Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

haha its funny how many of us vegans get "accosted" when were shopping, i always get a loads of questions from the people at the checkouts, usually ends up with them saying......"but too much fruit is bad for you"


training looks good liking all the weights!

I've been vegan for over 7 months now and surprisingly that's the first person who's said something, normally I just get shifty looks I do like weights I used to just do cardio but would get bored so fast... I'm the only women in the gym that does weights though, and it's all in the same small room so the gender divide's very obvious, I wish I could get some female friends to join me but pigs might as well fly :/

Saturday: too knackered again. Ho hum.

Sunday:

Chest and Biceps (x12, x10, x8 for each where not specified) –
Chest press: 30kg
Chest press incline: 30kg (x7,x7,x5)
Chest press machine: 20kg
Hammer curls: 7kg
Concentration curls: 6kg
Fly machine: 30kg
Concentration Curl machine: 20kg
Cardio:
Crosstrainer: 160 kcals/16 mins

Still having wrist problems so I'm making sure to wear the supports all the time. Felt pleased that I was able to up the weight on the bench press without too much trouble though... till I went onto the incline ones. Only managed 4 days this week due to lack of sleep/exams/end of exams party (at mine, so was the last awake). Internship starts tomorrow so I'll start splitting workouts more cleanly into weights days and cardio days, to keep workouts at about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Weight loss is slow and frustrating, strength gain's ok though.

Monday - started 9-5.30 internship that's 3 days a week, and fell asleep the moment I got back. Oops. I shouldn't have shunted starting an internship so close to the last exam/party. My energy's definitely a bit wonky.

Tuesday -

Much more successful than yesterday.

Back and abs day. Out of decency to the rest of the gym, I do all ab exercises at home so I can scream in pain to my heart's content, and so the cat can have fun bouncing on my stomach and disrupting things. Saw FitnessBlender on another journal and did this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1919eTCoESo

ow. I'll up it to 3 times a week till I don't have to take breaks, it's only 10 mins after all. Much better than the Insanity abs workout.

(x12, x10, x8 for each where unstated)
Rows: 25kgx12 30kg x8 x8
Ab machine: 30kg x12x12x12
Rear deltoid machine: 20kg, struggled much less weakness in left shoulder but could still feel it, and it's got much less movement than the right.
Lat pulldowns: 33kg
Pull ups: none. Flipping machine was broken.

Cardio:
Crosstrainer: 10mins/130kcals
Exercise bike: 10mins/100kcals

Really not happy with how worked my back feels again, although I've noticed it's beginning to become properly defined. I'm getting a tattoo on my shoulder in August though, so there's a deadline to get that area looking good so I can wear backless tops. I'm thinking I'll start incorporating dropsets and negatives into all my weight workouts from now on, to challenge my muscles a bit more now I've got the basic strength there and the idea of what on earth I'm doing. Especially with the lat pulldowns (which I love...)

I'm also getting used to my new fancy pants running shoes, so I'll start very slowly building up there too. Very aware I don't have a leg day at the moment because I've been prioritizing cardio and don't want to knock my legs out for several days a week. Might have to start forcing myself though, as I know it would help with cardio, running etc. in the longrun.

Been reading your journal, great start. Thanks for sharing it with us all.

-Dylan

Two days to write up. Had my day (/week/month) made today when one of the personal trainers came up to me after my workout to talk to me, and commented he'd seen me doing a lot of weight lifting. He said that a lot of the women in the gym are afraid of the free weights and that he thinks I'm brilliant for going for heavier weights. And he's going to give me a free session on Thursday to go through one of my workouts and get my program more in order. Well chuffed

Wednesday - failed to get to the gym after my internship again, as it was my bookclub night and we didn't finish till 9, by which time I was knackered.

Thursday - cardio. First time on a treadmill. Ever. Felt weird. I've spent the past week getting used to my new trainers, and felt ready to try running... building up very slowly because of my shin splints. First time running at all in... 5 years I think.

Crosstrainer: 15mins/170kcals
Treadmill: 23mins/200kcals (5mins running total in 1min intervals)
Bike: 5mins/50kcals

Friday - a day of people being delayed by hours, and waiting around. Felt knackered. Didn't get to the gym, or get half the other stuff I was supposed to do done.

Saturday -

Shoulders and triceps
(x12, x10, x8 for each where unstated):-
Over-head shoulder press: 10kg (getting stronger, finally!)
Dumbbell seated front raise: 2.5kg x10x10x10
Dumbbell seated lateral raise: 3kg x10x10x10 (focussed more on form than weight for both of these)
Dumbbell kickbacks: 7kg mysterious pain in right shoulder but it was no different when I changed to a lower weight, so I stayed with the 7.
Tricep dips (machine): 30kg
Rope tricep pulldowns: 6kg x12x12x12
Skullcrushers: 7.5kg
Rear deltoid machine: 20kg

Cardio:
Crosstrainer: 150kcals/13mins
Treadmill: 30mins - split 10mins 4mph at 12.0 incline, then 20mins running 1min walking 1-2mins. Ran 8mins total at about 7mph. Much easier than the other day. Annoyingly my breathing rate barely changes, but I can feel my legs beginning to hurt pretty fast. It's going to take a while to build into running.

New week's program in its infancy:

Sunday - back & biceps
Monday - cardio
Tuesday - shoulders
Wednesday - rest day
Thursday - chest & triceps
Friday - cardio or legs
Saturday - cardio or legs
Abs/core tagged on to workouts 3x a week.

Can't wait for Thursday now

Back and biceps. Still struggling to feel my back's been worked. Biceps are sore though.

Bent arm dumbbell pullover: 7.5kg x10x10x10
Lat pulldown: 4x40kg with 6 second negatives, dropped straight to 6x33kg with 6 sec negatives, then 8x33kg with 4sec negatives
Machine rows: 30kgx5, 25kgx8 with 5 second negatives
Dumbbell rows: 10kg x10x10x10 (increase next week)
Pull ups: none. Machine still broken.

Hammer curls: 7.5kg x12x10x8 on each arm
Concentration curls: 6kg x8x6x4
Concentration Curl machine: 20kg x12x10x8

Cardio:
Crosstrainer: 120 kcals/10 mins

Bit of a failure of a week last week - only managed one proper day of training due to being extremely tired and my sleep pattern going all out of whack. Back on track now though.

Monday - nothing

Tuesday - cardio, 20 mins treadmill/200kcals

Wednesday - nothing again...

Thursday - chest and triceps with personal trainer. I wasn't writing it down at the time so might be able to remember.

Dumbbell chest press: 7.5kg x12x12x12
Dumbbell chest press incline: 7.5kg x12x12x12
Chest press plate machine: 15kg x12x12
Chest press machine: 15kg x12x12
Fly machine: 25kg x12x12
Rear deltoid machine: 20kg x12x12
Tricep pulldowns: 7.5kg x12x12x12
Tricep dips own bodyweight: twice till failure

Friday: quiet walk. Ahem.

Saturday: Legs, did this fitnessblender video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF4DZd19Nus and failed about halfway through. I really must do more leg days, this was pathetic.

Sunday: Exhausted. Lay on the sofa and moaned.

Monday:

Back and biceps

Bent arm dumbbell pullover: 10kg x10x10x10
Lat pulldown: 33kg x12x12 then x8 with 4 sec. negatives. Confused about negatives.
Machine rows: 25kg x12x10x8
Dumbbell rows: 12.5kg x10x10x10
Pull ups: none. Machine still broken.

Hammer curls: 7.5kg x12x10x8 on each arm
Concentration curls: 5kg x12x12x12 - went for reps over weight.

and this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrV4vCotio0

Cardio:
Crosstrainer: 230 kcals/20 mins

Stretched a lot.

Bit of a setback these last 2 weeks, I was away for a week and then ill for the next week. Just getting back to things now, I've not lost strength but I've also not progressed. And it's my last full week of training before I move to Berlin and need to adjust to a new gym... language... find a gym...

Wales - Saturday the 1st, Abs and Legs.

Long gap.

Sunday the 9th - Chest and triceps (done not feeling fully up to par after being ill)

Cardio: Crosstrainer warm up 150kcals 13 mins

Dumbbell chest press: 7.5kg x12x12x12
Dumbbell chest press incline: 7.5kg x12x12x12
Chest press machine: 15kg x12x12x10
Fly machine: 25kg x10x6 dropped to 20kg x12 (really missed having the spotter for this one)
Rear deltoid machine: 20kg x12x12x10
Tricep pulshdowns: 6kg x12x12x10
Tricep dips own bodyweight till failure: 9,8,9

Monday - dodgy stomach again. Couldn't train.

Tuesday - Back and biceps

Cardio: Crosstrainer warm up 200kcals 17 mins

Bent arm dumbbell pullover: 10kg x10x10x10
Lat pulldown: 35kg x 10 dropped to 33kg x10x10 all with 4 sec. negatives.
Machine rows: 25kg x12x10x8
Dumbbell rows: 12.5kg x10x10x10

Hammer curls: 7.5kg x12x10x8 on each arm
Concentration curls: 5kg x10x10 wrists started hurting too much.

Really quite concerned about the move to Berlin and finding a new gym. I've just properly got used to lifting in mine.

Hi,

Lucky girl, i'd love to live in Berlin, i go there once or twice a year to meet up with a good friend by the name of Hendrick Burre, hes a strength and conditioning coach with vast amount of knowledge, he also owns and runs the only shooting range in Berlin. He trains bodyguards in gun handling and krav maga. Even a couple sessions with him would be very very educational, his prices are very reasonable. If can contact him here about training or shooting...http://www.shooting-events-berlin.de/ho ... s-booking/

He trains his clients in the McVit gym, its a 24/7 gym, well equipped and best of all....its dirt cheap, i think its like 18 euro a month:)

Hi! Just looked the gym up and it's very close to where I'm staying and about the price I was hoping for. I've been interested in Krav Maga for a while too more information would be great, if I'm only paying E18 I can definitely afford a few sessions.

Really looking forwards to Berlin... renting my flat out here has given me enough money not to work, so I can pretty much just write, read, train and wander round the vegan places. Can't wait

I'm soooo jealous lol, i usually stay near Alexander Platz myself, i love it there, great night life, and dont get me started on the restaurants lol.

The Krav Maga is at the McVit gym, it may be in with your membership, not sure.

http://www.shooting-events-berlin.de/ho ... s-booking/

This is were you can find him, he takes training clients here as well, he speaks flaunt English, and hes a really helpful friendly guy. (Just say you were talking with Rob from Bangor, Northern Ireland)

Best
Rob

Brilliant, I'll send him an email. I've found a vegan couchsurfer to stay with for the first week or two who's just round the corner from Alexander Platz, then I'll try and rent a cheap room in the same area.

This might be a gross assumption on my part, but I'm assuming that as he owns a shooting range he's not vegan?

Amelia

Hi Amelia,

No, hes not vegan, though he doesn't shoot animals, just targets. Hes a former military man (as am i), German tank artillery, hes a very disciplined and positive individual. I met him several years ago, we worked together in Belfast, though, we didn't do too much work...we were always too busy about talking training and diet lol.

Hendrick's very much into Powerbuilding, a cross between powerlifting and bodybuilding, he goes real heavy on the big 3, and then throws in some assistant exercises, and zone training. Hes big on technique / form, it was here i learn't most from him.

Haven't been active on here for a while... massive stresses in my last week of Glasgow and first week of Berlin meant that I didn't have time or mental space for exercise... but I was under so much stress I also stopped eating, so at least I haven't gained any weight. Silver linings and all that. Back to exercise.

Lots of walking every day. Haven't got a gym yet (I don't have a stable location myself) so I've been doing makeshift exercise.

Monday the 1st - fit test from the beachbody insanity program. Brought it on my harddrive as I had a feeling a gym might be slow to settle into and find. Stats from that are:
71,31,66,21,10,12,20,51

Also had 5kg dumb bells, did chest press, bicep curl, hammer curl, concentration curls, and shoulder presses. x12x10x8 for each.

Tuesday - Walked from one side of the city to the other, about 8 miles. Moved flat and now longer have dumbbells... but I have a stable location for a month so can gym hunt.

Wednesday - got stuck waiting for my bike to be fixed. Biked a little bit but not sure it counts.

Thursday - Insanity plyometric cardio circuit. Ow.

I have a roommate... but the light in this flat is great and there's a lot of space, so I should actually get progress pictures when he's out at some point.