Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Even though I've never done a comp, +1. At the end of the day, lifting's about you, your goals, and the feeling you get from reaching them. If focusing on getting bigger and stronger is what you want to do, go for it. The comps will be there when you're feeling them and, by that time, you'll have made even bigger gains - pretty win/win.

Also, I am jealous of your ability to say the following:

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"When in doubt, squat and run hills." - Jim Wendler

IRON MNTN // LOG

5/3/1 Cycle 1
Week 1
Bodyweight = 83.6kg

Mon 23rd January 2012

Squat
1x5x95kg
1x5x110kg
1x10x125kg (belt for this set only)

DB Bench
21.3kg DBs, 2x10
23.8kg DBs, 1x10

Kroc Rows (on bench)
31.3kg DB, 3x10 each arm

Dips
3x10

Plank
2m 5s

Grip work with captains of crush, managed a set of 4 each hand with the #1. Then some plate pinches.


Wed 25th January 2012
Bodyweight = 83.4kg

Front Squat
3x5x92.5kg

Bench
1x5x50kg
1x5x57.5kg
1x11x65kg

Pullups (wide grip)
1x10 normal, then 2x10 assisted with red band

OHP
3x10x25kg

Ab roller (knees)
3x15

Then plate pinches and a 1m 10s hang from a pullup bar for grip.




So on the workouts first; Decent numbers on squat/bench/front squat (nice to see on video they're ass to grass!)/pullups (stoked to hit a set of 10 wide grip again!). I was recommended by a friend to try kroc rows to help fix my deadlift lockouts and I have to say the area around my rhomboids was sore for the first time I can remember (usually after upper back work it's just rear delts/traps I feel it in). It's always good to find a weak spot. OHP was very easy (silly weight), but my shoulders were burning a bit just from doing sets of 10.

And the program; So yeah decided to do 5/3/1. Loosely based on the 5/3/1 Full Body training template in the new ebook (squat/push/pull 3x/week) with some extra assistance. I've decided to do push press for the 5/3/1 sets and OHP as assistance, simply because I really want to work on my push press, and don't want to be doing something like 3x10 for assistance (if you do less reps the weight gets heavier....it'll get harder than OHP and would make it a bad choice for assistance, hence the switch). My ultimate aim is to do a few cycles without changing anything. I've lacked the ability to stick to a program recently.

Here's the plan
Mon - 5/3/1 Squats, 3x10 DB Bench, 3x10 Kroc Rows, 3x10 Dips
Wed - 3x5 Front Squat, 5/3/1 Bench, 3x10 Pullups, 3x10 OHP
Fri - 3x5 Lighter Squats, 5/3/1 Push Press, 5/3/1 Deadlift, 3x10 Deads with bands

Ab/grip work optional at end of sessions. The plan with 3x10 deads is to keep the bar weight quite low and utilize band tension to work on the lockout.

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My training log

Numbers looking strong, as per usual; always an inspiration. Front squats have some serious depth to them, mate, way to go.

I'm definitely going to be interested in watching how you progress on 5/3/1 - I know quite a lot of people have found it easier to stick with if they get finnicky with sticking with a program (I'm the same way; I barely made it through my first run of StrongLifts without attempting to switch to something else). Your logic for switching OHP and push press is solid as well, definitely something I'll keep in mind when I start 5/3/1 later this year.

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"When in doubt, squat and run hills." - Jim Wendler

IRON MNTN // LOG

Randomly I ve started 5 3 1. Found the first Edition online but bought 2nd. Tried the Tate assistance this week. I have dropped straps on every lift now as I been invited to train with
lawrence sharlei so that's gonna be a huge eye opener.

Your looking great btw buddy, front squats were ass to the floor haha I'll have to catch up on your blog.
Have been engrossed in Rippetoes books since Christmas

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"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

whoa whoa back up. Laurence Shahlaei the english strongman competitor? No fucking way

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My training log

yup, he only lives about 30 mins from me & guy who ive gotten to know trains with him twice a week & said I'm welcome to train in Big L's private gym

He did a charity truck pull at my gym a few months ago to

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"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

gobsmacked!

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My training log

Obviously gonna get my ass handed to me but...you have to start somewhere.

You should have a holiday down here & come along I'm in Scotland in March.

What do you think of the templates in 531 for assistance work? Makes so much sense when you read the thiking behind the templates he's written

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"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

I like the idea of them but I have certain areas I want to work on, and I'm under the mindset the more you work on a certain exercise the better you'll get at it (in moderation). Times I do pullups, front squats, grip, dips (etc) more consistently, I get better at them. There's always something missing from the templates that I want to get better at. I've took a lot of elements from the full body template. I have a good feeling about the way I've laid out the assistance this time and plan to stick to it for a bit, hope it works.

Sound man, what you up for and where you gonna be? I may have asked this before but where abouts you from?

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My training log

I'm up for my birthday. Doing the usual Edinburgh visit most do haha but I have never been ( was meant to last year but ended up moving)

I live Not that far from Birmingham, 40 mins on a train, Half hr in a car so It'll be two trains to get there. Mayabe 4 halfish hours from b'ham so nothing major

I tried the Dave Tate assistance this week but I went progressively heavier with each set on each assistance & It really took it out of me. Prob should't of done it that way so today I went with Wendlers upper body template which seemed to work better for me.

Sounds like you have it all set out. Sounds great & Hope you make the gains you want...I'm using that excel spreadsheet along side it. Such a time saver

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"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

hey chewy - i figured you would be lifting full houses off the ground now since last time i checked in on ya. glad to see your still at it!

mary

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Looking solid on those front squats man! I see you're back to 5/3/1. If I recall correctly you were off it for awhile. I haven't seen the new version; I'll have to check it out. Let me know how it works for you.

whoa chewybars! so strong.

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Radical simply means "grasping things at the root." - Angela Davis

Cool I'm west coast so I don't know Edinburgh that well but we'll be able to organise something. There's potentially a Manchester meetup coming up on the veganfitness.net forums so that could be an option too.


Thanks Mary and viva!

It's a new version of the ebook, the programs exactly the same. The ebook's basically updated with some new assistance templates and extras.


Fri 27th January 2012

Squats
1x5x60kg
1x5x72.5kg
1x5x87.5kg
(just a light day, paused some of the reps at the bottom)

Push Press
1x5x40kg
1x5x47.5kg
1x10x52.5kg

Deadlift
1x5x127.5kg (no belt, hook grip)
1x5x147.5kg (no belt, hook grip)
1x10x165kg (belt, over under)
hook grip+belt for these sets;
1x10x70kg +red super mini bands
1x10x90kg +red super mini bands
1x10x100kg +red super mini bands

We basically had the bands setup like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN3h2LQphsk just that we only have round DB's so put a 25kg plate inside each one to stop it rolling. Seemed pretty solid so done 2 sets with it, and decided it just wasn't enough tension (wanting to work on the top end more - wanted it light at the bottom, hard at top). So we put a blue small band in addition to the reds round the DBs. Already we could see the bands start to move the plates in a bit - as soon as i done the first rep the tension just pulled the DBs/plates in. So just had to put on more bar weight, didn't have time to play about with it.

When I was at Strength Shop a bit back, I much preferred the setup there; http://youtu.be/5i4BrHT2oxs?t=6m59s 1 block, extreme band tension. Will try this next week.

Anyway, no problems with anything really. Hook grip is sore but didn't fail. Didn't want it fucking up my main set though. 10 reps ain't too shabby at 165kg.

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My training log

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vegan for the win!