And We’re Off and Running……….

This year’s Sculpting Macro has started out great…..if you can gage a good workout based on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). And that is what I’ve been suffering through during the first 3 weeks of this Macro, lots and lots of low level aches and pains……no joint issues, just ‘used’ muscle issues. It feels so GOOD……and those masculine feeling…….stronger than ever before. This tells me that the waste products created during the workout are forcing my body to respond, lots of GH and the big ‘T’ floating around in my system, building bigger and better muscles. And bigger, better muscles in the right locations puts me on tract in gaining on that Last 10 Pounds.

The 8 X 8’s are Heart Pounding………..

The proper way to complete the 8 X 8’s is the select a weight that you can complete 8 straight sets, fatiguing on the last reps of the last sets. The 8 X 8 prescription also has you minimize rest between sets, on the order of 30 seconds…….I’m at 45 seconds for the larger muscle groups. Squats for example…..whereas Arnold presses (smaller muscle group, deltoids), I’m at 30 seconds or less. Even if I lighten the loading on the squats, I am fatiguing out during the final reps of the last 2 sets….and your heart is beating……hard, like running sprints. These are hard work.

 

The 8 X 8 straight legged (straight back) dead lifts are just plain sneaky……or are they? You can complete the sets without a lot of hard breathing or initial leg/lower lumbar fatigue from the weight…...but you will see ‘grip’ and forearm fatigue at heavier weights. The biggest issue I have is getting your butt back, keeping your back straight……your arms should hang straight to below the knee…..and get a good stretch in the hamstrings before coming back up. After a day or so, there may be minor DOMS in the back of the legs…..that’s the only indication I have that I’m doing anything. I am not sure I am seeing a benefit from these as far as the expected large muscle hormone dump. I may want to change these out for a more isolated exercise or add an additional exercise after the second month. The straight legged dead’s are followed up by kneeling squats. Same consideration; swap the kneeling squats out after second month? Maybe go into weighted hip thrusters. In essence, what I am trying to do is complete an anterior chain lower body one day and following up with posterior chain lower body on the next…….2 days of fairly rigorous leg days.

Overall, these exercise groups are so fatiguing I actually took an extra day off during the second week of the first month round. I was just plain tired out…..they are that intense…..on a day to day accumulative level. The second month, I just powered through, fatigue or no fatigue.

The Schedule is;

 

	Week 1		Week 2		Week 3		Week 4
	AM	PM	AM	PM	AM	PM	AM	PM
Monday		Upper		Upper		Upper
Tuesday		Low 1		Low 1		Low 1		Low 1
Wednesday		Low 2		Low 2		Low 2
Thursday		Upper		Upper		Upper
Friday							Low 1
Saturday	Low 1		Low 1		Low 1
Sunday	Low 2		Low 2		Low 2

 

Type	Exercises
Upper	8 X 8 Wide Grip Bench, Bent Barbell Rows……8 X 8 Smith Calf Raise, 4 Sets Down the Rack Calf Raise (leg extension machine).
Low 1	8 X 8 Front Squat Plus 4 sets Deadlifts……..8 X 8 Arnold Press , 4 Sets Down the Rack cable machine Press.
Low 2	8 X 8 Straight Legged Deadlifts (straight back) Plus 4 Sets Kneeling Squat……..8 X 8 Superset; Skull Crusher, Hammer Curl, Bent Curl followed by 4 sets of Drag Curls.

 

Why Did The Weigh Loss Stop…………

After starting this year’s Sculpting macro, I noticed a plateau and slight increase in overall weight. I’m thinking it is water weight……getting more glucose into the muscle after the depleting working sets……..then eating sugar cookies (LOL)! For every molecule of glucose sucked into the cells, it brings with it 4 molecules of water, e.g. the basis of hypertrophy. I can only wait and see where I end up……this is uncharted territory for me…..unless the sugar cookies are overdone (LOL).

However, even though weight loss has stabilized….for now….the mirror checks are awesome. There is noticeable muscle definition that can be seen that isn’t blurred by that solvate layer of adipose tissue (fat).  For now, the Sculpting Macro is working out better than expected, like the 2017 Power end Endurance Macros.

CNN Reports………………

A resent CNN article, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (www.cdc.gov.nchs/products/databriefs/bd288.htm), stated that over 1/3 of the U.S. population is obese, another 3^rd is overweight and the remaining 3^rd is someplace between normal and underweight. Even though this is based on BMI (see previous rants on this metric), it does provide an indication of the current state of the nation’s physical capability. Someplace north of 2/3’s of the U.S. general population is outside of normal, unfit for duty in almost all aspects of hands-on physical work, let alone defending home and country. And based on my own casual observation, it’s getting worse, not better. At one time, the U.S. was a productive hard-working society. Are we now a laughing stock, a fat and bloated population of out of shape TV watchers and internet cruisers? Is it easier to spend your day on your iPad then get some exercise? Is it easier to cruise through McDonalds than make a decent meal? Do you really have that busy of a schedule you cannot make time to stay in shape?

PEOPLE….GET WITH THE PROGRAM! WE ARE TALKING NATIONAL SECURITY, WE ARE TALKING NATIONAL DEFENCE!

I have a challenge……..every time you sit down to update your Facebook, go for a walk instead. Personally, I admit, I spend way to much time on the internet and in front of the TV……and yet I still make room for 1 to 2 hours a day at the gym plus, I am fortunate enough to have a job where there is walking involved at least 1 to 2 hours a day. And even though I indulge in cookies and candy every so often, it’s not a habit, it’s a treat. I think about what I’m eating and eat when I’m hungry…….I don’t eat because I’m bored or anxious. And I cook and eat real food; eggs and chicken and beef and fish and potatoes and rice and……...Rarely do I go out to eat, again eating out is a treat, and should never be considered a convenience.

And then there is the internet, TV and radio news programing; unnecessary stressors. You should understand there is a cortisol release every time you read, hear or watch a story that is less than upbeat. I swear, reported news is purposely choreographed/worded to bring out the most negative of emotional responses. Hell, our newly elected president has turned all media (TV, radio, internet) into a perpetual emotional roller coaster. I had once stated that daily stress would only be applicable in a war zone, a deserted island…….not anymore; Fox News, CNN and MSNBC should now be considered as contributors to your weight loss issues.

You must understand that today’s society is physically and emotionally unhealthy. There is no easy cure for obesity, for being overweight, for being other than normal…….there is only Hard Work. You must work at being normal.

HOWEVER………………

Considering the rant above, have you ever looked at the BMI vs. Mortality J-Curve. Like the cholesterol J-Curve discussed in my 2016 ‘Sculpting Macro Review’ entry, there is a sweet spot. It looks like a BMI of 25 to 27 is where you need to be to live the longest. Don’t believe me; Google up BMI vs. Mortality, the sweet spot is on the high side of normal. But wait, isn’t a BMI of 25 to 30 considered ‘overweight’? Is the general population being snookered again into believing that weight loss (NOT fat loss) is going to save you from yourself? NO, wrong answer, carrying additional Lean Body Mass (LBM), pushing you into the overweight category of BMI is what will save your ass. Just remember, strong quads, strong biceps…….strong heart, strong mind.

If you’re carrying extra fat and rolling in at a BMI of 25 to 27, you are starting down a path that ends with chronic metabolic diseases that are the cause of mortality, not to mention morbidity and quality of life issues.

Don’t be snookered by BMI, if you are overweight make sure it’s due to carrying additional Lean Body Mass, muscle….not fat……then Live Long and Prosper (LOL).

Three Years of Macro Routines, What I have Learned…………….

So as we close out the third year of Macro Programing, what have I learned?

• First and foremost, the programing allows me to establish specific goals and define new challenges. The Macro Programing allows for a baseline and a means to determine progression other than lifting heavier and heavier weight or compare weight lifted vs. bodyweight ratio’s. (See KPI’s earlier blogs; 7 years ago). The new KPI is comparing yourself, your progression to the Casey Butt’s baseline. To look normal and develop a sense of aesthetics. We’re looking at body fat and aesthetic proportion plus strength and endurance ……..not solely depending on overall strength as a measure.

• ‘Chronic’ workouts twice a day (or more), e.g. morning cardio and evening resistance training, may eventually lead to overuse injury(s), you WILL discover your weak points; mine are the hips. IT DOSE NOT provide better results as far as attaining normal, e.g. general fat loss. However, there are instances…...challenging yourself, competition prep.…..where the effort to get below some body fat threshold will require training several times a day. You can reference my notes from the entry “When Doing the Diet, Training is Fundamental” (posted 9/5/2013) to get an ideal of the benefit.

• The week off every 4^th week is a positive, it allows you to reset both physically and mentally, a chance to reflect and plan, a chance to evaluate and tweak and improve the plan you are implementing during the immediate 4-month cycle. However, during that week off you had better spend some time working on mobility or you may find recovery ‘from a recovery’ hard to overcome.

• Front Squats are the Bomb; if you want tight abs, great muscular legs and a great gluteus maximums, versatile mobility, great endurance, a quasi-cardio routine that actually burns fat……stick with front squats, you will never regret it. The prescription is 2 times weekly. And I am all for Front Squats replacing Dead Lifts as a measure of masculinity! (LOL).

There are many other tidbits but all in all, the Three Macro Programming throughout the year is the way to go as far as improving performance and attaining ‘better’ then normal. It may not be the only way but it is my personal favorite in gaining on that Last 10 Pounds.

 

MMJennings

Review of This Year’s Endurance Macro………….

The 2017 Endurance Macro actually ended with pretty good results. I’m at a fighting weight of 176 and an estimated body fat of 14%. Instead of running between exercises in mega super sets, the main shows were basic lifts, down the rack, finishing up with similar exercises that just plain dump a tremendous amount of lactic acid. Between the fat loss and the type of exercise, we definitely gained on that Last 10 Pounds.

 

Fish Oil and Beans………

It always great to hear that your advice paid off for another individual. A coworker, that was at least 5 years out from bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery), and I were comparing notes on diet and supplements and the subject of Fish Oil had come up. So, the discussion shifted to the Omega 3 content of your basic retail fish oil capsules; about 30%. Based on that conversation, my coworker buys a bottle of liquid fish oil with closer to 90% Omega 3 and loads up with a daily dose of at least 3 grams a day………she started losing weight. Go Figure! She has asked more question recently about insulin sensitivity and weight loss. The answer to that is strictly………..fasting and exercise. Do what you can to create that glucose deficit……insulin will follow.

My latest research and self-experimentation is beans. My wife makes me various crock pot bean dishes for my lunch box. Mostly ‘Cowboy Beans’, mixed beans with a chunk of bacon or pork….lots of fiber and lots of fat. Not only does this taste really, really good, they also make a great pre-workout meal……if you eat them 2 or 3 hours pre-workout. And I’m thinking they may have more to do with this weight loss mystery. Beans, specifically the common white bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris) is a natural amylase inhibitor. This means that it naturally blocks carbohydrate digestion, naturally lowering the glycemic index of any carb’s you ingest, naturally lowering the insulin spike you would get from the carb’s you ingest. As the old saying goes…….beans, beans the musical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot, the more you toot the better you’ll feel, so eat your beans at every meal…………insulin reduction makes me feel better and is a killer tactic for love handle reduction.

There is a supplement to replace all those beans you would need to eat, it’s called Phase 2 (white bean extract). I have not tried it yet but it’s on my iHerb.com wish list (lol). Personally, I like my beans (LOL).

 

2017 Endurance Macro KPI’s…………

And since this is the end of the 2017 Endurance Macro, the following KPI data needs to entered;

Skinfolds
Pec	5	Calculated BF = 9.7%  Realistic BF (+4) = 14%
Ab	8
Thigh	8
Body fat calc is from ExRx and is Age Corrected to 62.

 

Body weight has dropped from a 190 to 185 average to a 176 low. Like the Power Macro noted weight loss, weight loss in not the goal; it has always been fat loss and yes there was fat loss.

 

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

	5’9” Average Joe (15% BF)	5’9” Mark Jennings (17 Power)	5’9” Mark Jennings (17 Endurance)	5’9” Chiseled Athlete (10% BF)
Chest	38.7”	43	42	45.5”
Bicep	13.1”	14.5	14.5	16.7”
Forearm	12.1”	11.5	11.5	13.3”
Neck	15.3”	15.5	15.5	16.3“
Waist	33.5”	35	34	30.3”
Hips	41.0”	39	39	38.0”
Thigh	22.1”	23.5	23	24.8“
Calf	14.3”	15	15	16.4“
Torso Shape	Inverted V à	Rectangular à	Rectangular à	Positive V à

From the measurement standpoint, you can see there was an improvement in the waist and hips, these dimension dropped. However, a reduction in size has impacted all areas. Again, the focus of the Endurance Macro was not losing weight or girth, it was to increase time under tension, time under load.

It should be noted that right at the beginning of the 4^th month of the 2017 Endurance Macro, I made a trip to NY to visit my mom. There was a two-week period where I was virtually ‘out of the gym’. The only workouts were cleaning out 50 years of collected junk from my mother’s garage (another story for another time). The highlight of this trip however, driving a 1974 Porsche 914 from NY to Washington, 3200 miles in a 43-year-old car, WOW! It was a great trip…….and I practiced my fasting techniques. When I got back, I was down to 174, albeit a dehydrated state, still 174…….. Maybe I should do this more often………..

 

2017 Sculpting Macro…….

Since I have seen progress in the last two macro’s (Power and Endurance) I’m hoping to see some (hopefully better) success with this year’s Sculpting Macro. The basic plan is to incorporate Vince Gironda 8 X 8’s into a 6 day program and build on what I have learned over the last year. The specific body areas I will be concentrating on are glut’s and shoulders. I will also incorporate small muscle group workouts with the larger muscle workouts. For example; squat day will include shoulders, ham/glut day will include biceps and chest and back day will include calves.  

The reason for the odd combination; if you look at some of my past entries on Kaatsu (blood flow restriction) training, it has been shown that completing small muscle group workouts with large muscle groups, the metabolically ‘better’ or more acute response from the larger muscle workouts (the response that grows muscle), carries into the smaller muscles for a better response….more so than just working the smaller muscles by themselves.

I have read several studies that this technique is beneficial. Only a trial will allow me to satisfy my curiosity. Anyway, that’s the plan and I am sticking to it. 

 

Summary…………

This year’s Macros have been very, very successful in keeping me slim and trim. I am hoping that this new variation of the Sculpting Macro, the 8 X 8’s, will add a more defined shape to a pretty good base. Only time will tell………Splitting the year into 4-month intervals and changing styles and goals to go along with the overall goal of maintaining a high level of fitness and managing normal, you can’t help but to gain on that Last 10 Pounds.  

 

MMJennings

 

Endurance, Endurance, Endurance………….

So how does this year’s version of the Endurance Macro stand up to the previous two years………..instead of heart pounding out of breath aerobic anaerobic supersets, the 2017 Endurance Macro is a lot more anaerobic, going for the pump, target muscle fatiguing sets. Will they work as envisioned, only time will tell? In my quest for the perfect fat fighting, love handle blasting, improved strength and living healthy exercise routines, that goal of gaining on The 10 Pounds is as always just within reach!

 

This year, instead of grinding out super sets of opposing or complimenting exercises, it is strictly down the rack……..work to almost failure, ditch weight and keep going. Like drop sets but 3 to 4 bouts of the same exercise. For example, front squats start out at 195 X 2, then drops to 145 X 4 and then 95 X 6. This gives me a 12 rep set with a mean density loading of 128 lbs per rep. This is a bit greater than what we saw during the last Sculpting Macro (126 lbs/rep) but lower than what we saw during Power Macro (185 lbs/rep). The difference comes in form of more reps at a medium weight……e.g. the pump. And yes, there is a definite pump…..lots of lactic acid…work through the discomfort. And I have set a new front squat PR this last month; 2 reps at 205, WOW! The goal is to increase the total number of reps, go to a 4^th set or increase total weight. Any of these will increase density.

 

I’m not sure if any of this improves endurance, but I’m calling it that anyway (LOL)!

 

Reestablishing The Vision…………

Every now and then, one must recalibrate their vision or goal. For years, my goal has been achieving ‘normal’. Call it overachieving or what have you, I have reached and exceeded that goal. Lately, my goal(s), my vision has become a bit fuzzy……..do I continue to just manage normal, do I continue on the path of being in really, really good shape for my age or do I work on other aspects of physique and conditioning? I am not really interested in competing against others or collecting compliments from my peers, although the ego boost is phenomenal. As I get older, I have become more concerned with general health, joint flexibility and keeping my innards as healthy as my outer appearance. How can this be accomplished? What is the secret to aging well? What is the definition of fitness over 60?

If you listen to XM radio, I am sure you have heard of Doctor Radio. During one of their guest sessions, there was Dr. who stated that heavy lifting should be avoided. Long distance running should be avoided. I disagree, I think you should challenge yourself and lift as heavy as you are physically able too, run as far as you are capable of. I am NOT talking competition power lifting; I am talking about a challenging weight. I am not talking about daily marathons; I am talking about a quick jog around the block, a 5K every few days. If you are over 60 and at a ‘normal weight’, you should be able to squat and press your own body weight, e.g. squeeze out a few reps for a set or two, at least one workout during the week. Again, if you are at a ‘normal weight’, you should be able to run a couple of miles or at least make it up several flights of stairs without heaving for breath. At 60 plus, it’s recovery from the intensity, from overreaching, at ‘any weight’, that limits your ability. Making yourself sick or overdoing anything in an unprepared state is damaging. I personally cycle heavy with lighter and take that fourth week off to allow sufficient recovery. I have changed my running style and goals to allow my ‘niggly’ hip issues from impacting my cardio health. What I have learned in the last two years, macro cycling my workouts? You need that fourth week off……..no matter how old you are; 20 or 60, or what shape you’re in, it doesn’t matter. Recovery allows you to continue and improve. And while we are on that subject; old doesn’t mean death. I have been seeing a 10-fold increase in the number of runners in the morning on my way to work, older runners, thin and……not so thin, outside getting into the action. I like to see that; it means people are taking fitness seriously……..older people trying to improve their health, no matter what Dr. Radio says. However, there is one caveat, if you are NOT at a ‘normal weight’, you need to diet down and lose the flab before you start lifting heavy or pounding the pavement. You need to ride a bicycle, join a gym and use the elliptical or stair master if you are overweight, you need to get to a ‘normal weight’ or your journey may end sooner than you think.

The new vision……be strong, be healthy, be an example to others as to how a 60 plus year old can manage health and………look like an Adonis (LOL).

With this new vision, I need to update my original Blog, the entry that started it all, A Book Is Judged By Its Cover…………(LOL)

Weight Loss……………

As stated in my last entry, I had noted the scale drifting on a negative slope. In the last few weeks the weight loss has substantially slowed or at least the dramatic change has subsided. In a 3month period, went from 193 to 182. I was thinking that it was the change in supplements; specifically, the Magnesium or the additional vitamin D. To see where we’re at, I stopped all supplements the 3^rd week of June. I will wait for my weight to stabilize or start to increase, then one at a time, reintroduce my base supplements…….starting with just fiber and working my way through the list until I bump into the one that is causing the weight shift.

I’m thinking it’s the magnesium actually, it has a tendency to ‘clean you out’ and that has been an issue most recently. The fiber supplement keeps you regular but the magnesium just liquefies everything……it pulls a tremendous amount of water into your colon…..I’m wondering if the 10 pound delta is really just water weight. However, I won’t know until I go through the sequence. I will keep you posted on this front.

Old Friends…………

I was invited to dinner on the last day of June; one of the managers that I had worked for in Taiwan was in town. I have not seen this individual since 2015; his name is Gerry Orazem. This guy has one of those personalities that whatever pops into his mind comes out of his mouth. After the handshakes and hugs Gerry gives me the once over and the first thing he says is; “damn Jennings, you look good, really good!”. Yes, over 60 doesn’t mean you have to have a pot belly, chicken legs and clothesline arms…….you can still attain and manage a proportioned physique, an inspiring physique, one that draws compliments and sets an example. This encounter is an example of the new vision……maybe.

And at the little Club 24 gym I go to, one of the regulars (Steve), that also spends considerable time in the squat rack, was teasing me about my gloves…..yep those dear skin garden gloves….. and made the comment; ‘dainty protected hands with the body of a rock’…..WOW! Two ego boosters in a month.  

Vince Gironda 8X8 Sets…………..

During my recovery weeks I still hit the gym at least 2 or 3 days and generally just limit the time and loading. I found that if I slack off on the fundamental motion(s) of the exercises associated with a particular macro, I start to stiffen up. Squats are a good example…….I need to get into the position, get stretched to manage a good return to the exercise the following week. This last recovery week, to keep my front squats up to par, I completed a bout of 8X8’s (8 reps for 8 sets) with nothing more than a 30 second rest between sets. The loaded weigh was 125, pretty much the same as weight as the mean density weight I have been training with; minus 3 pounds. So immediately after 64 reps in approximately a 10 minute period, you will be breathing hard, your heart will be pounding and your body will be fatigued. This is a great alternative to the ‘down the rack’ routines I have been fussing with during this Endurance Macro.

These 8X8’s are another of Vince’s secrets to burning the fat and shaping the body. I will probably include these in the next Sculpting Macro.

 

Be Good, Be Well and Gain on that Last 10 Pounds.

 

MMJennings

Normal…………….

I would like to start this month’s entry by saying “I am grateful for being able to manage sanity during my journey to a healthier me, during my journey to manage normal”. What brings this on; from my previous entries you should note that I have always maintained that ‘Normal’ is a place that we should all strive for. ‘Normal’ is carrying a reasonable and manageable ratio of lean to fat mass. You shouldn’t be undernourished nor should you be over nourished. A good percentage of my coworkers are over nourished, and I have recently written about the undernourished, specifically acquaintances that have been through a rapid weight loss. This last week at the little gym I go to in Kennewick, WA, there is a younger woman (maybe mid 30’ish) that I see in there every now and then that is obviously anorexic. She is so thin, so lean………and even though you can see muscular definition, the woman looks terrible. I watched this woman spend 60 minutes on an elliptical beating herself to death as if she weighed 2X her current weight. There IS a happy median, there is a ‘Normal’, but this girl hasn’t found it. She would look tremendously better with a higher fat percentage. And as a second example, a gal that I have known for several years that haunts the little 24 hour gym to on a regular basis. She is a naturally thin woman but lately I have noticed a bit of loose skin in the arms and neck, a sure sign she is dieting on the wrong side healthy. She has told me before she does not want to lift anything heavy…..a fear of bulking up. I think she would look tremendously better with 20 pounds of added weight.

When chasing that Last 10 Pounds, you need to know when to back off. Overshooting, being underweight, under-fat, may be as unhealthy as being overweight, overfat.

More Power…………..

And the 2017 Power Macro plan is;

	Week 1		Week 2		Week 3		Week 4
	AM	PM	AM	PM	AM	PM	AM	PM
Monday		Upper		Lower		Upper
Tuesday		Cardio		Cardio		Cardio		Upper
Wednesday		Lower		Upper		Lower
Thursday		Cardio		Cardio		Cardio		Lower
Friday
Saturday		Upper		Lower		Upper	Cardio
Sunday		Cardio		Cardio		Cardio

Type	Exercises
Upper	Main Show – Upper, Drop Set Bench - neutral grip bench using single arm Kettle Ball as drop set. Supplement Round 1 – Double Row Super, narrow grip land mines followed by lighter set of barbell rows. Supplement Round 2 – Curl Super, barbell drag curl followed by straight arm land mine. Fin – Reverse Curl, Vince Grinada
Lower	Main Show – 5 X 5 Front Squat, followed by superset raised heal Front Squat and pull-ups. Supplement Round 1 – dead lift or leg press, seated calf raise superset. Supplement Round 2 – Cable Twists or Wood Choppers Fin - Reverse Curl, Vince Grinada
Cardio	Option 1 – Run, Intervals 1 on 2 off, 30 min working toward 45 Option 2 – Elliptical, Intervals 1 on 2 off, 30 min working toward 45   These are heart rate based, not a race

I have already started some of these basic exercises. Specifically, the 5 X 5 front squat routines. I’ve started out at 145, the goal will be a 5 X 5 routine at 185, all five sets. This should push me to the ultimate PR of a 225 front squat.

I just have to keep in mind this macro is about strength and power. There is no endurance or body shape goal….just get stronger.

Monthly KPI’s…………….

Finishing the 2016 Sculpting Macro, legs are thicker, back is stronger, and I met my goals. The only one I DID NOT meet was a full 3^rd set of the 32 rep front squat routine. These are killers. I will save the full 3^rd set as a goal PR for next year’s Sculpting Macro.

January Best
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Total Weight Moved
Squat Pyramid	2	32	8080
	1	28	3500 (11980 Total)
Press Combo	4	16	9440
Bench Row	4	8	4640
Masculine Feelings (Scale 1 to 10) = 9
Cardio; Daily Job Site Walks
Notes; Lower; Squat Pyramids. 6 front light, 4 front heavy, 4 back light, 4 back heavy, 4 back light, 4 front heavy, 6 front light. This is one set (32 reps) with no rest. 2 to 3 sets with 4-minute rest between sets. Final -  3rd set is a 3/4 Set.   Upper; Press Combo. 8 reps Wide Grip Guillotine press, followed by 8 reps Narrow Grip press and 4/5 Neutral Grip pullups with L-Sit.   Back; I will be using the Bench Row as an indicator as far as back work. Just note that I am also completing pullups, lat pulls, face pulls, etc… to supplement.

And since this is the end of the 2016 Sculpting Macro, the following data needs to part of my KPI’s

Skinfolds
Pec	7	Calculated BF = 11 Realistic BF (+4) = 15 to 17
Ab	8
Thigh	10
Body fat calc is from ExRx and is Age Corrected to 61.

 As far as body weight and skin folds, there was no real change from the Endurance Macro that ended in September and weight has hovered around 190 to 193. I managed to maintain the gains that were made.

And finally the comparison between Casey Butt’s, Your Muscular Potential, and where we’re at, at the end of the 2016 Sculpting Macro;

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

From the measurement standpoint you can see there was an improvement in the chest area. This has been something where I had some focus but it wasn’t an intentional target. In fact, I think it is more back and lats that have improved from the pull ups and the flat bench rows; those two exercises really develop that upper back.

Again, I want to reiterate; this year…………no cardio, maybe there is no reason for my body to carry excess fat……..maybe?

Considerations………………

As you get older you are supposed to get wiser. I think everyone needs to make an effort in attaining normal. Do not accept underweight, do not accept overweight. Do not allow compromise when seeking normal. Find a measure; Casey Butt’s, ARMY’s  600-9, etc… and work toward those standards. I guarantee, the closer you get the better you’ll feel…..physically and emotionally. Strive to be Normal. Chase down and catch that Last 10 Pounds.

MMJennings