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+--- Thread: Primal Masculinity - 5 Month Review (/Thread-Primal-Masculinity-5-Month-Review)
Primal Masculinity - 5 Month Review - NOMAD - 02-07-2025
Since Shannon is currently working on AM7 in theh background, I'm providing a 5 month review. @Shannon hopefully this will provide some insights that can help improve AM7.
First off, I'll say that this sub is nothing like I expected it to be. I expected it to unleash aggressive, animalistic tendencies. In my mind, the word "primal" conjures up images of a feral savage in a loin cloth hunting with a spear. It's not like that at all.
Almost immediately, I experienced a level of relaxation and calm that was similar to what I felt on Maverick. That calmness stood in stark contrast to the stimulation I experienced with US. That calmness has continued throughout the 5 months I've been running PM. I'm less emotionally reactive than I was before the PM run. Uncomfortable situations don't make me feel as uncomfortable as they used to. I can easily handle confrontations with a subtle intensity that gets results. Because of that, the apprehension I used to feel before a potentially confrontational conversation has mostly faded. Running PM, I don't get nearly as angry or anxious regardless of the situation. While US had me hyper focused on work, PM has allowed me to experience a better work/home life balance and I feel more free. US had me in a constant WIN mindset which can become exhausting over time, particularly since it makes time seem to pass more slowly.
About 6 weeks ago, I began lifting free weights again. Within 4 weeks, I regained the strength I developed 10 years ago. I did this on moderate calorie deficit. I also lost half an inch off my waist and I'm ~4lbs lighter. I've been faithful to lifting and faithful to my diet during the week (weekends are a different story). Sometimes I skip meals while at work because I forget to eat. All of this could be PM a result of PM's influence.
Early on, I listened to some audible books on masculinity and stoicism, but I lost interest pretty quickly. I generally value my experience over other peoples' opinions and the topic of masculinity is really no different for me.
My body language has changed so that I stand more upright and I hold my chin higher. It's not forced. That change happened naturally and I only noticed it after the fact. I became aware of the change about 2 months in, so I don't know when it actually began. I also tend to walk and move a little slower than I did before I began.
My taste in women has changed. All my life, I've preferred brown skin, brown eyes, & dark hair (i.e. latina). Now I find myself drawn to lighter skin, lighter hair, and light eyes.
One drawback is that PM has introduced a hint of social awkwardness. I don't know what that stems from, but it has been apparent from the beginning. Obviously, that hasn't been a deal breaker for me but it has persisted throughout the run. I've never been a social butterfly, but now I tend to excuse myself from conversations before they go too far. More often than not, they don't flow (mainly b/c I don't have much to say) and I prefer to avoid an awkward exchange.
Overall, I really enjoy PM and I hope to see it infused into AM7.
My current plan is to run it through the sixth month, take a week off, then either resume PM or run OSC 6G until AM7 is released.
RE: Primal Masculinity - 5 Month Review - NOMAD - 02-08-2025
Something I forgot to mention is that I gave up caffeine a month ago. That started with me noticing that I didn't drink coffee until I got to work, which led me to question my need for it. Then I came across a video on the impact of caffeine on blood and oxygen to the brain. Then I began to ponder potential long term effects on the brain and the downstream hormonal and health effects from regular cortisol spikes. Then I went from consuming 5-6 cups of coffee a day to quitting cold turkey. I'm not 100% certain that this was a direct effect of PM, but I suspect the sub contributed.
RE: Primal Masculinity - 5 Month Review - NOMAD - 03-02-2025
As of this posting, I've completed 6 months of Primal Masculinity. This has been an excellent sub. All of the statements above still ring true.
Additional notes:
I'm more reserved. I don't tend to engage in playful banter with people any more. I even had one of the ladies at the office tell me how quiet I've been lately. I just don't care to waste energy in meaningless exchanges. I'm finding that I'm happiest when I do my own thing, both at the office and in my free time. Most of the time, that means that I'm spending time alone.
In spite of preferring to be alone, I don't get as annoyed with people as I did prior to running PM. I've already mentioned that I'm less reactive, but it goes deeper than that. People just don't get under my skin.
I've also mentioned PM's subtle intensity. That still stands. It's amazing how I can calmly confront issues with people and encounter little to no resistance. In the past, I had a tendency to wait until my frustration reached it's limit so I could be ready for battle. Now, in most cases, I approach situations as if the battle is already won...calmly.
I'm continually making progress with my workouts. I'm adding 5lbs on my big lifts every other workout in a calorie deficit. I haven't lost as much fat as I'd like, but I'm getting stronger and the mirror is reflecting more fullness in the chest/shoulders area along with increased vascularity. I'm making progress and my routine is sustainable.
I'm taking a week off now. Seeing that AM7 is still in the distant future, I'll either return to PM or switch over to OSC. I still feel like PM's effects can deepen with more time, but the sheer curiosity of seeing 6G in action is almost too much to resist. Plus, I get bored running one single stage sub for extended periods, so OSC will be probably be my choice.
Excellent work @Shannon. Please consider transplanting as much of the PM script as possible into AM7. This was an amazing run.
RE: Primal Masculinity - 5 Month Review - NOMAD - 03-03-2025
I had more thoughts about my PM run this morning. For me, there's a rejuvenating aspect to this sub. I've already mentioned spending more time alone. Part of that is to focus on the topics of interest without outside influence. But part of that is for rejuvenation. This weekend, I planned to explore some nature trails at a local wildlife preserve. Unfortunately, it was closed. Instead, I opted to enjoy being outside around my home. I plan on doing the same thing next weekend. This sub allows me to take my foot off the gas and be at peace. That was crucial for me after running US.
With that said, I might return to PM if I feel the need to rejuvenate/re-energize. This sub has been great in that regard and it's one reason I'm torn as to what next sub run will be before AM7. I definitely feel like there's more it can accomplish.
RE: Primal Masculinity - 5 Month Review - RTBoss - 03-03-2025
Awesome review, brother! Glad PM was such a great ride.
RE: Primal Masculinity - 5 Month Review - Shannon - 03-23-2025
I think a couple months on OSC could deepen the effects and impact you get/got from PM.