Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I don't know all the rules/nuances/ins and outs of bodybuilding judging, but I thought you were better off than your competition.

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"Kill! Kill! Multiply! 'Til the skies are black and the rivers dry!"
-Atreyu

Thanks! Did you hear we're Seattle-bound for the last week of July so I can compete with none other than big Ed?!


Thanks Rob PMFF, I think I compared well to the others, but next time I need to be the stand out!

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Check out our nutrition and training blog, http://veganmuscleandfitness.com

Couple of days to post on. Since I've returned from the contest I've moved away from FST-7 volume training for now and am working in more high intensity training - trying to get some strength back! Its still going really well and I feel like my physique is hardening up a bit so I'm sticking with it at least for a few more weeks. Marcella keeps reminding me that I never integrate periodization into my programs so I really should look more closely into that. Anyway...

6/6/11: I hit quads and made some good progress! I've moved quads and Hams to separate days to give my core time to recover between and I'm liking it!

Squat: 135x15, 185x15, 225x15, 245x24, 265x20, 225x15 - Stoked! My best set of 20 ever was at 335 so I'm getting there!
Leg Press: 360x15, 450x15, 540x10, 360x15
Leg Extension: 150x12, 190x12, 190x10 drop 150x4 drop 110x6

That afternoon I did a bicep workout, don't remember the weights: Barbell curl up to 105x10 I think. DB curl up to 50x8. Concentration curl to 40x8.

6/7: First good shoulder day post-contest and I got some good numbers!

DB Arnold Press: 45x15, 60x12, 80x8, 80x7 - Haven't gotten near that on Arnolds in ages!
Smith Behind-the-head press: 105x12, 125x10, 145x10 drop 105x7, 145x12 drop 105x8
Seated DB Lateral superset bent over lateral: 20x12 SS 20x10, 25x12 SS 20x10, 25x10 SS 20x8

6/8: Ran 1 mile AM did 20min stair stepper PM

6/9: Killed back today with my client/vegan success story Todd! Went hard and heavy for an hour and a half!

Weighted Pull ups: 0x12, 35x10, 50x8, 75x6, 90x6, 90x6 drop 50x6 drop 35x6 drop 0x6 - Stoked! Best pull up workout in a year!
Barbell Row: 115x12, 135x12, 155x12, 1550x10 drop 115x10
Close-grip cable row: 80x12, 100x12, 120x15 (with rest-pause)
Deadlift: 135x10, 185x10, 225x10 - Felt easy! Getting stronger!

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Check out our nutrition and training blog, http://veganmuscleandfitness.com

Man I'm falling behind on this log! I need more hours in my day! Lot to put down here, workouts have been going really really well. Last week I had a couple aches and pains surface, so went low intensity high rep (4 sets of 20+ reps) on a couple of workouts to allow some recuperation (shoulders, hamstring, calves and arms in particular). The others I went nice and heavy on! Since I am now 5 weeks out from my next bodybuilding adventure I am doing 20 minutes of cardio before breakfast (usually elliptical) every morning I don't have a 2-a-day. One my off days I'm doing a second cardio workout (usually swimming or stair stepper) for 20-30 more minutes.

6/11 (Good day from week before last)
Started with calves
Romanian Deadlift: 135x12, 185x12, 225x10, 225x6 (Best RDL since before I tore me knee 2 years ago!! Stoked!!)
Prone Leg Curl: 90x12, 110x10
Seated Leg Curl: 110x10, 110x10

Later That Day... Really good arm workout! Was sore for 3 days!

Machine Curl FST-7 Preload: 70x12
Preacher Curl: 65x12, 75x12, 95x8, 95x10
DB Incline Curl: 25x12, 35x10, 35x10
Hammer Curl: 30x10, 30x10, 30x10
Weighted Dips: 0x12, 25x12, 50x8, 25x11
DB Extension: 60x12, 90x12, 90x10
1 Hand Reverse Pressdown SS Straight arm pulldown: 40x12 SS 90x10, three set

9/16:
Pull ups: 12, 35x10, 55x8, 75x1, 100x4, 55x16 drop 0x8 (Best pull ups in ages! Loving it!)
Db Row: 65x12, 90x12, 90x15, 70x22
Lat Pulldown (mid grip): 80x12, 100x12, 120x10, 140x6 drop 100x7
Scott Curls: 50x12, 70x12, 70x10, 70x10
Concentration curls: 25x10, 25x10, 25x10

6/17:
Incline Bench Press: 135x12, 175x10, 205x1, 225x5, 225x5, 135x15 (double disk baby!)
DB Bench Press: 70x10, 90x7, 90x8, 70x10
Incline DB Fly: 30x12, 40x10, 40x10
Pec Dec FST-7: 65x12 (had to sneak that in - feels so good!)

6/20: Hit shoulders with Todd and killed it! Slight pain but it didn't keep me from anything.
Arnold Press: 40x12, 60x12, 80x8, 90x5 drop 60x7 (felt beastly!)
Behind the neck BB Press: 95x12, 135x12, 155x10, 155x10
DB Laterals SS Bent DB Laterals: 20x12 SS 20x12, 20x12 SS 20x12, 30x8 SS 30x6

6/21:
Hammer Strength Leg Extension: 90x12 FST-7 Preload
Squat: 135x15, 185x15, 225x10, 275x1, 315x13, 315x10 drop 225x8 drop 135x10 (Brutal! So stoked on getting back up to these weights!)
Hack Press: 90x15, 180x15, 180x15, 180x20

Later that day.... Great HIT arm workout! (been doing arms on legs day for added hormone benefit)
Barbell Curl: 45x20, 65x15, 95x12, 95x16 (including cheat reps and negatives - killer)
DB Curl: 30x10, 50x10 drop 30x10
Concentration Curl: 30x10, 40x8
Skull Crushers: 65x12, 65x12, 115x7 to close grip x8 - Brutal!
Cable Press Down: 70x12, 70x15

6/22: Much needed rest day. 15min elliptical this morning and 1200m swim before lunch. Swam 100m in 16:10 with fins on, pretty happy with that .

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Check out our nutrition and training blog, http://veganmuscleandfitness.com

Just dropping in to say you're a huge inspiration man. I don't know how you work out so hard for so many days in a row, you must be built like steel!

Keep up the hard work

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My training log

Yeah, same here. I'm amazed anyone can do that many pull ups!

Thanks guys! I work hard to show the world what a vegan can do . And all my numbers are lbs x reps, so I'm not doing too many pull ups, but I'm adding a lot of weight!

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Check out our nutrition and training blog, http://veganmuscleandfitness.com

awesome to see that your swimming. It is a great workout and i think aids in my recovery.

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Yeah swimming is my favorite cardio by far! It's almost like meditation it's so relaxing, and I also feel like it helps loosen everything and speed recovery.

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Check out our nutrition and training blog, http://veganmuscleandfitness.com

Another week of workouts to list! Man, I need to post more often or work out less often.... post more often! I am really excited because my strength has still been increasing and I think I've (finally) hit on a workout schedule that will make my arms grow! My plan for arms is two workouts per week, once after quads and once after hamstrings so they get that major leg muscle workouts' hormone producing benefits. And I make one workout high intensity focused and the other volume focused. It's doing wonders so far! On all my other lifts, I'm really trying to go heavy and increase intensity with drop sets. Lovin' it!

6/23: Back!
Weighted Pull ups:0x12, 35x10, 55x8, 75x4, 100x7, 100x7 drop 55x8 drop 25x8 drop 0x8 - couldn't lift my arms after that last one!
Barbell Row: 135x12, 135x12, 185x10, 185x10 drop 135x10
1 Arm Nautilus Pulldown: 90 (each side)x 12, 90x12, 90x12
Deadlift: 135x10, 185x10, 225x10, 275x3, 315x9 - Stoked! Getting strong again!

6/24:Chest!
Bench Press: 135x15, 155x10, 185x10, 225x4, 245x8, 225x8 - Another big day!
DB Incline Bench press: 65x10, 80x8, 80x9 drop 55x8
Incline Cable Cross: 30x12, 30x10, 30x14
Pec Deck FST-7: 80x8

6/25: Calves/Hamstrings PM Arms
Seated Calf Press: 90x15, 135x15, 160x12, 135x15 drop 90x15
Leg Press Calf Raise FST-7: 450x12
Prone Leg Curl: 70x12, 90x12, 110x12, 110x10 drop 70x10 drop 50x10
Seated Leg Curl: 90x12, 110x12, 130x12
Romanian Deadlift: 135x10, 185x10, 235x10 drop 185x10 drop 135x10

PM
Machine Curl FST-7: 70x12
Preacher Curl: 75x7, 75x9, 74x12, 75x10
Incline DB Curl: 30x12, 40x10, 40x10
Hammer Curl: 30x10, 30x10, 30x10
Weighted Dips: 35x12, 35x10, 35x8 drop 0x8
DB Extension: 60x12, 90x10, 90x8
Underhand Pressdown SS St. Arm Pressdown: 30x12 SS 60x10 - for 3 sets

6/27: Shoulders! - Tried some undulating sets here and it was really tough!
DB Arnold Press: 40x15, 60x10, 90x6 (forced), 65x13, 80x6 drop 55x6 drop 40x5
Smith Behind the Head Press: 105x10, 155x10, 125x15, 175x5 (all forced) drop 105x6
Upright Row: 95x10, 95x10, 95x12
Machine Rear Delt Fly SS Machine Lateral: 110x12 SS 70x12, 130x12 SS 70x12 x4 more sets

6/28: Legs! PM Arms - Mixed it up today b/c the squat rack was taken for a long time. Turned out brutal!
Leg Extension FST-7: 140x12
DB Walking Lunges: 50x12, 75x10, 75x10
Single Leg Press: 180x12, 230x12, 230x12
Squat: 135x15, 225x20, 225x20 - Almost collapsed! Really killed after all the single leg work!

PM: HIT Arms!
Barbell Curl: 45x15, 65x10, 95x8, 115x9 (with forced reps and negatives)
DB Curls: 30x10, 50x10 (with rest pause and forced reps)
Concentration Curls: 30x10, 40x10 (forced reps)
Cable Press Down: 50x12, 70x15
Skull Crushers: 65x12, 115x5 SS Close grip press 115x9 - 12 sets of arms and done!

While I've been upping the weight and focusing on getting stronger, my main objective is to get really hard and tight for my next contest on July 30th with Ed Bauer! I've cut my daily calories from about 6k from when I was still bulking up, to about 4k-4.5k, and I've been upping my cardio as well. Feeling good! -Pics below are from today after my arm workout.

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Check out our nutrition and training blog, http://veganmuscleandfitness.com

Great shape man, things are looking good!

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My training log

Thanks!

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Check out our nutrition and training blog, http://veganmuscleandfitness.com

Looking awesome, Bro! Keep up the good work! Go team vegan!

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an evolving primate

After that leg workout Tuesday my legs were sore for 4 days! That unilateral stuff, plus pre-exhausting, kiiiiillll! Week has been going really well with some new personal bests (ever!) and many recent bests. The one positive side of taking time off from injury is improving almost every workout when you come back! I've been sticking to the same program, which i just posted on our site http://veganmuscleandfitness.com, and I've cut my calories back a little more while adding slightly more cardio. Robert also just turned me on to Sun Warrior protein and I'm loving it!

6/30: Back!
Weighted Pull ups: 0x12, 35x10, 55x8, 75x2, 100x8, 100x7, 100x7 drop 35x7 drop 0x6 (3 sets of pull ups with 100 extra pounds! Woot!)
Db Row: 65x12, 90x12, 90x12, 90x12
Plate Loaded machine Pull Down: 180x12, 180x12, 180x12, 180x12
Wide Cable Row FST-7: 70x12 (This one got me nice and sore right through the mid-back the next day)

7/1: Chest! - Still sore two days later!
Incline Bench Press: 135x15, 185x10, 205x2, 225x7 (best in a while!), 195x12, 195x10, 195x11
DB Bench Press: 80x9, 80x8, 80x10, 80x11
DB Incline Fly: 35x12, 35x12, 35x12
Cable Cross: 30x12, 40x12, 40x15

7/2: Calves/Hams AM Arms PM - This was a great day!
Seated Calf Press FST-7: 135x20
Leg Press Calf Raise: 450x20, 450x20, 450x20, 450x20
Seated Leg Curl: 90x15, 130x15, 150x12, 150x10 drop 110x10 drop 70x15 - killed!
Prone 1-leg Curl: 30x15, 50x10, 40x12, 40x12 + both legs 70x10
Romanian Deadlift: 135x15, 185x10, 225x10, 245x15 - PR!

PM
Machine Curl FST-7: 70x12
Preacher Curl: 55x12, 75x12, 75x10, 75x12
DB Incline Curl: 35x10, 40x10, 40x10, 40x10
Hammer Curls: 30x12, 35x10, 35x10
Weighted Dips: 25x12, 50x10, 25x10 drop 0x10
DB Extension: 65x12, 105x8, 105x7 drop 75x8 - PR!
1 arm Underhand Pressdown SS Rope Straight Arm Pressdown: 30x12 SS 60x10 for 2 sets

7/3: 'Off' Cardio/ABS!
Today I hit cardio before breakfast with about 40 minutes of trail running at a decent pace. I have another cardio session this afternoon where I did sprint intervals on a football field (sprint 25yds, jog back, sprint 50yds, jog back, sprint 75yds, jog back, sprint 100yds, repeat). I wanted to do 5 sets but stopped after 3 because the 95 degree heat was killing me! I followed the sprints up by immediately jumping in the pool and swimming 1000m at a pretty slow pace. Felt wonderful!

I've also started training my abs again on off days as of last week. I couldn't train them over the last 9 months due to the abdominal strain, but they are feeling solid enough to test the waters now and so far so good! I'm only doing 3 exercises for 3 sets of 15, but my abs have always been a strong point so i'm hoping even this little bit will make them show ready by July 30th! Progress Pics below - check out the improvements this week alone! 4 WEEKS OUT!

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Holy crap!

That back is sooo awesome!

Looking really good man. Front double biceps and side chest poses both look great.

Keep going! All the best in the next contest!

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