Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I'm back in gym. Decided to keep a journal of my exercises. So, here how it looked like today:

HOW IT FELT: great!!! Enjoyed barbell lying triceps extensions!


BACK:

cable lat pull down, wide grip, front: 5 sets of 10 reps with 45 kg

T-bar rows: 4 sets of 10 reps with 30 kg / 1 set of 8 reps with 40 kg

dumbbell rows: 1 set of 10 reps with 7,5 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps with 10 kg

cable lat pull down, back: 2 sets of 10 reps with 40 kg / 1 set of 10 reps with 45 kg

cable lat pull down, close grip: 3 sets of 10 reps with 45 kg

hyperextension: 1 set of 10 reps body-weight, 2 sets of 10 reps with 10 kg


TRICEPS

single arm dumbbell extensions: 1 set of 10 reps with 5 kg / 3 sets of 10 reps with 7.5 kg

triceps dips: 3 sets of 10 reps

barbell lying triceps extensions: 1 set of 10 reps with 10 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps with 20 kg

cable triceps extension: 3 sets of 10 reps with 15 kg

ABS
3 different abs workouts, each done in 3 sets of 20 reps

Train hard brother.

yesterday August 20

I have knee issues, so I've been avoided doing squats, till yesterday. I read so many good thing about doing squats and decided to incorporate them into my routine gradually. It felt really nice, like some energy rushing through whole of my body, after doing a set of squats:) And knees don't hurt today. Maybe it's good to go a little against the disability?

And one new thing more: I've been watching this guy VICTOR COSTA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJGl3rtLF18
on Youtube and liked his style, so I decided to lower the weights and increase the number of repetitions in some of my legs workout. I did all exercises very very slowly, in the style he recommends in the video I linked to. Today I feel my muscles burning, but in the right way:) I'll have rest for two days, including today.


LEGS

leg extension: 4 sets of 20 reps: 15, 15, 15, 20 kg

leg press: 40 reps @ 25 kg / 30 reps @ 50kg/ 20 reps @ 75 kg / 10 reps @ 100 kg (I almost failed during the last repetition)

squat: 1 set with empty bar, 2 sets of 10 reps @ 10 kg (I know I can lift more, but I am working on learning the right execution now)

leg curl: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 20, 20, 20, 25 kg

calf raise: 4 sets of 15 reps @ 60 kg




SHOULDERS

machine shoulder press: 4 sets of 15 reps @ 60 kg

dumbbell lateral shoulder raise: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 5 kg

seated bent over DB fly: 4 sets of 10 reps: 4 kg, 5 kg, 5 kg, 5 kg


ABS
3 different abs workouts, each done in 3 sets of 20 reps

STRETCHING: couple of yoga asanas

From everything that I've witnessed at the gym with people that have knee issues. Squats most people are ok with, it's usually just lunges that cause a problem. Of course good form is also key to preventing more injuries too!

CHEST

machine incline bench press: 1 set of 30 reps @ 40 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps @ 80 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps @ 100 kg

bench press: 1 set of 15 reps @ 50 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps @ 5o kg / 2 sets of 8 reps @ 60 kg

incline dumbbell fly: 1 set of 15 reps @ 5 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps @ 7,5 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps @ 10 kg

dumbbell pull over: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 15 kg



BICEPS

straight bar biceps curl: 1 set of 15 reps @ 20 kg / 3 sets @ 30 kg ( 10, 8, 6 reps)

biceps preacher curl: 3 sets of 15 reps @ 10 kg

incline biceps dumbbell curl: 3 sets @ 7.5 kg ( 8, 8 and 6 repetitions)

ABS: started doing them and then felt exhausted and started shaking, so I decided to quit and immediately eat my 10 BANANAS!

I'd be cautious about the leg extensions if you have knee issues. If you have anything that causes pain with patellar tracking that's off-center (kneecap shifting outward or inward when leg extends), you might find that extensions can lead to more pain. Even when strong at squatting, I can't do leg extensions with more than a small amount of weight or my knees will be sore for days afterward.

Though, good, deep squatting with proper form can be very much rehabilitative to the knees if there's no condition that warrants avoiding squats. As long as they're done deep, no bounce at the bottom, and form is kept tight, it can help alleviate knee pain - it definitely does for me, no question about it!

Thank you for your advice, vegansEssentials I have no serious pain in knees. I have week knees though, due to some inborne tissue degeneration in the knees, so hey make terrible sounds as I squat. I never felt any serious pain in my knees, but they're definitely weak an noisy.
I feel comfortable with extensions, with normal weights, for now. Squats were fine also. One thing I can't do for sure, even without weights are lunges: my knees just don't work here

In some todays exercise I tried Victor Costa's advice to use medium weights and do exercises properly and slowly to the exhaustion. I definitely feel that this is the right way for me to exercise. I always loved doing exercises with proper form and never really understood those guys in the gym that take way to heavy weight for them and the jerk and bounce. I love elegance and endurance. Next time, I will definitely do ALL exercises in this manner.

BACK

cable lat pull down, wide grip: 2 sets of 30 reps @ 30 kg / 2 sets of 10 reps @ 35 kg

cable lat pull down, close grip: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 45 kg

bent over barbell rows: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 40 kg, 40 kg, 30 kg, 30 kg (I will use only 30 kg in order to keep proper form next time)

seated cable rows: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 45 kg, 50 kg and 55 kg

hyperextension: 1 set of 15 reps free weight / 2 sets of 10 reps @ 10 kg


TRICEPS

cable triceps extension: 4 sets @ 15 kg: 20, 15, 15, 10 repetitions

seated overhead tricep extension: 1 set of 10 reps @ 12.5 kg / 3 sets of 10 reps @ 15 kg

barbell lying tricep extensions: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 10 kg

dumbbell shrugs: 3 sets of 15 reps @ 7,5 kg, 10 kg, 10 kg

ABS

LEGS

leg extension: 3 sets @ 20 kg: 40, 25, 20 repetitions

leg curl: 3 sets @ 20 kg: 25 20, 15 repetitions

squat: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 30, 40, 40, 40 kg

leg press: 30 reps @ 50 kg / 20 reps @ 75 kg / 10 reps @ 100 kg ( didn't seem that heavy as last week;)

calf raise: 3 sets of 15 reps @ 30 kg




SHOULDERS

front barbell shoulder press: 4 sets @ 40 kg: 8, 8, 6, 6 reps

dumbbell lateral shoulder raise: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 5 kg

shoulder high pulls: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 30 kg

seated bent over DB fly: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 5 kg

DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR ABS: I was in the gym for nearly 2 hours! Maybe due to high repetitions in some sets, don't know... I felt like I was starting to shake and needed sugar, so I gave up abs... and eat my 10 bananas!

hey, you're doing great.

Q about squats though. What kinds are you doing? Which ways do you position your legs and feet? I know there are different kinds and ways you can stand to work different leg muscles. Where and how are you holding the barbells and/or dumbbells? Just looking for advice from someone more experienced than me. Currently I'm only doing walking lunges with dumbbells but I want to start doing squats.

Keep at it!

Thank, but I am TOTALLY unexperienced in squats I've just started to do them. I do them like this guy in the video.

Cool stuff. Being a gym novice I have to get time to google some of those things!

Today I was reluctant to go to gym, but at the end decided to go. I drank 3 bears yesterday evening, and my final conclusion is: I simply cannot stand alcohol anymore. I don't get drunk, I just feel like poisoned. I will not drink alcohol in the future! At least not before the day I have to go to gym. But surprisingly, I was very good and energetic during workouts. Thank God!

CHEST

bench press: 4 sets @ 60 kg: 15, 10, 8, 8 reps / 1 set @ 65: 6 reps (I'm slowly increasing the weights)

barbell incline bench press: 4 sets @ 50 kg: 8,8,8,6 reps

chest dumbbell fly: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 10 kg

pec deck: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 25 kg



BICEPS

seated biceps concentration curl: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 5kg

biceps scott bench curl: 2 sets of 10 reps @ 10 kg / 1 set of 8 reps @ 15 kg

standing dumbbell curls: 30 reps @ 5 kg / 2 sets @ 7.5 kg: 15 and 10 reps (this killed my biceps!)


ABS: did some, but not to much

Also, did some yoga asanas for stretching afterwards.

OK, after short break due to my family obligations, I went back to gym today. Felt like shit, because of some personal problems and disgusting weather (temperature dropped from 37 to 13 Celsius here I needed something to make my day and I decided to try doing dead lifts for the first time. The guy in the gym said that maybe it's too early for me to start with dead lifts, but he showed me the how to do them anyway. Why does he think it's too early? I go to gym like 3 months already... Anyway, when I finally did them, he noticed my execution was surprisingly good (I thank to 5 years of yoga for that, again!) I LOVE DEAD LIFTS! I felt that same energy I felt when I tried squats for the first time last week. Those compound exercises make me happy actually. Now I feel much better then before gym! I also did some posing: got 2 kg more during last couple of weeks (eating, eating, eating, that's all I do...). I'm slowly loosing "definition" , which means moving away from skinny, and hopefully getting more muscle mass.
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BACK:

cable lat pull down, wide grip, front: 5 sets of 10 reps @ 45 kg

T-bar rows: 5 sets of 10 reps @ 30, 40, 40, 50, 50 kg (improving, I really enjoy this workout!)

dumbbell rows: 3 set of 10 reps @ 10, 10 & 12.5 kg / 1 sets of 6 reps @ 15 kg

cable lat pull down, back: 3 sets of 12 reps @ 35 kg

cable lat pull down, close grip: 3 sets of 12 reps @ 35 kg

hyperextension: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 10, 15, 20 kg

dead lifts: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 40, 40, 50 kg


TRICEPS

single arm dumbbell extensions: 4 sets of 10 reps @ 7.5 kg

triceps dips: 3 sets of 10 reps

barbell lying triceps extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps @ 15 kg

cable triceps extension: 3 sets of 15 reps @ 15 kg

ABS (not too many, I really have to get myself together with abs workouts, I am avoiding them, obviously. Just too tired at the end to do them...)

What you said about the yoga is so true. I find it helps everything! My flexibility was commented on at the gym the other day, and I find I usually end up less injured than I normally would from the conditoning also.