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……..