Ravi

thanks for the perspective. I'm gonna keep up this kind training protocol and see where it gets me. So far so good!

Does anyone out there regularly train using HIT (high intensity training) principles? The approach I am thinking of is akin to that aspoused by the late Mike Mentzer and Arthur Jones (Nautilus founder). They recommend performing a single set of a few movements to failure, using a very slow count (2-5 seconds up, 4-5 seconds down....per rep). They also recommend exercising as infrequently as possible to maximize recover time (maximum of twice per week, to as little as one per week or less). I have been using this method of training for the past month and I have seen good gains (my strength has increased more in the past 30 days than in the past 3 months). Wondering how others have fared.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/198/508919484_0cc236b4b6_b.jpg and why is the dude from Microsoft using a Mac you might ask? Because....just because! oh yeah...that pic is from a small village called Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu in India (way far south, near the sourther tip). I took it in December.

These videos are from the pre-judging portion of the content. This is where most of the decisions are made. The contestants do a series of madatory poses. It was pretty grueling to watch Rob...as he had to do this THREE TIMES (he was in multiple categories). Also, you'll notice that the stage had very poor lighting....particularly on the right side (where Rob was standing)...and some weird shadows being cast since the spotlights were almost directly overheard. That said...it's pretty cool to go to a contest in person. If there is a show near you...definitely check it out. VIDEO 1 VIDEO 2 VIDEO 3

Hey Rob.....a little late jumping on this thread...but I gotta say that you were AMAZING at the show! I had the chance to sit through the pre-judging and you really gave the other guys a RUN FOR THEIR MONEY! So cool to see a vegan kickin that much butt! I will be posting my pics soon.

we made a quick stop at the Pro Club in bellevue (on of the largest gyms in the country) before the Men's finals. Here....Rob appears to have "lost" his legs... http://farm1.static.flickr.com/179/468708083_91fc9f2e77.jpg the Heavyweight finalists....the guy on the far end ended up winning the overall chapmionship (best in show out of all weight classes)! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/468710073_31e91a3bcc.jpg And let's not forget about the women. They could snap me in two. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/225/468698510_975a8062c0.jpg the figure competition (can't remember which class this was) http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/468696712_75a5e5e163.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/468696190_b44e3656a0.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/468696520_2ca69a090d.jpg and....the XMAN Tony Freeman..ready to kick some but! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/195/468699082_686a3ff067.jpg

And here I am trying to free my hand from the massive grip of Pro Bodybuilder Gunter Schlierkamp! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/204/466859076_d64909420f.jpg only to run into the "X-Man" Tony Freeman! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/468697930_792beeab3e.jpg

Here is Rob trying to take over Microsoft....by FLEXING..I don't think Bill G is too scared.. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/225/468660184_3c6de351a6.jpg xdarthveganx forgot his "penguin" shirt.... http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/468663676_b9c247e4db.jpg

The Emerald Cup was in Bellevue, WA the past few days. This event was one of the premier amateur bodybuilding and fitness events in the country. It was awesome to see. Many pros were also on-hand. We'll post a few pics of the event on this thread. Let's start with Robert and one of his MANY fans Poor guy..... http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/VeganBodybuilder/emerald1.jpg

Robert is such a work-a-holic. The things he will do to promote vega and vegan fitness....poor thing! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/466853924_24b1edda13.jpg

Going to check out the Emerald City Cup tomorrow and Saturday. Should be fun! https://www.craigproductions.com/cp3/index.php Women's contest is tomorrow. Men's saturday. I'll post some pics . Rob and xdarthveganx are up. We're all geeking out on our own laptops.....while watching Pumping Iron! Good times.

how long has he been vegan?

there is an entire folder on this message board about vegan recipes. Spend some time reading it. Also, Robert Cheeke has some great vegan meal plans for gaining weight. Search www.veganbodybuilding.com and you will find them.

Hey Rob, I will be there! ...at least for the pre-judging. Need to check out the competition for next year

Hey There! Glad to see another Seattle member added to the forum (I live in Belltown). I was working the Vegan Bodybuiling/Vega table with Robert at Vegfest.

I had ethiopian food for the first time last week. The food was amazing. IN SEATTLE: There is a place called Pan-Africa right near pike place market (on 1st ave). They have a great Veggie Combo that is all vegan. Super-hea;thy too, nothing is fried or cooked in much oil. I could eat that stuff all day long. Good live music at night as well. GREENS: I take a green powder in the morning. 1 serving of vega in the evening and usually a large head or two brocolli or some kale/mixed greens with dinner. Ravi

In CHECKERS, you focus on one move at a time. Take pieces as they come. You aren’t thinking that far ahead. Action and short-term results are the way to win. CHESS is an entirely different game. Outstanding chess players think a dozen moves ahead. They have a game plan. They are willing to trade-off short-term gains for potential long-term success. Which is life? You see, I would like to think that life is like playing checkers. You never really know what’s going to happen a few moments from now. You listen to you intuition or heart and act congruently. This sounds like a great way to make decisions…IN THE MOMENT. However, there is something to be said for thinking things through. Considering the effect of your actions. Considering you DHARMA (duty) and pushing through tough spells to gather insights and come out of a situation better of. Actions on the chess board of life could include having a long-term investment plan, going back to school to study for your future, sticking with a job through the “tough times” or starting a workout program with long term goals. You’re doing things with a very long term view. So, which is it? Are we playing a game of CHESS OR CHECKERS? Living in the moment or living “intelligently” with a long term view? I faced a very tough decision this weekend that dealt with this very subject. The hardest decision I have had to make in years. Turns out I’m playing CHESS. How about you?

Rob and Randall were up this weekend for Vegfest Seattle. We had an awesome time. Tonight was another MONSTER workout. Chest & Shoulders yesterday, Back and Biceps tonight. My arms hurt so badly I can hardly type. Think twice before letting Rob talk you into going to the gym! ONE LAST REP http://farm1.static.flickr.com/176/434763914_9b241ebd82.jpg CHILLIN LIKE VILLAINS http://farm1.static.flickr.com/149/434769338_6666be6c14.jpg BLUE STEEL http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/434773720_e693c39b58.jpg SLOW DOWN! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/434773730_69672a9d9c.jpg YES, WE CAN GET YOU THIS PIC IN LIFE SIZE FOR YOUR WALL! http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/434773736_b18cf8153c.jpg ROBERT GOES HUNTING FOR MORE WEIGHT http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/434773738_ca244149d7.jpg

Robert and xdarthveganx are sitting in my condo...they travelled through traffic across state borders to get here.....you think we'd be out doing some social activity.....well.....we are all now sitting with our own computers....doing just what you'd expect....browsing the VBB forum! In fact, we appear to be 100% of the members on the forum right now! Tomorrow we'll be a LOT more social. We head across the street to Vegfest Seattle. They usually have 10-12K people attending. Should be a great event.

OK, just when I thought it was safe to start slacking off...you guys come up with a contest that totally hooks me! My most PU nonstop is 66 (set September 2006, at the end of the VBB summer shape up challenge). I just got back from lifting but dropped and did 40 a few minutes ago. I'll try a fresh set tomorrow and see how things go! Looking forward to cracking into the triple-digit club with BBW and Trev! It's gonna take me a few months to get there...but it's a fun goal! Ravi

Will definitely be a good time! Would even be better if the sun decided to show it's face though...

I've got about 700 pics. Will be setting up my flickr albums soon to share them. I travelled all over (Delhi, Jaipur, Bihar, Mumbai, Chennai/Southern Tamil Nadu). Benny Boy: generally speaking, dairy is a large part of Indian Diets, but this is mostly in the form of Yogurt or sweets made with dairy or milk added to tea/chai/coffee. All are easy to avoid. The other thing to watch is that they don't add clarified butter (ghee) to the food or as a topping for the breads (naan or roti/chapati). Both are avoidable if you ask people. Some main dishes also use cream or paneer....but again, pretty easy to spot! You won't have a problem finding lots of great vegan food. Just speak up and let people know. And the fruits are AMAZING there. If you are going there for a few weeks....I would avoid eating ANY raw vegetables/salads. They will be tempting.

I spend most of December in India. Was absolutely incredible. It had been over 13 years since I had been back....much has changed. Of course, It's a great pace for a vegan! A few choice pics: The Taj Mahal - Agra, India. The largest monument in the world built for LOVE. Absolutely incredible. Worth going to India just to see it. Notice the reflection of the Taj in the pool. I was lucky in that there were hardly any crowds there and the weather was perfect. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/393653314_3b52629fe6.jpg Yoga on The Beach - Kanyakumari, India. This small beach is at the very southern tip of India, where the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea converge. The sand is tri-colored, having washed ashore from three distant regions in the single spot. I was there at sunset. Very special. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/393653321_d7e5b67a8a.jpg Gateway of India, Mumbai (Bombay) http://farm1.static.flickr.com/173/393653319_98ab9e85c2.jpg

I've done several fasts. They've been 4 day water-only fasts. I did these in a very protected environment (remote cabin in the mountains of colorado....near pikes peak), so I didn't have any temptations. During the fasts I did lots of yoga and meditation. Not that this is required...but it helped me to amplify the "cleanse" that fasting provides. You can read about my last fast (in October) here. I have found them to be life changing experiences. From a purely physical perspective, I noticed a heightened sensitivity to flavors and textures. My sense were super-powerful as well (I could hear the littlest whispers and eyesight improved). My intuition was on fire. I also noticed my skin clear up remarkably well. You;d be amazed at how much crap gets backed up in your system. It is ing, but true. After a few days, your bodystarts to clean this stuff out. Personally, I thinking some form of cleansing is super-healthy at least 2-times a year. Some do it with water. Some with juice. Either way would be helpful for most.

I was in the gym the other day, and a friend of mine (very big....265lb former football player) asked if I wanted to workout with him a bit. I figured it would be good to do so. He is a certified personal trainer, and could check out my technique and give me a few tips. At one point, he asked if we wanted to bench...to which I said "I don't bench." This was the truth. I hurt myself bench pressing about 6 months and just never did it again. I stuck with dips and cable flys instead. Well, I figured to give it a try again and see how I felt. IT FELT GREAT! Looks like my injury was a thing of the distant past. Why then, have I been avoiding one of the best exercises for upper body development? Next, we went to do pull ups. Now, I have been doing pull ups at almost every workout for the past year. I never vary my grip in any way. Sometime I use a weighted belt for extra resistance, but that is it. My friend immediately grapped a angled bar (used for cable rows), threw it over the pull up bar, and started doing these super-narrow grip pull ups. I never even thought of doing such a thing. I tried it out...AND IT FELT GREAT. Again, I was activating a different part of my back. Next, we moved onto deadlifts where he showed me another tip (really squatting down super-low to engage more of the glutes). The day after my legs really felt it. That's a great thing. The point is....dont be afraid to mix up your workout a bit. Every couple of months, make it a point to do so. Don't get in a rut and think that YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR ROUTINE. Changing things up will help you grow and make it more fun in the gym.