Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Too busy to do much training this week, but got in tonight for a quick upper back session -

Pull-ups (250 lbs. bodyweight clothed) -
2x3 @ bodyweight
3x5 @ 57.5 lbs. added

Pulldowns -
3x10 @ 270 lbs., changing grips each set

Dumbbell rows -
3x15 @ 155 lb. dumbbell each arm (was originally just planning for 12s, but was easy, so 15 was better!)

Wide-grip plate loaded Icarian seated row -
2x20 @ 200 lbs.

Between those, I did 3 light sets of reverse hypers, 20 reps @ 60 lbs. to stretch out my lower back as it was a bit tight tonight.

Wrapped up with 2x30 for bodyweight shrug-ups from a pull-up hang (using lats and a bit of trapezius to shrug upward a few inches), then one set of barbell curls with 55 lb. heavy-duty power bar, 35 reps normal curl style, rest 5 seconds, change to reverse curl grip to finish.

Leg day again (finally!) on Sunday, looking forward to it!

omg u row 155 db?!

Yep! DB rows are one thing I've been strong at for a while, have done 3x5 @ 200 lbs. before, but they're not all that pretty once I get to that weight Rows are fun, and as long as I belt up now and go with DBs, my lower back doesn't feel like it's about to rip in half

Never fail to be impressed when I read your workouts. Speaking of belts I have sent you a pm

Hey, VS!

Strength Shop guys are top-notch, they should be able to take care of you very well with their belts. I don't happen to have one (I'm just using a Rehband back support with an old Valeo canvas belt doubled around it for now), but I hear great things about their belts, not to mention they're supposed to also be competition spec-friendly for thickness and overall size. Definitely worth a go if you can get one!

Quick leg/chest night tonight!

Squats -
1x5 @ 135 lbs.
1x3 @ 185
1x2 @ 225
1x2 @ 275
1x1 @ 295
1x1 @ 315
1x1 @ 335
1x1 @ 355
Tested to see how it felt putting a bit of weight on the bar again, felt like I'd be good for close to 400, but that's not good enough, time to rebuild!
5x5 @ 275
2x12 @ 225

Started to do axle benching in the rack, worked through 2 reps @ 305 with the Slingshot, but it didn't feel right tonight going heavy. Got rid of the axle, put the 10" diameter log in the rack and did some pressing with it instead -
1x5 @ 210 lbs.
1x5 @ 220
1x5 @ 230
1x5 @ 240
1x5 @ 250, last rep a battle to complete
3x12 @ 190
These are great for triceps, pretty much like doing palms facing in DB presses with about 2" less ROM due to the handles being set inside the log.

Wrapped up with some light revese hypers to stretch out the lower back, 3x20 @ 60 lbs. and in between, used the new plate loaded hip/lower back machine for 3x20 @ 100 lbs. to call it a day.

Should be doing some light upper back work Tuesday, lower back and overhead pressing Wednesday!

Cheers man thanks for the info! I had a blast on squats with a zulu glove belt & that felt nice, but they're out of every belt besides custom drill ones. I since learnt Laurence uses the same belt I showed you so it must be decent lol...

Hope you can get one of those belts soon, VS - they look great, and I always hear awesome things about the quality!

Upper back night, a bit worn down so I went light with high rep stuff just for the sake of getting a session in before I lost my steam -

Pull-ups -
3x12 @ bodyweight (248 lbs. clothed)

Plate-loaded seated row -
3x15 @ 250 lbs.

Hammer Strength plate loaded pulldowns -
3x18 @ 220 lbs.

1-arm standing cable low rows -
3x20 @ 110 lbs. each arm

Cable face pulls -
3x20 @ 120 lbs.
Superset with rear delt band pull-aparts, 3x20 w/ green band

Wrapped up with shrug-ups, 2x35 reps @ bodyweight and that was it.

Taking tomorrow off to rest, skateboarding on Thursday, lower back and overhead pressing on Friday!

I'll be ordering next week  then going to try their shoes. Prefer to deadlift bare foot but I'll wear them for squats & OHP

Tried chalk on benching yday. Such a difference!

VE is a beast among men. God dammit I get so pumped when I look at the numbers you put out.

Thanks, MattSxvx!

VS - Yeah, if you have problems staying in position on the bench, chalk can make a world of difference. Same with squats, I sweat a LOT when I train hard, so I usually chalk the hell out of my upper back, sure as hell keeps the bar in place much better that way!

Got in a quick shoulder/lower back session last night, nothing big, but made sure to get it in before I slacked -

Standing overhead axle press -
1x10 @ empty axle (55 lbs.)
1x3 @ 145 lbs.
1x2 @ 175
1x1 @ 195
1x1 @ 205
1x1 @ 215, felt terrible going heavier, dropped weight down -
8x5 @ 180 lbs.

Alternated the overheads with light as heck deadlifts just to get the feel back again after missing out on them for a few weeks post-illness. Increased sets, dropped reps, I need to work on my setup most of all again, no need to rep out until I'm exhausted -
10x5 @ 235 lbs., still light for fast pulls with optimal form to get comfortable

Overhead log presses in the rack, short half-ROM to lockout, about 10" ROM -
1x15 @ 165 lbs.
1x12 @ 195
1x20 @ 165

Plate-loaded hip/lower back extension machine -
1x20 @ 90 lbs.
1x20 @ 110
1x20 @ 130

DB lateral raises -
2x20 @ 20 lb. DB each arm

Reverse hyperextension machine -
2x20 @ 70 lbs.
2x20 @ 100 lbs. (hard to keep machine from tipping above 100 lbs., wish we could bolt it down!)
1x40 @ 50 lbs.

That was good enough, getting back in for legs and maybe some upper back work tomorrow!

My form on bench is maybe one of my best but having the bar chalked just seemed to of helped...maybe it was just a mental thing but I have some liquid stuff on my wish list for my order this wk:)

I also never fail to be impressed when VE logs a workout. Most definitely, for me the most inspirational person on here & someone I look up to. Strong as an ox & a gentlemen to boot. Also I'm jealous of VE OHP! One day big man

Hey, VS!

Yeah, without chalk I slid around a lot, UNLESS I use the Slingshot, for some reason whenever I use it and have myself in near-perfect form as I get into position, I seem to stay locked in (even though it never comes in contact with the bench, not sure exactly how it works out!) Thanks for the kind words, and just keep up with that OHP (don't forget my general rule - overloaded partial presses, push presses, and 1-arm heavy DB presses will do the trick over time!), it'll get there one day!

Coming up on eye surgery day again (I almost forgot I go in on Wednesday already!), so squeezing in what I can while I have the time, upper back and light chest work tonight -

Hammer Strength plate-loaded pulldowns -
3x10 @ 300 lbs.

Speed bench doubles -
10x2 @ 195 lbs., quick 45-60 second rest between sets

T-Bar chest supported row (new piece of used equipment that just came in, but something in the arm joint is not working well, cocks off to one side a bit) -
1x10 @ 220 lbs.
1x12 @ 200 lbs.
1x15 @ 180 lbs.
Didn't like the feel on this one much, not to mention I mistakenly put on bumper plates, those massive 45s made the leverages worse than expected.

Slingshot speed bench doubles -
10x2 @ 230 lbs.

V-handle pulldown "stretchers" -
2x20 @ 150 lbs.

DB Spoon Presses (tried something new, basically a palms-in DB flat bench press where the DBs are in constant contact with each other, making it an odd close-grip style press) -
1x25 @ 55s
2x20 @ 55s

Reverse row with bar suspended by bands from top of power rack, row down into chest -
1x20 @ black bands plus orange bands
1x40 @ black bands

Enough for the day, might go in later to do some light complexes or something, squat day tomorrow!

Lost most of last week due to usual eye surgery and 4 days of recovery, but came back to action last night to get started up again, upper back and shoulders -

Weighted pull-ups -
1x3 @ bodyweight (241 in boxers today, 246 clothed)
1x3 @ 25 lbs. added
3x5 @ 60 lbs. added, feet just touching floor and two quick breaths between each rep, got them all done well enough

Standing overhead strict press w/ axle -
1x10 @ empty axle
1x5 @ 145 lbs.
1x2 @ 175
1x1 @ 195
1x1 @ 215
5x3 @ 205
Felt decent enough on these tonight.

Plate-loaded Hammer Strength high row -
3x10 @ 520 lbs., done single-arm style, so I guess it's more like 260 lbs. each arm in this case

Standing 1/3 press overhead axle lockouts in the rack (about 8" ROM) -
3x5 @ 290 lbs., tough as hell tonight, triceps just didn't have much for going heavier
2x15 @ 235 lbs.
1x35 @ 195 lbs.

Wide grip pulldowns to sternum, slight lean back -
3x12 @ 260 lbs.

1-arm sled rows on astroturf area -
1x20 each arm @ 275 lbs., rest 30 seconds, put it to
1x20 " " @ 300, rest 30 seconds again, added weight to
1x20 " " @ 325

Wrapped up with 3x20 for cable face pulls @ 120 lbs. and that was plenty.

Resting up today, planning on leg day tomorrow!