Advice setting competition date in Sheiko Gold with two meets close together

[PatB]

I've been looking for competitions to enter this summer following on from my first meet last November.

I found a bench press competition that is very local on the 10th of May and a full powerlifting competition on 11th of July.  My bench press is my weakest lift but I'm thinking the competition in May would give me more experience and confidence in where I'm at with it.

How would you suggest setting my competition date or dates on the app?

Also, my additional exercise focus is currently balanced should I consider switching to bench focus or will this only distract from the full meet in July?

Last November I competed in the Men's 59Kg Masters II class.  I messed up my due to inexperience and having hamstring tendonitis so didn't achieve my best possible lifts on the day.  Anyway, here are the numbers that I got leading up to the competition and in the competition in the case of deadlifts:

• Squat: 122.5Kg
• Bench: 72.5Kg
• Deadlift: 130Kg

TIA

PS I'm about two weeks into the Sheiko program now and lovin' it.  I expected the volume to crush me, especially given my age, but am feeling really good and refreshed.  I can't remember the last time I felt this good training 

I must have been seriously overtraining before by pushing myself too hard, which explains all the chronic injuries I've endured over the last few years.

[Deaddy]

I am not familiar with the App, but in this case I would plan with the competition in July as the more important competition.
It might be possible to fit good training between the bench meet and the real meet and actually peak for the bench meet, but I just take it out of the training and see it as an additional bench training day. I don't know how flexible the app is, but adding a few heavier singles the weeks leading up to it might be helpful.

[Robert Frederick]

Awesome. Glad to hear it's working out for you. Like I said, once you try it there's no looking back. 

Schedule your comp date for the 11th of July in the app. Go through the workouts with your eyes on that date. Then on the 4th of May until the 10th, tell the app you want to deload for each workout that week. On the 10th itself, tell the app you want a 1RM test for your bench and it'll give you some weights to work with at your competition.

Good luck!

[PatB]

Awesome. Glad to hear it's working out for you. Like I said, once you try it there's no looking back. 

Schedule your comp date for the 11th of July in the app. Go through the workouts with your eyes on that date. Then on the 4th of May until the 10th, tell the app you want to deload for each workout that week. On the 10th itself, tell the app you want a 1RM test for your bench and it'll give you some weights to work with at your competition.

Good luck!

That sounds excellent Robert.  Thank you.

In regards to the setting to test your 1RM, when it asks how you're feeling prior to creating that day's workout, should it be reserved for these types of occasions?

Since I'm in the first training phase and my hamstring injury hasn't fully recovered yet, I've avoided this setting so far.  However, if I should be re-testing my 1RM frequently, there's no reason why I couldn't use this for bench press.

TIA.

[Robert Frederick]

In regards to the setting to test your 1RM, when it asks how you're feeling prior to creating that day's workout, should it be reserved for these types of occasions?

I'm not really clear on your question here but I'll try to answer. On the day you want to test your 1RM, click the "1RM Test" button during the pre-workout questions. You'll get a 1RM test protocol for that workout. Use it only when ready.

[PatB]

In regards to the setting to test your 1RM, when it asks how you're feeling prior to creating that day's workout, should it be reserved for these types of occasions?

I'm not really clear on your question here but I'll try to answer. On the day you want to test your 1RM, click the "1RM Test" button during the pre-workout questions. You'll get a 1RM test protocol for that workout. Use it only when ready.

What I was really unsure about was whether this can or should be used anytime within the macrocycle.

For example, even though I'm in the Preparation Period 1, should I still use this setting even when the App suggests increasing weights and/or I feel great?

And if yes, I assume this isn't something I should be attempting every other week.

Being new to Sheiko, I'm conscious that the full macrocycle is played out over 16 weeks or so and I don't want to mess things up down the road.

But I'm probably just overthinking it lol

[Robert Frederick]

You can do 1RM tests during the Preparation periods. Sheiko often schedules those every 8 weeks or so to see how things are going (not more frequently than every 6 weeks though). If the app often raises weights on say your bench exercises, you should probably retest that to make sure the app is using a valid 1RM. Basically, test as needed. That might mean all three lifts need to be updated or only one.

[PatB]

You can do 1RM tests during the Preparation periods. Sheiko often schedules those every 8 weeks or so to see how things are going (not more frequently than every 6 weeks though). If the app often raises weights on say your bench exercises, you should probably retest that to make sure the app is using a valid 1RM. Basically, test as needed. That might mean all three lifts need to be updated or only one.

Ah, brilliant, I understand now

All my lifts are coming up with the program suggesting I increase my weight on almost every set, of the top weight sets, in my last couple of workouts.  I will definitely hold off for at least another month testing squat and deadlifts to make sure my hamstring injury (tendonitis I believe) has fully healed.  But it sounds like I should be retesting my bench press again so perhaps a week or two after I get back from holiday

If I could see movement in my bench press, I'd consider that a small miracle as I've been stuck around the 70-75Kg mark for well over years!  And that's without the niggling injuries that kept setting back my squats and deadlifts every time I got back towards my previous best weights.

[Robert Frederick]

I have a feeling you'll be seeing some gains coming your way again soon. I've been hearing the same thing from people that they're starting to see progress after years of being stuck.

[PatB]

I have a feeling you'll be seeing some gains coming your way again soon. I've been hearing the same thing from people that they're starting to see progress after years of being stuck.

Thank you