Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Fri-27th-April Cycle 4 Week 3 (5/3/1)

Worked today so ate a decent amount of food before squats...Had the yawns all day.

Warmed up with some sciatica relief movements,body weight lunges/squats/mobility & other things before some lighter warm up sets.

Squats: 97.5kg x5 110kg x3 122.5 x1 +5

Assistance:
Squats: Boring but big at 50% 5x10 65kg
Hypers: 3x10
leg curls: random weights 5x10

Ab circuit of leg raises/leg ups/ball crunches

Summary:

Killed it tonight, Couldn't of been a better session after the issue with my back this week. Felt pretty revved up during this session, like a lot of tension in my body. Again 5 solid reps on the last set of 1, so pleasing! The sciatic movements are getting slightly easier each time I do them, which is the point. No back issue during squats & even the lower back work was comfy, Maybe just the pump of working out though.

Another gaining cycle done, deload next week:)

_________________
"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

Damn bro, great squats there. Strong!

_________________
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

Cheers mini, Not far from where I was before I had a bad bout of sciatica in sept last yr. No squatting/deads for like 10 weeks, then I got onto a basic rapid strength plan where you add 2.5kg each week to getting onto 5/3/1, going with a reduced weight for a steady climb has been key for sure. Sucks balls I blew out again on my back with deads. I went with a real low 1rp for deads/squats for 5/3/1 as well.

Still foam rolls & the sciatica stuff has helped somewhat. Going to try sumo tomorrow as it's deload so nothing that'll kill me

_________________
"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

Just ordered myself this little bad boy

https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/powerlif ... -belt.html

_________________
"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

You're definitely going to notice a difference with a good belt. I lifted beltless for years, but now after all the injuries, a belt REALLY helps keep me feeling more stable for squats, deadlifts, heavy rowing and occasinoally on heavy overhead pressing. Never planned on using one based on how strong my lower back USED to be (I always thought I'd lift beltless forever), but it's what helps keep me going after all these years!

_________________
"A 'hardgainer' is merely someone who hasn't bothered to try enough different training methods to learn what is actually right for their own damned body." - anonymous

Really looking forward to taking it for a spin VE! The Zulu glove one I tried off my strongman friend was great & this is similar (though his had a quick release function)

I usually belt up on my last set on deads/squats (depending how the sessions gone) but will just wear this on deads from now on, on all my working sets. 

Cheers VE

_________________
"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

That's the belt I use, so your one looks pretty much the same as mine.

You should notice a bit of difference, might give you a few more lbs on the squat as when it's done up tight it will be creating extra intra-abdominal pressure. Look forward to hearing how you get on with it mate

_________________
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

Built like an Ox. That back is huge.

Thank you for the Matt, though I ve some way to go my back is defiantly something I'm pleased with this far. Nothin fancy, plenty of pull ups, db rows & deadlifting. Putting in a little extra mid back work atm but I'll take what I can get , so thank you (not bad for a years worth of progress)

_________________
"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

Yah man I have been noticing a huge jump in strength since adding pullups in. I couldnt do them until recently but I have got 5 in a row now. I know I am a lot more sore from them as well.

Try out hammer grips, I focused on these & within a month I was banging out 5x10 & I had begun adding in a 5kg plate (12ish lb?) but I do more wide grips now.

A good tip is to do pull/chin ups (or various grips) between your pressing (bench/military or what ever pressing you do) little sets of 5 would be great for you. You can never do too many pull/chin ups, also your arms/shoulders are getting worked to. Once you blow out do lat pulls downs or something similar.

I never go past shoulder width grip on pull ups. my left nerve in the neck area is kind tight from a car accident

_________________
"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-30th-April cycle 4 Week 4 (deload 3x5)

So as its deload week I again did/shall be pairing up two upper/lower lifts with deloaded sets/reps/weight/assistance.

Warm up for upper/lower was the usual run through of mobility/lighter sets/stretching.

OHP: 20kg 27.5kg 32.5kg

Assistance:
OHP: borig but big at 50% 3x10 27.5kg
Pull ups: wide grips 3x10
Hammer strength row machine: 3x10 (extra back work light)

Sumo deadlift: 50kg 65kg 77.5kg

Assistance:
Sumo deadlift: boring but big at 50% 3x10 65kg
Hypers: 2x10

Ab circuit:side bends, cable crunch, standard crunch

Summary:

Nothing to worry over on the upper body lifts, nice & easy. Just made sure form was tight & got a little bump on. Defiantly going to keep the hammer strength row machine as the focus for my extra back work, I'd like to do some barbell rows but as my lower backs complaining I'm working around it.

More important was having a play with sumo deadlifts today. Had a little play with width of my foot position, the bar didn't hit the shins at all which was good & it felt tight enough. However I still felt my back with these but I need to run with them for a full cycle to see if anything feels better/worse ect. No deads till next week so some time to rest my back. 
I'm defiantly not using boring but big again on deads, it's to much so I'm going to program front squats for cycle 5. Enjoy doing them anyway so will stick with them for a few cycles, made good gains for two months with them before....

Meeting with my strongman friend Thursday & he's going to watch my deadlifts (yes I know I said a week till I train them) but its an opportunity to have an experienced lifter watch my form, incase theres something I'm missing. Will go light with these though for sure & no more than a couple of sets.

_________________
"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-3rd-May Cycle 4 Week 4 (deload)

Same as Monday, paired up two main lifts as the works deloaded.

Usual upper/lower warm ups.

Bench press: 40kg 4x5 50kg 57.5kg

Assistance:

Bench press: boring but big at 50% 3x10 50kg
Dumbbell rows: per arm in 3x10 22kg 24kg 26kg
Pull ups: 25 wide grips 5 hammer grips total 30 reps

Squats: 52.5kg 4x5 65kg 77.5kg

Assistance:

Squats: boring but big at 50% 65kg 3x10
Leg curls: 3x10 light running rack
Reverse hypers: 2x10

Easy peasy, nice deload coming off nights. So nothing of note.

Trained with my strongman pal today, had him look at my deadlift form/set up & he couldn't see any issue. 

Spotted him on some floor pressing, was good to do this as  I'm yet to train it & how I could at my gym.

As for the next cycle (5) I'm going to push the boring but big set percentages. I allowed myself a slightly easier cycle last with the bbb sets as to get use the more volume again, so now it's time to push the envelope. I have programmed 70% first set, 60% x2 sets & 50% the last two. See how I fair vs this as for deads, I ve gone with programming front squats. 

_________________
"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

So this is my current plan of attack for cycle 5, wanted to get it logged so I can keep a track of it vs the actual workout.

Plan is to push the boring but big sets this month. I used only 50% throughout in cycle 4 to get back into the swing of more volume, fairly easy in the end so time to push the envelope.

Gone, however are boring but big sets for deadlifts, it over loads my back way to much so I ve programmed front squats again (2nd edition 5/3/1 programmable assistance).

Set ranges on bbb shall be 70% 1x10 60% 2x10 50% 2x10

Monday:
OHP 5/3/1

Assistance:
OHP: bbb sets
Pull ups (between OHP sets)
Mts Hammer Strength Machine/face pulls/cable rows (extra back work)


Now I'm not a huge fan of altering program's (providing they were created by people who know their shit) but my mid back needs strengthening a little, it's highlighted when my bench becomes heavy. It's not a huge problem but I just feel a little improvement for stability is in order.
Also I'm no longer counting pull ups as a movement, I should be just doing them regardless between pressing movements (OHP/bench days) but the focus shall be wide grips.

Tuesday:

Sumo Deadlifts  5/3/1

Assistance:
Front squats (programmed)
GHR

Switching to sumo deads for the time being to see if this help with my lower back issue. Not ran sumo style before so shall be interesting to see how these go & if it helps with my lower back.

Thursday:

Bench press 5/3/1

Assistance:
Bench press: bbb
Pull ups (between bench sets)
Dumbbell rows
Dips

Nothing to add here really.

Friday:

Squats 5/3/1

Assistance:
Squats: bbb
Standing hamstring curl
Reverse hypers

Again not much to add here. Other than only hitting reverse hypers once a week now as to again not overload my lower back. I am weirdly strong as hell on hypers..go figure


Conditioning:

Ah this is such a love/hate affair right now. I love the idea but hate doing it. Gone are my days of smashing out x3 6 mile runs a week just for the hell of it. During my weight gain period I did no cardio & I have now pigeon holed myself. I will hit a bit here & there but it's really not good enough. I have to address it. 

My main thing with dodging conditioning also is that fact I'm a firm believer that, as we are vegetarians/vegans here our sessions need to be kept to the point & not drag out. I'd think this even if I did eat meat but....I just feel training needs to be kept to under an hour. That's why I focus on multi jointed movements more ( well they're the best anyway).

I'm keep my fingers crossed that the gym owner, who's currently expanding the gym with an awesome looking setup eg farmers walks, atlas stones ect but also crossfit -_-...More importantly (for me) is that he's having a couple of prowlers made which is music to my ears.

Conditioning/strength/power in one is amazing. My lower body days will  onsist of squat/deadlift then push prowler.

Looking forward to this cycle, shit looks hard on the main lifts & now on my bbb stuff. Get bigger & stronger or die trying

_________________
"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

Sounds like the gym extensions will be pretty good, worth waiting for !!

I agree, if you're training for PL'ing and you are training both hard and smart you should be in and out in an hour or less (unless you're training with people which will obviously take a little longer).

Dropping cardio is largely in the head, I think you will be surprised how little your conditioning may change. Sure, if you're running 30km a week in just 3 x runs then you may need to keep on eye on/readjust your macros to compensate for the reduction of aerobic training, but it shouldn't become any big issue. Keep the intensity and pace of your weights high while you aren't doing the cardio in order to keep your post exercise fat metabolism stable.

I'll be interested to see how it pans out for you mate. Have a great weekend MF.

_________________
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