you generally wouldnt go to the "number 2" beginner program...it is just basically a slightly different version of the other one
here is how the Russians approach things.....they have a "preparatory" phase.....followed by a "competition" phase
the beginner routine you are doing is a "prep" phase routine
a prep phase is high volume and low or medium intensity....that is why you look at the program and it rarely goes to 85% of your max and never goes over that....and when you calculate out the average intensity of the benches or squats they generally come to around 67-70% (you figure the total volume of all the sets about 50%..sets time reps times weight and add it all up....then you divide by the number of total reps and you get an average weight....you divide that average weight by your max and that is your average intensity)
a comp phase is lower volume but higher intensity....I think for Sheiko that the benches and squats etc for comp phase workouts calculate out to around 71-74%....and you see some weight above 90% being used etc......the volume in a comp phase is usually from 20-40% lower than in a prep phase
the way this works for us western lifters who werent raised on high volume, is that the prep phase has so much volume that the body cant fully recover during the phase itself....so you go for 3 or 4 weeks like that and then you have to "back off" so that the body can finally recover.....but this sets you up for some good gains....you wont gain DURING the 3 weeks....in fact you will probably start to feel weak and run down...but this is normal....when you finally back off on the 4th week the body really starts to recover and "supercompensate"
if you look at the 4th week of that Sheiko beginner routine you see that it is slightly "backed off".....when I did the Sheiko I just did the first 3 weeks as written, then I basically took the 4th all the way off with only one moderate bench workout
after a prep phase the body will then be ready for a comp phase....or what we usually call "peaking".....when i did my first sheiko I was getting ready for a bench press meet in 6 weeks....so here is how I did those 6 weeks....(started with a pause max of 275)
3 weeks sheiko beginner program
1 week "deload" (just the one moderate bench workout)
1 week "peaking" routine based on heavy singles....I did bench on Mon with 3 singles at what was actually my starting max 275...then on Wed I did inclines (I dont remember why, lol)....then on Saturday I did 2 singles with 5 lbs over my starting max, 280...and they felt pretty easy so I knew I had made some good gains
The last week I did one moderate bench workout on Monday, going up to 255 I think....then nothing until I came in and tested for a new max on Fri night (I didnt do the meet after all).....
some background....I had benched 290 in May, touch and go....then I went to a westside program and was stuck for 4 solid months trying to get 300 touch and go....trie dit like 4 times and got crushed....so I would have been happy just getting 300 after the Sheiko
instead I got 305 pretty easy and then went to 315....I wasnt even THINKING about 315 when I started the sheiko
I took the small plates off and had 3 45's on each side....I walked across the floor and did some broomstick stretches like I usually do....when walking back I saw the 3 big plates and for a second wondered "dang, who's benching that?"....then I realized "oh crap, thats ME", lol
anyway I did get the 315
so that was a cool 40lb paused bench increase in 6 weeks
so the basic concept is something like "use a high volume/medium intensity" phase to set up long term gains, then back off a week, then go to a "lower volume/more instense" routine to harness and focus the gains......and there are many ways to do that
I personally have never used a Sheiko comp phase program....I am a little scared that it would be too much volume for too long a period of time....so my approach so far is to use a high volume thing for like 3 weeks, back off a week, then go into some lower volume peaking type routine
what I did after my first sheiko phase and that 40 lbs bench gain, was to then go right into the same phase again, just using the higher numbers....I was also squatting and deadlifted but I didnt test for new maxes on those the first time through, so I estimated around a 20lb gain on those and I used those numbers for that next beginner prep phase
looking back I probably shouldnt have done that high volume phase right after just doing it once....I should have done some other more basic type of lower volume phase...then went back to the high vol later
anyway, so I did the second sheiko beginner phase and this time I went through a little longer peaking phase...this time also peaking for squat and dead. I was again getting ready for a bench meet so if I remember correctly I did just one week of peaking for squat and dead then I tested those maxes to "get them out of the way" so I could concentrate on bench
anyway, over those two sheiko phases I went from 375 (I think) on squat to 425....on dead I went from 405 earlier in the year to 445.....on bench I think I overdid the peaking a little bit...I did heavy negatives 2 workouts in a row, I think with 325, then 335, and then the next workout I couldnt even get 275, lol....anyway I ended up with a 322.5 bench at the end of last year
it is all in my training log starting with the first sheiko I started on Sept 12th...on page 4 and on
www.powermagonline.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=000375;p=4--
anyway, what I would do is do the first 3 weeks, then maybe his 4th week but cut the volume down even more than he does....like in half, lol....then go into some sort of peaking routine using progressively heavier doubles singles for like 2 or 3 weeks at the most.....do your last heavy workout on, say, a friday, then the next Monday do a light bench workout, maybe even a SUPERLIGHT one on Wed...like 3 reps with 135, lol...then come in that Fri or Sat to test for a new max
for extra reading check these articles and anything else by JAck Reape
a great one--->
www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=741658another geat one with the basic concept of "3 hard weeks on, then the 4th week backed off"-->
www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=546953peaking on demand
www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/111/a simplified approach
www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/54/planned overtraining
www.higher-faster-sports.com/PlannedOvertraining.htmland you might have already seen this one from Sheiko
www.zyworld.com/powerlifting/benchsheiko.htm he explains some of his concepts..for instance "In creation of any program the major point is rotation of bigger, smaller and middle workouts in a week cycle, as well as in month cycle. "
Randy W jusjoking@hotmail.com