The Good Fight………………

We’ve just completed the second month of the Power Macro and yes, we’re winning the Good Fight in the battle of mediocracy. I just cannot condone doing nothing in that battle for the Last 10 Pounds. If you’re reading this put it down. Instead go run, go jump, go lift…………..for your sake, go do something before it’s too late. Because the longer you wait, the harder it gets.

Niggly Injury of the Month………

So this month, as the tendinitis in my arm and the little knee issue we suffered through a few months back fad into memory, I seem to have pulled something in my left leg. Basically it’s a strain up near the origin of the Vastus Lateralis or maybe the TFL. When squatting, e.g. getting down and stretching that muscle, it talks to me and lets me know I did something.  I think that something was excessive lateral kicks with a power band. As part of my warm up for heavier squats, I usually tie a power band to a rack and do adductor and abductor lifts. This is a manlier way to hit these muscles than sitting on a ‘good girl, bad girl’ machine. I really do feel queer on that rig. Anyway, my Week –O-Rest this month will hopefully improve that little pull.

Improving The Big ‘T’……………

For those of you out there interested in keeping your masculinity as long as possible, I’m gonna’ tell you here and now that Large Muscle Group compound lifts are one of the few ways to improve your hormone profile, without drugs, once you bust past that 50 year mark, once you bust past that 60 year mark. Whether you go really heavy or shed a few pounds to facilitate more reps, you just can’t beat the hormone rush you’ll get 24 to 48 hours after those lifts. My drop set squat routine, the one that pretty much leaves me breathless between sets, is a good example. Number one, this routine gives a great pump (your legs will feel so tight) and generally, the second night after the lifts, those…….masculine feelings……..come on stronger than you can imagine, like I’m 18 again. It’s refreshing, it’s better than any drug could ever make you feel, it’s addicting.

Besides the big lifts, other things that that give me ‘just a taste’ of that same rush include;

·         skiing briskly in challenging snow, or in an area that is outside of my comfort zone.

·         anytime I am on the motorcycle.

·         accelerating briskly through a turn in the Porsche with the back end a bit loose.

·         checking out the ‘yoga’ pants most girls are wearing to the gym these days (LOL).

Basically, anytime I am on the edge and the heart rate is jacked I get a small lick, just a taste of what I’m after. The release of adrenalin could be the cause, NOT.  I’m thinkin’ more along the lines of reinforcing the masculinity within, kicking those estrogenic feelings to the side. Driving, riding and skiing plus the quick peak at the latest in ‘yoga’ fashion; those feelings evaporate rather quickly, they’re fleeting, they’re just a taste. However, the compound lifts, they stomp any girly-man estrogenic feeling into the dirt. This shit makes you feel powerful; this shit makes you feel like a man.

The Drop Set Squat routine is forever recorded at; http://loosefatassweight.blogspot.com/2015/03/progress-for-sure.html

The listed routine is written for a smith rack, that’s all I had access to when we were in Korea. For this Power Macro we have a proper squat rack, we are using free weights. It’s a great routine; it will kick your ass.

 

Key Performance Indicators……………….

KPI’s for the month of March. There is an improvement, there is progress.

March Best
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Total Weight Moved
Heavy Squat	4	8	6,880    (215*32)
Drop Set Squat	4	12	6,480    (135*48)   13,280 Total
Pull Up	4	8	----------
Heavy Bench	4	8	6,400   (200*32)
Drop Set Bench	4	12	6,480    (135*48)   12,880 Total
Row	4	8	3,200    (100*32)
Masculine Feelings (Scale 1 to 10) = 7+
Cardio; Run up the Hill to the Gym, Run back down after Mini Full Body. (2 sets each – squat, press, bench, upright row, bent row)
Notes; Lower 3 exercises completed as a superset; Squat, Drop Set Squat and Pull Up. There is 4 minute spread between the start of each set. In that 4 minutes you complete the 3 exercises plus just enough rest to allow heart rate to settle out. This set is like an extended Sprint; very, very whole body. All squats are Box Squats using standard bench (18”) as a squat limit. Calculated Squat 1RM – 267.   Upper 3 exercises completed as a superset; Bench, Drop Set Bench and Rows. There is a 3 minute rest between sets to allow heart rate to settle out. All are neutral grip Bench Presses. Calculated Bench 1RM – 248.

And just a few days after I put this table together, during my Week-O-Rest, I hit the gym and pumped out 4 sets of 8 squats at 225. These were box squats, over an 18” bench. So I know my legs were below parallel. Eventually, I’ll mix and match these 225’s with the drop sets. And I completed these even with that niggly little injury to the TFL.

Conclusions………..

To improve your masculine hormone profile, stick with the big lifts that just plane kick your ass; you are so tired after the routine that it takes several hours to just too initially recover. Also you might try daily strategies that get your heart beating……..….you want to be exhilarated not scared, you want to maintain control not be out of control. If you can improve you masculinity, you’ll want to make those bigger lifts, just to prove that you are in control……….….and gaining on that Last 10 Pounds.   

Bee Good

MMJennings