Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

This is more of a process oriented – rather than product oriented – journal, so goals aren't going to be that important. I decided if I wait until I have a goal I'd never do anything. Of course, just because I'm not set on goals doesn't mean I'm self-satisfied or going to go about thing haphazardly. It's the process of working out and discovering new thing that I'm interested in right now, but I still want to progress in my training, which is why I'm starting this journal.

Other than if something is vegan or not, I tend not to spend much time thinking about diet, so I'm making that part of my journal. Eventually I'll start keeping track on the nutritional make up of my diet, but for know I'll just start by making a note of what I've eaten throughout the day.

I usually record what I do during my workout, but haven't really made an effort to make sure I was progressing. At first this wasn't a problem, because I was progressing all the time – as most newbies do. But this summer after hitting my last goal I started to loose gains. I'm hoping to avoid stagnation this time and keep the process moving forward.

I plan to start a new routine tomorrow morning. It's a three-day split, Monday/Wednesday/Friday. I'll be doing a 5x5 progression focusing on compound movements as follows:

Monday (Pull)
Deadlift (DL) starting at 305 lb (138.3 kg)
Bent-over Row (BOR) starting at 110 lb (49.9 kg)
Chin-ups (Chin) starting at bodyweight (bw) ~165 lb (75 kg)
*Optional: Rope Crunches at 80 lb (36.3 kg)

Wednesday (Push)
Bench Press (BP) starting at 145 lb (65.8 kg)
Overhead Press (OHP) starting at 70 lb (31.75 kg)
Triceps Dip (Dip) starting at bodyweight (bw)
*Optional: Crunches at bodyweight plus 15 lb (6.8 kg)

Friday (Legs)
Squat (SQ) starting at 190 lb (86.2 kg)
Stiff-leg Deadlift (SLDL) starting at 225 lbs (102.1 kg)
Incline Sit-up (ISU) starting at bodyweight plus 5 lbs (2.3 kg)
*Optional: Calve Raise at 315 lbs (142.9 kg)

The above are just rough estimates based on what I was lifting before. I think this is too much weight, but I'll adjust it as I go. The plan is to increase the weight each week. Everything except the optional and ISU exercises are five reps for five sets.

In addition to weights I usually go for a light run on Sundays, and I'm working to increase the intensity. It's starting to get cold out, so eventually I'll be running at the gym.

I want to do some yoga or calisthenics on Tuesday and Thursday. I'm currently looking for a yoga DVD or something like that to base my workout on.

Saturday is a rest day, which is when I'll likely just sit around and overeat.

Sunday, 20 November 2005
Light run for about 2.5 miles (4 km) in about 20 minutes.

Today's Menu

• Fruit and soy smoothie with a scoop of veg protein powder and some ground flax.
• Cultured soy with ground flax.
• Corn chips with salsa and dairy-free sour cream
• Bowl of chili

Doesn't look like I ate enough, so I'm going to have a salad after I'm done here.

Hi Daniel,

so where are the illustrations?

Looks like a good solid plan to me. Keep us updated

Only thing i wonder is why your weight for DL and SLDL are so high compared to squats and bent over row? Either you're very strong in those two or your form is off on those??
Anyway, just make sure you're keeping the form clean and strict and good luck to you on your journey! Have fun!

_________________
No one said it would be easy.

Thanks Daywalker. Illustrations are coming, I just haven't had time to get any pictures yet.

DL is my best lifts , squat is my worst lift . I switched things up a little so that I'll do my best lift at the end of the week, which made today my leg-day instead of my pull-day.

Monday, 21 November 2005 – 6:00 am

1. SQ: (20x45lb) (12x95lb) (8x135lb) [3-partials x190lb -- with my bad form I was starting to lean forward, as excepted the weight was to high] 5x5x175
2. SLDL: (10x115) 5x5x225
3. ISU: 2x25xbw+5lb, 15xbw+5lbs

Breakfast

• Cultured Soy w/ ground flax seed mix
• Cold Cereal w/ soy milk

For the first day back it wasn't too bad. Next week I plan to add 5 lb to my squat and stiff-leg deadlift, and add a few more reps to the last set of incline sit ups.

Here's a Dutch angle photo of me after riding my bike around in the rain today.



I need to get accustom to riding in all weather so I won't make excuses not to go to the gym when, at 5:00 am, it's a blizard and well below freezing.

Monday, 21 November 2005 (continued)

• Protein Bar
• Enchiladas
• Engery Bar
• Pasta w/sauce
• Salad

Good night.

Great log...cute photo
Glad to see you posting a log

Ummm...brrr!

_________________
I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true.

I think this is strange, because the movements are so similar. You use almost exactly the same muscles. The difference is that you hold the weight in your hands in deadlift and on your back with squats, but the main work is on the same muscle groups - glutes, lower back, adductors, hams, quads, traps.
Are you sure you do them both right?

_________________
No one said it would be easy.

Not to hijack too much here, but I had a similar problem with my squat to DL ratio, pretty well all form-related. My DL was about to hit 500 at the time and I was still only squatting around 350 - this was primarly because I did high-bar squats and pushed off the fronts of my feet too much, causing me to lean forward. Widening stance a bit, resting the bar lower and learning to push off my heels was instrumental to closing the gap on the two lifts so that now they're much closer (enough to add 100 lbs. to my squat in less than a year!) When I hear about problems leaning forward too much it strikes me that it might be a similar situation. The best thing that can be done if this is a problem is to get a camera for a few video clips and post them here for analysis. Trust me, I could spot the same things I was doing a mile away and help to correct them quickly and easily if that were the case!

Anyway, if you're having problems leaning forward, Daniel, definitely try widening your stance and lowering the bar positioning on your back first as this is what made all the difference in the world to me. There's nothing wrong with close-stance high-bar squats by any means, but if you want to jump quickly and start handling a LOT more weight there are things that can be done to make it easier!

Ryan

Daywalker, I think VeganEssentials has it right -- it's my form, for sure. As in, I don't have any form.

Ryan, thank you for the advice. I think the pushing off with the heels part is so obvious, yet I had never even thought of it. I'll change up my stance and bar position, and see how that helps. I'll also see if I can get some video or pictures of me doing some squats. It would be great to have you take a look at my form .

Thanks, SeaSiren. Here's another picture.



Most nights, but especially on days I lifted, I wake up a half dozen times because my hands and arms have fallen asleep and gone completely numb. I have to massage and shake them to gets the circulation going again. The red-shaded area -- the outside part of my arm and hand -- is the worst. Does anyone know what might be causing this? It's been happening for a few months now.

Tuesday, 22 November 2005
Power Yoga at home -- 6:30 am

Today's menu

• Cultured soy w/ ground flax seed mix
• Cold cereal w/ soy milk
• Energy bar
• Almond butter and fruit preserve sandwich
• Food bar
• Vegan nachos

As i said


It has nothing to do with circulation, but with the nerves in this area. Either you compress the nerve at the elbow (N. ulanris if i remember correctly ... ), or you have some other problem - it could even be a B12-deficiency! Go see a doctor on this, as it's been for months!!

_________________
No one said it would be easy.

Thanks, Daywalker. I know you mentioned form, but so did I . I plan to have my arm and hand checked out, but I like to know something about what it could be before I see a doctor. I doubt it's B12, but maybe you're right about it being a compressed nerve? Hope it's not so serious it requires an operation. Speaking of operations...

Today for work I took the train up to New Haven to protest United Illuminating (UI), a regional electric company, for killing monk parakeets that nest on the company's utility poles.



The protest is part of Friends of Animals's Operation Parakeet. You can find out more about the Operation Parakeet at www.friendsofanimals.org.

Wednesday 23 November 2005

1. BP: (18x45) (10x75) 2x5x145, 4x145, 3x145, 5x135
2. Dip: 5x5xbw+10
3. OHP: 5x5x65
4. Crunch: 3x25xbw+10

Didn't have a spotter on the bench, so I didn't force out as many reps as might have. I'll likely take the weight down five or ten pounds next week and work my way back up. Shouldn't be any problem adding weight to the other lifts.

Today's Menu

• Cultured soy w/ ground flax and half a scoop of veg protein
• Cold cereal w/ soy milk
• Protein bar
• Sandwich
• Chips and salsa w/ non-dairy sour cream
• Chili

Tomorrow will be big day for gorging. I've been invited to a private vegan holiday feast prepared by vegan cookbook author Priscilla Feral. Her new cookbook, Dining With Friends, co-written with Lee Hall, has a "Holidays with Friends" section that features recipes for the seasons. I'm sure most dishes will be those listed under "Autumn: A Time of Thanksgiving," but I find the dishes, like the Grilled Tofu listed for summer, are good year-round.

We just got an email about the new cookbook and look forward to carrying it in our store!

Ryan

Ryan, that's great Vegan Essentials is going to start carrying Dining With Friends .



Thursday 24 November 2005
Power yoga

Today's Menu

• Cultured soy w/ ground flax
• Cold cereal w/ soy milk
• Tofuti
• Ginger ale
• Carrot Pate with wheat crackers
• Perfect Chestnut Soup
• Walnut Pear Salad with Celery Seed Dressing
• Green Beans with Almonds
• Braised Brussels Sprouts with Lemon
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Mashed Yukon Potatoes
• Pumpkin Bread with Dates and Pecans
• Tempeh London Broil
• Holiday Cashew Nut Roast
• Fresh Ginger Cake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake

Fat and happy .

Friday 25 November 2005

1. DL: (18x115) (10x150) (8x225) 4x305, 5x295, 4x295, 2x295, 5x295
2. BOR: (12x45) 5x5x110
3. Chin: 3x5xbw, 2x4xbw

Had a little grip trouble with my deadlifting. I'll keep the weight the same for deads and chins, but up it on rows.

Today's Menu

• Fruit smoothie w/ cultured soy, ground flax and protein powder
• Energy bar
• Chili
• Ginger cake
• Peanut butter and fruit preserve sandwich
• Tempeh London Broil