Soccer Legs……….

We are at the end of the third month of the Power Macro and have we made progress? I think the answer lies in a comment made by one of my fellow Gym Rats, Walter……..he came up to me one evening as I was getting ready for a round of Deadlifts and commented on my Soccer Legs. WOW! As you may have noticed (within this blog series), I have been working legs through front squats for over 2 years, curtailing running or pretty much any form of cardio. Has it paid off? If people are noticing and commenting on the muscularity of my legs, then YES! Remember, if others take notice and go out of their way to comment……that is your best signal progress has been made and you are gaining on that Last 10 Pounds.

Progression………

From my last entry you will see that my deadlifts started out at 195 and I had progressed to 235 during the 1^st month. This 3 month deadlift working sets are at 275. During the third month break, we did 2 reps at 315….could have done a 3^rd but held back (one in reserve). This is way better than the break between 2017 Sculpting Macro and this Power Macro where I could barely complete a single 315. The benches started out at 145 and progressed to 165. This month we worked on form at 150 and at 165, e.g. getting the bar to my chest…..benches are still at 165 but improving.

For cardio, the 1 minute on/off are progressing with quite a few 7 mph plus runs thrown in up/down mix. Front squats after the runs are at 135 with pushups now at 60 plus reps.

All in all, a pretty good couple of months…….maybe.

Cardio improvement plan; I have been completing the 1 minute on/off rums prior to lifting. The runs aren’t all that intense….just enough to elevate heart rate and let it settle out, managing an average of 130 bpm or so. There is an improvement in resting heart rate, however, fat loss may be retarded. If we follow the thoughts of Lyle McDonald, if we want to mobilize fat, start with the short intense exercises to reduce muscle glycogen and progress to a steady state cardio followed by ups and downs. The 3^rd month I will include a couple of heavy front squats (more like pyramid up) at the front end and maybe finish up with lighter front squat/pushup combo sets. I would also like to add a couple sets of TRX or exercise ball based back extension to go along with the floor exercises (bird dog, fire hydrant, hip thrusts) I have been including to date. What I am trying to do is emulate the ‘Widow Maker’ protocol with an active recovery.

And I have progressed in weight, I am now 10 pounds heavier that my lowest weight during the Sculpting Macro….I am now at 187. The creatine and extra calories are working (lol). However, that’s about it for weight gain…….I want to stay at or under 190. If nothing else…..make my dead lift results that much more meaningful (LOL).

Training Weight……..

The 5 X 5 progression as prescribed by Mark Ripptoe is effective…..to a certain extent. However, as an intermediate or experienced recreational lifter, it becomes boringly routine and progression is slow. One of my thoughts is working at higher loads, say 95% of 1RM. This would give you 2 reps per set instead of the prescribed 75% 1RM at 5 reps per set. I’m not sure if you would see the same or better strength gains. After all, strength training is basically nervous system training. If we force a nervous system response with heavier loads, would you see better, faster strength gains? For the last month of the Power Macro, I’ll stick to weights no less than 270/275 for dead lifts.

Food for thought anyway……..

To BMI or Not to BMI…………

Not too long ago I had a discussion with a fellow employee on BMI. Based on my own weight and height I am considered overweight by BMI……even with an estimated BF of under 20%. The conversation came up when we were discussing our company’s wellness program. They pay for you to lose weight. So the question is; do I purposely lose weight gained due to additional muscle for monetary gain…..or do I commit to being stronger as I age? I don’t know about you but I think the answer is obvious…Stay Strong. The based on a BMI of 24 for my height at 5’ 9”, I should weigh in at 165, max. Based on my current workout routine, I weigh in at 185….a solid BMI of 27, WOW! Based on this value and my age I am a candidate for heart disease, diabetes and those other chronic ailments that others in the general population suffer with.

I have a scheduled appointment with the company Pill Pusher to assess my ‘wellness’, we’ll see how that goes and report back on their recommendations.

My appointment, March 28; To my surprise and astonishment, the company Pill Pusher was 180 with what my GP generally tells me. He stated most clearly….NO statins they are over prescribed, and BMI is bullshit for you guys that stay in shape. Really, go figure…….what I’ve been documenting in this blog for years.

Oh yes, the company sponsored checkup included a lipid panel, the numbers are 233 TC, 75 HDL, 145 LDL, 66 TG and 98 Glu. Because the RATIO’s (e.g. TC to HDL, not the totals) were quite awesome….there should be no concern, no STATIN. WOW!

Deadlifts and Engine Blocks………..

Sometimes you wonder why you should stay strong, what real life experience could ever relate. I am restoring a 1968 Toyota Land Cruiser and recently had to move the engine block around to prep and paint prior to reassembly. This chunk of cast iron weighs in at 160 plus pounds. And I can pick it up and drag it around without worry; LOL.

Real world use for strength training…….. 

 

 

 

When The Doctor Never Calls………….

To start out a new year with specific goals, especially after a very successful previous year, seems overwhelming. For 2018, my goals may be a bit unrealistic for someone who has survived 63 years……but we will chase them, no matter how elusive….all in the name of gaining on that Last 10 Pounds.   

First and foremost…..find a new Doctor. From my last entry, I had requested a more detailed cholesterol test, a NMR Lipo Profile. Never happened, the Pill Pusher never responded. So the first priority is a new doctor. Since it’s a new year and the company I work for has changed insurance carriers to one that includes a ‘Teledoc’ feature…..I just might give that a try. More on that to come.

 

The latest Schedule; More Power…………

The 2018 Power Macro is a return to Basic’s. We will be working Mark Rippetoe’s 5 X 5 programming…….or at least something close. Plus, we’re back to running and hopefully later in the cycle, sprinting. Ah, the Widow Maker…..it’s been 2 years since my last attempt at this (lol).

For resistance, like last year’s Power Macro, it’s a 3 day per week program alternating upper and lower with the other 3 days on the treadmill or outside getting in some much-needed cardio and mobility work; generally, 30 to 40 minutes. This gives me 6 day per week schedule. It is a 21 day (3 week) on and 7 day (1 week) off cycle. There are 4 cycles per Macro. As of this entry, I am closing in on the first 7 day off period that marks the end of the first cycle.

For Lower Body; Deadlift and Rack Pull/Straight Leg Dead superset’s, 60 second rest between exercises…..no more than 2 minute total rest between sets. Started the cycle at 190 Deadlifts, goal for first cycle 225. (Met @ 235, 23 Jan 2018) Overall goal…..325 X 2. Then on to Hack squats and Bicep work.

Upper Body; Neutral Grip Bench and Kettle Ball Tri Extension superset’s, 60 second rest between exercises…..no more than 2 minute total rest between sets. Started the cycle at 145 Bench, goal for the first cycle 165 (Met @ 165, 24 Jan 2018). Overall goal 205 X 2. Then on to Triceps Pull Downs, One Arm Land Mines and Pull Ups (or rows). Comment; it has been 8 months since my last round of a standard bench. Note; the initial lifts were very weak, in fact I can lift heavier with wide grip guillotine presses. Dips and wide grips did their job. However, standard presses have suffered……..there is a choice I will have to make going into 2018 Endurance and Sculpting; look good or lift heavy.

Cardio; Fast/Slow split runs (1 minute on/off) 20 to 40 minutes moving toward Sprints during the 3^rd and 4^th cycle…….and maybe, just maybe that ‘Windowmaker’. Plus light front squat and pushup rounds and leg mobility work floor exercises. Note; toward the end of the first month, made it to 1 on/1 off but paid for it for several days….DOMS.

Sculpting Macro Review…………

The Sculpting Macro finished off 2017 with gains in definition, not so much any size or drastic weight change. I was up maybe 2 or 3 pounds total weight from the Endurance Macro witch I attribute to a ‘hand-to-mouth’ exercise…..e.g. overeating (lol). I did see a noticeable improvement in how my deltoids looked, not so much shoulder width but the cut at the top of the arm and how it flows into the posterior delts and into the traps. As far as lower body parts…..the booty seemed more defined (indents at the cheeks) plus deeper ‘Adonis’ dimples where the spine meets the hips. There was also just an outline, just a hint, of seeing that ‘Apollo’ belt, just under my ab’s. As far as a 6 pack……..there was an outline but as far as deep furrows, there was still a layer of fat that blurs the definition. And the ‘love handles’…..this is the best progress I have ever made in knocking those out. Overall, I would call the 2017 Sculpting Macro Cycle a success.

KPI’s as follows;

Skinfolds
Pec	4	Calculated BF = 8.7%  Realistic BF (+4) = 13%
Ab	6
Thigh	8
Body fat calc is from ExRx and is Age Corrected to 62.

I actually think 13% is a bit low……..I bet actual (based on mirror check) was closer to 15%. I think the caliper accuracy starts to fall off once you get into this rage of total body fat. As I stated earlier, I had gained a few pounds (from 176 low at the end of the Endurance to 178 at the end of the Sculpting Macro) that I can pretty much guarantee it wasn’t mussel.

And finally, the comparison between Casey Butt’s, Your Muscular Potential, and where we’re at, at the end of the 2017 Sculpting Macro;

	5’9” Average Joe (15% BF)	5’9” Mark Jennings (15 Sculpting)	5’9” Mark Jennings (16 Sculpting)	5’9” Mark Jennings (17 Sculpting)	5’9” Chiseled Athlete (10% BF)
Chest	38.7”	42.5	43.5	42	45.5”
Bicep	13.1”	14.5	15	15	16.7”
Forearm	12.1”	11.5	11.5	11.5	13.3”
Neck	15.3”	15	15.5	15	16.3“
Waist	33.5”	36	36	34	30.3”
Hips	41.0”	40.5	40	39	38.0”
Thigh	22.1”	23.7	24	23	24.8“
Calf	14.3”	15	15.5	15	16.4“
Torso Shape	Inverted V à	Rectangular à	Rectangular à	Rectangular à	Positive V à

As you can see, the spread between the various year Macro’s, weight is tracking with size…..however, there are no dramatic changes……e.g. maintaining mussel while whittling down total fat. But I must admit, there is improvement. Weight tracking for the curious…..2015 @ 200 lbs, 2016 @ 190 lbs and 2017 @ 178 lbs. What are we showing; I am GAINING on that Last 10 Pounds!

What this data tells me………Work on the Lats to gain more size through chest. It certainly isn’t going to happen in the Pec’s (lol).

The Bongo Board………..

Yes, a Bongo board. For those that have never heard of one…..it was invented by surfers in the 60’s to

help one ‘stay’ (balance) on the board when in the water. It is basically a skate board deck with a ‘rock’ (roller) under the board. You balance with the roller under the board. This thing really, really works the gluteus medius and TFL. If you spend a lot of time in the squat rack……..get one. Mine has been in storage since my Taiwan adventures and I finally got it back. After 20 minutes, my hips were cooked. Get one…..you won’t regret it.

Conclusion……

In order to make gains or changes, besides just getting started, you need to follow through and be consistent in application. My Macro schedule may seem hokey to many but it seems to work for me and allows me to define and show progress. It is a valuable tool in making gains on that Last 10 Pounds.

Bee Good

MMJennings

I Really Despise My Pill Pusher

This year’s visit with my Pill Pusher was very, very discouraging. And the disappointment it’s all about cholesterol, that slimy, sticky substance that transports lipids (fats) around your circulatory system and the insistence that statins will save my life. This year’s blood draw; Total C was 231, LDL was 131 and HDL was 83. Triglycerides came in at 81. The ratios are great, however based on these higher numbers (Total C and LDL), my age plus my Dr.’s insistence that I am a full-fledged diabetic, my risk of a cardiovascular event in the next 10 years is 10 to 12%, therefore statins are necessary. If diabetes is removed from the equation……the risk drops to less than 7%. The question I have; if I am controlling blood sugars in a normal range, e.g. my last A1c was 5.2, am I truly diabetic? Does the fact that statins raise blood sugars, they make your body more insulin resistant, e.g. push you toward being diabetic, in and of itself, increasing your risk of a cardiovascular event, mean anything? Or is it just the medical establishments pat answer….you’re at this threshold, no matter what the reason, so take this drug…..take this statin…..lose whatever gains you made, give up the fight gaining on that Last 10 Pounds.

 

NO! If you work hard to maintain a great physical condition, there is no way in hell that I will accept my Pill Pusher’s recommendation blindly. There are more specific tests that need to be considered before I commit to his opinion and that of the corporate medical community…..there is one test that I am specifically interested in; NMR Lipo Profile. This test looks at the LDL/HDL particle count and particle size. And it also gives you an indication of insulin resistance. These are the flags for heart disease……these are the flags for insulin sensitivity and what your body does with blood sugar…..and how it effects your heart health.

 

So after my last lecture on all of the benefits of satins (there are no negative, right?), I requested further testing from my Pill Pusher. We will see if he will oblige. If not…….find another Pill Pusher? Never give up, always fight for that Last 10 Pounds.

 

The Doctor Really Pissed Me Off…………………

After writing the lead in paragraph for this entry, I went back to my medical records and pulled the following data. It shows two startling facts, blood glucose raises when on statins. And Niacin; there is a useful threshold (500 mg minimum) and it really does impact HDL. As stated before, Fish Oil (omega 3) really, really is beneficial in controlling triglycerides.

	Notes	TC	HDL	LDL	Tri	Glu	HA1c	Weight
2003	Nothing	244	49	163	161	113
2004	40 mg Statin	143	57	56	148		5.6
2005	40 mg Statin	123	67	42	68	97	5.4			Cardio Resistance Splits
2006	20 mg Statin	165	71	78	80	88	5.8
2006	Texas/NM
2007	Texas/NM
2008	20 mg Statin	154	69	64	105	90		200
2009	Nothing	232	65	136	156	98
2010	20 mg Statin + 500 Niacin	166	67	87	61	100
2011	20 mg Statin + 500 Niacin	156	79	68	77	101			A Book Is Judged
2012	20 mg Statin + 500 Niacin	174	77	79	88	109		190
2013	Asia									High Cardio Plus Resis
2014	Asia
Dec 15	Nothing	240	70	144	132	103	5.7	200
Nov 16	500 Niacin, Fish Oil, Fiber	217	70	131	78	97		200		Resistance Only (Macro)
Jan 17	500 Niacin, Liquid Fish Oil, Fiber	221	93	115	65			190
Nov17	250 Niacin, Liquid Fish Oil, Fiber	231	83	132	82	94	5.2	180

 

Now that we have this chart incorporated in the blog, I can update on a regular basis.

 

Dead Lifts……….

At age 62, you would think it would be harder to keep up with the younger generation…….especially in matters of strength. During my last Macro break (1^st week of December 2017), I stooped at the gym for a quick workout (stay flexible) and got involved with a group of younger guys playing with 300 lb plus dead lifts. My best for the night was 315 X 2……..as good as and in some cases, substantially more than my younger counterparts, and at a fighting weight of 175. That’s almost at 2X bodyweight….and I know there’s more there. Also, this was NOT a PR, close but I’ve gone heavier. All of those front squats and kneeling squats are paying off…….maybe (LOL).

 

More ‘Macro’ Lesson Learned…….

For this year’s Sculpting Macro, I had decided to mix smaller muscle group execises with large compound exercises. The error I made was incorporating a small muscle group ‘superset’ of 3 exercises that do not adequately fatigue the target muscle or get the pump I’m looking for. Specifically, I have been working Biceps and Triceps with Straight Legged Dead’s and Kneeling Squats. I start out with standing skull crushers, followed by hammer and bent curls. I think I would have gotten better results by splitting out the ‘superset’ and completing an 8X8 skull crushers routine followed by an 8X8 bent curl routine, dropping the hammer curls.

For the 2018 Sculpting round I will incorporate more of a split, and maybe add a few other exercises. If you stick to the 30 second rest between sets, the overall workout goes fast so there is more than enough time to add another set…..or two.

On back to back leg routines……..8X8 front squats and 4 sets of dead lifts followed the next day by 8X8 stiff legged dead lifts and 4 sets of kneeling squats……will break you down fatigue wise going into the third week…..you need to de-load prior to the rest week. Your heaviest lifts should be during the 2^nd week. I have made myself sick (nauseous) by overdoing it in the latter half of the 2^nd and 3^rd week routines. The back to back 8X8 lower body routines will break you down.

Last but not least; 8X8 wide grip bench (guillotine) presses. These have worked out pretty well and go along with the Endurance Macro weighted dips. However, there is still a range of motion issue….at heavier loads I just can’t get the weight down as far as I would like. If I go through this again, I will complete round of 8X8’s at a lighter weight with elbows below parallel and a second set of 8X8’s with elbows above parallel.

 

Planning……….

So as I push toward the end of the 2017 Sculpting Macro, Its time to start thinking about 2018 and looking at 1) gaining weight (lean mass….not fat) and 2) strength and power, e.g. the 2018 Power Macro.

Diet; I plan on adding 500 calories a day, and eating only after a 14 to 16 hour fast. You guessed it; intermittent fasting. The additional calories will come from a bit extra packed into my lunch boy….extra cup of soup, extra left overs, etc…..and staying away from the sweet stuff and the salty snacks.

Supplements; I will be sticking with the basics; Fiber, Fish Oil and BCAA plus B3, Vitamin D, Zinc and of course Creatine.

Training; we will go back to Mark Ripptoe’s 5X5’s Starting Strength Routines 3 days per week with simple cardio or body weight routines plus stretching the other 3 days. The 5X5’s will include Front Squats, Overhead Press, Bench Press and Dead Lifts.

To all, Merry Christmas and all my hopes that 2018 will be the year I overcome that Last 10 Pounds.

 

MMJennings