Week 1 Vegetarian Bodybuilding

Hey guys,

Sorry for the delay. So I've got a prescription for you to start getting absolutely ripped and look like you've been doing vegetarian bodybuilding. If you have read through the prerequisites page then you know what you need to do before you start working out hardcore. Remember eating right is 67% of the battle.

Your Goals:
(1) To get comfortable with exercising explosively
(2) To get real sore for the first week

Now these may seem like counterintuitive or even counterproductive goals. Let me explain. Your body is a finely tuned machine that is designed to quickly go from large anaerobic bursts of exercise to low bursts and back up again. Only through what is commonly known as interval training can you get the maximum benefit of exercise. Just think about who has a better body....a marathoner who runs at an aerobic consistent pace for a long period of time or a sprinter who performs short anaerobic explosive bursts of exercise.

The second goal has really worked for me. I find that when I get back into the exercise groove after being dormant for a long time, the first two weeks are the worst. You pretty much feel sore all the time. This is because your muscles have atrophied and your body is now building them back up. The next two weeks aren't so bad and the two weeks afterwards are better. Eventually you get to a point where you don't feel that sore after an intense workout. So the goal in this first week is to get real sore with the foreknowledge that this is the worst your body will feel.

Now down to the routine:
You Will Need:
(1) A light kettleball (any standard gym will have these)
(2) A pull up bar or an assisted pull up machine

Warm Up:
(1) INVERTED PUSH UPS on the Smith Machine (put the bar at the lowest setting) x 2 sets x 10 reps
(2) PULL UPS (assisted pull ups if needs be but try to keep the assist weight < half your body weight) x 2 sets x 10 reps
(3) PUSH UPS (put your knees on the ground if regular push ups are too hard) x 2 sets x 10 reps
(4) HIP RAISES x 2 sets x 10 reps

Exercise Routine:
(1) KETTLEBALL CLEAN AND JERK Start in a squat position with the kettleball between your legs. As you come up to a standing position bring the kettleball up to your shoulder and then explode and push the kettleball above your head. Kind of like a clean and jerk. x 3 sets x 10 reps x 2 arms

(2) SPIDERMAN PUSH UPS A regular push up made harder. Before you go down lift one leg off the ground. When you go down push the knee of the lifted leg to the same side elbow. Then return to the plank position. x 3 sets x 10 reps (5 reps per side)

(3) KETTLEBALL FORWARD RAISES Start in a squat position with the kettleball between your legs. As you come up to a standing position swing the kettleball in front of you with your arm slightly bent (almost straight) so that its paralell to the floor. Go back to the squat position. This is basically a forward raise / row with the kettleball. x 3 sets x 10 reps x 2 arms

(4) WINDSHIELD WIPERS Lay down on your back and raise your legs so that the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling. You look like an L from the side. Then, while keeping your legs straight, move your feet from your left side and then to your right side (that's 1 rep)...like a windshield wiper. x 3 sets x 10 reps

(5) KETTLEBALL JUMP SQUATS Hold the kettle ball against your shoulder in a squatting position. As you come up jump up and push the kettleball up exposively above your head...pretty self explanatory x 3 sets x 10 reps x 2 arms

(6) KETTLEBALL BURPEES Stand holding two kettleballs against your shoulders. Then place the kettleballs on the ground and get in a plank position. Do a pushup and then grab the kettleballs and stand up with the kettleballs back against your shoulders. x 3 sets x 10 reps

Remember you are doing 3 supersets between which you take 2-3 minutes of rest. This entire circuit should take you 30 minutes. If it takes you longer you are either taking too much rest or you need to move down in kettleball weight. Afterwards make sure you eat enough protein...supplement with vegan protein if needs be. Remember you do not need to lift a lot of weight to get ripped...vegetarian bodybuiding is more about reps than weight...you need to be always moving and exercising core muscle groups anaerobically.