Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I've been spending more time on this board lately so i guess i should start posting my log here as well. i'm basically just going to copy my workout from vf.net with perhaps a more post-modern interpretation of the session. here is some background:

i started getting serious about powerlifting a couple months ago and a month ago joined a powerlfting team and started training westside style. i lift 4 days a week using the conjugate method which is like this:

sun - dynamic bench: speed benching w/ bands at 50-60% 1RM. bench assistance exercises.

mon- max effort squat: heavy triples working up to a 1RM in a squat or deadlift or squat/dead assistance exercise. we choose from a number of exercises and do one each week. then glute-ham raises & rev hypers & abs.

wed- max effort bench: 1RM of a bench exercise from a number of exercises we rotate each week. bench assistance exercises.

fri - dynamic squat: box squats w/ bands using 50-60 % of 1RM. ghr's and rev hypers and abs

i am an equipped lifter (squat suit, bench shirt, wrist/knee wraps) so my lifts are geared towards that style of lifting . here is my session from yesterday with no interpretation because i have already said too much

1/11/06, max effort bench

3 board bench (5): 45x3, 135x3, 185x3, 225x1, 245xF
tate press (5): 20x10, 25x8, 30x4, 30x6, 30x5
parallel grip pulldown (4): 120x8, 150x8, 160x6, 170x5
tri pushdown (3): 75x10, 85x8, 95x6
hammer overhead press (3): 90x8, 140x6, 160x3

Awesome! Great to see your log.

1/13/06, dynamic squat

speed box squat (w /#3 bands)(10): 55x3, 1055x3, 145x2, 165x2x8
dec ghr (4): body x 6, x5, x5, x5
rev hypers (3): 135x8, 180x8x2
band pulldowns (3): to failure
leg ext (3): 70x12, 110x10, 130x8
hub pinch (3): 40x10 sec, 45x5, 45x5

CoC #2: SHUT

"as seen on vf.net"

another great session. speed box squats went even faster than last session with more weight and better technique. got more reps on the decline glute ham raises and used 4 plates on the reverse hypers. leg extension continues our new tradition of adding 1 dumb exercise each session.

finally got the CoC #2 closed. and i did so convincingly. i remember someone else said this, but i had to check to make sure it really was a #2 after i did it. it went real fast and i held it shur for a couple seconds. i wasn't even planning on doing it as i haven't touched it in over a month, but after shutting 210 on my devil's advocate i thought i give it a go. real glad to have this over and done with.

Cool to see you on here more often. I think we've been in touch for quite a few years now. You're getting pretty strong, are you preparing for any contests? I see you are on a team, when will you get to test out your strength against others?

I need to get a log started too. I've been slacking on that. Today is a rest day for me but last night I hit the legs pretty hard.

Anyway, good to see you on here.

All the best bro,

Rob

Nice to see you loggin' over here too David.

hey rob, yeah i remember the first time i emailed you a few years back. you are probalby the only person who went through as many injuiries during that time period as i did. i finally got my act together and am starting get strong. i'm going to do my first powerlifting meet sometime around spring/summer and my overalll goal is to be world champion. i know i set the bar high, buti have the desire and dedication to make it happen.

you should definitely keep a log rob. i guess this is just how i express myself (through weights and reps ) so its pretty important that i keep a historical record of it. also it keeps me from having to deciper my own sloppy handwriting.

also, if you ever get the chance, get to a reverse hyper machine. makes every other lower back exercise obsolete. there really is nothing like it and its the reason why my back has been able to survive the gauntlet of powerlifting. i never even wanted to be a powerlifter. those stupid jerks at vf.net brainwashed me

1-18-06, max effort bench

4 board bench (7): 45x5x2, 135x3 185x3, 225x1, 245x1, 265xF
lying tate press (5): 20x12, 25x10, 30x8, 30x7, 30x9-F
lat pulldown (5): 130x8, 160x6, 180x3, 180x4x2
tri pushdown (3): 80x10, 90x6, 100x4
seated face pulls (3): 70x12, 60x10, 60x8 (bothersome)
seated barbell overhead press (3): 45x5, 135x1, 135x3x2

"someday i'll have something different to say"

took a couple days off to heal up a bit. despite some poor eating the last few days, i actually hit 190 on the scale. usually don't get close to that until after my last meal and protein shake maybe its because i haven't shaved my head in a few weeks

keep going up 20 lbs every added board, alright i guess. arch is continuing to get better. got to get my shoulder blades back more though. overhead was tough as i am just getting back into these. last 2 sets were okay.

1-20-06, dynamic squat

speed box squat (w/ #3 bands)(11): 55x3, 145x2, 185x2x8
dec ghr (3): body x 6, x4, x5
rev hypers (4): 135x8, 180x8, 190x8x2
shoulder horn rotations (3): 10x12, 10x8, 5x10
hammer curls (3): 40x8, 45x5, 45x4
ab wheel (2): x10, x7
band pulldowns (3): to failure

"not today"

my speed box squat progress continues to amaze me. guess i had a lot in the tank that is now coming out since my lower back is getting stronger. on around the 3rd or 4th set i was getting very positive feedback about my technique. didn't go too hard on the ghr's as i was feeling really tight. used a shoulder horn for the first time. good tool. did some curls for the hell of it. could have probably got 12 reps at 40, but then i felt real weak at 45. i think it was my grip as i did the devil's advocate the other day and some hub pinching today that i forgot to list. i can already feel my abs destroyed from the wheel. need to do more of these.

1-22-06, dynamic bench

speed bench (w/ #1 bands) (11): 45x5x2, 65x1, 75x3x8
hammer strength row (6): 90x12, 135x10, 180x8, 225x6x3
rolling tri ext (5): 20x12, 25x10, 30x6, 30x5, 25x8
bent over flys (3): 10x15, 10x15, 10x18
tri pushdown (45 angle bar)(3): 75x10, 85x8, 95x6

pretty good effort for a solo session. didn't go too fast on bench as i'm trying to take it easy on my shoulder. rowing went really well. triceps are definitely getting bigger and stronger. keeping with my shoulder exercises with the bent over flys, but staying real light there as well. used a goofy bar for tri pushdown, but had a decent result.

1-23-06, max effort squat

rack pulls (less 8" ROM)(5): 145x3, 235x3, 325x3, 415x1, 465xF
glute ham raise (3): body x 12, x11, x8
side bends (3): 50x12, 60x12, 65x10
rev hypers (3): 180x8, 200x8, 200x8
leg curls (3): 70x12, 90x12, 110x8

not too great of a session. my effort at 465 was not very good at all. i just lost confidence before the lift and ended up not even budging the weight. i wanted to try again, but the others were already up to 6 plates by my next turn so i decided to just let it go. my technique is definitely the weakest on pulls so i have a lot of work to do to correct that. everything else went pretty well. rev hypers were real tough as i'm probably not going to be able to go up another 10 lbs next week. some exercises its the technique, and others i have to flat out get stronger.

1-27-06, dynamic squat

speed box squat (w/#3 bands)(10): 135x3x2, 195x2x8
dec glute/ham raise (4): body x 7, x6, x6, x6
band pulldowns (3): to failure
rev hypers (3): 160x8, 205x8, 205x8


pretty decent session. lost a lot of speed on the box sqautting. looks like i'm at the end of my dynamic range there. got some more reps on dec glute/ham raises (and am feeling it this morning). still progressing on rev hypers. noticed a few things i was doing that should help me to keep increasing the weight.

1-29-06, dynamic bench

speed bench (#1 bands)(11): 45x3x2, 65x3, 95x3x8
rolling hammer tri (3): 20x10, 25x8, 30x5-F
barbell row (3): 135x6, 185x5, 225x3-?
tri pushdown (3): 80x10, 90x6, 100x6
dumbbell bench (2): 50x10, 60x10


another solid session. 95 was too heavy to deliver any speed at all on the bench. definitely not explosive, but needed to see where i was. triceps were already hurting after this so no surpise my tri ext didn't go up. barbell rows were interesting. my form was analogous to a bodybuilder doing parallel squats. 1st set at 0 degrees, 2nd at 15-20, third at around 30 or more. the last set looked more like shrugs then rows dummbell bench didn't feel too comfortable. especially on my shoulder. i guess looking back it wasn't that great of a session, but i put in a great effort and did as well as i could.

1-30-06, max effort squat

harness leg press (AKA the crippler)(5): (bands) 4&5 x3x5
glute/ham raise (3): body x 12, x12, x9
band pulldowns (3): to failure

the crippler was HARDCORE. the bands alone put at a minimum 550 lbs of tension at the top, but were doubled up so who knows how much it really was. the compression on my back was insane. even more insane is that guys on my team were going up to another 700 lbs on the machine. i probably could have done maybe two plates, but i was more than happy just to survive this session. as you can see i didn't do much else, but did manage a couple extra reps on the ghr's. once i hit 12 on my third set i'll start adding weight.

wannalift, what's a hammer strength row? Never heard that one.

Looks like you must be a really strong person!

thanks raven, i'm trying to be stronger anyways. the "hammer strength" is a popular line of machines you see at the gyms. i usually stick to free weights, but sometimes, especially when my lower back or hamstrings are sore, i'll opt for a machine to work that particular muscle group. in this case, its a chest supported row. this way i can do a row without putting straing on my lower back by having to bend over with a barbell. it doesn't work my back as good as a barbell row, but its a trade-off you have to make sometimes.