Sika Strength Review - 10 Week Powerlifting Block

A full review of my first 10 weeks using Sika Strength's custom 1 to 1 powerlifting program. I talk through the sets and reps, volumes, intensities and other variable to try and help me get a strong as possible. Overall a great program with great results but very hard.

[fazzolarijames]

The week 5 volume dip is to allow additional recovery; it’s a feature of some longer programs (10-12 weeks cycle).

[nathosss]

Great video Hadyn. Love this kind of data breakdown and in depth discussion - very informative and relaxing to watch for us data geeks. It would be great to see a similar breakdown video about how you plan your nutrition over a particular training block. Like how your caloric intake changes as the training volume increases, managing optimal body weight to hit certain lifts, or even how changes in training affect appetite, etc.

[Guitarmuse]

your analysis and Layout is amazing. So beeing an Accountant is like cleaning up a messy room lol

[kedar]

You sound like a grumpy accountant through 99% of the video 😂. This is a solid analysis of the program. Keep crushing the weights and posting!

[ericooliveira]

As someone who works in one of the big accounting firms I am definitely miring that data formatting. Thanks for the very well organized and honest video man, if I ever get to a point where I feel I'm advanced enough to justify personalized coaching Sika would be the first ones I'd look for

[stevenhewes]

Good to see more Brits posting valuable information. Subbed.

In regards to your bench. The 155kg was probably there because you got stronger in different positions that have a direct correlation to the bench.

So then when you went into a block where you upped the frequency of competition bench you then take that broader strength base and use it to further enhance your specific strength in the competition bench.

The drops in volume are just small deloads akin to the Russian variable loading periodization. Where there will be planned volume drop offs to allow for a super compensation effect.

[kenohadzic]

I think does dips in volume where like a mini deload session. Keep the intensity just lower the volume.

[Vsevolod]

This is such a great analysis. Thank you so much. Would love to see more of these kind of vids in the future. I think that dip in deadlift volume on 3rd week is there to counterbalance the peak of squat volume on that week and overall drop in volume on week 5 could be a mini-deload between accumulation and realization phases.

[therealmattchong]

I just keep thinking how BIG your channel could be if you posted more consistently.

- Content is there

- Strong As Hell

- Acrobatic

- Good Edits!

[Yupppi]

I think it's universally accepted in powerlifting that low bar squats best the shit out of the body and high bar squats are the main way to create volume for squats, only moving to low bar focus towards peaking. I also assume that hitting the intensity phase crossing 70% there was intentional recovery to be ready to push.

Also it puts an interesting perspective on powerlifting volume after Dr. Pak's thesis on minimal volume dose for increasing 1RM in powerlifters and how shockingly low it was (the participants I believe were competitive powerlifters and the measurement for meaningful increase limit was based on the powerlifters and coaches). And frankly there are reports from some successful people lifting only once a week and then the high frequency programs. Obviously once seen the effect on the athlete, individualising for their needs.

I remember Sika guys answer core work questions in this manner: it takes some effort to build the level they want to see in the athlete, but after that it doesn't take much to maintain that level. Perhaps that's the reason to high volume and it would dip later. I'm intrigued by the challenge desire, I haven't heard of that philosophy in strength sports training before. I'm used to hearing about the monotonous hard consistent work to improved averages. You said you'd talk about communication but in the end you didn't talk about it much.

I believe if you want an enjoyable program, you probably want to do recreational gym or not have high expectations for results (not that exciting stuff doesn't bring results, but as Omar Isuf said "training for strength is boring").

You did wonderful things to the spreadsheet.

[cosmicalian]

I'd love to see a cheeky phone call between you and sika regarding your concerns. I thought you were doing a ton of core work (5 sets per day), and not enough supplemental exercises too. But from sika's videos it seems that they use core work as pre-hab. Obliques and to some extent abs protect the spine, right? So I get where they're coming from. I think that the use of accessories like quad nordics was just to put in some more volume, but not fatigue your cns for your following day. Weren't you doing like 50-70% intensity back to back on squats/deads? Maybe they didn't want you to miss a day because you pushed too much on safety squats? A 5 day split leaves a small window of time to recover in. Especially when you're doing basically high intensity fullbody workouts

[scottessery]

sorry mate... love your sika videos and your progress is amazing :)

[gurnamgrewal]

Volume and tonnage is sometimes considered separately. So volume being sets x reps. Tonnage is sets x reps x weight. So volume at a given RPE could increase but tonnage decreases as rep schemes shift. That could explain the volume drop?

[fazzolarijames]

Did you discuss your concerns with the Sika Strength boys? The bench press volume seems very low for someone at your level - hell, my 1RM is about 120kg and I bench three times a week.

[felixfowler]

Dips in volume will be to recover after intense volume bouts

Also if they're working with you for a while they're gunna be hammering you with volume and high variation to build capacity as well as strengthening your weaknesses. Specificity will increase from training block to training block.

But I do agree on the bench point. Weightlifters tend to underestimate bench volume requirements and recovery! I'm sure they'll get to the know that the more they train you.
Tdlr
I'm a weak bitch don't listen to anything I say

[MATTSCOTTR]

Hadyn,

I was wondering where you got the belt squat attachment for your rack? Rogues doesn't seem to offer anything similar what ive seen you use.

[jamesbeningfield]

Been thinking about this template, I like how it extracts the volume load and intensity so nicely and visually, is it possible you could make that available perhaps as a black weightlifting template? Am interested in applying this to my training, appears to be a nice way in which to visualise volume load of an upcoming week or plan it visually. Cheers

[mikedelaney]

I agree with your assessment of their spreadsheet. You would think they could make something that looks more professional. The spreadsheet looks like Eoin's shed

[newlife]

How your body weight change while 10 weeks block?

[tomsta]

interesting you mentioned 5 3 1. Did you ever run it? im a newbie lifter and I've seen it recommended everywhere but the volume looks so low especially on bench... maybe I just misunderstood the layout tho