Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Rest day. More like repair day. Good workout yesterday as I am sore pretty much everywhere in the upper body. Lower body all ready for Leg day tomorrow.

Back is getting better! I was able to do all the heavy weights for Legs today! Did 10 minutes on the Cybex elliptical to get the blood running first.

Cybex Leg Press: 4P (4x45lbs Plates - X2 - on each side)/25 usual warmup, 7P/25 (same as last time), 8P/15 (same), 9)/15 (same), 10P/12 (+2 more than last time), and since it was 12 reps I decided to go up - 10P+25lbs plates on each side/10 - new PB

Lying Leg Curl: 100/25 usual warmup, 150/15 (+3 solid ones than last time), 160/10 (+2 more than last time), 170/8 - a new PB
(this is where my back hurt me last time and today it didn't, so I was able to push my limits - long time ago I was able to do the whole stack before, and I am on my way to that goal!)

the leg ext machine was near the lying leg curl, so we are going to do these first before the Hack squats -

Leg Extension: 120/15 usual warmup, 150/12 (+2 more than last time), 165/10 (these were nice and smooth on the cable machine, wonder if they slicked up the cables) - a new PB

took a break and ate a Vega chocolate/saviseed protein bar -

Hack Squat: 2P/25 usual warmup, 3P/15 (??why couldn't I do the 20 reps from last time), 4P/15 (+3 more than last time) and I did one more set, didn't want to go up just yet, ROM is very short.

Seated Calf Raise: 2P/40, 35, 30, 30 - did them just till the calf burns and can't lift anymore.

Dueling Adductor/Abductor Machines: dueling as in supersetting - Adductor 120/25, the Abductor 100/25 for 4 sets each.

Legs felt very big (swollen) and noodle-y (wobble-y) on the way out of the gym.

Chest and Bicep day. I wanted to go to the other gym (Powerhouse Gym) and use their HammerStrength Iso-Wide Chest Press that I use to do back in my competition days, so we went there first, did the set, and then went to our usual gym (Anytime Fitness). Unfortunately, my partner hurt herself (spasms in her neck - I guess the little massage we got last week only went so far . . .) on the first set! She could do the exercises with light weights and not aggravate her neck further, so she did many reps of lightweights to maintain her Chest and Biceps for this session.

Chest

at the other gym -

HS Iso-Wide Chest Press: 70/25, 140/20, 180/15, 230/10 (yeah, this is what I did last time - and more weight than the usual regular HammerStrength Chest Press)

back to the usual gym -

(did not do the HammerStrength Chest Press (machine #1) as we already did the Iso-Wide, and my chest was hurting from it already, and my partner needed to stay away from more aggravation of her neck)

Machine Flyes:90/20 (same), 120/15 (+3 more than last time), 135/10 (+2 more than last time), 140/8+1 - a new PB, and just for fun tried 150/6 - a new PB

Incline Smith Press: 70/25 same warmup, 90/15 (same as last time), 110/8 (same as last time - minus partner help)
- these were so hard to do at this time

Machine Chest Press (vertical grip): 75/25 (why am I still warming up? oh yeah. my clavicle was starting to hurt so I am warming up on every exercise), 90/20, 120/15 (+3 more than last time), 135/10 - a new PB, and went on to try the next plate 150/8 - a new PB (I was able to get new PBs this time because my back hurt the last time I did this exercise. It must be getting better!)

Biceps

Ate a banana to try and get some sugar in my bloodstream, as I was getting hungry and not at all inspired to keep pushing it hard.

EZ barbell Curl: 40/25 warmup, 60/15 (same as last time), 70/8 (same as last time) X 2 sets (don't feel like going to the 80 barbell just yet)

Hammer curls: 27.5/15 (solid this time), 30/15 (solid this time), 35/8 (+2 more than last time), and foolishly I pushed for 40/6 (and I was rocking out the last couple of reps)

Cable Curls: 40/15, 50/10 (+2 more than last time) X 2 sets (I was really tired by now, and just wanted to go and eat)

My partner kept going, and was pretty good at isolated her chest muscle and trying not to engage her hurt neck. On the machine flyes, it did not hurt her, so she was able to do pretty heavy on those. The other exercises, she just kept it light and did 25 reps or more while moving slowly to get the most out of her limited workout weights.
Tomorrow is a rest day. I hope she can get her neck looked at by a chiropractor or go to our massage/bodywork therapist again (which is what I would love to do, but I think I will wait till next week or the next due to$$$), since Delts is up next and those take in alot of neck muscles.

Yesterday's rest day was filled with stretching exercises, yoga poses, heating pad, and I even got a nap/rest in between all the errands I did. I woke up a little less sore, and a stronger back. I knew that my right clavicle hurt, but the next day my left also started hurting, plus the way upper pecs were hurting, so I am going to guess that it was from the HammerStrength Iso-Wide Chest Press exercise that I just started doing. Those are going to be great for building my upper upper pecs! With all my hurts starting to repair themselves more quickly, I was delighted with a good Delt workout today.

Delt/Shoulder

Machine Military Press (barbell grip): 55/25, 70/25, 85/15, 100/15, 115/15 - all the same as last time, I wanted to warmup slowly today-plus help my partner do alot of warmup sets also, 130/8+2 (2 extra with my partner's help), and for fun -145/8 shadowed by my partner with alot of help on the last 2 reps (so more like 6+2) - technically not a new PB, but just a push closer to my max rep.

Cable Side Laterals (no more resistance bands - though I did some dislocations and band stretching with them before doing these Delt exercises, and 10 minutes on the elliptical to warm my body up and get the blood flowing): 20/15, 25/12, 30/6~2 - new PB for these! Getting stronger with these with the cables.

Rear Delts, DB, Bent-Over:15/15, 17.5/15, 20/15, 25/15, 27.5/8 - new PB

(ate a Vega Endurance Bar at this point. Not as tasty as the Vega Performance Protein Bar in chocolate with saviseed, but it was OK, and it gave me enough energy to get thru the last 2 exercises)

Machine Military Press with the DB grip: 130/15, 145/10+5, 160/6+2 - all the same as last time and they were really hard doing them! I felt like I just wasn't going to press on hard anymore for some reason.

Descending DB Delt Press Sets: 17.5/15/10 for 4 sets of 15 reps of each superset - this was the same as last time too. I guess I was just deciding to maintain the weights for the last two exercises, and not push with the weights - though they really felt hard to do.

(have to look at this more closely the next time I do these. Force myself to go just a little bit more - at least with the descending DB sets - perhaps 20/15/12.5 DBs next time)

I ordered Thai food next door, and for the 15 minute wait, I went back to the gym and did a Descending weight set on the Smith Press for a Barbell Military Press. I had 3 5lbs plates on, so 30lbs total for a set for 25 reps, then took off a 5lbs plate from each side (total 20lbs) and did 25 reps for that set, and took off another 5lbs plate and was left doing 10lbs for 25 reps on this last set (and the delts were on fire!). I let my partner do a set, and then I put on 25lbs plates on each side (50lbs) and did a set till failure, and it was absolute failure as my partner kept pushing on my elbows to go back up and I was hurting so bad at the end - though she made me laugh and that was the end of that set. I knew I went past 25 reps, because that is when I wanted to stop, but my partner kept forcing me to keep going with her elbow rebound touch!

On Back and Tricep day (which I have yet to post) I did a PB (Personal Best) on the Back Row Machine (225lbs), but on my last set's rep (#11) my pelvic girdle tipped, and whatever injury I sustained on the Smith Press Sumo squat fiasco, came back and bit me. I finished the session, but I did not do the Stiff-Legged Deadlifts, as that aggravated it more (yeah I was pretty much a wreak by the time I was doing triceps - but I was able to do them- but only what I did last time - no extra weight this time).
Luckily it was a scheduled rest day the following day. But all night I iced it with frozen lima beans (did not have the usual peas in the freezer this time!) and a heating pad all the next day. It was hard to just lie in bed, though my body helped me out by letting me take cat naps here and there, otherwise I laid there staring at the ceiling. Last night I could actually get out of bed without pain. And amazing enough, slept thru the night!

Today is Leg day. In prep for it, I went to the gym and did a treadmill walk for 25 minutes - to get a 1 mile in, and some yoga stretching poses. The hardest part was getting in the minivan and driving to and fro to the gym! The way the seat makes me sit is very uncomfortable - dull ache pain, not the sharp pain like I had yesterday - so it is probably repairing and the inflammation is still there to protect it from me using it (pain is a good teacher). So I shall see how it goes today. I will go just to support my partner and give her this chance to catch up to me ( which freaks me out of course!). Maybe just some light weights with high reps to maintain my muscle mass.

Back and Tricep on the 16th of Dec:

Back

Neutral Grip Wide-bar Pulldown: 90/25 same warmup, 135/16+2 (+1 on my own, and +2 with partner's help), 150/8+3 (no shadowing this time on the solid 8, and then my partner helped me with 3 with hands on my biceps again).

Machine Back Row (low grip), 90/25 same warmup, 180/18 (+3 more than last time), 210/12 (+2 more than last time), and went for the 225/8, and then did a PB of 225/10~1 (and that ~1 caused me the pain in the back. Too greedy. I was feeling really well in the back up to that point. tipped my pelvic girdle to help get that last heavy rep in. such a surprise to have the pain zap me like that. thought my back had healed. apparently not for that angle in my back at that weight. sigh).

Cable Pulldowns: 90/15 same warmup, 100/15 (solid this time, no partner's help), 110/8 (my back doesn't hurt when I am standing for some reason), and then I did some descending weights with slow movements to make the lats burn/contract so hard that it hurt is more like it.

No Deadlift (tried to do it first by just touching my toes. that wasn't so bad. thought if I held in my core, then it would be alright to at least do my partner's weights - her highest weights is usually my warmup or 15 rep range. but alas, I hurt myself more with just 50lbs.

(My back is really aggravated now. Just wanted to see what I could do on the upper back machine row. should be OK as it is hitting my upper back - though it is a sitting down type to execute the move. . . .)

Machine Back Row (upper grip): 120/15, 150/15, 180/15 (with my partner helping me by getting these heavy weights up to me in an upright position, as it was on the last position and I still had to reach with my body to get it up to where I could sit upright comfortably and row).

Wanted to just quit, go home, and nurse my Back back to health, but i decided to continue on with my partner's help after a good 10 minute break:

Triceps

Rope Pressdown: 70/25 same warmup, 90/15 (same), 100/15 (same), 110/15 (same)

Rope Tricep Extension (overhead, behind the head, fulcrum at waist level): 70/25 same warmup, 90/15 (same), 100/10 (+2 more)

No Dips, as it aggravated the Back. My partner did some dips, and played around with DB tricep extensions.

So, it was not a total lost, but it was nerve wrecking as to go on with my back as a ticking time bomb - ready to explode at any wrong weight on whatever muscle - deep inside that is used just for a specific motion that is used only for certain exercises and not for others.

First off, Powerhouse Gym did not inform me that with the 30 day trial period, that your whole workout has to be during staff hours (I thought you just had to go in during the staff hours for them to check you in). I thought I could slip in the last 1/2 hour of the staffed hours on a Sunday (3pm) and still be able to do the whole 2 hours of training. Not so. So we ended up going back to our regular gym (Anytime Fitness) and doing a different routine than usual.

Legs

(Very cautiously I proceeded on my exercises)

Leg Press: 2P on each side (4 45 plates total)/25, 3P/25, 4P/20~5 (stopped for a minute, legs gave out, took a breath, and then finished the warmup set), 6P/15 (saving the energy for next set), 8P/15 (saving it again), 9P/15 (short range movements - in between the top and bottom starting positions - didn't let the safety off - worked only the belly of the muscle), and pushed it for 10P/15 (same short, safety locked in), and then did some descending sets to get the rest of the ligaments and tendons involved with 6P/20~5 (breath stop again), 3P/25 (really slow and burning).

Seat Leg Curl (hate this machine's sitting position for a hamstring curl): 115/15, 130/15, 145/1, 160/10+5, 165/8+7 (what happened here? partner started helping to soon, and then I said she was helping too much, so the next one was really hard, and then she helped me some more when I said to just help me however she wanted to do it ), 170/10+5

Leg Extension (back started to hurt in this slight lay back sitting position): 150/25, 180/15, 225/12 X 2 sets (tried to do the whole stack like I did before, but the back twitched me a NO!!, so I just stayed at the 225 and did 2 sets. . . as slow as I could for the first reps - then I speeded up at the end cause the legs were burning).

Max Rack Squat (legs together and straight forward): 50/25, 70/25, 90/25 (I decided I didn't want to press my luck and go heavy today, and my partner didn't really want to go heavier either).

Calf Raise: 45/25 warmup, 90/35 for 3 sets

Adductor and Abductor machine for 3 sets only (the sitting position again was in a slightly laid back position): 110/25

We were both pretty tired by now. We had spent alot of time on the Leg Press today and the Leg Extensions wore our quads right out. I was pleasantly surprised that my back didn't act up on some of the exercises, and did on others just because of the sitting position.

HaHaHa, that is ME!!!! Love it! Thanks for the compliment! LOL!!!

Today was the last day of our heavy routine for the month of December, and it was Chest and Bicep day. Unfortunately, or possibly fortunately, I left my little red workout book at home. So I did a routine around what would work out best for my partner and her hurting neck. We tried the HammerStrength Chest Press #1 first, and her neck started acting up. So to nip that in the bud, I suggested that we do the Chest flye machine first instead. I could see it freeing her neck up a little bit more, and she was able to zip thru those sets without a twinge. Then we went to the Smith Press and did 1st notch incline (almost a flat bench) Chest Presses. This also did not hurt her, and she was able to push it really well with the heavy weights. I then suggested that she try the HammerStrength #2 Chest Press (more incline I think) with the seat way up. She did that one without it bothering her neck, while I did my usual Chest Press on #1 and those did not bother my neck (or clavicle). We were going to do another Machine Chest Press with the vertical grip, but we opted to save up our energy for the Biceps. We did our usual routine for Biceps, except that my partner did the EZ barbell curls, while I opted to push myself on the MaxRack Barbell Curl.

It was a sweet and unplanned routine for me this time. I had no expectations of what I did last time, and I did conserve my energy, by going up to only 15 reps till I got to the weight where I couldn't do the 15, and went on for a 6-8 rep weight after that. So I had a few more sets of 15 reps than I normally would, but that was OK - I was pleasantly well primed for the heavy set by then (I wasn't all worn out by doing the 25 rep warmup set).

Glad tomorrow is another rest day!

Rest day was usual - heating pad and getting all my meals in.

Today was Delt day. It was scheduled for 4 sets of 25 reps with new exercises, but I asked my partner what Delt exercises she would like to do, and we basically did our October routine: Smith Military Press, Rear Delts on Machine (Chest flye machine, but backwards), Front Raise with the barbell on the MaxRack, DB Side Laterals, and Cable Lateral Pulldowns. Now we did those, but not in the 4 sets of 25 rep routine. We decided to do our weights from October by doing the warmup weight for 25 reps, and then the ones after that for 15 reps, saving the energy for the really heavy weights. We did alot of 15 rep sets. Most of the exercises, I went up 10 lbs or more from my heaviest weight back then. I will post them later . . (it is getting tedious to post. maybe I will just post my heaviest weights and how I felt that day).
On a different note, I tried Creatine Ethyl Ester today (CEE). I felt alittle more energy in my lifting - though after 2 hours I was still pretty fatigued and dragged myself home. I hope it can help me repair a little faster than usual lately. Otherwise, I think I will start to plateau pretty soon with the weights. Even though I still have 2 more months of lifting fierce.

Yesterday's Back and Tricep day was the usual. Again, I liked the freedom to do whatever my partner wanted to do. I just did alot of sets to get to my heaviest set (stopping at 15 reps again - to save it for later). I label this kind of training as intuitive. I just do what my body feels like doing today (and not forcing it to do more than last time). I used the CEE again, and had some more energy that lasted thru-out the workout session (usually 2 hours long) and afterwards. I am still using the MacaSure and that seems to be evening out my moods lately (and no PMS this time around!). So much so, that I was scared to take it at night, thinking it would keep me awake with an energy boost, but I forgot to take it late afternoon one day, and took it at 10 PM. I was asleep by 11. And a nice sound sleep the whole night. So now I am putting it 12 hours apart when I take the MacaSure (10 to 10) to keep it in my system at a more consistent rate.
Today was suppose to be a rest day, but we are plowing thru with a Leg workout today and a Chest/Bicep workout tomorrow, in order to have Christmas Day off. So it will be just a fun day of intuitive lifting again.

Yep, just a good ole Leg workout, with lots of sets of 25 reps today. I did not feel like being there. I had spent most of my morning shopping at the mall (which was ahead of most of the people because it was not crowded and it was actually nice being there. I did really feel sorry for the clerks behind the counters though. They looked like they had worked too many hours, or had a really great time partying last night and had hangovers at work). I came home, passed out for an hour (cat nap), ate, and went to the gym. I have been doing protein shakes pretty much all day (with fruit here and there), but now I have a great big plate of pasta with tomato sauce and vegan sausages. I also bought some cookie dough coconut milk ice cream for tonight. Now this is what off season is all about. Yum........

Christmas Day was not a great rest day for me. I was cooking a vegan feast the night before (got the seiten roast, vegan cheesecake, and baked squash all done), and then got up early (6 AM) to do garlicky mashed potatoes (from scratch), green haricot beans with almond slivers, mushroom gravy (veggie broth and nutritional yeast and spices), and two color corn. Then a nice long 3 hour drive there. So I got in my raw fruit smoothie with protein powder after cooking that morning, starved during the ride, and tried to eat little bites of 2 servings of my vegan feast at the family holiday get together, and then starved for 3 hours on the drive back. I had my protein meal when I got home late. I was very fatigued when I went to bed that night (more like passed out! from exhaustion).

It felt wonderful to be back on my routine of eating every 2 or 3 hours and my usual protein enriched meals! And to go to the gym and do Delts today (forgot to wear a tank top - my partner and I wear tank tops on Delt day to see the progress we are making). A male friend that likes to talk with us at the gym, commented that my partner's arms were getting pretty big in the month that he has known us. He just commented as an afterthought to me, that mine were looking big as usual. I had to control my competitive nature, but I told my partner later on that I was sooooo jealous that she got complimented. . . but I can look at it that my workout plan of action is working for her too! As she says, "My workout partner is my free personal trainer", so I must be a good one!

I did not do any personal bests today. I pretty much did what I did last time for my personal best, by looking back over the months of training to find out what they were, and made sure I did those. We also have decided to work on abs on a workout day with only one body part to work on. So, I did some planks, while she did crunches with a bosu ball being squeezed by her feet. I tried doing crunches, but my back started to act up (which is not all the way better yet, I guess). And then we called it a day and left the gym finally after a 2 hour session.

Lets see if I can recall Back and Triceps day after that great restful Rest day I had yesterday (I did absolutely nothing! Watched Korean dramas all day! and refused to go out and buy anything today!).

Neutral-Grip Pulldown Widebar: worked up to PB of 150/8+2
new thing we are doing is little short movements at peak contraction: so 25 reps at pulling the bar down all the way (peak contraction of lat muscle) and then raising it only 2 or so inches, and then right back down again. So I did : 75/25, 90/25 - and then they were fatigued out!

Machine Back Row: this usually aggravates something in my back, but I was able to go past my PB of 225/10 to 225/10+5 with my partner's help getting it up to peak contraction and then letting me slowly descend back to starting position (eccentric contraction - and yes that means DOMS, which I had a little of!)

Cable Lat Single Pulldown: was able to go past my PB of 110/10+5 to 120/8!

Deadlift (usually this aggravates my back so I played it safe by keeping the weight at my PB and doing 1 more rep than last time): 90/15, 16, 17, 18

Machine Back Row (Upper grip): this is a relatively new exercise for focusing on our upper back, so I expect to have major gains in this one exercise - past my PB of 180/8+4 to 180/15, and then after a long talking break with someone, 195/15
peak contraction set: 80/25 X 2 sets

was starting to lose energy, so I stopped there and didn't aggressively progress to heavier sets and more reps on the peak contraction set, so I could do the next exercise

HammerStrength Back Row: 50/25, 70/15, 90/12+3, 100/15 while partner shadowed from behind (did feel her help me too much on rep 13 and 14, and then I told her to backoff, and then 15 was soooooooooooo hard to get down! LOL!) PB was 140/8+4 last time, but it was only the 4th exercise, not the last like this - plus I haven't done these in awhile, so I will have to work back up to it.

Triceps

Rope Pressdown: new PB of 120/6~2 (~means short ROM on those reps)

Rope Tricep Extension (behind the head, fulcrum at waist level): new PB of 110/8

Double Bench Dips: Body/25, Body+45lbs plate on abs/23~2, back down to Body+35lbs/solid 25, and one more for X 2 sets.

And that was the end of that session. All in all I was happy that my back is getting better . . . again, and that I was able to keep strict form and work only the Back major muscles, and not that little one that is still healing (and is taking forever to heal! 6 weeks from when I did the Sumo Squat fiasco. Luckily I am able to work around it, and it doesn't hinder me from ALL of the Back exercises, and the other Bodyparts).

Leg day is today. I have a company Holiday party to go to tonight, so I will probably post Leg day tomorrow. Can't wait for the new Lying Leg Curl to get to our gym! Supposedly they have to make it when ordered, and then ship it here from China! It has been over the 6 weeks, but not the 8 weeks - that is next week! So excited! I will not be able to go back to Powerhouse Gym as our trial membership of $10 for 30 days is over. So no Lying Leg Press and no Hack Squat for me for awhile.

Reading your journal makes me want to skip work and head straight to the gym and bust out a workout!
Gonna be looking forward to the gym all day now and will be super hyper and have to hit up a Turbokick class!! Thanks for the extra motivation

_________________
I do because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn't.

I don't make excuses... I make results

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you