Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

My family live in Redditch mate and I own a house in Stratford Upon Avon, a stones throw from you by the sounds of it.

Small world... except I'm about 20,000 miles away nowadays haha.

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1st Place Raw Champs 2011, 2012 (3 raw records)
Training for my first 100 mile running race

WEB: http://jimsty.wix.com/strength-vs-size
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mini-Forklift/161273440616736?ref=hl
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/kiwilifter?feature=mhee

It's funny that I used to think doing all the raises would help bring my shoulders out and and increase my OHP strength - what's increasing it is doing more of presses, chins, and rows. Don't really need much else. I've been stalled on my OHP forever but even with just one cycle under my belt, I can already tell the lift has gotten quite a bit stronger. Can't wait to see where I'm at after running this for 4-5 months.

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

IRON MNTN // LOG

It stands to reason that if you strengthen the areas around the shoulders that pressing will improve. I was wondering why Wendler didn't have any tricep work in the bbb template. But if you correctly press, shrugging at the lock out it really engages the upper back, traps & triceps (as you know) so come the end of the bbb sets my triceps had a huge bump in them. Also I have been doing the whole "use the lats as a shelf" thing, its like forming a base for the mid back, traps ect to work from.I focused more on wide chins & my lats are really sore today. I ve said many times my shoulder routine use to be rediculious, OHP for the win

I struck out on the shoes at the Adidas store...they guy didn't even know they made such a shoe (he was a manager) & asked if I was sure they made them lol

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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

Tues-10th-April Cycle 4 Week 1 (3x5)

Hit up some foam rolling, mobility work, lighter sets & stretching to warm up.

Deadlift: 82.5kg 95kg 107.5kg

Assistance:
Deadlift; boring but big at 50% 5x10 65kg
GHR 2x10 Hypers 2x10
Hanging leg raises: 5x10

Ab circuit, leg raises, leg ups, cycle crunches.


Summary:
I decided to take off a set each on ghr & hypers due to boring but big on deadlifts, just so I don't overload my lower back & to see how it feels come tomorrow. Working sets were easy enough, I did go with full stops on deads as I usually touch & go.  I do actually stop when I touch so I'm not"bouncing" but as usual it just starts my sciatica off a little, not that I want to touch & go but I'm having to train around an old injury so what can I do...I do full tops on every set but the top one of the day (also belt up), this way I hope to be able to hit full stops eventually. Jim Wendler outlines these types of deads in his book so I actually feel a lot better about using them (also seen him deadlift this way).

Boring but big sets were also fairly straight forward (see how I feel tomorrow) but again my lower back had a huge pump, even after three warm up sets. Decent workout,  rest day tomorrow so may run a short distance if my backs not to tight. 



Here's a picture of Stefán Sölvi Pétursson. Watching him at last years WSM just made something click in my head & really pushed me to look at how to get bigger & stronger. Still don't know what it was he did but watching him compete gave me a huge buzz.
My fav strongman outside of Terry Holland & Loz...

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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

Yes mate Redditch is only 15mins away. It falls under Worcestershire & I live in Worcester.
Stratford is also really close to

_________________
"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

Thurs-12th-April Cycle 4 Week 1 (3x5)

Usual warm up of lighter sets, shoulder work & stretching.

Bench press: 62.5kg 72.5kg 82.5kg

Assistance:
Bench press: boring but big at 50% 5x10 50kg
Dumbbell rows: All per arm 5x10 22kg 24kg 26kg 28kg 30kg
Pull ups: 2x10 wide grip 1x hammer grips

Ab circuit: side bends, weighted crunch, standard crunch,cable crunch.

Summary:
Breezed through this today, felt strong on benching throughout & should be being the lightest week of the gaining weeks. Boring but big sets felt good & had no issues until last three reps on fifth set, proper ache in the triceps. Not sure going light to heavy in the rows was a good idea, next week I'll have a play & reverse the order...

_________________
"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

Fri-13th-April Cycle 4 Week 1 (3x5)

No time for foam rolls, coming off nights & in tonight so needed to be in & out. 

Squats: 85kg 97.5kg 110kg

Assistance:
Squats: Boring but big at 50% 5x10 65kg
Leg curls: 5x10 no clue what weight 
Reverse hypers 2x10

Ab circuit: leg raises, leg ups, leg raises


Summary:
Woke up at 13:55 & was warming up by 14:30. Lightest week where gainings concerned so thankful for that! Trained on a banana & some peanut butter so everything felt fucking heavy today. Squatting  was pretty sweet, some great depth on everything considering warming up was minimal, no time for foam rolls/mobility so will do rolling sat/sun. Boring but big sets were good, a light 65kg soon becomes a burn  & I kept rest to only 20-30seconds.
Another week already passing, flying by...

_________________
"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

Mon-16th-April Cycle 4 Week 2 (3x3)

Early start today, food in take was decent. Warmed up with shoulder mobility, lighter sets & stretching.

OHP: 37.5kg 42.5kg 47.5kg+6

Assistance:
OHP: Boring but big 50% 5x10
Pull ups: wide grips 35 reps hammer grips 15 = 50 rep total 
Tricep push downs: 3x15 (light) 

Ab work: standard crunch,side bends,cycle crunch, cable crunch

Felt pretty good tonight, got six out on the last set (minimum three) leaving a good two-three reps in the tank. Boring but big sets felt a lot easier if still a proper burn by the third set. Pull ups were decent, can't complain.

Got tickets for the Avengers premier excited much!!!

_________________
"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

Tues-16th-April Cycle 4 Week 2 (3x3)

No time for foam rolling & much mobility. Early start & a 12hr long day, got into the gym at 19:15 after waking at 5:00.

Deadlift: 90kg 102.5kg 115kg+3

Assistance:
Deadlift: boring but big 50% 65kg 5x10
Hanging leg raise: 5x10
Reverse hypers: 3x10

Ab work:leg ups & leg raises.

Summary:
Felt really good on deads tonight. Though I only hit 2 extra reps on the last set (total 5 reps) I purposely did this due to the 5x10 on boring but big. Still seeing how my lower back response to the extra volume. I did experience a huge lower back pump but this is nothing new...tidy session 

_________________
"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

Tues-16th-April Cycle 4 Week 2 (3x3)

No time for foam rolling & much mobility. Early start & a 12hr long day, got into the gym at 19:15 after waking at 5:00.

Deadlift: 90kg 102.5kg 115kg+2

Assistance:
Deadlift: boring but big 50% 65kg 5x10
Hanging leg raise: 5x10
Reverse hypers: 3x10

Ab work:leg ups & leg raises.

Summary:
Felt really good on deads tonight. Though I only hit 2 extra reps on the last set (total 5 reps) I purposely did this due to the 5x10 on boring but big. Still seeing how my lower back response to the extra volume. I did experience a huge lower back pump but this is nothing new...tidy session 

_________________
"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

Surprising that my backs been fine all day! Even after tr 70+ reps on deadlifting yday!

_________________
"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

Thurs-18th-April Cycle 4 Week 2 (3x3)

Day off & had a decent sleep. Had one & one half of a whole meal bagel & a shake before training. Usual warm up stuff...

Bench press: 67.5kg 77.5kg 87.5kg+7

Assistance:
Bench press: Boring but big at 50% 50kg 5x10
Pull ups: 20 reps wide
Lat pulls: switched to these as I had no more pull ups left, still recovering from the 50 on Monday I hit. 2x10 
Dumbbell rows: 30kg 28kg 26kg 24kg 22kg (all per arm 5x10)

Ab circuit: crunches, cable crunch & side bends.

Summary:
Benching felt easy, the 87.5kg flew up & I got 7 solid reps on my minimum of 3 on the last. Really pleasing & felt great. The bar was chalked  but & I swear this helped with my bench. Went heavy to light on db rows & this felt pretty nice with the weights becoming easier, I may keep it this way from now on.

I did 2 miles on the stationary bike & my backs killing me, so I can rule out using these for conditioning. Cross trainers & row machines to try next but I'm not overly  fussed on loads of cardio. A 10 min blast is all I'm after right now.

 If the gym owner is telling the truth (after I asked him) we'll have a couple of prowlers soon. I can't wait for these!

By all accounts he's secured another unit under the current one & is putting in a crossfit set up. I don't know how I feel about that. It's where the money is & people like it but crossfit people are all cunts in my book (sorry if that offends anyone) & the thing in general is a joke. Some of the stuff I see on it makes me laugh. Still at the very least the gym owners still, as he always does is putting money back into the place.

_________________
"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 Veg - hope your back is ok! Don't touch the rowing machine if your back is giving you grief. Rowing is all about legs and back. Rowing with good form will work your back, rowing with poor form will absolutely wreck it. Go for the cross trainer I reckon.

The amount of people I see in the gym with crazy rowing form is ridiculous - although, the machine gives you no indication of the movement like a cross trainer/stepper does so I understand why people would have difficulty.

Cheers for dropping by lol

Fully aware how I should row on the rower & I had thought it's not a good idea. I use to run loads & I didn't get much grief off of that but as I mainly focus on compounds I don't want to pound the roads. I may just use the treadmills if the cross trainers no good.

Cheers dude!!

_________________
"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

Fri-20th-April Cycle 4 Week 2 (3x3

Warmed up with some foam rolling, mobility & lunges ect Also lighter sets.

Squat: 90kg 102.5kg 117.5kg+4

Assistance:
Squats: Boring but big at 50% 5x10 65kg
Leg curls: 5x10 all random weights

Summary:
Woke up & my back had seemed to of settled but on the first working set it started to niggle. 3x3 sets today & was hoping to hit 6+ today after squatting 117.5kg for 5 last week but I could feel my back complaining at 102.5 even more so. Can't believe a static bike troubled me so much. I got an extra rep out so not all bad. Still crap not happy about it. Leg curls are leg curls so whatever....

Did no lower ab work as to not stress my back future. Did a very easy 10 mins on the cross trainer & not sure what to make of it yet. I felt it hurting my hips & I have a long body & short legs. It maybe just a run on the treadmill for me looking at it.
Another week wrapped up again, going so quickly.

_________________
"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