Lean and Green

It works for me when I want that boost in advance. I log the seat and machine adjustments as well. Bored of AB Ripper X? It's a pretty hardcore routine. Looking forward to seeing your new AB routine though. Change is good.

@vegan_rossco sure am Have thought about powerlifting meets in the past but haven't ventured into that direction. Week 2 / 8 Some highlights from last week: Squat day hit 295lb x 3 on the 8th set Deadlift day hit 435lb x 1 on the 10th set BB Bench day hit 215lb x 5 on the 8th set (2 reps were forced) BB Front seated shoulder presses 155lb x 4 on the 8th set As you suspect, I am going for strength & mass mainly on this 8 week program. Haven't gotten any cardio or stretching done in awhile. Cardio isn't a priority but stretching is extremely important to me. Currently making changes on both this week but i'll report at the end of the week Still holding onto my winter coat and bulking weight of around 206lbs. I'll probably start shedding off around 5lbs a month starting in January to prepare for our competition in 2013.. YEP, competing in July next year with a whole bunch of vegans, many from VBBF. More to post about that but I don't have the details yet for full disclosure. It's going to be a lot of fun though!!

One way you can help your posture is by retracting your scapula when doing certain upper back exercises like lat pulldowns and seated rows. At the start of the movement, retract your scapula and the keep it that way while going through the motion. Another thing you can do is develop your rear deltoids so that they can pull your muscles and alignment back into the proper form at rest. You can use the pec dec machine in reverse or use dumbbells and sit revers position on an incline bench to to some reverse flyes. Those are two of my preferred ways to train them, Hope this helps!

Looking forward to checking out your journal as you continue to progress towards current goals. I struggled with getting back into a consistent routine myself for 4 years and just recently got back into it again. From what I am reading it appears that you are at the point where you are building the foundation for a solid consistent routine. Right on!! Also if you depend on an energy booster pre workout might I suggest Vega Pre Workout Energizer? It's much more natural than canned energy drinks and delivers a similar kick without the nasty crash.

Hey VeganJt666 , welcome to the forum!! Hope you enjoy your time here. Its a pretty close knit community and very welcoming. There are plenty of resources to comb through as well. Looking forward to seeing you on the threads

Thanks mrbear666 ! I'm pretty stoked about getting closer to old pbs It will take time though but i'm in it for the long haul!

Don't know what it is about up here. I got sick also last week. I hope I don't get knocked down this winter again. I think the super cold weather is harsh and took its toll on my body. I've only been out here for 2 yrs and I guess haven't gotten used to it yet. I hope things get better and you finish off the end of this year strong

Have fun bulking up my friend and when you get that recipe do share before bulking season is over!

Ryan, if I lived closer it would be awesome to train with you. Love checking out your routines for inspiration. Keep at it my friend

RC, Like the way you think!! It's BULKING SEASON. I'm up to 206lbs from 182lbs less than 2 mos ago. The scooter only weighs 240lbs so I have definitely gained some ground on it. I'll show that scooter who's boss! :margarin: It's been awhile since I updated here but the good news is that I haven't stopped training consistently!!! I'm getting my old strength and size back. A competition is looking way more likely. As a matter of fact, we are planning a gathering of about 20+ vegans looking to compete together at a natural bodybuilding show next July. We are thinking to do it right around the LA ARC to drum up more media attention and to make a BOLD statement for veganism I'll post more about it as things progress. Anyone who wants to compete with us in July 2013 is welcome to. Just hit me up here and we'll keep you in the loop. There's too much to log but in short, I started my 2nd bulking phase this week and it is going really well! Knocked everything down to the 6 rep range and I am focusing more on the main compound movements for the next 8 weeks: BB Bench, Squat and Deadlifts. Training on Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri & Sat. Trying to get some yoga in on Wed and Sun although haven't been able to afford a class yet. Soon hopefully. My highlight from this week's training was deadlifting 405lbs x 1 on my 10set set on Thursday, Yea Buddy! I'll be back to my old record of 545lbs in no time! Getting stronger is fun!

You definitely have a solid frame and foundation going on. It also sounds like you are putting in some serious work for the next competition. Looking forward to seeing your continued progress. It will be inspiring to others on the forum. Don't get discouraged from your last competition. Because of all the effort that you're clearly putting into gaining more lbm, you'll be that much more of a presence come show time

Heading down to NYC from the 17th-23 for a show. Will you be around between the 19th-21st? If you're interesting in attending the event, I can hook you up with a ticket. It's kind of a new age show but it should still be interesting. http://www.newlifeexpo.com also, if you're around we should hit up a spot in my old stomping grounds together. I could use some good BK Vegan grub and it would be cool to hang

Thanks @dresende ! I am determined to get there so hopefully with a lot of hard work, I will Sorry for the longer update. Tried my best to sum up the last 3 weeks. Week 5 of 8 went pretty well. Actually I strained a tendon in my neck from working out constantly and not stretching. I knew I was pushing it but I wanted some quick results to keep me motivated. On Friday I left for work to Portland and Chicago on 10 day trip. Before we headed out, we scoped out gyms online and planned our routine on the road. I forgot my journal at home so it wasn't logged but We probably got at least 8+ workouts in over the course of those 10 days. We ran 3 miles outdoors, another day 5.6 miles outdoors and the rest of our workouts were at the Gym. It was nice to train with friends we hadn't seen in awhile. I especially enjoyed working out with Ed Bauer . We blasted our Tris and Back Came home last week and decided to change up my routine again. While I was getting really good results, I felt it was time to give my body a break and stretch out a bit. Currently i'm doing a 12 rep, 4 set routine 1x a day 6 days a week. In addition to this, I am taking Yoga 2x a week; one vinyasa class and one restore and renew class. I am also starting each weightlifting session with a brief 3 min warmup followed by about 10 min of ballistic stretches. Hopefully i'll be adding in another day of stretching somewhere throughout the week. The goal is to start lifting for some strength in mid November with a 6 rep, 3 set per exercise routine. Switching it up to keep the body guessing and growing from every angle possible Although my stiff neck is pretty much healed, I did have another minor setback last week... I fell while riding my scooter in the rain. Fortunately, I was only going 10mph however the bike weighs 240 lbs and it did fall on top of me. I have a small bruise on my knee and elbow which isn't too big of a deal. What is problematic however is that I tensed up when the bike fell on me and hurt my back a bit. My spine feels a bit sore. Hopefully this will heal up within the next week or so. I am definitely concerned about it. Went to the chiropractor immediately, trying to get a 30min massage or two scheduled and will modify some of my exercises to make sure that I can still train daily.

CHEVEYO, welcome to the forum!! This place is an awesome resource and as you can already tell a friendly and supportive community. It will be nice to watch your passion toward health, veganism and fitness translate into results! Have fun training hard and nice to meet you! See you on the threads

Eating clean, consistently training + determined WIN! You got this putt_77 . I look forward to checking out your continued progress.

Keep at it VE! Hope you had a good session last night

Welcome to the forum Aleshire1983!!! Hope to see you on the threads. I find it can be a challenge to up your protein without using a protein supplement depending on how many grams you want to get in, especially if you are not consuming a ton of food. I get about 150g in from shakes and the rest from food.

You will not be a poor representation of Veganism on stage in 3 weeks. get em! Nice to see you hear too. We were active on VBBF at different times so it's cool to be online at the same time posting now I love breaking up the workouts during the day also and agree that it brings fast results. Something about taking the 5-8 hours in between training sessions during the day.. you can train the same muscles just as hard again one more time before resting them. I do this on m, w and f. tues, th and sat I just get one workout in at the moment. Hear you about the injury. My rotator cuff impingement affects every upper body workout I go through. Finally started to rehab it and I think it is helping! Glad you're back at it too. Looking forward to hearing more about your potential upcoming comp.

Haven't posted my journal in the last 3 weeks BUT the good news is I haven't missed a workout!! Still been extremely consistent for the last 8 weeks. BIG Gains are still coming pretty quickly and on a weekly basis. I haven't monitored my weight or how much i've been eating. Basically, i've been trying to get between 4000-6000 cal in a day to put a solid base on my frame. Just finished week 4 of the current 8 week program. Some quick highlights to show where i'm at after 8 weeks of training: -Today: Deadlifts. 235 x8, 245 x 8, 255 x 8, 265 x 8, 275 x 8, 275 x 8. -Friday: Incline Bench. 145 x 8, 155 x 8, 165 x 8, 175 x 8 -Wednesday: Squats. 205 x 8, 215 x 8, 225 x 8, 225 x 8, 235 x 8, 245 x 6 Also ran a 5 miler this week with thendanisays. I haven't ran in weeks and have been focusing primarily on pumping some iron. The last time I ran 5 miles at a clip was at least 2 years ago so it was nice to get a good jog in. Got a workout partner and will start training with him on Monday. I usually train alone because I don't want to rely on someone else unless they are completely dedicated to stick to the schedule. He seems to be pretty motivated so I think this might be a good fit. We'll see. If it works out, it will be very helpful. I want to be able to push to failure every time and having a spotter will help us progress quicker. Fingers crossed it works out. I'll be in PDX next week and then Chi Town the following but I have already planned in scheduled workouts daily and plan to not miss a beat. I travel a lot and it has been problematic in the past but going forward, NO EXCUSES. Whether i'm home or on the road, fi there is a workout scheduled then I am getting it in. YB

Week 1 of a more demanding and new workout routine was AWESOME!! I'll be doing this routine for the next 7 weeks (8 in total). It's pretty taxing but with the right amount of rest and proper diet I think it will work out quite well. Here is a breakdown of the routine and recap of last week: 4 sets and 8 reps of each exercise unless otherwise noted. MONDAY AM T Bar Rows (Palms Down) Pullups Seated Cable Rows Barbell Curls Dumbbell Preacher Curls MONDAY PM T Bar Rows (Palms Inward) Dumbbell Rows Weighted Hyperextensions Dumbbell Hammer Curls Incline Crunches with ball toss TUESDAY Rotator Cuff Rehab Exercise Reverse Pec Dec Bent over Flyes Behind the Head Shoulder Press Barbell Seated Shoulder Press Barbell Shrugs Dumbbell Shrugs Dumbbell Forearm Curls Dumbbell Reverse Forearm Curls WEDNESDAY AM Squats (6 sets) Sled Presses Leg Curls Ad Ductor Machine Ab Ductor Machine WEDNESDAY PM Sumo Squats Leg Extensions Incline Crunches Stretching THURSDAY Rotator Cuff Rehab Exercise Reverse Pec Dec Bent over Flyes Behind the Head Shoulder Press Shoulder Press Behind the head Overhead Bicep Cable Curl Dumbbell Bicep Curls Barbell Shrugs Dumbbell Shrugs Dumbbell Forearm Curls Dumbbell Reverse Forearm Curls FRIDAY AM Incline Barbell Chest Press Decline Barbell Chest PRess Pec Dec Incline Dumbbell Fly Dips (6 sets) Incline Crunches FRIDAY PM Flat Barbell Chest Press Incline Dumbbell Chest Press Decline Dumbbell Chest PRess Flat Dumbbell Fly Dips Incline Crunches SATURDAY Deadlifts (6 sets) Good Mornings Dumbbell Forearm Curls Dumbbell Reverse Forearm Curls Stretching as much as possible also. It is kind of hard with all of the time dedicated to lifting. Once the 8 weeks are up however, I will be doing yoga daily and stretching daily for 2 weeks with light lifting to give my body a break and to prevent injuries and tight muscles. I would like to get 1-2 sessions in a week of cardio also whenever possible. Last week I got in all the workouts and got in a 30 min run with thendanisays around the track at a local high school.

Although I wasn't able to update here last week, the good news is that I am still going strong! I busted through 21+ days of consistent training and meal planing. WOO HO!! Time to push it further. Created a new workout for the next 8 weeks. I upped my sessions from 30 to 45 min each. On M-W-F, there will be 2 workouts each day. On tues and thur and sat there will be 1 workout a day. 8 reps and 4 sets per exercise. Time to build. I will try to get in 1-2 cardio sessions a week and 1 session of Yoga a week. I'll try and post the whole routine next weekend. For now just a quick recap of the last 2 weeks of progress 08/07-08/09, 3 resistance training workouts. I was unable to get any workouts in from 08/10-08/12 due to a busy trip. 08/13 - 08/18, 4 resistance training workouts. 1 cardio workout (2.25 mile jog at 8:53 mph pace and 10 min of bleacher runs). Pushed a lot harder this past week to prepare for the increased workload. Pumped to start working much harder tomorrow. Bulking season is rapidly approaching

Exactly and the good news is that they are planning on going together to the Yoga retreat if either one wins. It is an all inclusive trip for two.

Today is day 14 of 21. 21 to make a habit. Training consistently is the only way, before, during and after a goal. I'm gonna do this! 07/30 - 08/05 Monday: Chest, Tris Tues: Back n Bis + bleacher runs at a local stadium Wed: Stretching Thursday: travel, off day Friday: Shoulders & core Saturday: Cycling outdoors. 11.57 mi @ 13.75 mph. Mix of hills and flats. Decent week. Increased weight load with most resistance training exercises. Bleachers were murder but it felt good to get them in. Increased cycling mileage from last week (9.34mi). Got a tuneup on my road bike but gave it to my friend to ride with me because it's faster otherwise the pace would have been faster. Starting to train with a partner on Monday which will be nice. I train well alone but it's always good to get a friend involved in fitness. We'll be training together for 3 weeks. Going to the Cirque De Soleil in a few with thendanisay for our 4 year anniversary. So glad I am posting on VBBF again!! Let's hope I keep it up. Miss everyone here at the forum.

Hey greenprotein! There definitely is a friendly vibe you get here that you can't find elsewhere. I have met many friends and my fiancé here as well as found a career. This forum has completely changed my life. I am not on nearly as often but VBBF is always in my heart and i'll always come back to say hello. Perhaps post more consistently too. See you around

Stick with it crisininc! Nice to meet and I agree 100% this forum is a great place to be. See you on the boards