My Journey as Vegan Athlete by Ed Bauer

My Journey as Vegan Athlete

By Ed Bauer

I committed to the vegan lifestyle as a 16 year old skateboarder. I just started lifting weights with my dad the year before. This was over 20 years ago now. Since then I became a certified Personal Trainer in 2006. As a vegan, I felt I did not want to be preachy to my new clients so I was pretty quiet about it at first. Then as time went by, I realized it was my duty to let my clients know, and for that matter, let the world know.

I moved to Portland in 2008. I started working at 24 Hour Fitness and it was the same gym that Robert Cheeke worked out in. He is the creator of www.veganbodybuilding.com and he was (and arguably still is) the most recognized vegan athlete out there. We became friends and he inspired me to step on the bodybuilding stage. I did in 2010 and won my weight division my first show. With my success in the field, I started gaining online recognition. I became a sponsored athlete for www.veganbodybuilding.com and was a contributing author for the website. Then I competed a second time in bodybuilding, but already lost my excitement for the one dimension of the sport. I then began focusing on CrossFit. I got my CrossFit Level 1 Certificate and open my first gym in Portland called PlantFit Training Studio. I ran that for a few years, and focused mainly on coaching functional movements for most of my clients. My primary focus at the time was cross training.

Then in 2012, Giacomo and Dani of www.veganproteins.com asked if I wanted to join a vegan athlete team to compete together later that year. I said I was in. We ended up naming the organization PlantBuilt and we competed as a team of 14 athletes in Austin, Texas. I have been on the team since the very beginning. With the team in 2012, I competed in the Men’s Physique Division. I took second place out of 24 athletes. This wasn’t a victory, but the PlantBuilt team showed a lot of athletes that vegans can come in better shape than the meat eaters. The team has since grown to about 50 athletes and the next event we are having is the summer of 2017. During the second year of the PlantBuilt team, my girlfriend Holly Noll and I were featured on the cover of Vegan Health & Fitness magazine. This was a defining moment in our lives as ambassadors of the vegan movement.

In 2013, I decided I was ready to leave Portland, so I packed my things, sold my gym, and moved to Oakland, California. My partner Holly lived there and I wanted to be closer to her. Plus living right outside of San Francisco is really cool for so many reasons. A year later, we found a gym space with an apartment over it and we opened NewEthic Strength & Conditioning in January 2015. As a CrossFit focused athlete for the last few years, I became frustrated with my lack of top end strength. I took a step back from cross training and solely focused on getting stronger. At 175 bodyweight, I had a 335 squat, 290 bench, and 435 deadlift. I ate a lot and focused on powerlifting. I competed at the USPA Old Skool Iron Classic in May 2016. At 214.4 pounds bodyweight, I worked up to a 418 pound squat, 315 pound bench, and 507 pound deadlift. These were lifetime goals for me. At 36, I want to now find goals I can be happy with, and move on. Currently I am focused on olympic weightlifting. I set my personal goals for the clean & jerk, and snatch. Now I am focused on breaking through strength plateaus in this area as well.

With over 20 years as a vegan athlete, I have experienced a lot of variance in the fitness industry. As a gym owner, champion bodybuilder, CrossFit coach, fitness model, and powerlifter, I now want to set my focus on a few more specific goals. After that, I simply want to continue to be a steadfast contributor to the movement. Veganism is the future. The more we continue to smash PRs (all while eating delicious plant-based foods), the more people will see this is better for their health, the health of the planet, and the health of the animals.

How Kyle became Vegan!!!

Hey, my name is Kyle DeLaney and I’m 30 years old. I’m also vegan and I like to lift weights. I grew up in South Jersey, and moved to Portland, Oregon in March 2015.

If I had to pinpoint one thing which initiated my interest in becoming big and strong, I would have to say it was professional wrestling. While I haven’t really followed it in about 15 years, it was instrumental in my desire to be big. I remember having a WWF VHS tape at a very young age with a handful of matches on it. Of course there was a Hulk Hogan match (late 80s/early 90s), but there was also a match involving a man named Ivan Putski. I’ll never forget how big he was in that match. He wasn’t ripped like he became later on, but he certainly had a lot of muscle. He looked like the kind of man who could knock down a brick wall with his bare hands. After that, I discovered Andre the Giant, and I was awestruck. He was just so massive and I thought it was the coolest thing on earth. 

A few years later I remember seeing the World’s Strongest Man contests on TV. Magnus ver Magnusson was the man to beat at that time, and they would always play older competitions, often featuring Bill Kazmaier. I thought he had the most impressive physique in his day. His traps were like two grapefruits which sat between his neck and his shoulders. The competitions themselves got me really riled up. There were a bunch of actual giants throwing around larger than life versions of everyday objects. I would get excited to go do yard work after that, running with the wheelbarrow full of mulch and dragging tree limbs to the street.

Around that time I started getting very into the punk and hardcore music scene. It was the first place I ever felt like I belonged in my life. There were rooms full of passionate, aggressive people listening to bands who were singing about real life things I could relate to; being angry and insecure and a black sheep. Some of the bands also sang about things like living a drug and alcohol free lifestyle (something I made a conscious decision to do when I was 13), and some sang about not eating and enslaving animals (something which struck a chord with me, but I didn’t adopt until several years later). I always considered myself an animal lover, I grew up wanting to be a zookeeper and spending much of my early years poring over books about dinosaurs and lions. 

I grew up playing sports, but once I got involved in the music scene, I gave them up. I realized I felt more at home in a room full of strangers than I ever had on any team. I realized teams weren’t really my thing. After a few years, when I was 16, my friend convinced me to join the track team to throw shot put and discus with him. He was the best thrower we had, and wanted a good partner for the relay meets. I had never tried either, but I joined the team and after a few weeks of practices and some size on my side, I became the #2 thrower on the team, and my buddy’s relay partner. As a means to get better at throwing, I started lifting weights with my buddy. We mostly benched and used the leg press and did a lot of curls. After high school, I went away to college and got pretty into lifting weights. At the time it was mostly an aesthetic thing for me. I loved reading bodybuilding magazines, memorizing some of my favorite bodybuilders’ routines.

One day I was reading one of the magazines, and in the back there was a two page ad. I don’t even remember what it was for to be honest, but I remember the man in the picture. His name is Scot Mendelson, and there was a brief article explaining how he weighed 320 pounds, had a six pack, and was the strongest bench presser in the world. I was amazed. From that point I started going back through the magazines I had and finding articles about bodybuilders who employed powerlifting into their training. I started lifting heavier, and not worrying as much about the number on the scale. It was also about this time some of the music I grew up listening to started to really take hold of my thoughts. The band Earth Crisis posted a link from their Myspace page to a PETA video, showing footage from slaughterhouses. I became vegetarian the next day. I could no longer rationalize eating something which unwillingly lost its life, and in such a terrible manner. I realized the only difference between my dog and a cow was how their roles are dictated by society. They are both sentient beings with the ability to love and hurt as much as us. To make up for the protein I was no longer able to get from meat, I started to eat a lot of eggs and cheese. After tearing my rotator cuff, my weight rose as I continued to eat the same way without training. When I finally got back into the gym after about two years of no lifting at all, I weighed 275, even going up to 285 once I had been lifting weights again for a few months. 

The idea of going vegan had been growing stronger in the back of my mind for quite some time, and one day in April 2009, I just decided enough was enough. I told myself I would not eat any more animal products, and I’ve stuck to that ever since. Over the next few months I lost about 40 pounds. My energy was through the roof, and I felt good about being alive, something I hadn’t felt in years. Over the next few years, I went from doing mostly cardio (woof), to bodybuilding style training, and eventually deciding that powerlifting was the thing for me. 

In 2012, I tore my rotator cuff once again. Unfortunately, it never healed properly from the first tear, as I never had surgery on it and didn’t do any physical therapy. Don’t think because you’re 19 you’re invincible. It’s actually never been properly repaired, and is something I’ve been training around for over a decade now. I eventually got back into the gym in 2014, taking it very slow in the beginning. I started out just benching the bar for five sets of 20 reps, working up to that set and rep scheme with 95 pounds until I no longer noticed any pain in my shoulder. Since then, I’ve had some flare ups with it here and there, but I’ve learned when to stop pushing through the pain, and what seems to aggravate it the least. 

Being vegan is not something I talk about much. Most people don’t know I’m vegan until it somehow makes sense to mention it in conversation. I’m fairly shy, for one thing, and it’s not that I’m ashamed of it, far from it, it’s just that answering the same questions and hearing the same unfounded criticisms time and time again eventually starts to take its toll. That having been said, every once in a while I come across someone who’s genuinely interested in it, and have honest, engaging questions. Those are some of my favorite conversations. I’m fortunate to live in a city now which has an abundance of vegan culture; it’s so accessible here. There’s definitely still a stigma attached to veganism, particularly within the powerlifting world, but there’s such an awesome community for vegan athletes via the internet. It’s really been a powerful motivation for me to start to put myself out there and connect with people and showcase what I do. I still have yet to compete in a powerlifting competition, but have worked a few at my gym, and it’s such an awesome atmosphere, very reminiscent of the hardcore punk community which made me who I am. There is a meet at my gym in July I hope to do, as long as old injuries don’t get in the way. Most recently I broke my hand at work last year, and my wrist and grip strength are still a little iffy. Current training PRs are 425x2 in the squat (knee sleeves and a belt), 285 bench with a competition pause (haven’t handled that much weight since breaking my hand), and a 605 deadlift with a belt. Hopefully I can continue to push those numbers up for a long time.

Holly Noll "NewEthic Strength and Conditioning"

     SO honored to be among this elite group, dang! So many bad ass vegan folks up in here! My name is Holly Noll, I co-own NewEthic Strength and Conditioning in Oakland, California with Ed Bauer, a totally vegan (though we have non vegan members) gym that focuses on CrossFit and Powerlifting style, functional, dynamic workouts in the form of super fun classes that build our strong vegan community as well as personal training and mobility. I also own FitQuick Protein Waffles, a company I started when I was still all up in fitness modeling and staying lean while eating all the waffles. It's a dry mix that just needs non dairy milk making macro-friendly, delicious, high protein, lower carbohydrate, high fiber, lower fat waffles hella quick. In addition to those I co-own a remote training company called Rise & Resist Training, with Lacy Davis, that was born out of the need created by the listeners of our podcast of the same name. I also compete on the international team of athletes called PlantBuilt and you can find me online here. Oh, I've also been straight edge since 1998, which has come to define me in the sense that it gave me focus, drive, integrity and clarity.

     Jeez, now that I got all that out of the way, I guess I should get to my story! I've been into punk and hardcore since I was a kid (my parents are super cool) and exposure to the political undertones made me a full on activist in my very early teens. Listening to bands like Propagandi, Nausea, Dead Kennedy's and others, reading the record sleeves, and absorbing the punk news telling me about all the injustice in the world gave me a sense of urgency, a call to action. This meant starting many bands over the course of the next two decades but I also became light weight vegetarian, fading in and out of caring when I was 14, but getting more and more aware or serious as the years passed. By 20 I found myself in college teaching with an organization trying to end rape and domestic violence through education, and I was traveling to different Bay Area High School, Jr High, and College classes to spread that message. I was in school for gender studies and sexuality, and it would be safe to title me "anarcha-feminist" at the time. So, when I was 20 I found my vegetarian self in a co-op in San Francisco waiting for a friend to pick me up and, I know I'm dating myself here, but sans smart phones, I found myself picking up "zines" (small, independently released, magazines typically out of the punk and DIY scenes). After reading for a moment I came across a short article, not longer than a small page, that connected the dots between the oppression I was actively fighting in our culture, for reproductive and sexual rights and freedom for human women, to the oppression of female animals in the diary and egg industries. I realized, right then, that I was living a hypocrisy that was so easily avoided. I gave the rest of my cheese containing burrito to my friend when they came and I was officially vegan. 

     It's worth noting, here, that I came up in the restaurant industry. Much of my family are/were chefs so I was literally in baby seats in industrial kitchens. So when, 20 ish years later, I told them I was going vegan it didn't go terribly well. They said I was ruining my career as it was generally unheard of to be a chef that limits their range in food. Turns out it was actually one of the best things I could have done for myself. It gave me passion, drive, urgency. It gave me a reason to make everything I sent out perfect, because it was a tiny representation of the end of oppression, a tiny light on every plate saying that vegan food can be as good, if not way way way better, than oppressive food. Turns out I wasn't destined for a life of being a chef, however, but the skills I learned from work ethic to nutrition information has turned out invaluable when "macro hacking" so I can eat delicious food but have it make me look and preform how I'd like and in coaching nutrition for others. My history with food got me into nutrition first, where I became a health coach, helping folks heal themselves from heavy lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancer, asthma, and others. Understanding how to fuel your life, and your performance, is a crucial key to success.

    Fast forward a bit and I'm in Seattle, working as a Sous Chef at several awesome veg spots and beginning my fitness journey. I started going to the gym because I knew no one, it was super dark and wet and depressing in the PNW and it seemed to make me happy. I started just running on treadmills, and doing basic lifts with lighter weights or machines. I say I "tripped and stumbled" through fitness for a few years then I found out about CrossFit. 

     I saw these epic strong women, and men, but the women really caught my eye. These ladies were on par with the dudes, not like other sports where women are an afterthought or entirely barred for participation, they were valued just as much as any other athlete. I saw these lady folks with huge shoulders, six packs, working their asses off to move big weight and slaughter workouts like I'd never even dreamed. I was in love... I never joined a CrossFit "box" but I started finding workouts online and doing them at 24 hour fitness. It wasn't the raddest but it got me started. I would watch videos of lifts online and then do them with the bar or very little weight until I got them down. It was not a fast process. But eventually, now back in California, I realized that I actually just wanted to focus on the heavy lifts. Enter Powerlifting.

     I dug into the sport of powerlifting for a few years, culminating in 2015 when I got third in my weight class at the Naturally Fit Games in Austin, Tx (an event with over 10,000 competitors) with my team PlantBuilt. I love lifting heavy and it's worth noting that I got into it not because I wanted to "get toned" or any other printer inspired explanation, I got into powerlifting because it made me feel invincible. I felt like I got the bouncing star in Mario and I was untouchable. When you're a small lady, you are prey in our society. We haven't rid ourselves of the oppression of ladies and, as a survivor of sexual assault, I wanted to feel like I could take care of my own damn self. Powerlifting gave me that. It made me hold my head high, it helped me heal, not feel like a victim and so much more.

     Recently I decided to diversify and will be competing in my first CrossFit competition in September. I've also gotten pretty deeply into training weightlifting, and would love to compete in that sometime soon but mostly, because my team is taking a year off, I'm currently focused on getting stronger, getting bigger, and being the raddest coach while nurturing and building up our community. Rise & Resist has been a huge driver lately too, as we have a certification process in the works, so big things are coming! 

     I love that, at NewEthic, we can focus on strength, and grit, rather than the typical globo gym mentality of diet diet diet diet diet. I my help people with nutrition and with any goal they have but it's not our focus. Our focus is strength, body positivity, and achieving goals that make you strong and stoked. It's way fun and the community rules. Lets hope the future of this rad strength journey I've been on continues to rule as much as it has historically.

-- 

Holly Noll

"Get Strong. Get Stoked."

Media https://instagram.com/xvxh https://www.facebook.com/xvxhx 

Gym www.newethic.net

Waffles http://www.veganproteins.com/proteins-more-shop/fitquick/

Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rise-and-resist/id979966926?mt=2

Powerlifting http://www.plantbuilt.com/profiles/powerliftng/holly-noll/

Cooking Show https://www.youtube.com/user/VeganShortcake

The Journey Of Niki Sparkle

I have been a vegetarian for far longer than I have vegan. I was first vegan almost 20 years ago but I didn't understand how important that choice was for the planet at the time and it was mainly to stop myself from over eating.
My back ground as an athlete started when I was a sports player (basket ball) from quite a young child and adolescent to my teens.
Our diet wasn't looked at as so important.
I had many years as a grown up without sports or much activity until about 6 years ago when I started going to the gym to "get skinny".

The gym became my haven and quickly an important part of my daily routine.
The diet was mainly vegetarian for years but not very healthy. I had no idea about macros, aminos or any nutrient importance.
I mainly did cardio exercises ... didn't know what any of the machines did ... and as far as I knew the weights were for men.

Regardless of my choice is exercise, all of my gym efforts were pretty much wasted because of what I ate.
I just about maintained weight but saw no major difference in size or fitness level.

It got frustrating ... started to cut more food out and increase cardio and ended up with some terrible eating habits.

Then I decided enough was enough and I wanted to learn about getting "toned" properly... I met a female body builder through my work and she showed me some tricks and that's I found out about basic weight lifting and that the best way for women to firm/tone up was to get on the weights instead of the crazy amount of cardio I was doing every day.

I soon saw a difference so it didn't take me long before I wanted to take it to another level.
When I started to focus on building more and bigger muscle mass in stead of the toning I knew my diet had to change, I didn't know what or how.

I was vegetarian but was still eating a lot of sweets and crisps and junk food and then guilt starving at this point so my body fat was holding on for dear life because it was trying to cope with the extreme dieting and that fat was covering all my hard work... so I knew that the all the "dieting " had to go ... but what and how? It was all quite confusing when I researched it.

Then I took some bad food / meal advice ...
"you must eat chicken and fish and broccoli to gain muscle"  and the stereo typical body builder ways came along for the ride.
I bought into it for about a year...
I convinced myself this was the way to do it but one day I just had enough and the idea of eating another dead chicken was making me feel awful.
I also started to see more and more amazing vegan athletes on Instagram and I thought "that's me, I can do that too".

So I did. I had a cross over period... my mind was ready but
I had an event I was prepping for and promised myself the day it was done I would never eat another animal or any produce from an animal again ... That was a great day!

This time round there is a lot more reason to my decision. I have tonnes more knowledge and experience about food; what it does and how it works and what to eat to gain muscle and or lose fat.
The science of it all is so interesting to me.

But something else happened too.

I suddenly feel a deep felt need to do more to right my wrongs and to show a new style of vegan health in a public forum.

My own ignorance was slapped in the face when I started to look into industrial animal farming. I didn't know a fraction of the truth!

So now I want to share my knowledge to help stop the terrible conditions that animals are enduring in order to end up on people's plates ...
there is a complete lack of connection for most people ... just like my own experience...  there simply is not enough knowledge out in society in general  about how the animals are handled and how atrociously unnecessary it is to eat meat or drink dairy in this day and age.
People really do believe milk comes freely from cows and other animals, that eggs magically appear without cruelty
and that there is such a thing as humane killing of animals... Sadly there is not.

The world cannot sustain itself the way farming of animals is going...
That's for a whole different blog post.... so sticking to my story!

I am super proud to have gone vegan.         

This time it is not just about me and my health but also about educating more people about the great alternatives available and showing a cruelty free life style is where the future is at.

If anyone would like to talk about any subject here feel free to email me for information. If I can't answer myself,  then I have many fellow educated vegans who can.


N.B.
A vegetarian diet still includes cheese, dairy and eggs .. sadly all those things involve taking something from animals and involve terrible cruelty on industrial farms such as forced insemination, constant pregnancies, mastitis infections, hormone injections, calves being taken away from the cow mothers in order for her to produce milk and the male baby chicks are often gassed or ground up alive as a waste product of the egg industry ... That's not the half of it!

AND that is why I am vegan not vegetarian anymore.
I am 100% plant based athlete not 45/55% or 95% but completely, heart and soul ✊🌱❤️


Kind regards,

✨Niki Sparkle✨
Instagram
@nikisparkle
@veganbodybuildingmermaid 

How to make Plant Based choices work for you!

Plant Based

When I refer to Plant Based Diet I mean that the majority of your food comes from plant sources. At the very least 51% plants and 49% animals. HOWEVER, I am in absolutely NO WAY, advocating or supporting any diet that is less than 90% or less plants. Personally, I support and follow a 95% plant based diet with the rest being animal products.

Protein

Everyone is so concerned about getting protein from plant based sources. Personally, I never count protein nor do I see food sources as protein, carbs, or fats. Food is nutrients PERIOD!!! I’ve been eating plant based foods for over 10 years and if I had a lack of protein problem I would obviously feel it and it would reflect in my sports performance. I can guarantee you that plant foods have enough protein. There is nothing to worry about.  

There’s no shortage of protein coming from plants…PERIOD!!!

Combining Foods

I combine my foods to include grains, vegetables, and fruits. I really enjoy dressings such as mayo or oils to increase calories and satiety. Add as much variety as possible to include different flavors, textures but most importantly make sure that you are enjoying the foods you eat. If you’re not then chances are you won’t stick to it very long. This morning, I ate 2 slices of toast with non-dairy non-hydrogentated butter spread with apricot jam. Then later I had a banana with peanut butter. Personally, I can eat the whole peanut butter jar if I could.

In closing, plant based eating should be enjoyable for you. I’ve never gone to a party where food was being served and never did I see anyone put down tasty delicious food because it was only plant based. If taste is the key then plants can deliver. Plant based diets will give you everything you need: nutrients, calories, life and benefits everyone, our Mother Earth, our beautiful creatures, our plants and no one has to die.

Coach Cano

capscave@gmail

@capscavestrength

Metaphorically Speaking

When the announcers calls my name confirming that I'm on deck,
My breath gets heavier as if bricks were pressed against my chest.

The buzzer goes off and lets me know it my turn to go,
like my 5:30 alarm clock telling me its time to begin my day.

I tighten my wrist wraps, as if I was a heroin user,
anticipating the high I've been waiting for all day.

These nerves feel familiar, as I walk onto the 8 x 8 wooden platform.
It feels like I'm on a roller coaster approaching the first huge drop.

I look down at the bar, close my eyes, and just listen,
as if I were a Buddhist sitting in a full lotus, focusing on my breath.

I open my eyes and grip the bar tightly with both hands,
 as if  my hand were thirsty, begging for a drink given by the metal.

I look up and see the bright lights shining down on me.
Black dots cover my vision, as if they were trying to hide the crowd.

So nervous that my body feels as if was shrinking,
wanting to shrink out of sight.

I can feel the platform squeezed against my feet,
 as if my shoes were a beggar and the wood a warm blanket.

All the emotions sprint to the front of my head,
like if someone pulled the trigger and the race was on.

I look back down at the bar and remember
everything I've practiced and been taught by my coaches.

I take one final look at the those black dots in the crowd,
grip the bar as tight as I can, and pull.

From the second I pull to the second the bar is over head,
it feels like a magician waved his wand, and now I'm on my way up.

Every time I perform a competition lift, I feel nothing or remember anything,
as if I became Jason Borne on the platform,.

I drop the bar and turn around looking for the 3 white lights,
same way I use to look at my parents when they opened my report card.

I walk back to the warm up room proud, but humble,
And then the routine restarts for the next lift, beginning from the first line.

The Sport of Kettle Bell and How I became Vegan by Sara Lee

     My vegan story actually began when I learned the child I was carrying was no longer alive. I was crushed. I didn't know if I could ever be happy again or even if it would be ok to be. I had never struggled with a problem I couldn't fix by trying harder, and I had never lost something that couldn't be replaced. Time passed, and I had a new baby girl. I wish I could say that I healed, but I didn't. When I had the opportunity, I donated milk to the NICU babies at the hospital because I wanted to protect other moms from that feeling. One day I was listening to a podcast, and someone mentioned that dairy cows lose a baby every year. I literally gasped allowed and clapped my hand over my mouth as the tears swelled. I knew what that felt like, and I was still reeling from my own loss. I had never heard the word "vegan," but I knew immediately what had to happen if I wanted to ever be normal and happy again. In that moment, it all clicked together,  and I had an entire new world of moms to protect.

     I began using a kettlebell during my last pregnancy so that I could continue to lift weights while standing up. I enjoyed this new type of lifting and used it postpartum. I lost 70 pounds in 6 months. While exploring new kettlebell moves online, I discovered the sport side and was instantly fascinated by the idea of "winning" at kettlebells. A few days later, I saw the PlantBuilt team for the first time. They didn't have a kettlebell team yet, but I decided to train with that as my goal should the worlds ever collide, which they eventually did.

     There are two types of kettlebell lifting: hard style and kettlebell sport. (The proper name is girevoy sport (GS) from the Russian.)The difference is similar to sprinting vs marathoning.  Hard style lifting uses black cast iron bells that vary in size according to their weight. The purpose of hard style lifting is to work hard and get a good workout. Kettlebell Sport uses competition bells which are color coded and always the exact same size and shape regardless of weight. The purpose of kettlebell sport lifting is to win by doing the most reps. It  uses technique to minimize the amount of effort expended, therefore allowing the lifter to do more reps. Kettlebell Sport is the endurance version of Olympic lifting, and there are three lifts: jerk, snatch and long cycle (clean and jerk). Athletes have 10 minutes to perform their chosen lift as many times as possible without putting the bells down. If it is a one arm lift, they may change hands one time. Athletes compete against each other, but they can also earn rank. A chart is used to determine how many reps a lifter must perform according to their weight class in order to be awarded a rank.

     Selling points of kettlebell sport training are that it can be done quietly at home with very little equipment, making it a great choice if space, finances or travel are limitations; it is very satisfying to work toward PRs and rank; attending meets and meeting other lifters can be an exciting reward for all your hard work; and building a kettlebell body means having great strength and stamina. If these are a good fit for you, look online for a coach or gym in your area if possible. If that's not a possibility, or you prefer to train exclusively at home, buy one or two kettlebells that are lighter than you think you need and then begin to grow your collection as you become stronger. For women, buy  8 or 12 kg. Men could start with 12 or 16 kg. Adjustable kettlebell are also a great choice for home use. It is important to use this time to work on technique, not weight. Again, if at all possible, have at least a few sessions with a kettlebell sport coach/trainer. If you absolutely have no access to this, YouTube has some wonderful resources. Just make sure you only watch videos of top level athletes. Seeing something done correctly thousands of times has its benefits. Some of my favorite sport lifters to watch are (in no particular order): Denis Vasilev, Ivan Denisov, Ksenia Dedukhina, Sergey Rudnev,  Sergey Rachinskiy, Bill Esch, Jennifer Hintenberger (ONLY international class vegan), Donica Storino, Kim Fox, Brittany van Schravendijk, Christian Goldberg, Lorna Kleidman, and Katarina Helcmanovska. Steve Cotter (vegan) also has some fantastic online instructional materials.

     Vegans have an established reputation for excelling in endurance sports, which this is. A whole foods plant based diet is wonderful for building a strong, lean body which can be beneficial in weight class sports. We also enjoy enhanced stamina and recovery. Because this is a technique driven type of lifting, faster recovery can mean more practice under the bells with the potential for more dramatic progress. There is currently only one vegan to have reached the rank of MSIC (Master of Sport International Class), Jennifer Hintenberger. It is my hope that in the coming years more lifters will become vegan and more vegans will become lifters in whatever type of lifting suits them, and kettlebell sport is a fantastic place to be.

By Sara Lee, PlantBuilt Vegan Muscle Team, @solarpoweredsara 

"The Rebel Wolf" Tyler Abbott

   

     My name is Tyler Abbott, I am 25 years old, and I am a former drug addict and alcoholic, I am over seven years sober, I am a competitive bodybuilder and highland games athlete..and a vegan. Sometimes I am sparring with this information, people tend to react in all sorts of different ways, but I figure it is better to own who you are, than withhold information because you don't want to somehow upset people. This is part of why I like being a vegan, whilst striving to one day be highly competitive in my disciplines...It's a contrast, and so am I (sober, mostly introverted young person, tattooed, yet emotionally sensitive and intelligent) generally speaking, within our society, I enjoy that, and I kind of enjoy upsetting people. I am not a lecturer, or didactic in nature, I truly want people to do whatever the fuck they want, I have a bunch of friends who aren't vegan and I really don't care what they do, I do what I do, and I try and set and example for other, whether they want to follow that lead or not is not up to me, nor am I emotionally invested in their commitment.

     In the fitness industry I see the same shit, the same mentality, the same perspective, over and over again, I truly enjoy expressing my rebellious nature via the way I eat, being a black sheep, I want to succeed at a high level in both my sports, and I want to do it because so many people are convinced, that I am doing it the wrong way, or that it's not possible. Sadly this perspective, I do not believe is limited only to people who consume animal products, I believe a lot of people on plant based diets, non athletic, or in the beginning of their progression, do not think it is possible either...That is my drive, more than ever for the first time in my life, I feel a responsibility, to be the best version of myself possible athletically, I truly want to prove the general population wrong, and also show other people like myself, whether drug addicted, getting sober, or vegan, or any combination, that it is possible and wildly effective, to be an athlete fueled by plants.

     Okay, it may be a lot to take in, or may be recoiling from the computer screen as you read this, that's okay, you don't have to be a vegan...This was my choice and commitment, whatever you commit to and decide for yourself is your business. I decided to do this because it felt right to me, because I felt shitty about the fact, that I had no problem going to the grocery store, and picking up pounds of meat and animal products, but then felt sick watching animal cruelty videos, I felt shitty about the fact that the planet being seriously affected, by the consumption and production of animal products, and I could do something about that fact, and I wasn't, I felt shitty about the fact I could be more alkaline, healthier on a cellular level, reduce my risk for cancer, and heart disease, and I wasn't. The question it all boiled down to was, can I do something about it? The answer came back yes, and at that point I had no excuse, the deal was sealed when I felt better, I felt better in the gym, I looked better, and I was stronger, veganism changed me for the better...You can do whatever you want to do, and if we cross paths I will not lecture you, nor do I care if you change your ways, we will probably exchange a handshake or a hug...I just want people to see whats possible as a vegan, and help the planet, the people, and animals that live here, so you do you...and I will be over here...being healthy in my own way...getting as huge as a possibly can...and getting strong as fuck...as a vegan.

-Tyler: @Therebelwolf1

Weightlifting and Powerlifting

Starting the first week of July, we will be posting a free Powerlifting and a free Olympic Weightlifting Program weekly. Stay Tuned!!!

Plant-Based Diets Reduce Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease

Article from the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-brocket/plant-based-diets-reduce-_b_9977300.html

Highlights from the article

1. "A recent review and meta-analysis of 96 studies concluded that consuming a plant based diet significantly reduces your risk of both cardiovascular disease and cancer."

2. "In addition, people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet had lower body mass, lower total and LDL cholesterol and lower glucose levels, all of which are risk factors for chronic disease."

3."These statistics quite clearly link a plant based diet with improved health outcomes and suggest this style of eating provides protective benefits against cancer, heart disease and improve other key indicators of good health."

CarbedUp Vegan Muscle

Justin Morgan

CarbedUp VeganMuscle

     Hi, I am Justin Morgan, aka Carbed Up Vegan Muscle, and I am going to tell you about how I became a Vegan strength sports competitor.

    I became a vegan late in 2011, and it all started with an interest in fitness. I had been watching calisthenics videos, trying to see if I could grow some muscle and loose some fat when I stumbled across Frank Medrano on YouTube.    

    The video read, “Hot New Vegan Calisthenics,” and although I wasn’t interested in the vegan part, the guy on the cover looked pretty jacked, so I was interested in his workouts.  I clicked and to my surprise there were pictures of factory farming with cows hanging by meat hooks, and hens stacked on top of each other’s cages in a warehouse.   I suddenly lost interest in the video and was kind of put off, but later I searched for other video’s about animal cruelty and was really horrified by what I saw.  

    In a spur of the moment decision I told my wife I was going vegan.  I remember going to thanksgiving that year and kind of picking out the meat from some of the dishes at my wife’s families house.  They are from Guam and although a lot of their food is plant based there are usually small amounts of meat thrown into the dishes.  By December I had gone full blown vegan and was eating plain rice at family gatherings because it was the only thing I could find that didn’t have meat or other animal products in it.  At first I planned to finish the meat that was in our fridge and that would be it, but after a few weeks the thought of meat disgusted me with the thought of the cruelty that had gone into it, and I couldn’t eat that either.  I really didn’t know what to eat.   I started losing a lot of weight. 

    At the time I was eating mostly fruit, sweet potatoes, nuts, and some beans.  I saw all these vegan diets on the internet about raw foods, The Starch Solution, 80/10/10 etc….  I read “The China Study,” and watched “Forks over Knives” and I became very interested in role that nutrition played in health.  Around this same time I had also gone back to college and was studying exercise science.  Part of my curriculum involved a nutrition class taught by an RD (Registered Dietitian) named Kim Brubaker.  Kim and I got along really well and I became very interested in studying dietetics.  So after completing my certificate in Exercise Science, I applied and was accepted into the Dietetics program and spent the following years working towards, and finishing that degree.  This is the field I currently work in and really love. 

    While all this was happening I had also developed an interest in strength sports.  I approached learning about strength sports in much the same way I did nutrition; by reading a lot of books on programming, powerlifting, weightlifting, and watching a lot of strongman videos.  Eventually I competed in my first power lifting competition, and shortly after that I competed in a small unsanctioned strongman competition.  After that I was hooked.  I like powerlifting, but I love strongman.  Recently I competed in my first sanctioned strongman event with North American Strongman.  I love the training and what goes into it.  I love meeting with the guys I train with and working on the events.  

     Currently I am registered to compete at the Ohio State USA Powerlifting Championships on July 31^st as a 105kg (231#) lifter, and then Raw Nationals in October.  I am hoping I can find another strongman competition to compete in between now and then as well.   My “Iron Cred” may not represent the best lifts in strength sports, but I’m a little stronger each month, and every competition I’m hitting bigger numbers than the previous.  For more information I can be found on Instagram and YouTube at “CarbedUp VeganMusche”

My best lifts are:

Squat – 227.5kg/501.5lbs

Bench – 155kg/341.5lbs

Deadlift – 250kg/551.2lbs

Log Clean and Press – 255lbs (Push Press w/12” log)

Atlas Stone – 300# to 48” platform

Q&A Volume 1

      We ask 4 high level athletes, who live a plant-based lifestyle, different questions pertaining their plant-based diets. Hopefully you enjoy the information given by these athletes. If you scroll to the very bottom of the blog, you will find some of the accomplishments these athletes have achieved. Please help support these athletes and follow their social media accounts. Hopefully you enjoy the read and learn something new. Thanks for taking the time to read this question and answer blog!

“Hey Bro, where do you get all your protein from?” What is your go-to protein source?

(Brandon Lwowski) I get this question quite often. Especially me being in a heavier weight class. I get my protein from 5 main sources. The first being “Beyond Meat” ground beef. If you have not tried this you are missing out. 1 bag as 60 grams of protein with minimal carbs. I also enjoy sautéing up some seitan with veggies. Stir-Fry style. My 3^rd source is peanut/cashew butter. I am addicted to it, I would do some dirty things for peanut butterJ. My 4^th source is beans, usually black beans. Then my final way I get my protein is from vegan protein shakes.

(Josue Cano) Personally, I never think about where I get my protein from since I'm just concerned with eating food. However, my favorite protein sources that are plant based: Broccoli.

(Vanessa Espinoza) Veggies, quinoa seeds, nuts, buckwheat, chia, nutritional yeast, spirulina, chlorella, tofu, tempeh, beans and powerootz protein shake

(Jonathan Lwowski) My go to protein source is Beyond Beef or Seitan. Beyond Beef is an amazing product by Beyond Meat that tastes very similar to ground beef, and it also has very similar macronutrient ratios as ground beef, without containing soybeans. Seitan, which is made from gluten flour, is another alternative to soybean based foods that makes a great meat substitute and contains a lot of protein.

What does your post work out meal look like?

(Brandon Lwowski) My post workout meal looks like this. 1 bag of “Beyond Beef” fried up with some white rice and vegetables. My wife makes a black bean pico de gallo that I put on top. It is absolutely amazing and full of protein and carbs needed to recover the body. Then I chase it all down with a GNC’s new Vegan Gainer!

(Josue Cano) Post workout meals usually have a carb dense source like rice or potatoes, some fat such as avocadoes and lots of plants such as vegetables. Finish off with cut tropical fruit.

(Vanessa Espinoza) It's usually a powerootz protein shake with unsweetened almond milk and ice.

(Jonathan Lwowski) My post-workout meal will consist of 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of vegetables, and a whole bag of beyond beef or a large serving of seitan.

What advice would you give to an athlete contemplating giving up meat?

(Brandon Lwowski) I thought this lifestyle would never be possible. Before being vegetarian then switching to vegan, I was drinking the Paleo Kool-Aid. I hate on average 3lbs of meat a day all while chugging down 3 whey protein shakes. My advice for someone who is thinking about switching is, just try it. When I decided to just try it, I set a goal for 30 days no meat. I told myself that after the 30 days if I was weaker, I would go back to eating meat. Surprisingly, after 30 days, I made huge strength gains and PR’s my snatch and clean and jerk. I felt great and full of energy every day. Once you “try it” I promise you will never go back.

(Josue Cano) It's not hard at all as everyone thinks it to be. The majority of people are overweight, out of shape, in bad health and majority eat meat and animal products. Stop listening to what everyone else and look at what we are doing as plant based eaters. Better for your health, better for the environment, and no one has to die.

(Vanessa Espinoza) That it's the best decision they will ever make. Not only is it better for your health, the environment and for the animals. Also, your energy level will increase, you will recover better from intense workouts and get sick less often. After giving up meat I became leaner and was able to gain lean muscle easier.

(Jonathan Lwowski) My biggest advice to an athlete who is contemplating giving up meat, is to make sure you still get enough protein and to just try it. When I gave up meat, I told myself I would try it for 1 month, and if my performance in the gym decreased or if I felt bad, I would stop. 1 month later, I was still hitting PRs and felt the same as I did when I was eating meat. I guarantee if you just try to stop eating meat for a month, you performance in the gym will not be effected and you will want to continue not eating meat. Along with that people have this perception about vegetarian or vegan food being completely different and that all you can eat is boring vegetables. This is not true, vegetarian or vegan food can still be amazing and taste just as good if not better than meat-based foods.

What supplements/vitamins do you add to your diet being a plant based athlete?

(Brandon Lwowski) I take quite a few. First I always have a protein shake around. You never know when you need a quick snack. My favorite vegan shake so far is GNC’s new Pureedge Line. It mixes well and taste pretty good. I also take the pure edge amino acids. I take Blonyx Creatine + HMB before and after a workout. In the morning I take multivitamin and b12 spray. Pretty long list.

(Josue Cano) I don't. Only use a vitamin B for energy and vitamin D in the winter since we get less sun exposure.

(Vanessa Espinoza) I drink 2 powerootz protein shakes a day, BCAA's, spirulina, chlorella and garden of life green supplement.

(Jonathan Lwowski) The vitamins and supplements I added to my diet since becoming a plant based athlete was creatine, l-carnitine, and beta-alanine. I added these supplements to my diet because Examine.com, which is a very trustworthy resource backed by scientific research, recommended them for people on plant based diets.

Is it expensive to be a plant based athlete?

(Brandon Lwowski) I buy everything organic and non-gmo when it comes to my vegan food. I feel like it cost somewhere around the same as eating meat for the fact that I eat Beyond Beef by the bag. I normally buy out the whole shelf. Even if it was a little more expensive to eat Vegan, I would still do it based on how this diet has affected my performance, plus I love the animals.

(Josue Cano) Absolutely NOT!!! If you are spending too much $$$ you're doing it wrong. For example, a pound of beef costs well over $5 to $7 bucks. A pound of beans or rice much much less than that. Eating a plant based diet is cost effective and cheaper than an animal based diet.

(Vanessa Espinoza) It's not any more expensive than buying meat.  I actually find it cheaper to buy plant based foods. The basics I consume everyday are tofu, veggies, quinoa, rice and beans are fairly cheap. I definitely go to the grocery store more often because I am consuming "Real Food".

I feel absolutely amazing eating a plant based diet. I feel like I have found the key

(Jonathan Lwowski) Being a plant based athlete costs about the same as being a meat based athlete if you buy all of your protein sources pre-made. If money is an issue, it is really easy to make your own seitan, and it is really cheap. 

    Brandon Lwowski Weightlifter @brandon_lwowski_oly 

·         2015 State Championship Silver Medal 105kg

·         2015 Texas Barbell Spring Classic Silver Medal 105+kg

·         2015 Weightlifting Wise Naturally Fit Gold Medal 105+kg

·         2015 USAW National Championships 13th Overall 105kg

·         2015 USAW National Championship 2nd Place Texas Barbell 

·         2015 ZKC USA Fall Open Gold Medal 105kg

·         2015 ZKC USA Fall Open Best Overall Lifter

·         2015 USAW American Open Championships 13th Overall 105+

·         2015 USAW American Open 3rd Place Texas Barbell 

Josue Cano Weightlifter @capscavestrength

        38 years young

·       IWF Master Worlds Weightlifting Competitor

·       Snatch 110kgs

·       Clean and Jerks 145kgs

·       Squats 210kgs

·       Front Squat 185kgs

Vanessa Espinoza Bodybuilder/Boxer @plantbasedmuscle

·      Basketball High School All American

·      Scholarship to Colorado State University

       3 Time Colorado Golden Gloves State Champion

Jonathan Lwowski Power lifter @monsterintraining

·    1^st Place Collegiate 83kg 2013 USAPL Texas Regional Championships

·    1^st Place Collegiate 93kg 2013 Iron Wars

·    1^st Place Collegiate 93kg 2014 Gulf Coast Championships

·    2^nd Place Collegiate 93kg 2014 Iron Wars

·    2^nd Place Collegiate 83kg 2014 USAPL Texas Regional Championships

·    1^st Place Collegiate 93kg 2015 Texas Strength Classic

·    15^th Place 2015 USAPL Collegiate Nationals

·    1^st Place Collegiate 93kg 2015 Iron Wars

·    2^nd Place Collegiate 93kg USA Powerlifting Texas Regional Championships