Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Morning Everyone. I hope that training is going well for everyone. Good luck to those doing the 12 days challenge.

Yesterday was Leg day. I love leg day, nothing makes me feel stronger than working out my legs.

Squat
225lbs. x 6
275lbs. x 6
315lbs. x 6
315lbs. x 6

Seated Leg Curl
90lbs. x 10
90lbs. x 10
90lbs. x 10

Leg Press
450lbs. x 10
540lbs. x 8
630lbs. x 6

Good Mornings -> This works back and legs, I do them as part of a rack work out.
95lbs. x 6
95lbs. x 6
95lbs. x 6

Calf raises -> I normally work out my calves on leg press or when squatting.
135lbs. x 15
135lbs. x 15
135lbs. x 15

I am feeling a little sore today, though my gym partner and I were supposed to work out more, though we were going on two hours there. Today we are going to go condition. If it stays warm enough to ride my bike I am going try getting in some winter miles. I love that it is super warm in January.

Thanks for reading
Steve

Wow, I missed a day. I have done really well to keep to date on most lifting.

Yesterday, Push/Pull with shoulders. I hit a new PR with shoulders, 60lb dumbbells, though I struggled getting them up, I was able to get 6 reps out. I will need some help moving heavier weights as I progress with that exercise.

I have been training with a friend in Heavy weights, doing the Crossfit work out of the day, though I count that as Cardio, not as much as lifting. (mostly, because I like to lift heavy weights, so I call that lifting. Crossfit still kicks my ass though). Training with a friend has helped me remember a lot of the things that I have used and not thought of in a while.

MMA training has temporarily stalled as I am trying to work out a new work schedule to be able to attend more classes. I have a shift work job, so I have had to make a couple sacrifices in training, in trying to maintain a sleep schedule and a workout schedule.

Shoulder Press
40lbs. Warmup 12 reps
50lbs. 10 reps
60lbs. 6 reps - Struggled getting these up, so I will need a little more arm strength.
50lbs. 10 reps

Bent over rows
60lbs 8reps x 4 sets

T cross (Front raise, hold, out to sides, hold, back to front, hold.
15lbs 6 reps x 4 sets

Close grip lat pull downs
100lbs 10 reps x 4 sets

It was a quick workout, I had to make sure I could shower before work and prep food.

I am restocking food today, I need some more x-protein tofu and OJ.

Thanks reading everyone, hope your workouts are great

Today was brutal. In kickboxing, everything was on fire all class. I have worked out everything in the past few days, and every body squat, every arm circle, every push up burned, I felt proud that I have gotten as far as I have. I can already see changes in my body, and how I am feeling. I just need to eat more as I work out, I am not eating enough to feed everything that I am doing. I joined up with myfitnesspal.com and I will be posting the same blog there as I place here.

Good luck everyone, see you in the fields.
Steve

I never know what to do with rest days except this one...This one I am going to rest. I barely moved all morning before classes, and I am back to sitting again before work. So today is going to be a day of rest. We all need them to grow. I will be back tomorrow to post how the rest day went and to talk about tomorrows workout, one of my favorites Chest and arms, I tend to use this workout as a reward, or to pull me back into the gym.

Work out was really good, I back up in numbers to pre-injury Incline dumbbell press. Wow, I was actually disappointed that my gym only goes up to 100lbs on dumbbell.

Incline Dumbbell press
60lbs. x 10
70lbs. x 8
80lbs. x 6
60lbs. x 10

Cable Cross
50lbs. x 10 (x3)

Cable Flies
40lbs. x 10 (x3)

Hammer curls
30lbs. x 10 (x3)

Wide grip bicep curls
60lbs. x 10 (x3)

Over head tricep press
60lbs. x 10 (x3)

Tricep press down
60lbs. x 10 (x3)

I feel Like I cannot eat enough food, I am not following my plans as I am trying not to eat my arm halfway through the day. I am eating 6 meals, so I think I am going to have to up my caloric intake so I am not feeling like I am starving.

Take care everyone, Tomorrow I will be around the boards to say hi and see how everyone is doing.
Steve

Not sure If I am still qualifying for this, I tend to post at random times of day and night. I think that I am still in the good graces though. This has become more than just a training journal though. I am thinking today will be a light lifting day, though I never know until I am in front of the weights how much I am going to lift. I tend to play it too safe sometimes, and need to up a bunch of weights again.

Today is push/pull shoulders and lats. Oh and shoveling. Lots of shoveling. I am not going to complain too much as this is the first snow, and usually the first snow is around October.

Thanks for reading
Steve

Taking an extended rest as I am not healing as fast as I should be. I am on day two of three. I am going to float around to some of the other people and see how everyone else is doing since I am a little laid up at the moment

Day 3 of 3 of extended rest. I pushed really hard and changed up my workouts this week. The only issue is that when I do that I do not have the internal barometer as to how hard I am pushing myself. I pushed myself so hard, I had trouble walking for 2 days. Giving that I need to stand for work, that is not a viable option.

I have a friend who is a shutter bug, I want to have pics up soon. Even If I am not looking the way that I want, it will be nice for progress reasons.

Steve

And we are Back. I love the first day back to the gym after a rest, It fills me with wonder and refuels my will power.

Powerlifting 5 x 5s today. All with a one second hold at the hard part of the exercise
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
40lbs
50lbs
60lbs
50lbs
40lbs

Seated Row
180lbs
230lbs
270lbs
230lbs
180lbs

Upright Row
95lbs
115lbs
135lbs
115lbs
95lbs

Front lateral Raise
10s
15s
20s - against a wall, so no cheating
15s
10s

Lat pull downs
100
120
140
120
100

Low Row
100
120
140
120
100

Some of these felt easy even at high levels, though I want to respect the weight that I have done, I will up a couple of them for the next workout.
Food has been good now that I have money and a little time.

Off to work
Steve

I am enjoying a day off of work, which is nice because It means I can get more training in than a normal day.

1/16 lifts 5 X 5 powerlifting

Squat (lbs.)
225
275
315
275
225

Decline abs (BW= Body weight)
BW
BW +25lbs
BW +45lbs.
BW +25lbs.
BW

Lower Back Raise
BW X 5
I have back issues and this one can sideline me for months I am not careful and respectful.

Hamstring Curl (lbs.)
90
110
130
110
90

I have had plenty of Vega to fuel me today, I always stockpile, and I realized that I had three Vega Sports proteins. So I had the last 4 servings in one of them, and feel like I can conquer the world.

Off to grab so tofu wraps, and lunch items.
Steve

Today was a great day for lifting.

Incline chest press(lbs.) 5 x 5
70
80
90 - the gym only goes to 100
80
70

I took plenty of time during these, worked out biceps in between. Mostly because I have not lifted that much in a while. The last time I was only up to 70. So this was a great feeling, and I will be feeling it tomorrow, hell, maybe later today

Hammer curls 30lbs. 5 x 5

Wide grip barbell curl 50lbs, 3 sets 10 reps
Close grip barbell curl 50 3 sets 10 reps

Cable Crossovers
50lb x 10
40lbs x 8
30lbs x 10 I was losing form, so I dropped the weight a couple times until form was good

Cable Flyes
40lbs x 3 sets, 10 reps

Low cable raise
10lbs x 3 sets, 10 reps

Over head tricep pressdown
60lbs 3 sets, 10 reps

Tricep press down
70lbs 3 sets 10 reps

Dips, Bodyweight, offset
BW offset by 170 to fail
BW offset by 130 to fail

My shoulders were crying, my chest on fire, I called it here.

There is a trainer at my gym who is persistent at getting me to sign up for personal training. I am happy that I have Ed to contact this month any questions, plus being able to use the boards and friends that I have in the community. When I asked her if she had ever dealt with a vegan athlete, she said no, there are no vegan athletes. After a sigh and roll of my eyes, I told her that I just got a call from my other gym where I train for grappling, that I have personal training there. I only use that gym for strength training. She goes we have trainers who lift and compete. Me: any of them work with a vegan? Her: No, If I were training you I would get you back on animal products so you could lose weight. (paraphrase not exact quote)

I had to walk away, this was like screaming at a brick wall, I was only getting frustrated. I am glad that I have this journal with like minded people. It really helps buffer from these people.

Thanks Everyone
Steve

Rest Day. Nothing too much happening here. Food really good, I am eating enough, well almost enough food according to myfitnesspal. My flat top grill order is over 100g of protein. I will post more tomorrow after my workout.

Have a good one, everyone
Steve

Today was all about respecting my body and the weights that I can put up. I have been extremely sore trying to lift the same body parts 2x a week. So what I am going to do instead is keep the intensity and power, and lose the extra day.

Barbell shoulder press
135 x5 x 3 sets Not the most I have lifted, but I have already trainer shoulders this week at a really high weight, so I am happy to get the weight above my head without cheating.

Bent over row
135 x5 x3 Just taking it easy this time round. seeing how my back is before I start loading up the bars.
Deadlifts
135 x5 x4 I have been avoiding deadlifts because of the amount of injuries that I have had making them neigh impossible. It felt good, and I felt like I could do more, a lot more, though I am going to take it easy and rebuild my back slowly

Lat pull down, wide grip 5 sets,
100 x8
120 x8
140 x8
120 x8
100 x8
I am going to up the weights on this one next back day, I wanted to keep it strong, and I am lifting more than I ever have with lat pull down these days.

Lat pull down reverse grip (chin up lat pull down)
Same as above, with an extra set of 70 thrown in because I did not know my strength.

Wide grip seated low row.
100 x8
120 x8
140 x8
120 x8
100 x8
I will up this one too, though I did not want to risk hurting my back.

I get to shovel which is a great high intensity workout. I may see if I can do it crossfit style. Just to change things up.

I am training with a partner right now, and she is going through all the major muscle exercises that I am going through. It is always good to see a girl doing deadlifts, or any major muscle exercise instead of reading a book on a recumbent bike.

I send off my results to my trainers tomorrow, and do a couple check ins of my own. Have a good one everyone.

Thanks for reading
Steve

Last of the Rest days, I took an extended break to allow myself to heal enough before next week and starting off really strong.

I hope everyone is well, I am slowly making the rounds saying hello, and chatting here and there. Happy fresh start everyone.
Steve

Greetings everyone

I am switching things up, I know I do that a lot, though I need to be able to hit my nightly training, and I was not able to as sore I have been from the workouts, so I am giving myself longer to rest between each series of lifts and adapting to my new lifting style. The gym gods have smiled on me, My gym recieved an order for all of the Large number dumbbells from 105-to 125. Gives me something to look forward to in the coming months.

Machine assisted incline press (each arm)
56lbs x 10 warmup set
101lbs x 5
146 x 2 - Lift off took out a lot of energy, I could do more if I had help with lift off, unfortunately this is what my lifting partner weights
126 x 5
126 x 5
101 x 5
56 x 10

Single arm focused dumbbell press - One hand presses, the other is behind the head or assisting if you need help with the exercise (like a built in spot)
60 x 8
70 x 5
80 x 5
70 x 5
60 x 8

Dumbbells flies
20 lbs x 3 sets to failure each side. Not many reps as my shoulder started to cry half way through dumbbell press

High pulley cable cross
40lbs knuckle to knuckle sets x 4

Assisted dips
I am still building up more upper body strength, and in the process or converting fat to muscle. It is not always easy to do bodyweight exercises.

I have been basically a walking billboard for Vega and Sunwarrior, both of which are almost daily foods.

I hope that everyone has a good day.
Steve