Sheiko Monthly Plan #39

An advanced monthly block from Boris Sheiko's numbered series: 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week, 12 sessions and 456 sets in total. With high-frequency bench press at submaximal loads, a squat that waves in both directions, and a once-weekly multi-variation deadlift, it stacks up a huge training volume within one month. #39 sits at a higher tier of Sheiko's numbered programs and is designed to be chained after #37 and before #40 as a mid-season volume block, not a standalone complete cycle. It suits advanced powerlifters who can already complete long sessions consistently.

Origin and philosophy

Boris Sheiko is the legendary head coach of the Russian national powerlifting team, whose athletes have won dozens of world championship titles. His "numbered programs" (#29, #30, #37, #39...) first appeared as examples in training collections, writing out the weight and reps of every set for athletes of a specific level. #39 is exactly such a set-by-set prescription: all 456 sets of this program are direct transcriptions of the source table, with nothing that needs to be calculated on the spot.

The core philosophy runs against intuition: accumulate maximal strength through a huge number of submaximal reps rather than heavy lifts to failure. Almost all of the 268 percentage-based working sets in this program fall between 50-85% of 1RM, and the only thing to touch 90% is the partial-range block pull. You repeatedly polish the competition lifts with correct technique, and strength comes from accumulated volume.

Who it's for

• Experience level: Advanced. You need to know your true maxes in squat, bench press and deadlift, and have the conditioning to complete a single session of 34-42 sets and 90+ minutes.
• Prerequisite: Usually entered after finishing the previous block in the same series (such as #37). It isn't recommended as your first introduction to Sheiko.
• Goal: Maintain and push up training volume in mid-season, laying a base for later higher-intensity blocks.
• Best conditions: Maintenance calories or a slight surplus. Training volume is too high for a fat-loss phase.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Extremely high bench frequency: 11 of the 12 sessions include bench, and Wednesday of Week 4 even has two bench segments in one day, accumulating hundreds of pressing reps in one month.
• The load is controllable almost throughout (50-85%), so you rarely grind, movement quality is high and injury risk is low.
• Includes its own pulling work: bent-over rows (Wednesday of Week 2) and pull-ups (Friday of Week 3, Wednesday of Week 4), making up for the upper-back pulling that classic Sheiko programs generally lack.
• Deadlift days use three variations with clearly divided roles: conventional deadlifts pulled only to knee height train speed off the floor, block pulls train the lockout, and deficit deadlifts train the start.
• Uses "double segments" to pile up volume without failure: on Friday of Week 2 an extra 70% squat segment follows the main sets, and on Wednesday of Week 4 there are two bench segments in a day (a heavy 85% segment first, then a 70% volume segment), splitting a large training volume into two parts.

Cons

• 34-42 sets per session, and days with pyramid bench often run over 90 minutes.
• The 12 sessions are all different, with no fixed routine to memorize, so you must follow the chart strictly every time.
• Intensity tops out at 85% (for the competition lifts), with no 1RM test inside the block, so running a single block can't directly give you a new max. It is one link in a sequence, not an endpoint.
• Deadlift frequency is low (once a week), so if deadlift is a weak point, this block alone offers limited progress.

Program structure

• Split: Each session covers at least two of the big three plus accessories, a full-body arrangement.
• Schedule: Fixed at 3 days per week (Monday / Wednesday / Friday).
• Single-block fluctuation: This is a 4-week volume block, not a complete macrocycle. Weekly totals are 106 sets in Week 1, 120 in Week 2, 119 in Week 3 and 111 in Week 4: Week 1 is the introduction, Week 2 has the most volume, Week 3 the highest intensity (squat topping out at 85% on Monday of Week 3, block pulls topping out at 90% on Wednesday of Week 3), and in Week 4 volume dips slightly but bench reaches its heaviest of the whole block (Friday of Week 4: a 13-set pyramid, 53 reps in total, topping out at 85%).
• No deload week: Week 4 is still the high point of heavy bench, and the block contains no deload or test. The wrap-up relies on the handoff to the next block.

Exercise selection and rationale

• Bench press (barbell bench press): Trained in almost every session (11 of 12 days) and the absolute core of this block. Fridays of Weeks 1, 2 and 4 are "pyramid" days: the weight climbs set by set to the top set and then backs off all the way down. For example, Friday of Week 4 starts at 50%×6, climbs to a top set of 85%×2, then backs off to finish at 50%×8.
• Squat (barbell high-bar squat): twice a week (Monday and Friday). Monday of Week 1 is a pure volume day (70%×5, 40 reps in total), Monday of Week 3 tops out at 85%×2 as the heaviest squat of the block, and Friday of Week 2 adds an extra 70% back-off volume segment after the main sets.
• Deadlift (once a week, on Wednesday): Rotates among three variations, with intensity pushed up week by week. Conventional deadlifts pulled only to knee height appear in Weeks 1, 2 and 4 (top sets 75%, 75%, and by Week 4 an 11-set wave up to 85% then back off). Block pulls appear in Weeks 1, 2 and 3 (top sets 85% → 75% → 90%; the 90% on Wednesday of Week 3 is the only set in the block to touch 90%). Deficit deadlifts appear only on Wednesday of Week 3 (top set 65%, training the start). The percentages for all three are based on the corresponding main lift (competition deadlift) max, as marked in the set notes.
• Accessories: Dumbbell flyes (10×5 in almost every session) and dumbbell bench press reinforce chest pressing; barbell good mornings (alternating standing / seated) and machine back hyperextensions train the posterior chain; dips, cable triceps pushdowns and incline bench press reinforce the lockout; barbell front squats (light, 40-60%), single-leg squats and lunges support the lower body; sit-ups fill the "abs slot". Accessories labeled "optional slot" are common defaults and can be swapped according to weak points.

Sets and reps

Working sets follow Prilepin-style ranges: 3-5 reps per set at 70-80%, 2-3 reps per set at 80-85%, and ascending warm-ups starting from 50-65%. These warm-up sets are part of the program and must not be skipped.

The hallmark of this block is the pyramid bench day: 11-13 sets in one segment, climbing to a top set of 85% (1-2 reps) and then backing off step by step, with pressing reps in one segment reaching 36-53. Squat is the opposite, mainly plateau-style volume: Monday of Week 1 has 8 sets none above 70%, 40 reps in total, the squat segment with the most reps in the block, and the heaviest top set is only the 85%×2 on Monday of Week 3. No set is taken to failure; leave 1-2 reps in reserve on every set. If a set is a grind, the weight is too heavy or you didn't rest enough.

Progressive overload

There is no need to add weight every time. This block uses your current maxes as the baseline and pre-writes all the weights for the 4 weeks, with progression built into the week-by-week fluctuation of volume and intensity (Week 2 piles up volume, Week 3 pushes intensity, Week 4 cuts volume and drives bench). After running all 4 weeks, update your maxes with a new test or meet result, then move on to the next block.

If it feels hard: Fatigue is expected, especially in Weeks 2-3. If you truly can't complete the prescribed sets and reps, lower the corresponding main lift max across the board by 2.5-5% and continue, without changing the set and rep structure.

Duration and what comes next

Run the full 4 weeks. Since this block has no built-in test or taper, it is more like one section of a sequence. We suggest chaining it in Sheiko's numbered order (#37 → #39 → #40), or scheduling a deload week yourself afterward before the next program. If you want a one-shot complete 16-week season cycle, use "Sheiko #29-32 (16 weeks)" from the same series instead.

Equipment needed

A barbell, squat rack, bench and plates cover all main lifts. Accessory work additionally needs: dumbbells (dumbbell bench press and flyes), a dip station (dips), a pull-up bar (pull-ups / chin-ups), a cable machine (triceps pushdowns) and a back hyperextension machine. A home gym can use close-grip bench press in place of dips and overhead press in place of incline bench press.

Rest times

Sheiko gives no fixed seconds. The criterion is "go again once you can do the next set with correct technique". This block's loads are tiered, and so is the rest: for the 80-85% top sets in pyramid bench and squat, and the 90% block pull on Wednesday of Week 3, rest 3-5 minutes; for 70-79% volume main sets, rest 2-4 minutes; for 50-65% ascending warm-ups, rest 1-2 minutes; for accessories such as flyes and dips, rest 1-2 minutes. The fullest day of the block is Monday of Week 2 with 42 sets (squat + bench + front squat stacked on three lines), and at this pace it takes about 1.5-2 hours.

How to choose starting weights

In the app, enter one max for each of the big three. The Russian approach calls this the "training max", and we suggest entering a competition max you are confident in (about 97% of your true max).

Variation exercises have percentages based on the corresponding main lift max, with no need to set a separate 1RM: block pulls, conventional deadlifts pulled only to knee height and deficit deadlifts are all based on the competition deadlift max; incline bench press is based on the bench max; if front squat is set separately, it is usually 80-85% of the back squat. Accessory slots (optional exercises such as abs / triceps) come with conservative defaults. Adjust slightly by feel in your first session, and they should feel moderate rather than to failure.

Common mistake: Entering an inflated max. Week 1 of this block is the introduction week (the lowest set count of the block at 106), and the volume main sets of bench and squat mostly land at 3-5 reps at 70-75%. After the Friday pyramid bench climbs to its 80% top set, you should be able to back off all the way down easily. If these sets already take a grind in Week 1, or the back-off section gets heavier the more you press, your max is too high. Lower the corresponding main lift by 5-10% and run it again.

Common adjustments

• Accessory swaps: Exercises labeled "optional slot" can be swapped freely according to your own weak points, using the set notes for intensity.
• Reduce volume: If the Week 2 volume pile-up is too much, drop the second back-off segment of Friday squats in Week 2, or cut some flyes sets, keeping the heavy main sets.
• Weak deadlift: This block has only one deadlift session per week. You can add 3-4 sets of bent-over rows or rack pulls to the accessories without affecting recovery.
• Single-block use: Even if you don't chain it in sequence, you can run #39 as a standalone 4-week high-volume bench month, then deload for a week yourself afterward.

FAQ

Is Sheiko Monthly Plan #39 suitable for beginners?

No. #39 is an advanced monthly block in the numbered series, with 34-42 sets per session and bench 3 times per week, requiring conditioning that takes months to build. Beginners should build a base with a linear progression program first.

How many days per week is #39? How are the big three distributed?

3 days per week (Monday / Wednesday / Friday). Bench goes in almost every session (11 of 12 days), squat twice a week (Monday and Friday), and deadlift is concentrated in one session on Wednesday each week.

Why so much bench in #39?

This reflects Sheiko's bench-specific volume. 11 of the 12 sessions include bench, and on Wednesday of Week 4 there are even two bench segments in one day. It builds bench ability with large amounts of high-frequency, submaximal, correct-technique repetition rather than a few heavy sets.

What's the difference between #39 and "Sheiko #29-32 (16 weeks)"?

Sheiko #29-32 is a complete 16-week season macrocycle, including the max test in Week 13 and a 3-week pre-meet taper; #39 is just a 4-week volume block, with intensity capped at 85%, no test and no taper inside, designed to be chained between other numbered blocks. Choose #29-32 to run a complete cycle in one go, and #39 to slot a high-volume month into mid-season.

How long is a #39 session?

Expect 1.5-2 hours. A single session has 34-42 sets, and days with pyramid bench (Fridays of Weeks 1, 2 and 4) run longer, with most of the time spent on the number of working sets.

How do I run a pyramid bench day?

Take Friday of Week 4 as an example: climb set by set from 50%×6, through 80%×3 and a top set of 85%×2, then back off step by step down to 70%×4, 60%×6 and 50%×8, for 13 sets and 53 reps in the session. The top set is just one or two sets along the way, and back-off sets make up the bulk. The aim is to train pressing endurance, not to chase a max.

What are the percentages for block pulls and pull-to-knee conventional deadlifts based on?

Both are based on the corresponding main lift (your competition deadlift max), as marked in the set notes. For example, the block pull on Wednesday of Week 3 tops out at 90%, and this 90% refers to 90% of your competition deadlift max, and combined with the block's partial range, the absolute weight is not equal to a full-range 90% deadlift.

Does #39 have a deload week? What comes after?

There is no built-in deload. Week 4 is still the high point of heavy bench. After finishing you can follow Sheiko's numbered order into #40, or schedule a deload week yourself before switching to another program; you can also rerun this block with your new maxes.

Everyone says classic Sheiko lacks pulling work. Does #39 lack it too?

No. #39 comes with bent-over rows (Wednesday of Week 2) and pull-ups / chin-ups (Friday of Week 3, Wednesday of Week 4), which to a degree balance the extremely high pushing volume. If you still want to add pulling work, you can add a few more sets in the accessories.

Can I run #39 during a fat-loss phase?

Not recommended. Volume of 106-120 sets per week is hard to recover from in a calorie deficit, and you are likely to stall in Weeks 2-3. Run it at maintenance or a slight surplus.

What if a day's weight feels too heavy to complete?

Sheiko doesn't go to failure. If a set is a grind, first check whether you rested enough; if it is truly too heavy, lower the corresponding main lift max across the board by 2.5-5% and continue, keeping the set and rep structure unchanged, and don't change just one set on its own.