Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

MadCow Week 3

200, 200, 100 jump rope w/ 3x5 pullups

Squat
5x45 lbs
5x115
5x165
5x205, slow descent w/ pause at bottom
5x205, speed set 1 breath

OHP
5x75
5x100
5x120
5x140

Deadlift
5x135 slow, hook
5x205 hook
5x265 hook
5x325 over/under
5x380 over/under, chalk

Cleaned the bar for each set of OHP. I like cleans, even more so power cleans. Next go-round with 5/3/1 is going to have some power cleans in it! Need to work on my form a bit though, I'm sure. For whatever reason, didn't have a whole lot of confidence going into the heavy deadlift set. The first rep seemed really heavy to start with, but by the time I got to the top, I was kicking myself for being an idiot and banged out the rest of the set without issue.

Hang holds have actually gotten a little better lately. I am easily able to do 60 seconds (at ~200 lbs clothed bodyweight at lifting time), whereas previously it was only on a good day I would get that high. On Monday I actually hit 70 seconds before the grip gave out. I think the farmer's walks I've been doing on Fridays have helped with the grip strength.

I went back into my MadCow spreadsheet and had a look at the progression again. I decided to change to only 5 lbs increments on all the major lifts and 5 lbs per 2 weeks for OHP rather than 2.5% per week, as I think it may be a bit ambitious otherwise. I might be able to do it, but I'd rather take the progression a little more slowly and make sure my form doesn't break down trying to go too heavy too fast.

As it was with the original 2.5% increments, the 12th-week goal for squats was 3x380lbs, and deadlifts was 3x470 lbs! Maybe I could do it, but I don't mind a slightly slower progression. With the revision, my new goals for the 12th week are squats 5x340/3x345 and deadlifts 5x420/3x425. My previous bests are: parallel squats 5x330 lbs (from last May) and deadlift 2x405 (December)/5x390 (May).

MadCow Week 3

200, 200 jump rope w/ 2x5 pullups

lower body mobility drills

Squat
5x45 lbs, slow
5x120
5x165
5x210
5x255
3x300
8(?)x210

Bench
5x85
5x115
5x145
5x180
3x210
8(?)x145

BB Rows
5x75
5x100
5x130
5x155
3x185
8x135

Farmer's walk, with dumbells
50m x 80 lbs each hand
45m x 80
2x35m x 85

Ran out of time so had to cut the grip work short. I started including hip/leg mobility drills into my warmups on Wednesday, continued today. Doing some of DeFranco's Agile 8, skipping the foam rolling for now. I'm not getting any muscle soreness or tightness, so I'm probably OK to skip the foam rolling as part of the warmup. I really just want to increase my hip mobility a bit, although I think it's pretty good already. Concentrated on keeping my knees pushed out a bit wider (to the correct position) on the heavier squat sets, as they tend to nudge in a bit coming up out of the hole, and I noticed the other day I wasn't paying as much attention to form as I used to. I'm pretty sure something helped, as my depth and hip drive was great today. I'll probably be a little sore in the groin tomorrow, but worth it!

I think I actually did 9 reps instead of 8 on the final squat and bench sets, as I somewhat lost count in the middle, so I assumed I had done one less than the number I was thinking of as I counted out the set.

Good training as usual man.

Much on for the weekend?

All the best for your new 12 week goals , once again i'd appreciate your advice earlier on sticking to the program and specially the reference to chewy's log , reading that really motivated me to carry on .
Cheers

Thanks, guys!

MadCow Week 4

200, 200, 10 jump rope w/ 3x5 pullups

forgot to do mobility drills, was too eager to get into the squat rack

Squats
5x45 lbs slow
5x120
5x165
5x210
5x255
5x300

Bench
5x85
5x115
5x145
5x180
5x210

BB Rows
5x75
5x100
5x130
5x155
5x185

The heavy set on squats was tougher than I thought it should be, had a bit of effort getting it up for the last few reps. Form was a bit wonky. I don't think my depth was as far as it should have been, but I was below parallel. Bench asked for a bit of leg drive on the last rep of the heavy set, which I obliged and finished. Rows went well. OK session, would have been great save for the last squat set.

MadCow Week 4

200, 200, 100 jump rope w/ 3x5 pullups

mobility drills

Squats
5x45 lbs slow
5x120
5x165
5x210 slow w/ pause at bottom
5x210 speed set 1 breath

OHP
5x80
5x100
5x125
4x145 +2 push-press slow negative

Deadlift
5x135 slow hook
5x210 hook
5x270 hook
5x325 over/under
5x385 over/under, chalk

I've had a bit of discomfort (wouldn't call it pain, really) in my knees yesterday and today. I think it is from squatting on Monday, pushing my knees out a bit too far. I don't notice it when I'm walking around or even sitting, only sometimes when I'm standing still. Didn't feel it at all while lifting. Going to pay attention to it and be even more careful with my form for the next few sessions until I'm back into the proper groove.

Everything went well today. Would have been nice to get 5x145 on OHP, but I'm fine with 4 reps. I'll get 5 next week. I've programmed a 5-lbs increase every two weeks on my current schedule, so I'm on track anyway. Deadlift was almost easy.

MadCow Week 4

200, 200, 100 jump rope w/ 3x5 pullups

mobility drills
unloaded squats
box jumps

Squats
5x50 lbs
5x110
5x170
5x215
5x260
3x305
8x215

Bench
5x85
5x120
5x150
5x185
3x215 PB
8x150

BB Row
5x75
5x105
5x135
5x160
3x190
8x135

Knees were feeling a little better yesterday and felt fine today - until I did some box jumps. Afterwards my knees were not feeling happy, but only when I was standing around, not while I was squatting. After moving on to the bench I didn't notice any pain or discomfort anymore. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Squats are going well. I've adjusted my form so that I consistently get below parallel and have gotten used to it. The squats are slightly harder but I'm happy with the adjustment and will continue with this form. I had previously stated that I was going to stick to parallel squats while I was doing 5/3/1 last year, but I've pretty much figured out the form and am comfortable with it now. Bench and rows are also coming along nicely. I realized that the 5x210 lbs I hit on Monday is actually a PB for me on bench. I'm happy to see they are improving. When I hit 5x200 on the rows (with good form this time) that will be a PB for me there. I'm getting close to PBs in all the major lifts. 5x150 on OHP and 5x395 on Deadlift will both be PBs (coming up soon!), but I'm not sure where to call my PB on squats. I've done 5x330 lbs at parallel before back in May of 2012. Since I am now going full depth (or at least as far as I can go with my hams on my calves), I am going to call 5x315 a PB.

Came down with the flu this Sunday. Feeling OK today, other than a bit of a cough and some occasional sniffles. Well enough to go to the gym today, but as I'm still probably contagious and I don't want to extend my recovery time from illness I won't be lifting this week, no matter how good I feel on Friday.

Dude - healthy vegan diet and I kicked the flu in 4 days. Bam!

Flu sucks, I train through colds but flu I reckon you're better to rest up and let it pass. Good call mate.

Enjoy the break i am sure you will come back stronger . Take care with the flu

Thanks guys.

So last Friday I was feeling fine and couldn't keep myself out of the gym. I basically repeated what I had done the previous Friday. Even though I was feeling well, all the lifts were difficult. Dammit Jim, I'm a weightlifter, not a doctor! (That's actually phrased backwards from the Star Trek reference, but if you get it you get it either way) That was both bad and good. Bad because I ended up with a cold this weekend (which i am still on the tail end of). Good because it prepped me for lifting today, and today was a good workout.

Today:

MadCow Week 5

skipped warmup, but did mobility drills

Squats:
5x60 lbs
5x120
5x170
5x215
5x260
5x305

Bench:
5x85
5x120
5x150
5x185
5x215 PB

BB Rows:
5x75
5x105
5x135
5x160
5x190

Squats were tough, tougher than they should have been but probably due to my illness break last week and being a bit sick still today. My depth wasn't great on the first rep (still a bit below parallel though), but better for the last 4. I had a good spotter for bench, finally. I explained that I was going for 5 reps and that the last one was going to be an all-out effort, and only save me if I was going to crush my face. It looked like he had his fingers under the bar at the end of rep 5, but told me that he didn't have any lift on it at all. I'm happy with the PB on that one. Rows were tough and I ended up with a bit of hip drive to get it off the floor, but I was able to keep it to a bare minimum and still pull with my back for the reps.

Congrats on the bench PB, that's excellent!

MadCow Week 5

Quick bike and pullup warmup
mobility drills

Squat:
5x135 lbs
5x175
5x215, slow negative, pause, explosive up
5x215, speed set 1 breath

OHP:
5x80
5x100
5x125
5x145

Deadlift:
5x135, hook grip, slow for form
5x215, hook
5x275, hook
5x330, hook
5x390, over/under, chalk

Great workout today. Felt great after squats. Power rack was being used for squats after I was done with my set so I cleaned the bar for OHP sets. 125 lbs went up quickly for a set of 5, so I knew I could hit 5x145 today, which I did handily. Feeling good about myself I went into my deadlift sets and other than the first warmup set, the bar just flew up off the floor. The final heavy set was easy and quick, although it was more touch and go than I normally do. I just got into a zone and was amazed at how easy the pulls seemed so I raced through it.

Didn't get the chance to log on Friday

MadCow Week 5, Friday Feb 22

jump rope and pullups warmup
forgot to do mobility drills

Squat:
10x50 lbs slow
5x125
5x170
5x215
5x265
3x310
8x215

Bench:
5x90
5x120
5x155
5x185
3x220 PB
8x155

BB Row:
5x80
5x105
5x135
5x165
3x195
8x135

Squats went well, good depth and form. Trucking right along with those and looking forward to personal bests a week from today. Bench was good also, happy with my progress. 5th PB in a row on bench. I should make my 5x220 on bench Monday and then I'll be going for a triple 225 on Friday. Finally going to hit 4 big plates for reps. Everything about this workout was good. Looking forward to big Monday in Week 6.