Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

This is where I will track my progress on BLAB program. It's from Joe Defranco. I'm now at the beginning of week 7 starting tomorrow. I've been taking the last week off as I'm having a sinusitis since last Sunday (so I hope I'll be able to train tomorrow).

I'm not sure if I'll keep track of my diet (probably not), but it will look something like this:
Breakfast: Shake (calculated at about 850 calories)
Snack: if hungry, fruit & nuts, or fruit & bar (I usually make a batch or two of Dr. Fuhrman banana oatmeal bars)
Lunch: Anything from Dr. Mcdougall or fatfreevegan
Snack: nuts
Snack #2 (post-workout): fruit or dates
Dinner: Anything from Dr. Mcdougall or fatfreevegan

I'll probably post recipes of anything I make in the nutrition section, along with the nutritional info (that's just for fun, as I'm not counting calories, carbs, proteins or fats, although I try to eat plant-based whole foods and limit the amount of oils and processed foods). I drink about 2 liters of water throughout the day (that's 1/2 gallon for you fellow americans) and tea/herbal tea.

I'm 5'8" and weigh 150lbs. I don't necessarily plan on gaining a lot of weight, maybe 5-10 pounds, but just change body composition overall. That's it for now!

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Cycle 1, Week 7, Day 1 - March 7, 2010

1.) Bench press:
50 x 5, 60 x 5, 70 x 3, 90 x 7, 95 x 5, 100 x 10

2.) Off-set, Alternate Med Ball Push-Ups:
0 x 11, 0 x 7

3A.) Yates Rows:
85 x 10, 85 x 10, 85 x 10
3B.) Lying DB Triceps Extensions:
15's x 10, 15's x 10, 15's x 10

4A.) Scarecrows:
5's x 8, 5's x 7, 5's x 6
4B.) Zottman Curls:
15's x 10, 15's x 10, 15's x 10

5.) DB complex (front squat, swings, unilateral curl + press, squat jumps):
4 ascending sets. 60s rest between sets. 7 reps first set, 8 reps second set, 9 reps third set, 10 reps fourth set.
20 x 7, 20 x 8

It felt great to be under heavier weights. I'm not back from a deload week, just that I had (and still have, although it's almost finished) sinusitis for the past week. Those are in pounds, so I'm still a weak bastard. I was supposed to do 4 sets on the complex, but I had problems breathing, so I stopped after 2 sets.

I've already done the first 6 weeks, but I won't log them here. BLAB is a 12-week program, 3 workouts per week as follows:
1) Upper body - BP
2) Lower body - DL or SQ
3) Upper body - Pull-ups or Chin-ups

I decided to go with the deadlift (simply because I'm good at it) and with pull-ups. My starting 1RM are like this:
Bench press: 120 lbs
Deadlift: 240 lbs
Pull-ups: 6 reps max

I'm planning of following BLAB indefinitely. Just like WS4SB, there is enough diversity and just making tweaks here and there, you could follow the program ad vitam aeternam.

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Nice to have you on here!

Keep it up man......

Have an awesome week.

Train Hard...eat Plenty....

_________________

Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

Thanks Robert! You really are an inspiration to us all! I'm having some trouble with the vegan part... I just ate a whole vegetarian pizza for lunch. The cheese part is probably the most difficult. One small step at a time.

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Cycle 1, Week 7, Day 2 - March 9, 2010

1.) Kneeling jumps w/ 25lb. BB:
25 x 5, 25 x 5, 25 x 5, 25 x 5

2.) Deadlift:
95 x 5, 120 x 5, 145 x 3, 180 x 7, 190 x 5, 205 x 11PR

3A.) Supine Hip Thrust (shoulders & feet elevated):
0 x 10, 0 x 7, 0 x 5
3B.) Stability Ball Plank (ball under arms, feet on bench):
0 x 45s, 0 x 45s, 0 x 30s

4.) DB reverse lunge, front foot elevated:
10’s x 10,

5.) Tabata-style Bicycle:
Not done


Wouhou! PR on the deadlift! However, I pushed it to hard so that I had problem finishing the workout without puking... So I decided to skip the tabatas and only did 1 set of the lunges.

Getting stronger everyday.

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Congrats on the PR!

_________________
vegan for the win!

_________________

Happiness is a personal choice!
I am the sole source of all my sadness and joy.

"The logic of worldly success rests on a
fallacy: the strange error that our perfection
depends on the thoughts and
opinions and applause of other men."
Source: Thomas Merton

Thank you! I hope on hitting PRs week after week! I can't wait for a 2xBW deadlift!

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Yep, quarter of a century today, though it seems like I haven't accomplished much things... It's about time for some change!!

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Cycle 1, Week 7, Day 3 - March 11, 2010

1.) Pull-Ups (Pull-up max + 60%):
BW x 3, BW x 3, BW x 2, BW x 2

2.) Rest-pause, 3-Second Eccentric Bodyweight Inverted Rows (wide, overhand, feet elevated):
0 x 7/3/3

3.) Standing DB “Modified Arnold Press”:
20’s x 8, 20’s x 8, 20’s x 8

4.) Blackburns (4 positions, 20 seconds each, 2 sets):
1.25’s x 20s, 1.25’s x 20s

5.) BB curls:
35 x 12, 35 x 12, 35 x 12

6.) Core Cicuit: x2
A.) V-ups x20, x20
B.) Hip-ups x20, x20
C.) Alternating toe touches x30, x30

7.) Bodyweight complex x1 with 60s rest:
A.) Mountain climbers x 30
B.) Push-ups x 20
C.) Groiners x 10
D.) Burpees x 5


I wasn't feeling too strong today. The core circuit was pretty hard, but I'm glad I did the two sets. The bodyweight complex is just way too hard on the shoulders (maybe I'm just being a pussy...). I was supposed to complete 5 sets of the complex. But then again, I'm as weak as a 5 year-old girl!

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Cycle 1, Week 8, Day 1 - March 14, 2010

1.) Bench Press:
50 x 5, 60 x 5, 70 x 3, 95 x 6, 100 x 4, 110 x 5

2.) Alternate DB bench (flat bench):
30’s x 10, 30’s x 6

3.) Seated overhead DB triceps extensions:
25 x 12, 25 x 12, 25 x 12, 25 x 12

4.) 3-Way “Shoulder Shocker”:
12.5 x 10 + 10’s x 10 + 10’s x 10, 12.5 x 10 + 10’s x 10 + 10’s x 3

5A.) Timed DB Shrugs:
25’s x 30s, 25’s x 30s
5B.) Alternate Hammer Curls:
20’s x 10, 20’s x 10

6.) DB complex (front squat, swings, unilateral curl + press, squat jumps):
5 ascending sets. 60s rest between sets. 6 reps first set, 7 reps second set, 8 reps third set, 9 reps fourth set, 10 reps fifth set.
20 x 6, 20 x 7, 20 x 8, 20 x 9, 20 x 10


I was hoping for 7 or 8 reps on the bench press, but I was already struggling after 4... The rest of the workout was really nice, especially the complex. I was just hammered after the final set! Try it if you're looking for a nice way to finish your workout and up your GPP.

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Cycle 1, Week 8, Day 2 - March 16, 2010

1.) Deadlift:
95 x 5, 120 x 5, 145 x 3, 185 x 6, 200 x 4, 215 x 11PR

2.) Split Squat Jumps (BW only):
0 x 20s, 0 x 20s, 0 x 20s

3A.) DB RDL:
20’s x 12, 20’s x 12, 20’s x 12
3B.) Plank “shoulder touches”:
0 x 12ea, 0 x 12ea, 0 x 12ea

4.) Single Leg “Speed Skater” Squats:
10’s x 8ea, 10’s x 8ea

5.) Tabata-style Jumping Jacks:
20s ON, 10s OFF for 7 minutes


Another huge PR on the deadlift. With Wendler's calculator, that would put my 1-RM DL at 290lbs. Only 20 more lbs to go and I'll have a 2xBW deadlift! The 1-RM test is in 3 weeks, I can't wait!!! After those heavy deadlifts, it seemed like I was flying doing the squat jumps! The rest of the workout was pretty much ok, but the skater squats were damn hard, even with just 10lb DBs.

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Cycle 1, Week 8, Day 3 - March 18, 2010

1.) Pull-Ups (Pull-up max + 70%):
BW x 3, BW x 3, BW x 2, BW x 2

2.) Drop-Set, DB pull-overs: 2x8,6,6 (8 reps, drop 20lbs, 6 reps, drop 10lbs, 6 reps)
8/6/6 (35/25/20), 8/6/6 (35/25/20)

3A.) Seated DB “Modified Arnold Press”:
25’s x 8, 25’s x 7, 25’s x 6
3B.) Incline DB “cleans”:
5’s x 10, 5’s x 10, 5’s x 10

4.) Barbell Curls:
45 x 8, 45 x 8, 45 x 8, 45 x 8

5.) Core Cicuit: x2
A.) Spread Eagle Sit-Ups x 11, x10
B.) Seated twists x 20ea, x 20ea
C.) Toe Touches x 20, x 20

6.) BB Push-Ups, descending sets (18 down to 1):
only manage 18/17/16/15/14 in 10:12


Not too bad of a workout, considering that I only had 4 hours of sleep those last two nights. It seemed that the pull-ups were harder than usual, but I also tried not to use leg momentum at all. I also think that my arms are way too long for my body (but I know this from a long time ago... that's why I'm good at swimming). I'm really struggling with upper body movements. Or maybe I'm just weak. Yeah, I'm probably just weak. No no, I'm weak, that's a fact!

For anyone interested in american football, Jim Wendler and the Angry Coach released their book on strength and conditioning.

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW

Cycle 1, Week 9, Day 1 - March 21, 2010

1.) Bench press
50 x 5, 60 x 5, 70 x 3, 95 x 5, 100 x 3, 115 x 5PR

2.) Alternate DB bench (flat bench):
25’s x 12, 25’s x 12

3.) Seated overhead DB triceps extensions:
35 x 10, 35 x 10, 35 x 10, 35 x 10

4.) 3-Way “Shoulder Shocker”:
12.5 x 10 + 10’s x 10 + 10’s x 10, 12.5 x 10 + 10’s x 10 + 10’s x 5

5A.) Timed DB Shrugs:
25’s x 30s, 25’s x 30s, 25’s x 30s
5B.) Alternate Hammer Curls:
25’s x 8, 25’s x 8, 25’s x 6

6.) “BeZercher” BB complex (Zercher squats, Zercher reverse lunges, curl to press, RDLs, bent rows):
3 descending sets. 60s rest between sets. 10 reps first set, 9 reps second set, 8 reps third set
35 x 10


Everything seems to be working just fine. PR on the bench press is always nice, even if it's by one pound. One thing I have to watch is what I'm eating or drinking before the workout, because I can't complete the complex otherwise, as I feel like puking. So this week is my final week before a deload. Then, it's two weeks of testing my strength endurance and brute strength. Then a week off and we start over again on Cycle 2!! If things go really well, I should be able to increase my BP by 10lbs and DL by 50lbs in 12 weeks. Not too sure about the pull-ups, as I might have overestimated my pull-up max in the beginning. I'm also around 156, so that's a 6lb increase since week 1. So as of now, my strongest link would be my training consistency (training 3 times per week, no matter what, except for that sinusitis), but my weakest link would be my nutrition. I'm eating too much junk food (sodas, fake meats, white pasta) and not enough high-quality carbs, proteins and fats. Anyways, I'll do a complete write-up of my 12 weeks when it'll be over.

_________________
Ultimate goals: Bench press 300lbs, Squat 400lbs, Deadlift 500lbs @ 155lbs BW