Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Decided to start training again. Got a gym membership, and have been lifting 3 x week for the past 3 weeks. I started out with empty bar to practice my technique and have been adding 5 lbs each session ramping up. So far I have added 4 lbs in the 3 weeks, of which I estimate 3 lbs muscle and 1 lb fat. Started at 124, am now at 128. Goal is to reach 150 by July.

Here is my training from today:

12/9/2007

Weight = 128 lbs

Warmup:
2-minute jog
5 x 2 squat stretch

Routine:
Squat: 5 x 5 @ 100 lbs
Overhead Press: 5 x 5 @ 60 lbs
Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 75 lbs
Chinups: 5, 4, 4

Felt good to see that I've gained another 1.5 lbs in 1 week. I can now be confident in my nutrition program and that I'm getting enough calories. Still need to work on my form for the squat. Felt it start to falter in the last set today. Will continue to do squat stretches on a daily basis.

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

Original subject ... just kidding... Glad to have you aboard, I just joined this forum as of about a month ago... alot of kind people and great knowledge and information. 25 lbs. is a big goal, stick with it and you can do it, I foresee lots of food and hard training in your future...

_________________
Pain is weakness leaving the body
Video
Before/After Pics
Diet
Training Log

@Troy: Thanks for the motivating words. I've put on 20 lbs before so I have a good idea of what it takes, although that was on a previous sad diet so the rules are little different this time around

12/11/2007

Warmup:
2-minute jog
5 x 2 squat stretch

Routine:
Squat: 5 x 5 @ 105 lbs
Bench: 5 x 5 @ 80 lbs
Barbell Row: 4 x 5 @ 55 lbs, 1 x 4 @ 55 lbs
Dips: 10, 7, 7

First day in awhile that I felt the motivation take a plunge...really struggled to get out of bed for some reason. I felt better on squats today, although I'm still not quite there with my form. Failed last set on barbell rows, so will try again next session.

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

Cool! Are you planning to add the 25lbs in muscle, or in fat+muscle combined?

_________________

@Richard: I'll take anything I can get right now, although ideally mostly muscle. If the fat starts getting outta control, then I'll refine the diet a little more

12/13/2007

Warmup:
2-min jog
5 x 2 squat stretch
5 x 2 @ 45 lbs squat

Routine:
Squat: 1 x 5 @ 110 lbs, 4 x 5 @ 105 lbs
OH Press: 1 x 5 @ 65 lbs, 4 x 5 @ 60 lbs
Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 80 lbs
Pullups: 3,3,3

Lowered weight on squat and OH press after first set as my form fell apart...will try higher weight again next session. Pullups blew me apart today. Just couldn't crank em out like usual. Maybe because I'm not used to doing them at the end of the workout?

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

12/16/2007

Weight: 130 lbs
Gain: +2 lbs

Warmup:
2 min jog
5 x 2 squat stretch
5 x 2 empty bar


Routine:
Squat: 1 x 5 @ 95 lbs, 5 x 5 @ 105 lbs
Bench: 5 x 5 @ 85 lbs
Barbell Row: 5 x 5 @ 55 lbs
Dips: 12,7,7

Tack on another 2 lbs in a week...nutrition seems to be in check! Squat was tough today, didn't feel like I could up it to 110 like planned...so stuck with 105. Looking back I think I could have done it, but I'm still not fully confident in my form so I didn't want to push it. Will go for 110 next time. Felt really good on rows and dips today. Cranked out some good numbers. Two more training days this week and then it's a rest/recovery week while I'm on vacation. I will have access to a gym, but I think I'll take it easy and do some isolation exercises with low weights high reps...maybe work on some BW exercises too.

Any suggestions on light training during recovery weeks in order to maintain gains?

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

I say simply cut the weight down significantly and do more reps...don't do reps of say 50 squats but go from 5 to maybe 15...something you could do easily at your normal squat speed. But this time around increase the the time of each squat rep...so maybe do 3-4 second reps. I did this during injuries and it still allowed me to get stronger(not quite as quicky) without wasting weeks to have pure rest.

@Potter: Thanks for the tips! Sounds like a plan I can stick to.

12/18/07

Warmup:
2 min jog
2 x 10 squat stretch
2 x 5 squat @ 45 lbs

Routine:
Squat: 5 x 5 @ 110 lbs
OH Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 4, 1 x 3 @ 65 lbs
Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 90 lbs
Chinups: 5,4,4

Tore up the squat today and felt great, 110 seemed almost easy despite not being able to do it the last few workouts. The mind is still something I'm trying to conquer as I believe it is what held me back before. OH Press tore me apart though, and I struggled with the last few sets. Will try again on Thursday. Accidentally increased by 10 lbs instead of 5 on deadlift...no one is perfect

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

12/20/07

Warmup:
Same

Routine:
Squat: 5 x 5 @ 115 lbs
Bench: 2 x 5, 3 x 4 @ 90 lbs
BB Row: 5 x 5 @ 60 lbs
Dips: 13, 8, 8

Feeling better on the squat every day as my form is developing again. After that though, the bench killed me as I couldn't crank out the full 5 on the last few sets. Next time will give it a go again. Rows were tough, but managed to get through em. Getting better every time at dips too. Now I'm off on holiday, so next 2 workouts may or may not get fit in. At least I know I'll get one part of my training in though, nutrition

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

12/22/07

Squat: 4 x 5 @ 115 lbs
OH Press: 3 x 5 @ 65 lbs
Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 95 lbs

Despite not going to sleep last night due to being re-routed 2 times, then put on a bus over night (long story), I had a ton of energy all day long and decided to head on over to the gym. Felt really great, not to mention it was in the afternoon when I usually workout first thing in the morning. Just took it easy, only increasing my load on the deadlift. I've pulled all nighters before, so I know I'll crash soon here and let my body recover with some seriously deep sleep.

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

All the best on your journey! It looks like you're doing a lot of the right exercises (compound movements).

Keep it up!

_________________

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

@Robert: Thanks for the motivation...compound exercises are definitely tough but the results speak for themselves.

12/24/07

Squat: 3 x 5 @ 115 lbs
Bench: 4 x 5 @ 90 lbs, 1 x 3 @ 90 lbs
BB Row: 5 x 5 @ 60 lbs

Went snowboarding yesterday and definitely felt sore this morning. Decided to hit the gym anyways since I was out. Used same weight as last time as this is still my "off" week. Felt good on everything except for the bench, which is where I struggled last time. Going to take a couple of days off and will continue again on thurs or fri (assuming my travel plans go better then my trip here!).

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

12/27/07

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 105 lbs
OH Press: 3 x 5 @ 65 lbs, 2 x 4 @ 65 lbs
Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 100 lbs
Pullups: 5,4,4

Squats felt incredibly easy today...sure enough when I was unloading the plates I realized that I used the wrong ones! Maybe the whole thing about bigger muscles = less intelligence is true

Still struggled on OH Press, so will keep it at same weight for next time. Still steadily increasing deadlift, but today I definitely felt I had to concentrate on my form more than usual.

Overall it appears that I was able to maintain most of my strength despite having a crazy holiday week. Now it's time to step it up again for the new year!

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

12/29/07

Weight: 129 lbs
Gain: -1 lb

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 115 lbs
Bench: 4/4/5/5/4 @ 90 lbs
BB Row: 5 x 5 @ 65 lbs
Dips: 14, 8, 7

Stepped on the scale only to find out that I lost 1 lb in the last two weeks...and I thought that I had eaten pretty well over the holiday! Now that I'm back home and in the routine again hopefully I'll get back the mass. Training wise everything felt great this morning except for bench. I probably could have done the full 5 x 5, but didn't want to push it since I didn't have a spotter.

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.

12/31/07

Squat: 5 x 5 @ 120 lbs
OH Press: 5/5/5/5/4 @ 65 lbs
Deadlift: 1 x 5 @ 105 lbs
Chinups: 5,4,3

Everything went smoothly today except for the press. Just couldn't squeeze out one last rep. Chinups seemed rather hard today, but I guess it's been awhile since I did them last.

Well, this was the last workout of 2007. Despite only starting this routine roughly a month ago, I look and feel 10 X better than before. I can only imagine the changes to come in the next few months!

Happy New Year!

_________________
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do." T.F.