Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Sounds good!

I've got some great new exercises for you. My new trainer is also planning on competing again in 2010 and is giving me the same routine he does. He changes each routine every time and is always changing things up. Great inspiration!

See you soon!

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Do what you always did, get what you always got.

I got home at 3:30AM (Driving back) Super tired at the moment! Wow, that was an exhausting trip to Canada because of the times we left (got up at 6AM to leave, was busy non-stop and finally made it home 2 days later at almost 4AM).

But I'm back in action very soon and ready to get down to business! Aside from trips to Eugene and "maybe" Ashland, I won't be going anywhere far away until July or maybe even August! I'm taking a major break from touring around and will be involved in some local events like V.V. III, so I'm around to train more often.

Have great workouts and hope to see you this week!

I look forward to learning more things too!

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Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

Long post ahead, you've been warned.

My 6 months as the human guinea pig have ended. I've tried every plant-based protein isolate, glutamine powder, BCAAs, creatine, NO supplements and L-Carnitine. In that time I have managed to put on muscle and lose fat. And I've gotten stronger. However, I also started experiencing a higher blood pressure (very unusual for me) and extra heart beats/PVCs/palpitations. You might think this is unrelated to the supplements but I feel there is a strong correlation as nothing else has changed in my diet or routine. For the next 6 months, it's mostly whole foods except for the occasional processed product. I have no problems with tempeh, tofu and seitan so my protein intake will still hover in the 1-1.5 gms/kg range.

I'm 5'10" and weighed in at 146.5 lbs yesterday with my bodyfat still at 20% (it just loves staying above the teens). My trainer and I had a long discussion (when I could breathe between sets) about my goals for the next year. We came to the decision that I'll have to put on more mass before cutting. It's summertime, which means I'll be doing a lot of hiking, walking and cycling so hopefully the mass will be mostly muscle. For my goals, cutting doesn't make sense at this time. We're shooting for a gain of 10+ pounds of muscle over the next 6 months with most of it going to my thighs/glutes.

That's the plan.

Yesterday...........

Nutrition: Oatmeal, two large seitan bratwursts, one piece of sprouted wheat bread, 2 cups of strawberries, chickpea curry over quinoa, 1 pound of collard greens, 1 cup of ziti with olives and peppers, wine, popcorn with nutritional yeast and smoked paprika (and one left-over Clif Builders bar). I'm estimating about 2600 calories and over 100 gms protein.

Hamstrings and Glutes

Straight-Legged Dead Lifts - superset with 12 reps of same using 25 lb DBs, not the full motion but with full stretch
95 x 15
115 x 12
135 x 10
145 x 8
145 x 6
135 x 8 and then drop set to failure

Single Leg Curl - I didn't catch the name of this machine
10 x 8 for 4 sets - went to failure by 6 reps last 2 sets

Glute Squats - I've explained this one before, but will do so again. Use a Smith machine with two plates in front of you (size will depend on your leg length - I use 25 lbs). Legs will be way out in front of you with toes in the air and your heels resting against the plates. I put a 12" stool under my butt and come down just about to contact, contracting my glutes as I get near the stool.
20 x 12
30 x 10
40 x 8
40 x 8

And then we went strawberry picking and I got a sun burnt back - very attractive contrast to the rest of my whiteness! We have a 50th surprise birthday party for a friend tonight, with a vegan potluck to go with it. It's rest day for me (except biking) and I will not be tracking nutrition.

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Currently reading The Ominvore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It was published in 2006 so I should have read it by now, especially since his article in the NY Times (where he purchased a calf and followed his life to slaughter) convinced me to eat local, grass raised meat, which in turn convinced me to eat local and organic - and then vegan! Now, why couldn't Michael come to the same logical conclusion?
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Do what you always did, get what you always got.

DV great game plan and goals! I'm sure you'll accomplish all that and then some. That's some serious lifting and some even more serious eating. I'm impressed. You continue to make a noticeable presence; I love reading your blog/journal.

Interesting about the whole correlation between the supplements and blood pressure thing; nothing really stood out as frighteningly alarming. Perhaps alot of the NO products can contain crazy things but other than that I dunno...

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Where do you get your protein?
http://www.VeganProteins.com

I got "The omnivores dilemma" and "in defense of food" at the same time and read IDOF where he basically summarize what he wrote in TOD and gives some diet tips based on what he learned. Michael Pollan is awesome!

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The surest road to happiness is low expectations.

Strong deadlifts DV.

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Lifts:
250 Bench
445 Deadlift
335 Squat

Thanks, guys!!

I am actually beginning to get a little curve to my hamstrings. This is huge for me, as I've had long, skinny legs my whole life.

Offense, I'll probably read his other books after this one. I know some vegans are turned off by some of his stuff but the majority of it is great information.

L&G, thanks for the support as it means a lot to me. From what I've read, most of the supplements I was taking should have resulted in an increased production of IGF-1, which can raise your blood pressure and cause palpitations at certain levels. That's the only explanation I can think of.

Zack, the 145 lb sets were a PB but were seriously tough.

_________________
Do what you always did, get what you always got.

Exactly how they should be.

Oh and I have gotten palpitations in the past too, always attributed it to protein powders.

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Lifts:
250 Bench
445 Deadlift
335 Squat

Congrats on all the progress you've made so far! I hope you figure out what's causing the palpitations. Good luck with the next six months! With all the dedication you've demonstrated so far, I know you can do it!! If you fall short of adding some weight to your glutes, I'm willing to sacrifice some of what I have...

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"Nothing is impossible unless you think it is." Paramahansa Yogananda

Check your potassium level. My nutritionist looked at my blood workup and noticed my potassium levels were way up there. She then asked me if my heart was giving me some kind of trouble. I just shivered cause I have been having some palpitations and even some anginas once in awhile (but would just go away after not moving my diaphragm for half a minute) and I had forgotten all about them till she asked me . I have since then nicknamed her my Witchdoctor !

Karmacharger, thanks for the offer!

Gaia and Zack, I stopped having the irregular heart beats once I stopped the significant supplementation/protein powder ingestion - but it's possible that the two are unrelated. The types of beats I was having (hooked myself up to an ECG monitor at work) would have been caused by a low potassium level rather than a higher one - and it is certainly possible that my potassium levels were low those particular days.

Nutrition: Having friends over for dinner tonight. Food intake today is oatmeal, cherries and strawberries, sugar snap peas, 3 tofu dogs (I'm still cleaning out the freezer and have a bit of soy protein isolate left to go through), asparagus, fava beans, mushrooms, tofu, seitan, creme brulee and wine. I'm making the Champagne Scallops from the Hezbollah Tofu blog and creme brulee from one of the McDougall celebrity chef weekends.

Chest

Incline Barbell Bench Press
65 x 8
75 x 6
85 x 6
90 x 6
90 x 6
95 x 6 - assist on last 2

Flat Bench Press
85 x 6
95 x 6
95 x 6
100 x 6
100 x 6
105 x 6 - assist on last 2

Paramount Incline Fly Machine
30 x 6
35 x 6
40 x 6
45 x 6
50 x 6
50 x 6 - assist on last two

_________________
Do what you always did, get what you always got.

I can't get over how strong you're getting. Very cool.

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Lifts:
250 Bench
445 Deadlift
335 Squat

Thanks Zack. Currently, I'm trying 6 sets at 6 reps for max strength and hypertrophy. Monday...........

Nutrition: Buckwheat, cherries, sugar snap peas, dilled tofu sandwich on sprouted wheat bread, spinach/strawberry salad, seitan with mushroom/cherry sauce, asparagus and fava beans, wine, cashew creme brulee.

Back

Seated Row
110 x 6
120 x 6
120 x 6
120 x 6
120 x 6
120 x 6

Hammer Strength Iso High Row
70 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6
75 x 6

Hammer Strenght Iso Low Row
50 x 6
55 x 6
55 x 6
55 x 6
55 x 6
55 x 6

One Arm DB Row
47 x 6
50 x 6
50 x 6
50 x 6
50 x 6
50 x 6

And for cardio, we hiked Angel's Rest Trail.

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Inspirational tune is Early in the Morning by the Gap Band.
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Do what you always did, get what you always got.

Tuesday...........

I cannot remember what I ate - it's been a very long day.

Quads and Glutes and Calves

Reverse Hack Squats - cannot remember the weights or reps

Leg Extensions - done with lighter weights. At each extension, hold for 2 seconds. After each set, hold for 10 seconds x 3.

Walking Lunges w/ DBs
25 x 12
30 x 10
35 x 8
35 x 8 - but barely

Butt Blaster
70 x 12
70 x 12
80 x 10
80 x 8

Abductor and Adductor Machines
Donkey Raise

Today...........

Nutrition: Tofu, Pasta with Peas and White Beans, Zucchini, Black bean soup with smoked tofu, Potato salad cherries, snap peas, Clif Builders Bar (still have 2 boxes of these left)

Shoulders

Seated DB Press (Arnold style - that what one of my trainers used to call it, where you rotate through the motion)
25 x 12
32 x 6
32 x 6
32 x 6
32 x 6
32 x 5

Upright Rows with Barbell
60 x 12
65 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8

DB Lateral Raise
15 x 12
17 x 10
17 x 10
17 x 9

DB Front Raise
12 x 12
15 x 10
15 x 10
15 x 10

Rear Delt DB Lateral Raise
12 x 12 x 4 sets

I ordered the material to start studying for the Health Fitness Instructor certification from the American College of Sports Medicine. After this set of pre-purchased training sessions at my gym, I'm done paying for them. The best training I have gotten so far has been from non-certified trainers who were also competitive bodybuilders. I don't need a trainer so much as more workout partners. And I find myself constantly saying to friends and family (who ask me to train them/with them), "I'm no trainer, but......." It's mostly for personal knowledge but also to help out those who want a trainer but don't want to pay for it - I certainly won't be leaving my job to start training others.

_________________
Do what you always did, get what you always got.

Arnold presses! I started doing these like 5 weeks ago too. I really like them and I usually superset them with db lateral raises = pump!

edit: you're strong in this excersise, that's cool.

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