itsjustrobbiesjournalok UK Vegan Bodybuilding

[itsjustrobbieok]

So heres my intro.

Name: Robbie
Age: 31
Height: 5'10
Starting Weight: Stuck at 72kg (158lbs)

About me: Ex smoker, drinker and party animal turned health freak! In 2007 I gave up smoking and my life turned around. I've raced sprint and olympic level triathlons, ran 20minute 5k's and 42minute 10k's and cycled 155 miles in 9 hours. As a classic ectomorph I have always been small in frame and found adding muscle difficult. I did starting strength back in 07/08 and got to 75kg in bodyweight but the more I got into endurance sport the less weight lifting I did until it all stopped. I have struggled in the past with unsupportive partners too...

This time I am doing it right though! My goals are to add more muscle and get to a point where I can lean up a little (although I am far from fat) and although some strength gains would be nice my goals are mainly to look better. I have been back in the gym for about 3/4months and seen some good gains which appear to have stalled but as of the end of January are now going back up (thanks to a 4500 calorie workout day menu). My main focus for bodyparts is it have awesome legs (especially calfs) and freaky forearms!

I have been Vegan since December 2010 and although it makes bodybuilding hard sometimes - it is one of the most worthwhile decisions I have made (after quitting smoking) and has changed my outlook in so many positive ways.

I try to weigh myself on Saturday and Sunday to check my weight is going up but also judging on how I look in the mirror, will be measuring myself monthly as well.

Current PB lifts

Deadlift: 8 x 110kg (no straps only chalk)
Flat Bench: 8 x 60kg
Squat: 8 x 90kg (below parallel)

Current measurements in cm (inches) and are unpumped and not tensed. I'm doing these myself so how accurate they are I don't know!

Quad (right) - 57 (22.4)
Calf (right) - 36.5 (14.4)
Hips - 92 (36.2)
Waist - 86 (33.9)
Chest - 93 (36.6)
Shoulders - 108 (42.6)
Forearm (left) - 27 (10.6)
Bicep (left) - 31 (12.2)
Neck - 37.5 (14.

Workout schedule depends each week as I go to the gym before work (630am) and cannot go on a Tuesday or Thursday. But if the programme starts on a Monday it works like so...

Monday - Quads/Calfs
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Chest/Biceps
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Back/Calfs
Saturday - Hamstrings/Triceps
Sunday - Abs **this day never changes**
Monday - Shoulders/Forearms
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Repeat

I am currently doing 3 x 12 with a 60second rest between sets, reps are slow and controlled with a focus on good form and where possible I increase the weight each workout or do extra reps to keep the programme progressive.

[itsjustrobbieok]

Legs/Shoulders

Squat

*warm up sets*
8x87.5kg
8x87.5kg
8x87.5kg
8x87.5kg

Overhead Press

*warm up sets*
8x35kg
8x35kg
8x35kg
6x35kg

Romanian Deadlift

8x50kg
8x70kg
8x70kg
8x70kg

[itsjustrobbieok]

Todays workout, didn't feel to sharp for the gym - don't seem to be getting enough sleep for early morning workouts. I did manage to touch my toes with my legs locked and straight this morning though which is the first time I have as an adult! Nice that my stretching is showing some signs of progress at last; Building flexibility is such a slow process!

Flat Bench Press

*warm up sets*
8 x 52.5kg
8 x 52.5kg
8 x 52.5kg
8 x 52.5kg

Dips (chest forward)

8 x BW + 5kg
8 x BW + 5kg
8 x BW
8 x BW

Close Grip Bench Press

8 x 40kg
8 x 40kg
8 x 40kg

Calf Raise (on leg press)

15 x 75kg
15 x 75kg
15 x 75kg

Stretching

15mins

[itsjustrobbieok]

Eurgh. I make my food a few days in advance in big batches but managed to undercook my lentils. Its making eating such a chore!

[itsjustrobbieok]

Back day today, deadlifts felt good although was surprised my grip felt like the weakest part (am 10kg off pb and have been doing lots of grip work) but it could just be an off day. Pull ups were wider than usual (had to do them from a different bar) so they felt harder that usual too and was not an improvement on last week. The barbell rows I'm still not sure on, I'm not hitting my chest on every rep so might drop a little weight to get this spot on and then work up. They are hard to do without putting a bit of upward swing in to cheat as well...

Having messed up by undercooking some of my food making it a bit dry and crunchy, eating my food has been a real chore. Tomorrow is a cook day though so will not make the same mistake again! I've been draining off my tofu a little too much too and its ended up a bit dry and lost some taste. I've spent all of this week off intermittent fasting and tomorrow is my weigh in day although I'm not expecting to see a gain (as I have eaten maybe 90% of my food). Its nice not having to squeeze all the food in at the end of the day now and its odd that when I was eating late at night I was waking with ravenous hunger - but since going back to a normal eating schedule I don't. Figure that one!

Deadlift

*warm up sets*
8 x 100kg
8 x 100kg
8 x 100kg
8 x 100kg

Pull Up (wide grip)

6
6
5
4

Barbell Row (pendlay style, deadweight from floor)

8 x 50kg
8 x 50kg
8 x 50kg

[itsjustrobbieok]

Also my .25kg micro plates have (finally) arrived so I can start increasing with smaller increments as I get closer to my PB lifts (and hopefully get some good steady progression out of my overhead press).

[Nicholas_Weir]

Also my .25kg micro plates have (finally) arrived so I can start increasing with smaller increments as I get closer to my PB lifts (and hopefully get some good steady progression out of my overhead press).

Sweet, also nice deadlifting @ 100!


I can tell this is going to be a great journal!

[itsjustrobbieok]

Oh I just realised my deadlifts yesterday were double overhand so maybe my grip is improving!!

[itsjustrobbieok]

My Saturday workout is an extra day I have recently added to help with posture (face pulls), forearms/grip, biceps and triceps (I have mini arms) and my calves. Probably my favourite day if only because I have a bit more time than during the week. I'm considering moving back to a 3x12 rep range from next week too as I don't feel like I get the same growth out of 4x8.

Face pull

12 x 15kg
12 x 15kg
12 x 15kg

Barbell Wrist Curl

15 x 15kg
15 x 15kg
15 x 15kg

Dumbell wrist twist

12 x 10kg
12 x 10kg
12 x 10kg

Barbell Shrugs

12 x 85kg
12 x 85kg
12 x 85kg

Barbell Curl

12 x 25kg
10 x 25kg
12 x 20kg

Tricep Rope Pulldown

12 x 10kg
12 x 10kg
12 x 10kg

Farmers Walk

4 x 50kg (25kg in each hand gripped with a towel, each rep is a length of the gym - approx 20m)
3 x 50kg
3 x 50kg (without towel)

Plate Pinch

2 x 15kg (held to failure)

Calf Raise (on leg press)

15 x 75kg
15 x 75kg
15 x 75kg

10-15mins Stretching

[itsjustrobbieok]

Interesting day today, switched back to a 3x12 and had forgotten how much those extra 4 reps hurt! Romanian deadlifts I'm still not sure on, I need more weight to feel it on my hamstrings but I'm not feeling 12 reps with the higher weight. Might try some straps with it and see how that goes - or maybe switch to leg curls. Overhead press is still the bane of my life although I have .25kg plates for microloading the weight up. Appetite has been a bit rubbish today, legs have left my stomach churning most of the day and my lunch had managed to dry out . Feeling a bit pants through getting one too many late nights too, 5/6 hours sleep is catching up with me...

Barbell Squats

12 x 80kg
12 x 80kg
12 x 80kg

Overhead Press

12 x 30kg
12 x 30kg
7 x 30kg

Romanian Deadlifts

12 x 60kg
12 x 60kg
12 x 60kg

[itsjustrobbieok]

Better day for eating today, back to my usual brand of lentils and they are much tastier - have cooked my rice slightly longer too so its nice and fluffy. Have increased my calories on training days now up to 4500 with the inclusion of some dextrose. Gym felt a bit pants again, still getting used to doing 3x12 and having to drop the weight a bit (oh the ego!)

Bench Press

10 x 50kg
12 x 45kg
12 x 45kg

Dips

10 x BW
12 x BW
11 x BW

Incline dumbbell flyes

12 x 7.5kg
12 x 7.5kg
12 x 7.5kg

Hanging straight leg raise

10
5

[itsjustrobbieok]

Almost forgot - my yoga class started back again tonight. Great session, very grounding. I even fell asleep in relaxation at the end and woke up to myself snoring! Oops!

[itsjustrobbieok]

I don't believe I could physically eat any more food today!

[itsjustrobbieok]

Deadlifts

12 x 95kg
12 x 95kg
12 x 95kg

Pull Ups

6/5/5/5

Bent over row

12 x 60kg
12 x 60kg
12 x 60kg

Straight leg hanging raises

10

[itsjustrobbieok]

Had a good workout today, for the past few months I've been doing 120 seconds rest between sets but today I changed up to 60 seconds. I think from next week I will do this for all workouts and maybe add in another exercise. Today took a bit longer today for the actual workout (60minutes instead of 45) and I would like to continue this in the week. This will mean making sure I get to the gym for bang on 630am though. Got a decent earlyish night last night and feel all the better for it, also 2nd night of being back on ZMA and melatonin. Thursday evening I was asleep by 9pm but my stupid body decided to wake me up at 3am, hopefully getting into a routine of slightly earlier nights and getting more sleep will have some positive effects. Made a few tweaks to my diet today so will be eating slightly less "food" and little more supplements but hopefully it should help me get the food in me (the macros stay pretty much the same aside losing a little protein"

Close grip EZ curl

12 x 27.5kg
12 x 27.5kg
12 x 27.5kg

Tricep Pushdown (rope)

12 x 21kg
12 x 21kg
12 x 21kg

Face Pull

12 x 17.5kg
12 x 17.5kg
12 x 17.5kg

Barbell wrist curl (palm up)

15 x 17.5kg
15 x 17.5kg
15 x 17.5kg

Dumbbell wrist twist

15 x 10kg
15 x 10kg
15 x 10kg

Barbell Shrug

15 x 70kg
15 x 70kg
15 x 70kg

Farmers Walk (first set using towels to grip plates)

20kg x 4 lengths (approx 40m total)
20kg x 4 lengths (approx 40m total)
20kg x 4 lengths (approx 40m total)

Plate Pinch

15kg to failure
15kg to failure
15kg to failure

Calf Press

15 x 70kg
15 x 70kg
15 x 70kg
15 x 50kg

Hanging straight leg raise

13