Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I can only hope working hard will bring the results in time! Thanks for the props man! It really keeps me moving towards progress...which really is my goal...just beating the previous numbers. I think it's addicting! ...like eating popcorn! (it's my cryptonite).

I measured the ledge where I jumped at the other day...32" I also found places I can work up to about 48" (all in due time, ay!). The goal for now is to work up to 10x40" first.

Today's W/O
6.5 minutes on treadmill, then...

(rolling pre/post with baseball bat and slightly deflated basketball - hey, it's all I've got)

Squats:
1x5 - 90kg
1x5 - 105kg
5x5 - 117kg (all sets flew FAST with little rest in between. I breathed out and back in at the top of each rep - ALL reps were DEEP) no belt.

Bench:
1x5 - 70kg
1x5 - 85kg
3x5 - 94kg
1x4 - 94kg (really pissed about this. I usually pause at the top to make sure I'm in line but didn't between 4th and 5th, so I failed to get it passed the sticking point
1x5 - 94kg

BB Rows:
1x5 - 65kg
1x5 - 70kg
5x5 - 75kg (started to heave to cheat the bar up a little on the last couple reps of the last set)

Another GREAT W/O today! Everything went up great. and still getting PRs on the deadlifts. I think I might need to look into finding a good belt pretty soon. Any suggestions?

here's the breakdown...
(rolled with the basketball, baseball bat and double-tennis balls before and baseball bat after)
Squats:
1x5 - 90kg
1x5 - 105kg
5x5 - 119kg (last time I was at this weight, I found myself leaning too far forward. This time around, though, I am finding it easier to stay in the "groove" coming up out of the hole. Partly because of corrected form and partly because of more strength.) (quads DC stretch after)

OHP:
1x5 - 45kg
1x5 - 55kg
5x5 - 62kg

Deads:
1x5 - 105kg
1x5 - 125kg
1x5 - 155kg (I was still using normal grip for the first two reps, when it failed at the top on the second. I quickly changed to mixed grip and cranked out the rest of the set). (hams DC stretch after)

Chins: (Thankfully, I still had enough grip after deads to do them - chest all the way to the bar each rep)
3x5 - BW -(87kg clothed today)(lats DC stretch after)

Side-note: The plates and 15kg bar I am using can only go up to 165kg...As it is, I'm using 1-15kg and 5-10kg plates and a 5kg on each side (which is all there is here) (140kg+bar=155kg) - looks pretty ugly, really.
Not sure what to do after that - only two more dead-lift sessions away from that 165kg mark. Do another set of five? LOL

Great lifting all round, you're damn strong man. Loving the extra myofascial release work as well.

If your gym doesn't have over 165kg on the barbell I doubt it'd have chains or bands to add to the deadlift to make it harder. Yeah you could add reps or sets, or do deficit deadlifts (stand on something to allow a larger ROM) but eventually you'll need to find somewhere where you can use more weight. Until then your gains could hurt.


http://strengthshop.co.uk/index.php/powerlifting/powerlifting-belts.html
Vegan belts, don't know how much you'd be paying for postage though.

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My training log

Hey congrats on the PRs you've been hitting lately!

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vegan for the win!

@lobsteriffic, thanks for stoppin' by! Actually, technically, I could say everything from the beginning has been a PR LOL - since I'm only several months into lifting. It's good to know I'm being watched...great for accountability! Which reminds me! You're also doing a SL5x5 and I've been watching! Keep up the great work and stay patient and consistent for your gains - especially OHP! I'd say deload and go with smaller increments if you can. Don't do a push press, stay strict and you'll get it.


@Chewy, Yeah, the gym here is really just what the school has. It's super small but it's free and there's zero travel time, so I can't complain too much. I'll try to get a pic up so you can see where I lift. (I don't have to worry about people mooning me here lol)
I think you'll get a kick out of the what they call squat stands here. Some lifters might call it a joke. Perhaps I can personally invest in some REAL weights and a power rack and have my own space in there...only, I probably have to be willing to let others use it, which is no big deal for me...just the initial investment.

Sadly, the internet is heavily monitored and filtered here so I can't even access the strength shop site ... unless I get a VPN sometime soon. It's really weird which sites get blocked...no rhyme or reason to it. Oh, well! I'm a guest here and have to deal with it.

Yesterday, after teaching 4 PE classes and coaching baseball practice, I ran 2 miles and played soccer with the 5th and 6th grade boys for about 45 minutes before going to evening classes...Man, I was fried!

Today, the side of my knee hurts mostly from the ITB and I rolled it out with the bat this morning - - it's SUPER tight with squatting three times a week and now the running...I need to keep an eye on those ITBs! Any suggestions for this? ...other than just rolling it out.

Today I was only able to get my squats in...a bit disappointing, but I'll get in the rest tomorrow sometime.
Ran on the treadmill then rolled out my legs focusing on the ITB and piriformis. I've also noticed a lot of movement in my sacrum...self adjusting, etc.

Squats:
1x5 - 90kg
1x5 - 110kg
5,5,4,5,5 - 121kg (I went into the third set too soon...knowing I had little time and wanted to get in more, so I failed to get five that set but came back and blasted the last two sets after about 4-5 minutes' rest in between each)

Side Note: I find that low carbs the day before a workout leaves me running out in the middle of my sets. Not sure how to best organize my diet to make sure I have excess calories on W/O days and a deficit on off days without sacrificing gains and performance in the gym. Perhaps I should just forget the deficit on off days and shoot to keep gaining weight and strength for now... Still a beginner establishing my foundational strength.

Don't think of it as a deficit on off days. Eat big every day, and more on workout days

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My training log

Well put Chewy! I'll do just that! Thanks for pointing my wayward thinking back to the right path!
Eat BIG, Lift BIG, Get BIG(GER)! haha

So, I was able to get in three working sets on bench last night before my spotter decided he needed to leave...feeling a little bummed and de-motivated right now and when I woke up this morning, I felt like I got hit by a semi-truck...totally exhausted. I am thinking maybe my body is telling me to deload - since I haven't really done that PROPERLY since Oct. when I started. Considering a 4 week 5/3/1 cycle...WAY lower volume! squatting only once a week looks really good right now! LOL ...and I'll add some more running in there.

I ran on treadmill,
I did a lot of myofacial work on my piriformis and ITB.
I ran again on the treadmill, then...

Bench:

1x5 - 65kg
1x5 - 75kg
1x5 - 85kg
5,5,4 - 95kg (I rushed into the last set b/c my spotter wanted to leave. )

There's no faulting lowering the volume. If I tried what you're squatting 3x a week I'd die. Underestimate yourself for your initial figures in 5/3/1 - the first couple of cycles should be pretty easy. You get the option to "rep out" the last set of each exercise. Keep the assistance simple. It's a fun program

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My training log

Thanks for the affirmation Chewy! I really needed that reassurance since I've become somewhat obsessed with the plan I've been following...a bit too attached. Perhaps yet another sign it's time to do something different for awhile. I'm putting together a spreadsheet now for the 5/3/1 and I def. plan to keep the assistance simple. I'll start it tomorrow (Monday). Thanks for the pointers.

OK, Today was day one of 5/3/1...This morning I ate a head of cabbage, head of garlic accompanied by some steamed sweet-bean buns and water. snack was a peanut butter/pea protein bar with almonds and some flower tea, lunch was about EDIT: (250g) cooked sprouts, 500g stir-fry cabbage, 500g cooked rice, 200g homemade kimchi and a bowl of millet porridge - SO FULL! that in the afternoon I missed my snack. Protein drink following the w/o...having Plenty of CARBS for dinner and another protein drink before bed. That should do it for calories today. Have no idea how many that is but, that's a typical calorie level for me during the week on a W/O day lately - minus the missed snack. Yesterday we ate what I think was fresh bamboo shoots (for the first time) stir-fried with garlic and onion and salt. Many other new Chinese dishes I've made recently. I'll share more later...sorry to babble about my latest food escapades! Back to the task at hand...

cycle 1 week 1 session 1
run and stretch, myofacial with bat and ball, then...
Squats:
1x5 - 100kg
1x5 - 107kg
1x8 - 114kg (could have gotten 1-2 more but didn't want to overboard first time doing this routine.)
5x10 - 67kg (the weight felt light until the last set's final few reps) followed with DC-style stretch

Leg curls:
5x10 - 40kg (WOW! FIRE!! ...that's all I'm gonna say) followed with DC-style stretch

Maybe I should be starting a new thread for this, but here's a picture of what my typical Chinese cafeteria meal looks like. This was today's lunch tray.

Here's the promised pics of the weight room I get to use...

Notice the foam roll on the end of the bar! LOL! They don't have any collars!

The bench is set up so I can't do a wider grip. It's actually quite narrow. The posts are right about where I want to grab the bar.

It's not much but does the job for now! No need to mention the station in the center, since it doesn't ever get touched by me except for hanging leg raises (when I don't just use the chinning bar)
Though, I have to say, the best part is it's free (not to mention the zero travel time)!