a fatigue stop here as I couldn't remember whether you were supposed to on supplemental exercises or not. I thought it probably should be saved for the main ones and stopped after 7 sets.

Hanging Leg Raises: 3X10

Feel pretty beat up today but I expect that with the change of programmes etc. When I first started Sheiko, I got super beat up and then it all panned out fine. Overall a good workout because I feel I'm learning stuff, at the moment it seems to take forever to reach the fatigue stop on exercises I'm not familiar with and even some that I am. More sets at a lower intensity may fix this as may putting one or two sets at a higher intensity before the worksets. What does everyone else do here?

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Firday: BDB

Bench Press with last rep paused:

60kX5@5
70k 2X4@6
80k 8X4@8
80k X4@9

Lots again, got a hell of a lot of sets at 8 before it became a 9! 25 mins and 9 sets at the top weight.

Dead from blocks (mid shin height)

100kX5@5
120k 2X4@6
140k 2X4@6.5
160k 3X4@8
160kX4@9

Close Grip Rack Lockouts (4th pin above bench)

70kX8@6
70kX8@7
70kX8@8
70kX8@8.5

High reps have that weird effect on me it seems where it suddenly become much harder in later sets. Ah well, good to train it then.

Chins 3X3

I'm going to do my chins/pressups/abs on my off days now. I'm simply beat up/run out of time by the end of these sessions. Couldn't do a single pressup let alone enough to help anything out.

Enjoyed my first week at it, I've learned a lot, just got to keep tinkering to find what works. I think I may have been more on it on the last set of deadlifts by doing 4 sets at around 6-7. This meant I could only get 4 sets on the 8-9 as opposed to going on 10. Although I guess it could be down to fatigue from deadlifting so much earlier in the week. I'll figure it out as I go...

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Sorry I haven't been following things very closely, Mark, but you want to work up to a 9 (or whatever is the top end of your desired RPE range), then assess your fatigue stop. Hope that helps. Let me know if I need to clarify anything further.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Thanks mike further clarification would be useful. So if I want to do tripples at eight to nine I need to hit a nine drop back down to an eight and hammer it till it feels like a nine?

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Been thinking some more And am a bit confused. Let's take my deadlifting on Tuesday, I had programmed tripples at eight. So I went up to a weight that was a solid eight and continued with it until it got harder and became a nine. Was this not the right thing to do? Thanks for the help.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Weekends GPP:

Saturday: Pressups 60 reps then went for a hike up a massive hill across the top and round. 4 miles round trip.

Sunday: More hiking. About to do pressupsX60, chinupsX12, leg raises 3X10

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Week #2 Monday SBD

Raw Squat

80X5@5
100X4@6
120x3@7
130x2@8
140X3@8
150X2@9
135 7X2@8

By this point I was getting a little annoyed at the lack of fatigue stop so went up a weight:

140X2@8
140X2@8.5

Total of 15 sets there! Still getting used to picking the weights, eventually I'm sure I'll get better at it.

Rack Lockouts 4 pin

80kX5@6
100kX4@8
105kX2@10
100k 6X3@8
102.5kX2@10
100kX0

Odd things happening there. Could only get 2 on 105, then proceeded to do 6X3@100 with an 8. Fearful of repeating the same set a million times, bumped it up 2.5k and only managed 2, so went back to 100 to find I could no longer do any! Hopefully these strange things will iron themselves out when I get used to this exercise!

Good Mornings

100k 5X5 at 7-8.

Good learning experience again, next time I'd pick a higher weight for my work sets. I need to get better at evaluating the fatigue stop because it seems my body will go on forever, even at 80%+ which is weird.

Mark

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Tuesday: BDB

Close Grip Bench:

60kX5@5
70k 2X4@6
80k 2X3@7
90kX3@8.5
92.5kX3@9.5
85kX3@8
80k3X3@8
85k2X3@8
85kX3@8.5

Deadlift:

100kX3@5
120kX3@6
150kX2@7
160kX2@8
170kX2@8
175kX2@8.5
180kX2@10
165k 2X2@8
160kX2@9

I've got an interesting problem on the deadlift. It goes up fine until nearly lockout where the thumb/knuckle joint from my overhand arm hits my quad and stops it dead, worse still sometimes it bounces the bar away from my body, not a good position to be in so gotta fix that one.

Standing Military Press:

40k 5X5@8

Chinups: 4X3

I've got to say, the intensity still feels very high but I guess thats just compared to what I'm used to (Sheiko). Average intensity on the primary lifts is sitting between 74-79% and I'm definately feeling that and this is on a volume block! However, if I did it differently (used a lower weight) I'd never get fatigued...ever I don't think. Lets see how I adapt from here.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Wednesday:

60 pressups and walked up the big hill will some sprinting as well.

Thursday: SBS

Squat

80kX5@5
100kX@6
120k 2X3@7
130kX3@8

Added wraps

140kX3@8
160kX3@9
150kX3@8
155kX3@8.5

First time in wraps today and damn do they make a difference. I misloaded the bar intending to put 150 on and afterwards found out it was 160 which was pleasing. It upped my estimated 1 rep max by around 20k and they really suit my style of squatting and where my weaknesses are. Hadn't necessarily determined the fatigue on the squats but I can say that actually wrapping up had become a 10 so I stopped! There were two of us doing this so we were 1hr 15 mins in by this point anyway.

Bench with no arch

60kX5@5
70kX5@5
80kX3@8
85kX3@9
80k 2X3@8
80k X3@9.5

Hit a definite fatigue stop here. Brilliant. Mike's advice about not coming down in weight so much seemed to work and it happened very suddenly and unexplainably! Decided this exercise may be more specific than incline benching and since I normally bench with the worlds biggest arch its different enough.

Olly Squat

105kX5@6
110k 4X5@7

Felt strong on these and they moved pretty fast.

Friday:BDB

Bench (comp paused)

60kX5@5
70k 2X4@6
80kX3@7
90kX2@8
95kX2@9
90k 3X2@8
90kX2@8.5

Felt it get a little slower so took this as my cue to stop. Still, estimated 1 rep max is 7k up on my previous best errrr....3 weeks ago!

Dead from blocks

100kX5@5
120kX4@6
140kX3@6
150kX3@7
160kX3@8
170kX3@8
180kX3@9
170k 2X3@8

I wanted 170k to be my 9 really badly but I had to be honest with myself, it wasn't so hit 180k. Did 2 sets on 170k@8 then called it a day. Whilst they hadn't really become any harder, I've had a stressful morning before the gym and was feeling the fatigue in my bones rather than displaying it in the lift.

Cls Grip Rack Lockout

70kX5@8
75k 4x8@8

Improvement on last week here which is good. Starting to get the hang of this training I think and will be even more on it next week thanks to Mike's help.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Saturday: Walk up the hills.

Had a pretty stressful weekend/Monday which resulted in not training, throwing up, little sleep and some bad eating. Got back to it Tuesday (today) so will be doing a 9 slot, 3 day week this week getting the most important stuff in. Had a great session today:

Raw Squat:

85k 5@5
100k 2X4@6
120kX3@7
130kX3@7
140kX3@8
145kX3@8
150kX3@9 (couldn't quite believe that! Last week I did that for a double@9)
140k 2X3@8
140kX3@9

Brilliant, that put my raw squat up 9k on the estimated 1 rep max since the last week and it felt a whole lot stronger. Knocking out sets with 3 plates is also fun that I haven't had yet. 140k was moving very fast on the first rep of each.

4 Pin Rack Lockout

I think the bench was a slightly different height but no matter:

60kX4@5
80k 2X4@7
90kX4@7
100kX4@8
105kX4@9
100k 5X4@8

The last one was a hard 8 so I counted that as fatigue, especially since my elbows were complaining. Either way, estimated 1 rep max up 20k, which is probably me getting used to the movement.

GM's

100k 5X5@8

I think these were slightly harder this week due to the heavier squats and the shorter time I did them in (no training partner today). Still seem to be maintaining my ability to show strength under fatigue but I'm figuring out how to hit the stops better. What a great session.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Wednesday: Walked/ran a bit up the hills and about. Its a 1hr 10min session, the GPP I got done this week due to craziness.

Thursday: BDB

Raw Bench:

60kX5@5
70kX4@5
70kX4@5
80kX3@7
90kX3@8
92.5kX3@9
90kX3@8
85k4X3@8
85kX3@8.5

Deadlift:

100kX5@5
110kX4@5
120kX3@7
160kX3@8
170kX3@9
160kX3@8
160kX3@8.5

Military Presses

45k 5X5@8

Was a bit disapointed with this session but I was exhausted before I even lifted the bar at the gym. The deads, whilst moving alright and not too hard on the muscles etc, were extremely hard overall on my body/system. However, plugging into the logs shows some significant improvements in estimated 1rp maxes from this session so maybe its not so bad!

Friday: SBS

Squat

85kX5@5
100k 2X4@6
120kX4@7

Added Belt/Wraps

140kX4@8
150kX4@8
155kX4@8.5
150kX4@8
150kX4@9

Bench w/no arch

60kX5@6
70kX4@7
75kX4@8
80kX4@9
75k 3X4@8
75kX4@9

Wrapping takes forever and its a pain. I think I partly reach fatigue earlier because I don't actually rest imbetween sets, I role and wrap! However, I moved some pretty good weight for me on this as I get the feel for them. The bench with no arch feels very uncomfortable and much tougher on the shoulders at the bottom but this is probably what I need.

Thats my first volume block completed, had a couple of things throw it off here and there as I'm getting used to it but here's where I'm at with the estimated 1 rep maxes:

Raw Squat: 176k (+7k from start of cycle est) (+11k from previous comp best)
Raw Bench: 109k (+5k from start of cycle est) (+9k from previous comp best)
Deadlift: 200k (+5k from start of cylce est) (=to comp best)
Squat w/wraps: 196k (+8k during cycle)

I think the raw bench is inflated purely because I don't comp pause on every rep, only the last one of each set but I do believe its gone up, even if its a 5k increase, that would be absolutely insane. Squat I'm pleased with, I actually got 170k in the gym last October and I only got 165k in a January comp, it seems to be back on track and increasing anyway. The deadlift seems to be about the same.

I have know idea if these estimations are right for me, I should get a better idea as we move into the intensity cycle. I'm going to be training 3 days per week, 4 is just too much with life at the moment.

All in all, things are going well.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Right, I'm an asthmatic when I don't eat right. I've steadily been not eating right for a couple of months now, bad idea. My inhaler broke the other day so I've taken this as cue to not get a new one and force myself back on track. This should take a few weeks for me to stop having attacks but until then I'm going to suffer, this will work very well for me. Anyway, today was first day of intensity and it took 2 hours, basically because I was having an attack the whole way through and was taking five minutes between sets! I couldn't control my breathing at all during any of the sets so I'm actually really pleased with what came out of it:

SBSB

Squat

85kX5@5
100kX4@6
120kX3@6
120kX3@6
140kX2@8
150kX2@9
160kX2@9.5
155kX2@9
155kX2@10

I called the 160k a 9.5 cos whilst I couldn't have done another one, I could have doubled slightly more I reckon.

Bench

60kX5@5
70k 2X4@5
80kX3@6
90kX2@8
95kX2@9.5 (breathing issue I think)
92.5kX2@8
95kX2@9
97.5kX2@9.5
100kX2@10 (spotter put his fingers under the bar but it would have happened)
95kX2@9
95kX2@10

So I messed this one up a bit basically because the first time I hit 95k I didn't get a true RPE. Great to get 100kX2 though, the first rep was a breeze and its equal to my comp best. These were all strictly paused.

Olly Squat

110k 4X5@8

Close Grip Rack Bench:4 pin

80k 4X6@8

The supplemental work was actually quite hard because I couldn't breath through those reps but I made it happpen.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Epic cardio session yesterday, went out to walk the hill it was quite warm so I went in a T-shirt. About halfway up (and forty minutes from my car), it turned extremely cold and started snowing within the space of ten minutes, I couldn't feel my hands by the end of it!

Today:BDBD

Close Grip Bench

60X5@5
70 2X4@6
80X3@7
90X2@8
95X2@9.5
97.5X1@10 (failed second rep)
95X2@10
90 3X2@8.5
90X2@10

Deadlift

100X5@5
120X4@5
140X3@6
160X2@7
175X2@8 (weights moving great up to this point)
185X1@10

The first rep felt unbalanced, the second one stopped halfway and wouldn't budge...this got me pissed off so I went back to nail it

185X2@10
190X2@10 (just to seal the deal)
180X2@10
175X2@9

I've developed a weird habbit whereby I stop at the top of the knees and have to wrestle to get it going again, its only happening with 90%+ weights... however, was happy with this session.

4 Pin Rack Lockouts

70X3@5
90X2@6
100X2@7
110X1@10 (second one wasn't happening)
105X2@9
107X2@10
105 5X2@9

Things are strange with the rack, my estimated 1 rep max on this fluctuates quite wildly. 105k is easy, 110k impossible. Just seems strange.

GM's

100k 5X5@8

Overall a good session I think, still trying to figure out intensity but getting 190X2 on the deadlift felt good. It puts my estimated 1 rep max at 200 which is equal to my last comp.