Why did I start VBB - I used to be a distance runner but due to injury I had to give up running. So decided to move from a sport where you aim to be smallest, to one where you aim to be largest. The reason I first started VBB was to see if anyone had travelled that road before me. I had no idea what to eat, how to train, or anything, could you even get big without meat? My hope, at first was just to contact a few like minded people and compare notes on diet, training etc and see if it was possible to look like a bodybuilder without eating all the animal products they consume.

What happened next - Amazingly, I found a guy called Robbie Hazeley who was a competing vegan bodybuilder. He helped me a lot with training, diet etc and has helped extensively with pushing the idea that vegans don’t have to be thin, pasty people, but can get as big and strong as the meat-eaters if they want to.

From there just being me and Robbie we soon found Pat Reeves (British Power lifting Champion for the last 15 years) then things really started happening. From out of nowhere a whole surge of interest in vegan strength and muscle seemed to swell up. It seemed that the idea was one just waiting for someone to actually act upon it. Once news was out that there was a site about building muscle and might while vegan we were inundated with requests for advice, help etc. Vegan Bodybuilding E-mail List - it was around this time that Adam Kydd gave us his yahoo e-mail list called (luckily enough) “Vegan Bodybuilding” As we had a load of people wanting, often, similar questions answered this outlet offered us a great way to get everyone together to discuss their training, diet and any special problems or needs they encountered. We also found it a great place to chat, make new friends and motivate each other.

How did the idea for stalls come about - to be honest I can’t remember who first suggested us doing stalls at any of the Vegan Festivals that occur around the UK. At the time there was Robbie, Joni and myself heavily involved in the running of Vegan Bodybuilding list and the VBB site and between us the “joke” of doing a stall suddenly became a “Well why not?” Before we really knew what was going on we were doing stalls at most of the major events.

Enter Yaoh - I remember meeting Tim (who runs Yaoh ). at one of the festivals and we got on pretty well. We talked about stuff, like how he could modify his foods for the strength market etc., He then offered to sponsor Robbie with some free hemp products for his attempt at the Mr Great Britain (Masters Division) which for Robbie really helped with his contest preparations. With hemp being a great source of EFA’s (Essential Fatty Acids) he found that having a couple of bars was a great way to get some healthy fat that actually tasted great.

Bristol Festival - A while later Tim suggested that it would be a great idea to set up a vegan festival in Bristol. I wasn’t too sure we would get the support for the large event Tim had planned, but if he was willing to give it a go, then Vegan Bodybuilding were certain to help out where ever we could. The day of the first festival I simply couldn’t believe how many people filled the venue. The whole day was aroaring success and I was totally blown away by the whole thing.

Vegan Bodybuilders will be in full effect at the Bristol Vegan Festival 2005.

Pete

For advice on training with weights go to www.veganbodybuilding.org

And to read the Robbie Hazeley article, see here.