I've also tried the weightlifting style grip with much the same painful side-effects. The crossed-arm style is hell in terms of external pressure but kills no joints; then again, never did more than a double or triple with 97.5 kg/215 lbs on it, for those capable of repping with some serious weight the weightlifting style may be the only way to go. Then again, when Mikko Hämäläinen did his recent 260 kg/573 lbs exhibition RAW front squat he did go crossed arm.

In any case, we are in dire need of some weightlifters in this community to tell us how to not kill our wrists doing something as simple as a front squat. It's a fact.

5.1.2008:
Front Squats:
2 x 6 @ 90 kg
Bench Press:
5 x 2 @ 110 kg
5 x 2 @ 105 kg
2 x 1 @ 105 kg
3 x 1 @ 100 kg
not the best benching session
Pause Squats:
3 x 3 @ 80 kg
Side Raises
10 x 3 @ 15, 5 DBs

7.1.2008:

Sumo DL:
6 x 4 @ 175 kg
5 x 1 @ 175 kg
2 x 1 @ 175 kg
The first 4 sets felt surprisigly light but the last two made up for it.
Pull Thrus:
10 x 3

9.1.2008:
Front Squat:
4 x 1 @ 90 kg
3 x 3 @ 90 kg
2 x 2 @ 90 kg
Bench Press:
2 x 6 @ 110 kg
Abs 10 x 3
Did not get any real sleep last night, so I need to improve on the squat. I will start Sheiko next week. So I need some rest ahead of that.

13.1.2008:
Sheiko Beginners 1 week1/day1
BW = 98 kg
Bench Press (all paused):
5 x 1 @ 70 kg
5 x 2 @ 85 kg
3 x 2 @ 100 kg
3 x 5 @ 105 kg
Back Squat:
6 x 1 @ 90 kg
6 x 2 @ 110 kg
5 x 5 @ 125 kg
Bench Press:
6 x 1 @ 70 kg
6 x 2 @ 85 kg
6 x 4 @ 90 kg
Good Mornings:
5 x 5 @ 70 kg
Flat Dumbell Flies:
10 x 5 @ 30 kg (2 x 15 kg)
The volume will be ratcheted up with Sheiko program. Before the meet I plan to peak using the rest of the Russian 9 weeks program.

16.1.2008:
Sheiko Beginners 1: week 1/ day 2
All weights are approximate in kg since I am in Florida currently, and all the weights are marked in pounds.
Sumo DL:
5 x 1 @ 115 kg
5 x 2 @ 140 kg
4 x 2 @ 160 kg
3 x 1 @ 170 kg (should have been 3 x 4 but a callus on my hand ripped, and I could not hold the bar)
Incline Bench Press:
4 x 6 @ 84 kg 
Dips:
5 x 3 @ BW
5 x 2 @ BW + 45 pounds DB
DL from just below knees:
5 x 1 @ 115 kg
5 x 2 @ 140 kg
3 x 1 @ 160 kg (had to stop, the paper with which I was protecting my hand started to rip above 160 kg)
Lunges:
5 x 5 @ 60 kg
Abs:
10 x 3

18.1.2008:
Sheiko Beginners 1 week 1 day 3:
Bench Press:
7 x 1 @ 70 kg
6 x 1 @ 75 kg
5 x 1 @ 85 kg
4 x 1 @ 90 kg
3 x 2 @ 100 kg
2 x 2 @ 105 kg
3 x 2 @ 100 kg
4 x 1 @ 90 kg
6 x 1 @ 85 kg
8 x 1 @ 75 kg
10 x 1@ 70 kg
Flat Dumbell Flies
10 x 5 @ 40 pounds
Squat:
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
4 x 2 @ 110 kg
3 x 2 @ 125 kg
tried 135 kg but my form went off => 3 x 5 @ 110 kg
Cable Pushdowns with Rope
5 x 5
Seated Good Mornings
5 x 5 @ 40 kg

21.1.2008:
Sheiko Beginners 1 week 2 day 1
BTW here is the linkto the program: http://web.archive.org/web/200...werlifting/sheikotraining1.htm
Back Squat:
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
4 x 2 @ 110 kg
3 x 2 @ 130 kg
2 x 3 @ 145 kg (form was get bad so lowered the weights)
2 x 2 @ 135 kg
Bench Press:
5 x 1 @ 70 kg
4 x 1 @ 85 kg
3 x 2 @ 100 kg
2 x 6 @ 115 kg
Flat Dumbell Flies:
10 x 5 @ 40 lbs
Incline Bench Press:
10 x 2 @ 60 kg
10 x 2 @ 50 kg
7 x 1 @ 50 kg
After that I was about done, but it would not be a Sheiko program if it did not go on.
Back Squat:
3 x 1 @ 100 kg
3 x 1 @ 115 kg
3 x 2 @ 135 kg
2 x 1 @ 125 kg
2 x 1 @ 115 kg
Good Mornings:
5 x 5 @ 60 kg
Whats great about Sheiko is that you do a lot of the basic execises. So on the 2nd Squat session I experimented with bar positions and I found that I get a better form withthe bar a little higher.

23.1.2008:
Sheiko Beginners 1 week 2 day 2:
DL till knees (DL always sumo):
4 x 1 @ 115 kg
4 x 2 @ 140 kg
4 x 3 @ 160 kg
2 x 1 @ 160 kg
Bench Press:
5 x 1 @ 70 kg
5 x 2 @ 85 kg
4 x 5 @ 100 kg
Flat DB Flies:
10 x 3 @ 45 lbs
7 x 2 @ 40 lbs
DL Sumo:
4 x 1 @ 115 kg
4 x 1 @ 140 kg
2 x 1 @ 160 kg
< too weak to continue DL
Lunges:
5 x 4 @ 60 kg
5 x 1 @ 70 kg

< too weak to continue DL

Oh no. "Happens to every guy on Sheiko sometimes this does" Yoda says.

Plus this is called "Beginners Program" ;-) It sure makes you feel like one.

Jetlag was half way over so with some delay:
27.1.2008:
Sheiko Beginners 1 week 2 day 3:
Back Squat:
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
4 x 1 @ 110 kg
3 x 2 @ 125 kg
3 x 6 @ 135 kg
Bench Press:
5 x 1 @ 70 kg
5 x 1 @ 85 kg
4 x 2 @ 100 kg
3 x 2 @ 105 kg
2 x 2 @ 115 kg
4 x 1 @ 105 kg
5 x 1 @ 100 kg
6 x 1 @ 85 kg
8 x 1 @ 70 kg
Decline Dumbell Flies:
10 x 5 @ 30 kg (2 x 15 kg DBs)
French Press:
10 x 5 @ 20 kg
Back Squat:
3 x 1 @ 100 kg
3 x 1 @ 115 kg
1 x 1 @ 135 kg

Sheiko Beginners 1 week 3 day 2 (Day 1 skipped):
DL till knees:
4 x 1 @ 115 kg
4 x 1 @ 140 kg
4 x 2 @ 160 kg
4 x 4 @ 175 kg (for some reason I find these harder than regular DLs, because the movement stops right in the middle of the exercise)
Bench Press:
6 x 1 @ 70 kg
5 x 1 @ 85 kg
4 x 2 @ 100 kg
3 x 2 @ 105 kg
2 x 2 @ 115 kg
3 x 2 @ 105 kg
4 x 1 @ 100 kg
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
6 x 1 @ 85 kg
7 x 1 @ 80 kg
8 x 1 @ 70 kg
Cable Crossover
10 x 5 @ something
Deadlift from knee level
5 x 1 @ 140 kg
5 x 2 @ 160 kg
1 x 4 @ 180 kg
Lunges:
5 x 5 @ 70 kg

Sheiko Beginners 1 week 3 day 3:
Bench Press:
6 x 1 @ 70 kg
6 x 1 @ 85 kg
3 x 2 @ 100 kg
2 x 5 @ 115 kg
Squat:
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
5 x 1 @ 110 kg
5 x 2 @ 125 kg
3 x 5 @ 135 kg
Bench Press (military):
6 x 1 @ 70 kg
6 x 2 @ 85 kg
6 x 4 @ 90 kg
Face Pulls: red band
10 x 5
Good Mornings:
5 x 1 @ 60 kg
5 x 3 @ 70 kg
5 x1 @ 60 kg

Sheiko Beginners 1 week 4 day 1:
Squat:
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
4 x 1 @ 110 kg
3 x 2 @ 125 kg
3 x 2 @ 145 kg
2 x 2 @ 155 kg
1 x 1 @ 155 kg
Bench Press:
5 x 1 @ 70 kg
4 x 1 @ 85 kg
3 x 2 @ 100 kg
3 x 5 @ 115 kg
Face Pulls:
red band
10 x 5
Incline Bench:
10 x 3 @ 60 kg
10 x 2 @ 70 kg
Squat:
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
4 x 1 @ 110 kg
3 x 2 @ 125 kg
2 x 1 @ 135 kg
1 x 2 @ 135 kg

Sheiko Beginners 1 week 4 day 2:
Bench Press:
5 x 1 @ 70 kg
4 x 1 @ 85 kg
3 x 2 @ 100 kg
3 x 2 @ 115 kg
2 x 3 @ 120 kg
1 x 1 @ 140 kg (just went for it. Upwards it felt like the 120 kg. New PR )
DL:
4 x 1 @ 115 kg
4 x 1 @ 140 kg
3 x 2 @ 160 kg
3 x 2 @ 185 kg
1 x 3 @ 195 kg
Bench Press:
5 x 1 @ 80 kg
5 x 1 @ 90 kg
4 x 4 @ 105 kg (partly military style)
Face Pulls:
10 x 4 @ Purple Band
Lunges
5 x 4 @ 70 kg

One more day Sheiko 1! Next week I need to deload.