Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Ok, like Jason mentioned earlier, this is the program I am basing my workout on right now...

Gain up to 50lbs on you 1rm BP in 50 days

I have gained more than 50lbs sometimes on this regimen in 50 days. I am hoping it is just as effective as it used to be. No matter what, it is refreshing to be lifting heavy again on the bench. 135lb reps weren't cutting it for the 'excitement' factor.

This program gives me 3 days off a week Tues, Thurs and Sun. HOWEVER, I have added some leg work to tues as well as smaller muscle groups they don't tell you to train. Thurs, I am Deadlifting something they also omit. Sundays, I am once again training small muscle groups that they don't say to hit.

I have also added 20 sets of work in addition to Monday's workout, well about that much to each day on top of what they give me. I will be posting a 'Detailed Training Regimens' blog that does not speak of my performance and such and just simply lists the regimens I perform and the duration of them, each and every exercise. Though it would be a better way to view that info.

This workout follows a progression chart based on your max for bench and takes you through 14 Bench press workouts. I have finished two so far...

Week 1: 4/28-4/4

Resistance Training
-Total Time: 8 hours
-Worked out 6/7 days
-Finished cycle 1/7

-1 Rep Max Bench Press: 235lbs
-Barbell Bench Press
Workout #1 (4/29) 185x6, 195x5, 195x5, 205x4, 205x4
Workout #2 (4/2) 210x3, 210x3, 220x2, 220x2, 240 x 3 negative reps
-Deadlifts: 265x6, 275x6, 285x6, 295x6, 305x6, 315x6
-Squats: 225x6, 235x6, 245x6, 255x6, 265x6, 275x6


Cardio
-Approx Total Time: 1 hour (focused more on new routine)
-Played 4 games of racquetball

Highlights
-Welcomed to the 2 plate club again back where I belong in benching; now
to be able to rep them out soon is the next goal.
-Started a new and vigorous routine focused mainly on chest development.
It is the routine that broke so many supposed ''walls' for me on benching
and I am going with what worked in the past again.
-Met up with DTMExPAT, the poor fellow vbbf member who cannot post for
some reason, only pm and ate at my fav veg rest in nyc, caravan of
dreams. We are going to make arrangements to train
together several times a week. This will be the first time EVER that I have
trained with weights with another fellow vegan and not only that, he is
going to be my training partner. THAT RAWKS! I' so excited. I can't
imagine how vegans taking over the gym in VV08' will feel as well.
Workouts will never feel the same afterwards.
-Left my journal in the gym AGAIN, haha, thankfully no one has caught on to all the valuable info in it otherwise i'd never get it back

GOALS, I need to set them, they amp me up and keep my eyes on the prize.

Okay here are some goals, ones i have reached, one i have made, etc, etc

Yes I consider myself a bodybuilder and to maximize gains, it isn't necessarily about strength, that is a powerlifter's goa but I enjoy training as a whole. Furthermore, I enjoy strength and hoisting up heavy weight and training with it just as much as the next person, including the powerlifter. There is also something cool about being able to rack machines and to add 45lb plate increments to your barbell lifts.

Okay here goes

1. Barbell Bench Press: 3 plate club (315lb) and to rise above the 4 plate club (405lbs), one step at a time of course. I am currently in the 2 plate club. 3 plates by the fall of 08' is my goal, say by september. My best ever was 405lb right before i gave up resistance training for awhile.

2. The pulldown machine: Rack it for as many exercises as possible. Currently, I ca do narrow grip pulldowns for 6 reps at 210lbs. Granted I can prob rack it for a rep but i would like to rep out the rack the first time i put the pin there. I can also do wide pulldowns with 200lbs. I would like this to happen buy September 08' as well, though I bet I could do it earlier with the way things are going right now.

3. Weighted Dips: 3, 45lb plates on a belt for at least 4 reps. I can currently do 8 reps with a 45lb plate on a belt. I would like to accomplish this buy January 09 if possible.

4. Deadlifts: I need to get over the 4 plate club threshold immediately and this should happen soon. 5 (495lbs) plate club for reps by demember 08'. Currently I can do 325lbs comfortably for 6 reps.

5. Squats: Total disaster area, I am trying to get over a slow start on them constantly and at this point, the lack of progression due to mental disaster more than anything. I can do 285lbs for about 4 reps. 3 plate club by the end of june and 4 plate club by january 09'. Hopefully my legs can get on the ball soon.

6. Wide Grip Pullups: To be able to do 100 before a back workout, something I have done before over and over again to train. I can currently do 4 of them Also to be able to do weighted pullups in general and then to do it for reps with two 45lb plates on a weighted belt. I want weighted pullups by november of 08 and 45lb weighted pullups by feb 09'.

7. Running: I want to beat my best scored time for a mile race. It was 6:35 and I set that in Sep 2003. I would like to beat this time for the Park Avenue Mile Run which takes place on September 30th, 2008. It would also be a cool thing to break the 6 minute barrier which for me would be big. Complete the 08' or 09' nyc marathon is another goal.

8. Dumbell Bench Press: 6 more more reps with 100lb dumbells. September 08'

I'm sure there are more but these are the ones that first come to mind.

Writing down your goals is one of the best ways to ensure you'll achieve them! I do a long list every year and then when I'm feeling like I'm heading into a rut, I'll read through them. I often realise that I've accomplished many of them without doing so consciously. The other big key to succeeding is sharing your goals with others since it holds you accountable and gets you encouragement to support you or discouragement to fire you up.

With your dedication, positive attitude and love of what you do I know you can do it! I look forward to seeing you achieve these goals.

Happy training!!!

Hey lean and green, nice numbers! How much do you weigh?

Karmacharger I agree completely. Being held accountable and consciously manifesting your objectives definitely can help to make them a reality. Thank you for the support and positiveness in general. I will be sure to post when goals are made!

Hilary, thank you as well. Well the nice numbers are the ones i'm looking to achieve =D but thank you for the compliment on current progress, I really appreciate it.

To answer your question, my current weight is hovering around 203lbs. I can surely stand to lose some bf, specially considering i was at my strongest at a 10lb lighter bodyweight. Right now though, I just want to pack on size so i'm kind of maintaining bf and gaining lbm to optimize results without overeating or undereating.

Week : 4/5-4/11

Resistance Training
-Total Time: 9 hours
-Worked out 6/7 days
-Finished cycle 2/7

-Barbell Bench Press
Workout #3 (4/5) 185x6, 185x6, 200x5, 210x4, 210x3
Workout #4 (4/9) 210x3, 210x3, 220x2, 220x5, 245x3 negs,
245x3 negs
-Deadlifts: 275x6, 285x6, 295x6, 305x6, 315x6, 325x6
-Squats: 235x6, 2345x6, 255x6, 265x6, 275x6, 285x4, 1/4-1/2 rep 315x8


Cardio
-Approx Total Time: 4min
-Played 3 games of racquetball
-sinuses bothered me this week, didn't feel good to do cardio.

Highlights
-Finally able to and in need of a belt when I wear jeans! I look forward to
the need to use more notches on it. Notch one currently What a great
feeling......
-Strength and size is continuing to increase at a very rapid pace. Chest is accommodating the heavy lifting and is no longer sore while trying to press up the bar and lifts are more explosive and fluid when benching.
-More recognition from friends. No longer are people asking me damn what happened to you, you used to be huge.
Eg. -Friend looked at me and said damn you are getting big again
-Co workers say I get bigger everytime they see me. Another
person chimed in and said I don't check out your body but it's
obvious you workout and have nice muscle.
-Family members I saw over the holiday all concurred the second
they saw me.
-Also people tell me it looks like I have lost weight yet gotten much
bigger which is exactly what I want, who wouldn't
-Legs didn't get sore immediately following saturday's workout but the
soreness creeped in after a delayed onset and it feels great
-DTMExPAT will most likely be joining me for a training session this
monday and he will be signed up at the same cain of gyms I attend. We
will be training together a couple of times a week which I am psyched
about. He is very motivated, increasing his caloric intake and starting to
pump that iron, looking forward to working together with him.

Sounds like everything is coming together for you, congrats. Isn't it great when people start to notice your progress!

Actually, I meant that the numbers NOW are nice . . . the goal ones will be awesome when you get them! It's great when everyone starts to notice . . .

Awesome job on your current gains and good luck on all of the goals you just posted! I like how your goals are very specific and cover a wide range of muscle groups with both lifting goals and cardio (running). Not to mention amazingly high weights. Awesome bench!

Thanks Dawgbert and Hilary for your very kind and motivating words!

I actually looked up to see if I still had my old bodybuilding.com pf and i actually found it! I went there to see what i used to post 3 yrs ago when i joined it. I only had 135 posts but the vast majority of them were all about advocatin pea protein and algae! Woooohaaaa Another cool note was the signature that I had. It actually gave me some insight to where my goals were back then bf i gave up on bbing. Well, now i have some new goals to look up to and as you can tell by the figures, I think BIG! I know I can get there and muscle memory is helping to pave the way one step at a time. Once I hit all my old bests, then the real test of wits will come into play.
______________________
2005 Stats:

Current Stats:

Weight: 198
Bodyfat: 12%
Bench Press: 370
Deadlift: 475
Squat: 425

Long Term Goals

Weight: 240
Bodyfat: 7%
Bench Press: 500+
Deadlift: 750+
Squat: 750+

I case anyone is curious ( i know i was but then again it's about me), here is the link to look at everything I posted on bodybuilding.com. I love how i was looking for a powerlifting friendly gym in nyc! I believe I was looking for that special olympic bar designed just for front squats with the rectangle in the middle so it rests comfy and you can go super heavy and not freak out with form.... MY BB POSTS @BODYBUILDING.COM I looked around, I like it here much better. There is too much going on over there and I enjoy the sections here much more.
____________________________


Week 3: 4/12-4/18

Resistance Training
-Total Time: 8 1/2 hours
-Worked out 6/7 days
-Finished cycle 3/7

-Barbell Bench Press
Workout #3 (4/12) 190x6, 200x5, 200x5, 215x3
Workout #4 (4/16) 215x3, 215x3, 230x2, 230x2, 255x4negs
-Deadlifts: Didn't get to do them, not the end of the world .....
-Squats(5/18): 245x6, 255x6, 265x6, 275x6, 285x6, 295x4
-Weighted Dips (5/19): 70x6, 70x5, 70x5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cardio
-Approx Total Time: 45min
-Sinuses gone but didn't manage to get much cardio in, not too concerned,
just care about lbm growth above all right now and bulking amap....
-Short Bicycle ride about 10 miles with a friend at a slow pace as she
wasn't too fast.

Highlights
-Once again i had two people at the exact same time ask me two diff
questions. One asked me if I lost alot of weight while another asked me
how i have been getting so much bigger and if i have been training as she
hugged me because she fet my back muscles, cooool =D
-Mother's 50th bday on sunday which was nice I managed to get a wkout
in afterwards, yeah budddddy!
-70lb weighted dips FTW 5-6 reps, 3 sets. (5/19)
-Ordered some blue weber agave live plants to beautify the hpouse, i have
wanted them for so ong. I need to get some grow lights as all i have is
indirect sunlight where i am inside.
-Squats felt really good this time around and legs just keep getting
horribly sore from doing the sled, man oh man do they hurt. I can't do
much on the sled 5-6 plates on each side but ya gotta start somewhere. I
used to do 10-12 plagtes for reps per side, so i know i can get back there.
Once you do something, it's always easier to acheive the second time
around.
-Went over 'Breezy Point' bridge on bicycle on an already breezy day, a very very narrow path on which you can see the ocean below on both sides of the path, it is so scary. The bicycle blew all over the place but i made it over and back and convinced myself to keep on it. I actually walked it on the way back b/c i got scared, lol, it was even windier as it was late in the day.

Ok, reason enough to post mid week as opposed to once a week reports....

Hit a short term goal FINALLY

Welcome to the first bodypart back in the 4 plate club for me, where I belong.........

Yesterday's workout:

Deadlifts:

285x6, 295x6, 305x6, 315x6, 325x6, 335x6, 405x1 !!!

I failed this weight after lifting 385 with a struggle 3 weeks ago. I tried it next week and I ust screwed my head up from missing it the week before. After I went down trying to lift it, the weight just stuck there and didn't move. I had that ill feeling in the back of my head this time but once it was at the bottom, I heaved and hoed and it did not linger there but came right up. Next stop 500lb club, YEAH BUUUUUUUUUUUDY!

again-unbelievable. i honestly don't think i've ever actually seen anyone lift that heavy in person....in fact, if a bar has even 1 plate on it---i just try to find another bar so i don't have to even bother fighting with it.
congradulations

CONGRATS!

You are 10 lbs above my (old) max deadlift.

I will catch you.

That's one heavy a** weight, especially considering you had loads of reps already before it! Congratulations! You really seem to develop fast... I'd destroy my back if I tried lifting that much.

Thanks everyone!

Dani, really? I have seen people lift alot in person. There is this one guy that loads around 8 plates (770?) on each side and lifts the bar raw with both hands facing the same direction like it's nothing. He is skinny as all and not overly muscular just as strong as one could imagine. I don't get it. He also does pullups handstand style all the way up in the air. Truly a marvel to watch workout.

Zack, when you say your old max does that mean that you don't lift as much now on your deadlifts? Were you heavier back then or did you stop training with heavy deadlifts? I hope you not only catch me but fly right by. Honestly though, your ahead of me pound for pound as you are like 20-30 lbs lighter in bodyweight yet lift a ton for your size.

Tuc, coming from someone who develops faster than anything i've ever seen, thank you very much! I'm telling you man, it has to be the whole muscle memory factor. I'm sure I would not be progressing as fast if I was new to the game. Good to know all that training in the past didn't go to waste. I was afraid it would be long gone when i was a stick last year at 145lb avg and then a heavy boy with no muscles in dec but the muscles remembered =D

One a side note, my biceps have been horrible workouts ever since I changed my routine 3 1/2 weeks ago and the pain has not subsided whatsoever. They have to be my sorest bp by far. I hope it is for the best and that all the heavy training on them will pay off. It seems that way; they're just in so much pain all the time, more of like 1/2 pump 1/2 pain. Like when i stretch them out, I get that hurt feeling where the bicep head meets the forearm. If there is anywhere that I could use some improvement, it usually is my biceps and lats....