Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

A quick overview...

I'm currently working towards pulling 440lb at my next full powerlifting meet in April.; my longer term goal for this year is to break the New Zealand raw deadlift record for the 130-145lb weight class, 451lb as it currently stands.



I filmed this video over the weekend, there's an hours worth of deadlifting that's been cut down to a little over 11mins. I talk you through how I work through sets, how to structure your warmups sets in terms of reps and then we get into the bigger weights I finished up on pulling 440lb (a little over 3 x bw) off a couple of 20kg plates ~ next month I drop down to one plate and then it's time to work from the floor.

You can find Part I as well as my blogs on my YouTube account, I am posting this one for two reasons: I tried to explain a lot of what I do and why I do it like that, and also because I was really happy with how the final two sets turned out (you have to get to the end to get what I'm talking about)! Thanks for watching, and any questions please feel free to post them up either here or in my journal, http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=27555

Regards from kiwiland MF.

... and apologies in advance for the salmon pizza at the start of the video. I've been a pescetarian since 2001 but I'll be making the shift to vegan hopefully before the year is out. Still trying to convince the wife it won't affect our little girls upbringing and make things harder for her. It's kind of a work in progress

Awesome strength mate...really cool seeing someone in this weight range working towards big numbers. I would however (please don't think I'm being a usual forum troll)would work on your form when your setting & getting the bar initially moving.

All the best & good luck

Your strength-to-weight ratio is ridiculous, but you are a pretty thin dude. Why not eat moar?

Because I compete in the 130-145 weight class ~ 150 is about the heaviest I like to get. Downside of being 150 is that I tend to lose strength when I drop the 5lb back down to make weight, so now I tend to just try and stay right at the top end of my class



I prefer to think of myself as lean rather than skinny haha !!

Thanks for the comments

Form... as in getting my hips lower and recruiting more leg drive? If so, that's something I have been working on for while now. I've still got a way to go before my technique is perfect, but I feel like I'm slowly getting there.

Personally I think that performing deficit DL's on a regular basis have helped me immensely; I alternate between standing on plates and pulling (see pic) and using the smaller 35's on the bar to get it lower to the ground.

So the next class is 145-160? Get on up there to 160!

The biggest tip I was given by a long time power lifter was that your set up should take longer than the set. Not to be critical but you grab the bar then start to position your feet. You should be getting your feet placement first, then bending from the hips (not dropping them) get the grip (then bring the shins to the bar). The arch in the back should be a result of you pushing your chest out, Not dropping your hips (some people do need to slightly to get a better angel) & fill the diaphragm with air. As you commented the initial move should be from the quads, then hips pushing though ect....To me it almost looks like you are jerking the bar to get it moving, Let your quads do the work on the initial move.

It's not me being critical, Just trying to help you avoid an injury as I suffer from sciatica & I really had to spend a lot of time nailing proper form with deads.

http://youtu.be/Syt7A23YnpA

You can find if you know where to look Mark Rippetoes starting strength dvd to download...I would high recommend getting it

I wasn't aware there was a DVD to that, thanks for letting me know. You have seen it?

I was actually looking at buying his 'Texas Method' book, I've been told that 'Starting Strength' is more for beginners. I know that both Tate and Wendler recommend him so that's good enough for me.

Another good one is 'SuperTraining' by Mel Siff. I'm currently just finishing up Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 e-book, that was a great read and one that I would highly recommend if you want to make some big gains on your compound lifts. It is what my training programmes are modelled on.

Yes I have it. It's him showing various people of different sizes ect how to deadlift, Squat, Press, Bench & how to do power cleans...
It's basic, not that will change the world but this shit has not changed nor will it. To may programs out there trying to be the next thing.

Thanks for that, really appreciate your input.

Completely hear what you are saying, and personally I have reagrded deadlifts for a long time now as a pressing movement rather than a pull. Pressing & driving through your feet to power the bar up, I have been trying to lower my hips for the last few months to try and create more leg drive therefore taking a little bit of my lower back out of the movement. I agree I do need to get the intial move coming from the quads, but guess it's the way I have always done them. It's just the hardest bit of getting the bar off the floor ~ after that I'm generally okay and I have never had any real problems with locking out or the top portion of the lift.

This gives you a slightly different angle; this was about two months ago at my last meet, my final lift of 418lb:



Thanks again though, feel free to make any other suggestions. I don't claim to know everything and I realise technique is something that's a continual evolvement

Now that was sweet:)

Great relative strength mate.

There's only one thing I'd watch out for, and that's unlocked elbows at the initial pull with the over/under grip. You see a lot of nasty bicep tears resulting from this, and it's an easy thing to change in the setup.


EDIT: also just saw your bench press at that comp. That's a serious bench for your size! I've got about 20kg BW on you and am nowhere near 105kg

Better


Much appreciated, thanks for your comments and the tip about the unlocked elbows. I'm aware of the bicep tears (seen a few vids on YouTube of it happening), must admit I haven't been aware of what position my arms are in when I start the pull. I will look into that though and do a little research, so thanks again for the heads up.

I always thought bench was a weak lift for me, but I suppose it's okay. I have a push/pull meet in 3wks time, hoping to get 107.5kg for that and then 110kg at my April meet. Kind regards MF.