tomc

Still at it! 4 years on and I have only missed a few weeks of lifting. I would like to thank the guys on this thread for showing me the way of the compound lift. Truly, thank you. I haven't really had any goals and I haven't really been consistent with my diet. Half a year ago I did manage to get up to 170kg deadlift, 140kg squat, 95kg bench and 85kg power cleans which I was dead chuffed about. I very nearly hit 60kg military press and have been dipping with 30kg hanging from me. I slowy (oh so slowly) worked my way up from 1x10 chin ups to now be able to perform 10x3. I did my lower back in at work a few months ago and had to lay off squats, deads and cleans but it's getting better slowly. I'm currently on the 5x5 Texas Method at the moment and am finding it to be fantastic for me. Weighed in at 80kg this morning. Here are some photos of my progress: http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/537/14CjUr.jpg http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/540/s0r6ka.jpg http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/901/zUwgU0.jpg

Weighed in at 191lbs this morning. Here I am doing some deadlifts. Vegan power! http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/5762/deadlift.jpg

Still at it. Still on starting strength. Here at some progress photos that I took earlier today. I had no idea that my back had gotten so big Vegan power. http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/3052/frontcomparison.jpg http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/2277/backcomparisong.jpg

So, I have finished university and have moved back to my home town that has crap free weight facilities (no bench or a bar). I will not be able to carry on with Rippletoe’s starting strength :/ I am a bit lost as what to do now. I won't be able to get to a proper gym with a bar for about 2 months. I have quite a bit of excess fat from bulking. Do I cut now? Should I try a different workout that doesn't involve a bar? Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

Here are some progress pictures. I need to eat more :/ http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8891/061111frontcomparison.jpg http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/9581/061111backcomparison.jpg

Hi there, I have a brother who is vegetarian and is looking to shift a lot of weight. He probably weighs nearly 20 stone. I am trying to help but am unsure what I should be encouraging him to do (diet and exercise wise). He really enjoys swimming and is very good at it, if this is any help? Could somebody please help me out with this? He is very close to me and I really want to help him out. Thank you so much for taking the time to read. X

Still at it. Weighed in at 178lbs this morning. Been losing my appetite recently as I have been feeling down. It is coming back slowly. This photo was taken from a festival last weekend (first drink this year - bad). I think I am coming along nicely http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7131/groez.jpg

I weighed in this morning at 175lbs, meaning I have put on 19lbs since December 15th. I am so pleased with this. I am going to keep bulking up for a few more months. Playing my first game of footie since my injury (back in november) on friday. I am really excited to get back on the pitch but wonder how I will fair with my added weight? I've been doing 10k runs once a week for about 4 weeks now, but have been doing them in just over 45 minutes. Prior to my in jury, they would take just over 40 minutes. I will post on here after my football session on friday to tell you how I get on (to those who are interested!). I am starting to see a pretty big difference from the photo taken in december. Anyway, hope you all had fine weekends.

Picture taken today (03/02/11) Not much to report since I last posted. Been having a bit of a shit time with everything in the last week or so but I'm still at it. I am noticing my back and thighs growing very quickly though the picture doesn't really show it. Also, my bum is feeling more muscular. My ankle is now strong enough to do some jogging, and I have a friendly 5-a-side game with my housemates coming up in three weeks time. Still eating around 3500 cals a day. Maybe I should be eating more? I really need to try and find a place to weigh. I seem to have grown an extra chin as well. http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/3930/frontflexh.jpg Roll on squats tomorrow!

That chinese BBQ tofu sounds SO good. Shame I don't own a slow cooker!

Just taken some new photos today (09-01-11) and put them next to my photos from June last year. I am pleased with my progress since I started my new diet and program at the start of december. I have also switched to the cheaper myprotein brown rice powder and pea protein mix. A lot of people dislike the taste of the pea protein from what I have seen in reviews. I simply add half a pint of water and down it in one with no problem. Anyway, roll on gym tomorrow! http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/9449/010911vbbcomparisonfron.jpg http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7612/010911vbbcomparisonback.jpg Cheers

I am now up to 160lbs - happy days!

Brilliant effort mate. Keep at it!

Workout A 1.Squat, 3 sets x 5 reps using the same weight 2.Press, 3 x 5 using the same weight 3.Deadlift, 1 x 5 4.Chin-ups, 3 x failure, 5 minutes rest between Workout B: 1.Squat, 3 x 5 using the same weight 2.Bench Press, 3 x 5 using the same weight 3.Power Clean, 5 x 3 using the same weight Would it be alright to do the dumbbell equivalent of each exercise for 2 weeks? The gym at my home town doesn't have a bar, but my term time gym has.

Cheers guys. This is the workout I am roughly following - http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/10-week-mass-building-program.html Haven't tried to do any leg yet with my ankle still being quite sore and lacking full movement in it. The only trouble I am having is with my arms (mostly biceps) as they still seem very weak (I am only using like 5kg-7.5kg dumbells). The snow in my area has closed my gym today so I am a bit pissed. Would it be alright to do the 3 workouts without the split in the middle as my gym will be closed christmas eve, christmas day and boxing day? Sorry mate, could you explain this a bit? Is that 30% rice protein with 70% pea protein? So for every 1 scoop of rice protein, I put in 2 and a bit scoops of pea protein? Thanks again for the support.

I'm using the vanilla flavour Sunwarrior raw protein powder. I was having a little trouble mixing it on my first day but now I have mastered it and it tastes very nice. However, I have never tried a protein powder before so I have nothing to compare it to.

Well, I only started it this week, so if anyone else can help me improve it then that would be great. Morning: 1 scoop of Rice Protein with a bit of water and some soya milk. 2-3 hours later: 4 slices of Peanut butter on toasted white bread (maybe I should switch to brown bread? I am a student though so I need to use up all my food to save some pennys). Lunch: Boil a handful of red split lentils, drain once cooked (only takes a few minutes). Add 1 tin of baked beans in sauce (e.g heinz) and 1 tin of black beans, chuck in some spices. Serve with homemade humous. (I usually go to the gym sometime between 1pm and 3pm so I prepare another rice protein drink to take up the gym to have straight after my workout). When I get in from gym: BIG handfull of nuts (mostly almonds this week). Tea(or whatever people call the meal before supper): Vegetable curry with a small serving of basmati rice (maybe switch to brown rice? Again it's a money thing). Before bed: Either a tin of baked beans or another handful of nuts. Not sure if I am eating enough calories to put on muscle mass. I am 6'0 and weigh 156lbs with 12% body fat. Any help with my diet would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

Thank you! Shoulders day tomorrow, can't wait!

Hi, I am 21 and 6'0. I started working out at the start of June 2010 and weighed 153lbs. I looked like this: http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/7848/060610frontveganbb.jpg http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/9709/070610backveganbb.jpg I tore the ligaments in my ankle mid November 2010 playing football (soccer). Up until this injury, I was going to the gym 4-5 times a week, working mostly chest and back, then having Saturday and Sunday as rest days. During this period, I did not follow any diet plan. Since the injury, I have not been able to travel very far, so I couldn't make it to the gym. As of the 13th of December, I have started a new high protein low carb diet and a different workout program that works all muscle groups. The photos below were taken today (15/12/10): http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1806/121510frontveganbb.jpg http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5567/121510backveganbb.jpg http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4041/121510frontflexveganbb.jpg I now weigh 156lbs and as you can see, there is a bit of improvement on the chest and back. My arms and shoulders however, are very small. With this new workout I hope to sort out this problem. Cheers.

Hi, I'm Tom. I became vegetarian 7 years ago along with my mother and brother. I moved away to university in 2008 and immediately chose to switch to a vegan lifestyle and have never looked back. I study computer systems and electronics and am in my last year of studying. I am big into football ("soccer") and have been ever since I can remember. I started doing some gym work in June 2010 ready for my last season playing for my university team. In the middle of November 2010, I badly tore the ligaments in my ankle playing a five-a-side match the day before my first uni team match. This stopped me getting about and working out up until last week. Now I have started a new diet and workout program. I am 6" tall and 156lbs. I hoping to build up some muscle mass, and bulk up to at least 180lb's. Cheers for taking the time to read.