Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Friday February 15, 2008:
Workout 5 of 36

Incline Curls:
11 x 45lb DBs
11 x 45lb DBs
10 x 45lb DBs
Tricep Cable Pushdowns:
12 x 90lbs
12 x 90lbs
12 x 90lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Hammer Curls:
11 x 40lb DBs
11 x 40lb DBs
11 x 40lb DBs
Overhead DB Extension:
12 x 70lb DB
12 x 70lb DB
11 x 70lb DB
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

One-Arm Preacher Curl:
12 x 30lb DB
12 x 30lb DB
12 x 30lb DB
Close Grip DB Press (palms-in):
12 x 60lb DBs
12 x 60lb DBs
12 x 60lb DBs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Seated Overhead BB Press:
10 x 115lbs
8 x 115lbs
11 x 95lbs
DB Lateral Raises:
12 x 30lb DBs
12 x 30lb DBs
11 x 30lb DBs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Made gains on just about every exercise tonight. Gym was pretty dead which was nice.

Workout took 48 minutes to complete.

Tomorrow is another leg day... oh boy!

-Chris

Sunday February 17, 2008:
Workout 6 of 36

Wide Stance Squats:
10 x 135lbs (warm-up set)

Wide Stance Squats (to parallel):
10 x 185lbs
10 x 195lbs
11 x 185lbs
BB Lunges:
10 x 135lbs
10 x 135lbs
10 x 135lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 2-4 minutes rest between each exercise/set)

Seated Leg Extension:
12 x 120lbs
12 x 120lbs
12 x 120lbs
Seated Ham Curls:
12 x 255lbs
10 x 270lbs
10 x 270lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Hack Squat Machine:
10 x 140lbs
12 x 140lbs
12 x 140lbs
Lying Ham Curls:
8 x 120lbs
10 x 110lbs
10 x 110lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 2-3 minutes rest between each exercise/set)

Standing Calf Raises:
18 x 120lbs
16 x 120lbs
15 x 120lbs
13 x 120lbs
15 x 110lbs
14 x 100lbs
(these exercises were performed with 90 seconds rest between each set)

Not too many people in the gym last night, which made for an easy workout. Except for the whole weightlifting part.

Did my wide-stance "ballet squats" in the squat "rack" rather than the squat "cage". This allowed me to go really wide with my stance, because there are bars on the floor that would prevent my feet from moving if they started to slip. I've read that these are supposed to be easier than regular squats, but for me this is not the case. As was expected, I almost lost my lunch compound setting these with heavy lunges.

Only one more plate on the seated ham curl machine before I max it out.

I was going to do front squats for my second set of squats, but my right shoulder was in serious pain. I think I slept funny on it and messed it up because it really hurt, even just moving 45lb plates around. It feels much better this morning, so I should be able to hit chest/back/calves tonight as scheduled.

Workout took a full 60 minutes.

-Chris

Monday February 18, 2008:
Workout 7 of 36

One Arm DB Rows:
12 x 100lb DB
12 x 100lb DB
12 x 100lb DB
Incline DB Press:
12 x 80lb DBs
11 x 80lb DBs
10 x 80lb DBs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

DB Pullovers:
12 x 60lb DB
12 x 60lb DB
12 x 60lb DB
Dips (forward lean/wide elbows for chest emphasis):
12 reps w/bodyweight
12 reps w/bodyweight
10 reps w/bodyweight
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Wide Grip Pulldowns:
12 x 180lbs
12 x 180lbs
11 x 180lbs
Incline DB Flys:
12 x 50lb DBs
12 x 50lb DBs
10 x 50lb DBs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Bent-Over Lateral Raises (on incline bench):
11 x 25lb DBs
12 x 25lb DBs
12 x 25lb DBs
Seated Calf Press (plate-loaded):
15 x 135lbs
15 x 135lbs
16 x 135lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Made gains on every exercise tonight.

It will be about three more weeks before I get back into low reps. I'm thinking One-Arm rows with 120lbs (biggest DBs my gym has) might not be out of the question.

I made pre-printed workout log sheets using excel that I can take to the gym on a clipboard, so I'm not scribbling on 3x5 cards anymore.

I feel so organized.

Workout took 51 minutes to complete.

-Chris

Wednesday February 20, 2008:
Workout 8 of 36

Seated DB Curls:
12 x 45lb DBs
12 x 45lb DBs
12 x 45lb DBs
Lying DB Tricep Extension:
12 x 35lb DBs
12 x 35lb DBs
10 x 35lb DBs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Concentration Curls:
11 x 35lb DB
11 x 35lb DB
11 x 35lb DB
Tricep Kickbacks:
12 x 35lb DB
12 x 35lb DB
12 x 35lb DB
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Reverse Grip EZ-Bar Curls:
12 x 80lbs
12 x 80lbs
11 x 80lbs
Dips (Tricep-Emphasis):
25 x Bodyweight
22 x Bodyweight
17 x Bodyweight
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Seated DB Overhead Press:
11 x 55lb DBs
8 x 55lb DBs
9 x 50lb DBs
Upright Rows:
12 x 95lbs
12 x 95lbs
11 x 95lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Gym was pretty busy tonight, but still managed to keep my pace up and rest periods down.

After several months of observational study at my gym, I have concluded that there is some kind of strong correlation between doing half squats and not cleaning up the squat rack when you're done. I was doing my reverse grip EZ bar curls by the squat rack tonight and literally had to move to keep myself from laughing at this guy who was squatting. Usually the guys at my gym will start by squatting 135 almost to parallel, then do half squats for ALL their working sets. I think that there are a total of four other people besides myself who actually squat parallel or below.

A couple months ago some guy complimented my form and while talking about all the guys who do half squats he said: "the only thing that gets big is your head"... lol

So anyways, in addition to the guys providing me entertainment during my rest periods I had a nice workout. Kinda weak on Overhead DB Presses, but made nice gains on everything else.

I'm cycling my caloric intake down a bit right now. I'm starting to notice a bit of fat loss just after a few days... Planning on eating this way for about three weeks (unless I stop making gains). I will definitely go back to eating normally for the last two weeks of the program.

Workout took 49 minutes to complete. Weight is down to 213lbs despite the fact that I am gaining on virtually every exercise.

I am supposed to go to a concert tomorrow night, so I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to hit the gym. I've been taking WAY too many days off, and I need to find a way to change that.

-Chris

Friday February 22, 2008:
Workout 9 of 36:

ATG Squats (warm-up set):
8 x 135lbs

ATG Squats:
10 x 190lbs
10 x 190lbs
10 x 190lbs
Lying Ham Curl Machine:
10 x 130lbs
10 x 130lbs
10 x 130lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 2-4 minutes rest between each exercise/set)

BB Lunges (# of reps is per leg, not total):
10 x 135lbs
10 x 140lbs
10 x 140lbs
Straight-Leg Deadlift:
10 x 185lbs
10 x 190lbs
10 x 190lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 2-4 minutes rest between each exercise/set)

Plate Loaded Leg Press:
11 x 410lbs
11 x 410lbs
11 x 410lbs
One-Leg Ham Curl Machine:
12 x 60lbs
12 x 65lbs
12 x 65lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 2-4 minutes rest between each exercise/set)

Seated Calf Press Machine:
22 x 400lbs (full stack)
15 x 400lbs
15 x 400lbs
One-Leg Calf Raises:
12 x bodyweight
12 x bodyweight
12 x bodyweight
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Workout took 65 minutes to complete.

Made gains on just about everything.

-Chris

Saturday February 23, 2008:
Workout 10 of 36

Bent-Over BB Rows:
12 x 155lbs
11 x 165lbs
10 x 165lbs
Flat DB Press:
12 x 80lb DBs
9 x 90lb DBs
10 x 85lb DBs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Seated Close Grip Low-Pulley Rows:
12 x 160lbs
12 x 160lbs
10 x 160lbs
Pushups (medium grip on knuckles):
24 x bodyweight
18 x bodyweight
18 x bodyweight
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Wide Grip Pulldowns:
10 x 190lbs
10 x 190lbs
10 x 180lbs
Incline Cable Crossover:
10 x 60lbs
10 x 60lbs
12 x 50lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Seated Rear Delt Machine:
10 x 135lbs
9 x 135lbs
10 x 120lbs
Donkey Calf Raise Machine:
15 x 180lbs
12 x 180lbs
12 x 165lbs
(these exercises were performed as compound sets, with 90 seconds rest between each exercise/set)

Had a pretty nice workout tonight. Was a little worried at first because I had a weird pain in my right shoulder/neck area on my first set of bent-over BB rows... Stretched it during my rest periods and managed to make it through the workout.

I think the pain may have been related to my squatting last night. I keep trying to situate the bar further "down" on my traps during squats to minimize the mechanical disadvantage of being kinda tall. Last night I experienced a similar pain. Doesn't seem too serious as I feel ok now.

Decided to do Flat Press instead of Incline tonight just to switch things up a bit. It's been a while since I've done those, and I didn't get the weight right until my last set (too light, too heavy, then just right).

Tried to go lighter on Donkey Calf Raises so I could keep my reps higher, but my calves were still pretty fatigued from yesterday.

Other than that, nothing special to report.

Workout took 51 minutes to complete.

-Chris