#the sheer amount that i am proven wrong is insane

[acesammy]

if there’s one lesson i keep learning its that i have a Spectacular sense of direction and i need to stop assuming other people know where they’re going skdnf

[some-triangles]

WRESTLING OF 2018

It was perhaps the gayest year of wrestling there has ever been. 

The Golden Lovers brought an influx of new, excitingly-gendered fans, and set to work normalizing their couplehood by demonstrating that a gay champion can fit as neatly into New Japan’s ongoing story about evil foreigners and the soul of wrestling as a straight one can.   On a more radical front, Hiromu Takahashi made everyone he fought fall in love with him, spreading his ideology of wrestling-as-sex through sheer animal magnetism, in a way that only he could.   It is difficult to resist the urge to romanticize his injury, given the tropes that surround men like him.  I was in the room when it happened and when I watched the replay I felt something die: the possibility of a new vernacular of grappling, one which acknowledges the homoerotic tension that is always present in a wrestling ring and uses it for fuel.  More to the point, though, I saw a young man’s neck break.

We can console ourselves with the idea that even if Hiromu can’t come back to us he left a mark on some of his foes which will linger.  Witness Will Ospreay’s frankly carnal hunger for Kota Ibushi -  Ospreay was Hiromu’s most eager disciple and (should he avoid a similar fate) seems destined to become an avatar of wrestling, such is his big dumb talent.  Hiromu’s influence will spread, albeit gradually.  If you’ll let me rationalize this hurt by making it a story, his legacy is a slow smoldering touched off by a candle that burned too bright.

It was also a gay year in the west, for in WWE 2018 was the Year of Women (undeniably the gayest of the beginner genders.)   The ascendance of Becky, Charlotte, Ronda et al to the main event has been the success story of the year, because it feels organic, like something the crowd wanted, even though it was in part the hard work of the booking committee that brought them to that point.   If WWE had not failed at every turn to get a single male superstar over, the girls wouldn’t be headlining pay-per-views.  

I kid, of course.   Against the many, many reprehensible things WWE has done this year as a company, the rise of women’s wrestling stands as an uncomplicated positive step which they pursued and accomplished intentionally, clumsily at times but with obvious care.  When they’ve made mistakes in this journey they’ve gone out of their way to repair them, reacting quickly (by their standards) and decisively (by their standards) to the demands of the audience, and as a result they currently boast a women’s roster which is the best and most successful the world has seen since the heyday of Manami Toyota and Aja Kong.   It helps that they have their pick of the best talent in the world; there is no IWGP Women’s Championship, no real payday or celebrity outside of the E.  People will say this is because Japan is different, that segregation is natural there, to which I reply: the fuck it is.  The biggest wrestling promotions in Japan choose to be male-only, and as a result the best female wrestlers find work overseas. This is a weakness that WWE will exploit when they launch NXT Japan.

If all this queer yonic energy is upsetting, worry not - 2018 was also the year of the Elite, and they have so much penis for you.   The Being the Elite crew have proven that we now live in a world where a group of wrestlers, if they’re talented and hard-working enough, can get themselves over without the support of any company, particularly if they’re on TV a lot in multiple countries and can get the companies they do definitely work for to promote their web show.   Once that’s done, all you need is some dad jokes, some catchphrases, some sub-SNL sketch comedy, and a truckload of dicks, and you have arrived at Nerd Paradise, the magical zone where Kenny and Cody discuss their favorite Disney amusement park rides in front of thousands of men in black t-shirts.

Again: I kid.  I was there at All In, too, and I got worked just like everyone else, to the point where I’m still half-hoping that the boys are about to launch a wrestler’s union and not some half-baked new TV promotion to slot in between MLW and whatever that thing Austin Aries launched to feel better about himself was. And we do live in exciting times, vis-à-vis the internet: the Elite may have had help, but Pierre-Carl Ouillet proved that all you need to revitalize a long-dead career is a Youtube account, a willingness to endure insane amounts of physical punishment, and a dream.

What I genuinely took away from All In – and from the wrestling I’ve seen this year generally – is an appreciation for wrestling fans, who have demonstrated themselves to be increasingly diverse, enthusiastic, hungry for good content, and willing to support anyone who’s putting in the work, regardless of where they come from or who they are.   I mean, we’re still wrestling fans, i.e. perpetually loud, wrong and angry about it, but we’ve come a long way.   People like the Wrestlesplania team, Spectacle of Excess, TDE and the twitter wrestling GIF community, fanartists, cosplayers and so many others are modeling new and better ways to engage with the product, challenging ideas about who wrestling fans are and how they behave, and generally being great people.  I for my sins am an old-school spiteful nerd at heart (hence the tone of this post) but I believe the community has been immeasurably improved by the contributions of people who aren’t.  Even the newly ascendant vanguard of British wrestling geeks are skating around every opportunity to prove themselves horrible people, led by the beatific smile and cadaverous pallor of Botchamania Maffew, who tries his best.

There’s more to say about New Japan and its eternal return to xenophobia, about Daniel Bryan the sellout and how he reminds us that we’re always being worked, about Roman Reigns and the cloud of missed opportunity that hangs over him even in his absence, about Hiromu.   But the story’s not over yet – the story of wrestling’s never over.  In less than a month the landscape will have changed again and a new year of carny nonsense will stretch out before us, with new meaning to wring from it and new things to get inexplicably, apoplectically mad over. Kevin and Sami will be back.   Hiromu might be back, god willing, even if just to take his Shibata victory lap.  The Elite might change the world.  Someone else we’ve never heard of might do it first.  WWE might succeed in signing every hot new professional wrestler on the planet, and Zack Sabre and a tiny Spanish man will still find a way to have a five star match in an armory in Barcelona.  We might find out that Kim Jong Un has been paying Vince McMahon millions of dollars to suck at promoting and thereby sap American morale.  Wrestling will continue to rule, in spite of this.  Wrestling will continue to be for everyone.  

[sqwidgirl]

masterpost of iconic lines/moments in Froot (2015) by Marina and the Diamonds

Happy: 

when the chorus effect starts on the line “melted away like I was free” and my soul escaped my body, went to hell, and was immediately forgiven by the benevolent god that is marina diamandis

“I realize to be happy, maybe I need a little company” and I started crying one minute and forty seconds into the album

the sheer force with which my head was ejected from my body when she hits the high note on “I believe someone’s watching over me”

the chord changes in the bridge making me feel melancholy realness, honey

invented the piano, invented happy songs that sound sad, invented music

I’ve fallen asleep crying to this song an uncountable amount of times

Froot:

THE FUCKING BASS RIFF IN THE FIRST TWO SECONDS which precisely and methodically severed my ear canal from my cranium

everything about this song

“ju-u-u-uice, la la la la la la la” >>> the entire discography of the rolling stones, the beatles, led zeppelin, and all of your dusty-ass “iconic” faves 

the sultriness of the fucking low G she hits perfectly and consistently throughout the verses

“but I ain’t in a patient phase” probably the most iconic modern music will get

the way she sings “come on fill your cup uuuuuuuUUUUUPP” shattering my femur

“i’ve been saving all my summers for you” assassinates all of the poetry by William Shakespeare combined

every part of the second verse, especially “baby I am plump and ripe, I’m pinker than shepard’s delight, sweet like honeysuckle late at night” which was better sex-ed than I received throughout my entire adolescent academic career

“birds and worms will come for me, the cycle of life is complete” making fucking DECOMPOSITION the sexiest thing anyone has ever said in the compendium of human history

The Fucking Bridge Melody that she sings well beyond the troposphere, above the stratosphere, and sitting sexily in the mesosphere

“oh my body is ready, yeah it’s ready, yeah it’s ready”

I’m a Ruin

marina single-handedly addressing the complexities of young-adult relationships with “I could treat you better but I’m not that smart”

the insane degree to which I scream “yeah yeah, uh huh, woo hoo, yeah yeah” at the end of the chorus, thus startling my neighbors and setting off car alarms

“It’s difficult to move on when nothing was right and nothing was wrong” making me spray tears out of my eyes like a machine gun

the way the back up vocals come in on “I’ve had my share of beautiful men, but I’m still young and I want to love again”

the dichotomy of “I’ll ruin you” and “I’m a ruin” are proven to be one and the same, thus ending the careers of marriage counselors across the world

Blue

the iconic and instantly-memorable backing track

the continuity between the themes of the last song with the opening line “we’ve broken up and now I regret it”

the FORESHADOWING of “and I don’t know why but I can’t forget it” which alludes to the themes of the NEXT song, Forget, basically proving Marina doesn’t need references to any body of literature but her own goddamn songs

“gimme love, gimme dreams, gimme a good self-esteem” ejecting my wig at mach 3 into another dimension

the sheer craftsmanship of the pre-chorus, which is perfectly catchy and memorable while refraining from cliches

the way the beat picks up on the chorus and I demand my non-existent ex to “gimme one more night”

“I’m sick of looking after you, I need a man to hold on to, I’m bored of everything we do, but I just keep coming back to you” proving marina is just as fed up with fuckboys as we are, but is just as flawed and hypocritical as us, showing her imperfections and making her more worthy of our worship

ending the song on the pre-chorus like the fucking INNOVATOR of MODERN MUSIC she is??? like please tell me WHEN will your fave

Forget

this list doesn’t include the visuals from the music videos but I will make an exception for the ICONIC wig she wears in the video

the vocals for “never heal” sending me into a tailspin and crashing into a ditch at 70 mph

50% of the chorus is the word “forget” and it is STILL the height of modern literature

after her mention of an “abacus” in the second verse, abacus sales went up 2000% and surpassed their unprecedented popularity in ancient Greece

“yeah it’s time to be letting go, yeah baby you know what I’m talking about” probably the most iconique start to a bridge physically possible in this dimension

“YEAH I’VE BEEN DANCING WITH THE DEVIL I LOVE THAT HE PRETENDS TO CARE IF I’LL EVER GET TO HEAVEN WHEN A MILLION DOLLARS GETS YOU THERE OH ALL THE TIME THAT I HAVE WASTED CHASING RABBITS DOWN A HOLE WHEN I WAS BORN TO BE THE TORTOISE I WAS BORN TO WALK ALONE” is not supposed to be a high-intensity part of the song but I don’t fucking care obviously

the way she fucking develops the lyrics of the chorus throughout the song and makes each line the best life lesson you ever heard??? who is this woman?????

Gold

by FAR the most underrated song on the album for no goddamn reason like, have you demons even listened to it?? hmmmmm????

i have no idea how the accompaniment was made for the song but whoever did it was a genius and needs to be remembered for the rest of time

“doesn’t matter long as I am your star, sta-AAARRRR” melodically groundbreaking, please take notes everyone

“don’t think i want what I used to want, don’t think I need what i used to need” addressing the pains of growing out of old friendships and passions in a fun approach

“you can’t take away the Midas touch, so you better make way for a GREEK GOLD RUSH” YES MAMA REPRESENT YOUR COUNTRY LIKE THE GODDESS YOU AAAARE

knew she could rhyme “El Dorado” with “Colorado” and fucking did

the fade out at the end of the song painting her as a con-artist or corrupt gold-dealer being hauled off to jail while reveling in the near success of her schemes is what???? I C O N I C

Can’t Pin Me Down

this song is direct proof that marina is a straight up motherfucking KUNT in charge of her destiny. the album is labeled as explicit because of this ONE song and only ONE line: “you might think I’m one thing, but I am another. You can’t call my bluff, TIME TO BACKUP MOTHERFUCKER” like not only is this the most badass line in the history of language, but this line was so important to her that she made the album explicit JUST FOR THIS ONE LINE. SHE IS AN ICON. END OF STORY.

she is a feminist! BUT! “Do you really want me to write a feminist anthem, I’m happy in the kitchen cooking dinner for my husband” proving that you do NOT know this bitch. she is nothing you think she is. except that she is an I C O N.

the meter of “just another girl in the twenty-first century” has me unpredictably and immeasurably shook because she is just! that! kind! of! girl!

“You think I’m like the others, boy you need to get your eyes che-e-e-e-e-e-ecked, che-e-e-e-e-e-e-ecked” blew the skin clean off of my face

“i can be your russian doll” like,,,, gag

the entire concept and existence of this song is revolutionary and cements her position as the strongest female artist of our generation

Solitaire

holy FUCK you guys love to hate amazing songs, don’t you?? this song is without a doubt one of my favorites and you fuckers have the NERVE

the production on this song is one of a kind and continues to prove her versatility in style on this album. any reservations you had about her from electra heart better be EVAPORATED by this point.

the melodies on this song are, besides Froot, the catchiest on the album for me. they are so well crafted and inventive, i am shaking

“hard like a rock, cold like stone, white like a diamond, black like coal, cut like a jewel, yeah I repair myself when you’re not there” is such an amazing pre-chorus for this song like it could no possibly be better than that

the way the mood shifts from the verse to the chorus cut off my arms with raw blunt force

the flourish on the line “and I’ll admit all I wanna do is get drunk and silent” gave me an aneurysm

holy fucking SHIT the end of the bridge is for sure a highlight on the album. “but I’m not cursed, i’m not cursed, I was just covered in dirt” like damn marina go all the way off

the extra-dimensional high notes on this song are second to none, babes

Better Than That

“You’re just another in a long line of men she screwed” is the FUCKING WAY TO START A SONG, GIRLS. ARE YOU JOTTING THIS DOWN??

“So why’s she looking like a cat who got the cream?” ugh marina is so perfect I cannot deal with this bitch anymore

the sheer vocal talent on the chorus, like how high can this girl go? someday she’s going to rupture my eardrums and I will thank her personally

“with an angel voice, devil in disguise” the vocal production for this is perfect and successfully made me shit myself

“and she’ll network till her dreams come true, even if it means getting in a bed with you” miss marina is out for BLOOD everyone, the music industry is cowering in fear of her objective talent and lack of fucks

“i’m not passing judgment on her sexual life, I’m passing judgement on the way she always stuck her knife in my back” whoever this woman is she is getting READ for FILTH by lady diamandis and you all need to watch your backs

Weeds

this song is straight out of a sappy rom-com and I am fully living for it

“but it keeps growing back like WEEDS” I am currently screaming please give me a moment

“and God knows what sex is, a way to feel a bit, a little bit less lonely” marina chose sex to be a prominent theme on this album but she has shown she can handle it in the moment mature way any woman in the industry can. it’s subtle, it’s methodical, it isn’t vulgar, it’s just straight real and honest and such an important thing to discuss! this song is another aspect of how sex can be important in our lives. she better preach tbh

the aesthetics can reserved character on this song are a beautiful contrast that the album needed. filler tracks who???

Savages

full disclosure, this song blew a hole right through my body with the sheer impact of its lyrics and chorus

there are so many fucking good lyrics on this song, it’s truly baffling that anyone has a career in the music industry after this was dropped

“I’m not afraid of God, I am afraid of man” I am Screeching

the first beat of the chorus, my bodily fluids are already dripping from the ceiling and my bones are crushed into a fine powder

“underneath it all, we’re just savages hidden behind shirts, ties, and marriages” she is prophet, the chosen one, the woman who will deliver us from our mortal coils

“another day, another tale of rape, another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate” Marina is fully aware of the important problems our nation is facing at the time the album was released and even to today. she isn’t a shallow artist like the persona she created in electra heart, she has become almost the exact opposite. She is taking on these issues with a clear judgment and grace and I am so proud and appreciative of her work.

“are you killing for yourself or killing for your savior?” YES YOU BETTER ASSASSINATE THESE MOTHERFUCKERS

the buildup in the last chorus to the E T H E R E A L ending is clearly the climax of modern pop music

Immortal

you could play this song for me and tell me it’s a message from an angel and I would 200% believe you

the melody on this track is so fucking pristine it’s like a glacier melting in your mouth

it continues the themes of humanity from Savages but looks at a completely different issue about it. this album is cohesive, planned out, and a complete and full body of work

the moment the chorus hits with “I’m forever chasing after time” my limbs are being forcibly extended by a device of love and torture

“but if the earth ends in fire, and the seas are frozen in time, there will be just one survivor, the memory that I was yours and you were mine” ok not kidding anymore this is STRAIGHT up MOTHER fucking POETIC genius and innovation at its most concentrated and talented moment

when she says “twice” on the high note in the chorus, it’s like the most beautiful bell shattering in my ear, tbqh

THE FUCKING BRIDGE is actual art. “I just wanna be able to say the I live my life” the way she executes this melody is cold-blooded and frankly she should be charged with manslaughter for it

bottom line, Marina Diamandis released the biggest breakthrough in pop music to date in 2015 and all of you demons let it flop. if you have the nerve to call this album a failure, I have literally 0 respect for you and no one is ever going to love you

[cnstrength]

nSuns 5/3/1

Happy New Year y’all. Thought it’d be nice to kick off 2018 with a review of the routine I’ve been doing the past few months. 

First, some background. nSuns is a pretty popular redditor who built his reputation through his unique spin on the 5/3/1 workout. He even has a subreddit dedicated to his workout routines (r/nSuns), that I frequently browse to share my experiences and also learn from others who are on the very same routine. nSuns 5/3/1 is the toughest program I have ever encountered to date, so the insight I gained from the subreddit was invaluable.  The routine was a natural step to take from my prior experience with the basic 5/3/1, and after seeing nSuns’ own claim that his lifts went from a total of 900 to 1200 in a few months, I was easily convinced this was the right path to take. 

The program begins with some calibration, as does any new routine. However, this program demands an insane (and dare I say sickening) amount of volume, and will not mesh nicely with ego lifting whatsoever. I had to begin at a low weight (85% of my true 1RM) as my 1RM to begin the routine. I chose to go with the 5 day variation as I aimed to hit the gym 5 times a week (difficult af goal). This variation was pretty appealing, as it allows one to hit bench twice a week, and also includes an OHP focused day.  There is a 6 day deadlift or squat variation, but after running this routine for a few months, I don’t want to go near that ever in my life lol (you’d be running either deadlift or squat twice a week which is insane given the volume of this program).

The workouts take a looooong time. Dont go with this program if you’re looking for a quick <1.5 hr workout, because my average workout times have been 2 hours. The Squat/Deadlift days take the longest - spanning about 2 hours, while OHP day is the quickest and can be done within 1.5. The basic premise of this workout is to pair 8 sets of a big lift (T1) with a consequent 7 sets of a complementing compound exercise (T2), which is then followed by accessories. Each of the set follow a different rep scheme, but generally speaking for the big lifts, it revolves around a pyramid of 5/3/1 reps. For the compounds, the scheme is strongly influenced by Sheiko programming (3/5/7/4/6/8 rep progression). The increase in your training max / 1RM numbers each week is determined by your performance in the prior week. There is a concrete way to calculate this increase, as opposed to the more improvised and inconsistent ones I’ve been used to in the past. Here, is a link to the routine to illustrate all that I’m talking about. 

DAY ONE : BENCH / OHP (LIGHT DAY)

So the week starts with a “light” bench day. Your max weight for the day is set  low - about 80% of your true 1RM. However, don’t be fooled about this day being easy whatsoever. Progression was fine for the first few weeks, but as I started at higher weights the 8 sets slowly became immensely difficult to finish.This day doesn’t employ the 5/3/1 rep format - instead it opts for a higher rep scheme. I call the 4 rep sets in the middle of the scheme the “Death Triad”. I honestly am still trying to figure out how to get past 200 lbs 3x4. Standalone those sets would be a breeze, but doing them after 2 sets of 8/6 are killer. Recently, I started doing just every other set bc it was nigh impossible for me to hit all 8 sets successfully. Given my lax adjustment to T1, I would hit my T2 harder. The light OHP sets not only help as an accessory to my bench, but as an accessory to the heavy OHP day coming later in the week. This, alongside all other T2′s utilizes the 3/5/7/4/6/8 rep progression as mentioned before. Alongside the absurd volume of this routine, this unique rep scheme was another refresher. I had a hard time memorizing the scheme, until I realized it was simply odd and even numbers. It’s a challenging scheme, but completely doable. the 7-4 rep transition is kind of like a break, and the 6/8 rep sets are where the challenges really lie, so keep your energy up for those! Really need to work on this day and these high rep ranges. 

ACCESSORIES: Flyes (Cable/DB Variations), Chest Dips, Weighted Pushups to further hit the pecs. Rows (any variation will do) to strengthen the scapula which is underappreciated during the bench. 

DAY TWO: SQUAT / SUMO DEAD 

Ok, on to one of the killer days. 8 sets of heavy squats? Nothing I’ve ever done. Wait, lets add 7 sets of sumo deadlifts right after. This day is great not only for powerlifters but for sadists. You’ll be wondering why you ever chose this program every time after this workout. No joke. I usually have to spend at least an hour in the squat rack, due to the CNS recovery I need to fit this immense scheme - I’d usually rest about 5-10 mins between the super heavy beginning sets, and up to 5 min during the down pyramid sets. I stopped getting sore after leg day for the past few months, but after starting this program, it came back and hit me hard. If you manage to get this day done, you’ll feel very very accomplished with yourself.

ACCESSORIES: Usually just alternate b/w Glute Ham Raises & Leg Curls to  target the glutes and hams.

DAY THREE: OHP / INCLINE BENCH

One of the easier days. It’s a breather in the middle of the week, especially for me as I excel in both of these lifts. I’d say at the moment this is probably my most improved lift after starting nSuns. The amount of OHP volume in this routine really helps, alongside with the incline bench. The rep scheme is very doable, but does lead to some difficulty during the incline bench sets where I needed a spotter even for the lower weights used (your anterior delts will be fried).

ACCESSORIES: Lat Raises, Front Raises, One Handed DB Shoulder Press, Arnold Press for the delts, Face Pulls as well to target the rear delt/traps. They are a great rowing exercise that helps with your bench too. Might throw in some bicep curls too from time to time. 

DAY FOUR: DEADLIFT / FRONT SQUAT

The rep scheme for deadlifts is based primarily on triples, which is appropriate given the exercise’s taxing nature. I excel in this rep range so I do find this day rather enjoyable. I actually yolo’d my 1+ set weight quite a bit throughout the past few weeks since I felt like I could lift much heavier - therefore I only followed the rest of the prescribed weights/sets. I’ve been progressing nicely (hit 425 easily a week ago) so I can’t say this straying off  is hampering me that much. Meanwhile for front squats, I’ve always had difficulty with my grip. My fingers always felt like they would rip off, so I avoided this exercise often. However, I knew it was an essential accessory to deadlifts and so much more like your back squat, core, and posture which made it an exercise I inevitably had to begin doing. Got some advice from a weightlifting friend who specializes in the front squat and started using a three fingered grip which has proven most comfortable. Additionally, I needed to learn not to put all the weight on my fingers (which is what led to the finger ripping sensation) and instead on the collarbone.  I’ve also been told that tricep mobility is important as well and loosening them up did indeed help. 

ACCESSORIES: Lat Pulldown & Trap Raises which hit the much neglected lower traps.  These help improve my lockout. Not necessarily an area which I sought to improve on, but I focused on back accessories since this routine itself doesn’t cater well to addressing the back muscles.

DAY FIVE: BENCH / CLOSE GRIP BENCH (INTENSE DAY)

The second bench day of the week. Benching twice a week definitely helps bench gains ALOT and is probably one of the most suggested tips for increasing numbers in this domain. For me, the lower rep range for this day was more doable than the light day, ironically. The close grip bench press will be light starting out, so I suggest taking extremely short breaks, and pushing yourself to failure here. Otherwise, you won’t feel much. 

ACCESSORIES: Tricep Pushdowns, Rows again. 

BENCH

WHAT I LEARNED:

Correctly breathing and bracing for the lift. Take a deep breath in, unrack, and lift.  I used to take new breaths throughout this process but realized I lost a lot of tightness so opting for keeping my breath in has helped wonders.  Importance of leg drive. Not that I didn’t know that it was important before, but I realized a deeper extent of its necessity for performing this lift. Also, recently realized how detrimental it is to miss out on back work. Rows are so critical for the bench press and it is easy to neglect within this routine. Over the past few BP days, I’ve definitely felt a lack of back stability which had stagnated my bench greatly. Thus, I will be putting much more focus on my back, doing more rows on push days, and even doing full back days (as a bonus day of sorts)

OHP

WHAT I LEARNED:

Same breathing technique learned for bench. 

SQUAT

WHAT I LEARNED: 

 Keep your breath locked in during the whole unrack -> walkout -> first rep. Helped resolve a lack of tightness, as described above.

DEADLIFT

WHAT I LEARNED:

A few weeks into nSuns, I got a callous injury from doing sumos. That led me to realize my grip with deadlifts have been wrong - I didn’t suffer from callouses before since I usually use straps when going heavy, but during sumos I went raw. This killed deadlift progression for a good month or so, sadly. However, I did manage to learn something and be aware of my mistake, which is always a good thing. I needed to put the weight of the bar more onto my fingers instead of my palm. Sounds unstable, but it does work and prevents any ugly callouses.

Conclusions

I’m not quite finished with this routine yet as I haven’t hit my 1K club goal, but I can definitely see it being accomplished very soon. I’d say I will run with it for another month and a half or so. I’ll be frank in that the sheer volume of nSuns has killed my motivation somedays but on the contrary, smashing PR’s is commonplace in this routine and can be a big booster for this rigorous training. As with any other training routine that ever exists, I have come to learn a lot, of which I am extremely grateful. Progression might not have been what I liked, but the nature of the program has given me a chance to demonstrate a larger focus on form rather than numbers. Why? The volume of this program inevitably leads to deterioration of form, thus forcing one to focus and maintain strict form to complete sets, which is a requirement to up the 1RM numbers. In every single lift I have adjusted my form and technique which will help deter injury and ultimately support my lifting career in the long run. 

nSuns has allowed me to finish 2017 strong. It has been a great year for gains overall with me growing the most I ever had in the entire span of my lifting career. Not only have my lifts, strength and physicality improved tremendously, I am grateful to have learned so much about powerlifting training.  I very much am looking forward to 2018 and can’t wait to smash new goals, learn more, and make it an even better year. Once I hit the 1k club using nSuns, I will switch over to what I call “The Triple C’s”, which are Calisthenics, Core, and Conditioning and make those areas a large focus for 2018. Also want to learn more mobility and band work techniques. So, stay tuned, extremely excited about this and will share more details on it later. See yall in the new year. 

[fqtoxicity]

New Post has been published on My Quin Story

New Post has been published on http://www.myquinstory.info/chloroquine-zinc-covid-19/

Chloroquine, Zinc & COVID-19

The Coronavirus or SAR Cov2 or COVID-19, depending on what name you prefer, continues to rage on around the world.  Chris Martenson of Peak Prosperity calls the virus the “Honey Badger” because of its reputation as being a relentless mean enemy.  It just keeps coming, often underappreciated, in its relentless growth around the globe.

I first heard of this new SARS ‘like’ virus in December.  My first sources that something was amiss were not medical sources but were instead statisticians.  Guys who were financial ‘number crunchers’ that were sounding the alarm that the numbers were not adding up, both in the disease statistics and the money markets.  I started to pay attention in a cursory fashion.

I started seriously taking notice when, shortly thereafter, a Facebook friend, who is an ex-navy seal and an individual who analyzes global flash-points as a profession, started raising the alarm.   Having been around the world extensively, even in the midst of other outbreaks, he told me that this outbreak was one to keep my eye on.  He went on to tell me to ‘have a plan in place.”

In January I started telling my family to prepare, hoping that this information was wrong.  So far, these sources have proved to be very accurate in their predictions.  As a matter of fact the number crunchers are predicting very dark times ahead for the U.S.; a perfect storm so to speak, where global supply chains, just in time inventory, and a very real and nasty pandemic, are converging to set the stage for a perfect storm.  

I have to admit it was very awkward at first and I did meet with some resistance and even ridicule from some friends but when the first wave of panic hit the U.S. those in my immediate family and even a few of my friends, were not caught up when the third stage of truth, (acceptance) set in.  When acceptance sets in, that is when toilet paper flies off the shelves according to Martenson.

Ambiguity

One thing that has fascinated me since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak is the ambiguity.  Having had extensive education in psychology, the various personal viewpoints about this virus and the public presentation of information regarding this virus is fascinating.  I have heard every conceivable conspiracy theory that ranges from the plausible to the outright insane.  What is really fascinating is the how various biases and paradigms create extreme barriers to truth.  

The same ambiguity that surrounds COVID-19 in a general sense, filters down, more specifically, to proposed treatments for this dreaded virus.  Again, I have heard a massive amount of speculation, and a massive amount of misinformation.  

Although my goal with this article is not to clear up all the speculation, for that feat would be insurmountable, what I can do is clear up a few bits of speculation surrounding Zinc and Chloroquine.

I have been writing about quinine on and off for the last decade in its relation to the quinolone family of antibiotics, more specifically the fluoroquinolones (FQ’s).   I have even begun a book about the Dark History of the Fluoroquinolones in which I am documenting the traceable history from quinine’s discovery through the creation of the FQ’s. You can read the first section here.

Enter Chloroquine

When Chinese scientists first started using Chloroquine to fight the COVID-19 virus I started receiving questions and comments from floxed individuals who had justifiable concerns.  The sheer amount of opinion and misinformation surrounding Chloroquine was staggering.   But before I get to the point of this article, I want to state something right up front: 

I am not a fan of any drug that is based on the quinoline pharmacophore.  I believe there is something inherently wrong with the all drugs that are based on this substrate.  There is a thread of idiosyncratic toxicity that is poorly understood that spreads out like a crack in the foundation and loosely affects all of the drugs based off of this platform.

The Zinc Connection

It has been known for a very long time that Zinc inhibits viral replication. That is why, in the past, that zinc has been used to shorten the duration or stop the onset of viruses like the common cold.  It is known that Zinc can block the replication of the coronavirus.

Researchers found that the more Zinc in the cell, the more inhibition in viral replication.

While on the surface it is great that Zinc appears to stop the replication of a viruses, it is not as simple as that. 

Zinc has a hard time entering the cell without help. 

In order for Zinc to enter the cell in needs the help of something called a “ionophore.” An ionophore is a substance which is able to transport particular ions across a lipid membrane in a cell.  In other words it makes the cell wall permeable so that Zinc can enter the cell and inhibit the viral reproduction.

Why Use Chloroquine?

Chloroquine, despite its toxicity, is a Zinc ionophore, in an of itself.   The greater the concentration of Chloroquine in the cell, the great amount of zinc (as seen in the chart to the right).

Often in drastic situations, when you are faced with a terrible foe, such as the coronavirus, scientists will look for ‘off the shelf’ treatments that do not have to go through the clinical trial testing.

We have seen this with researchers who work with FQ’s.  They do not They will often look for older drugs that, are available in sufficient quantities, and can be obtained easily to handle the situation.

Is Zinc A Treatment?

Like I mentioned earlier, it is not an easy answer.    I do know that, like toilet paper, Zinc has been flying off of the online supplement stores like crazy for the last few weeks.   The stockpiling of Zinc seems to have been caused by the same fear that caused many to stockpile toilet paper and can also be traced, in part, to the advice of a veteran pathologist, James Robb, that has circulated social media in recent days.

The following was is the excerpt from the post that caused the flury of Zinc hoarding…

“Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY “cold-like” symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.“

In defending himself Dr. Robb said, “It was my email to my family and close friends ONLY. Someone put it on their Facebook page. It was intended to be a monologue – not a dialogue. I do not use any social media and may have been too naive about what “sharing” means today.“

Dr. Robb went on to clarify, “In my experience as a virologist and pathologist, zinc will inhibit the replication of many viruses, including coronaviruses. I expect COVID-19 [the disease caused by the novel coronavirus] will be inhibited similarly, but I have no direct experimental support for this claim. “

Robb didn’t intend, or predict, reaching a global audience, or triggering a zinc buying spree.

Zinc often needs help getting into the cell in sufficient quantities to inhibit viral replication so loading up on Zinc may not be an easy answer. 

I am not a medical doctor, but I do believe that Zinc, in general, is a good supplement for various reasons and I have taken 30mg a day with trace cooper for many years. However, in some, too much Zinc can be toxic and cause unwanted side effects including the leaching of copper from the body or interference with iron absorption.  

If I were to attempt to use Zinc as a preventative measure I would consult with a trusted medical expert and be on the lookout for the Signs and Symptoms of Zinc Overdose.

Chloroquine: History Repeating Itself

It is important to note that Chloroquine, after its discovery, was initially ignored for a decade because it was considered too toxic to use in humans.  Basically, Chloroquine was “re-discovered” during World War II by the United States because of it was desperate to find a treatment for malaria (source). 

It is my belief that nothing changed about the toxicity of Chloroquine. The U.S. Government just ignored Chloroquine’s toxicity to be able to use the drug to combat the scourge of Malaria that the G.I.’s were facing in WWII.

Will Chloroquine be used, or possibly be pushed, in the same manner to fight COVID-19?  Only time will tell.

For more information:

To learn more about Chloroquine toxicity or researching medical disorders caused by poisoning by mefloquine, tafenoquine, chloroquine, and related quinoline drugs please visit the Quinism Foundation.

Also see my article “Fluoroquinolones: Their Connection to Older Anti-Malarial Drugs” where I discuss the Chloroquine/FQ connection and also touch on Chemotherapy.