Pumping Iron

So wow, I have a little bit of time to look on here and update briefly.

The Guy is now more of a boyfriend now, which is nice. He officially changed his relationship status on Biblio Faccio last night. Hilarious how significant this act has become. I haven't yet because the El Salavdorean has to be informed first, as does another guy or two. To simply change my status would be disrespectful, and The Guy understands that.

Most significantly, The Guy and I have trained together twice now. He is a bit proponent of High Intensity Training (HIT) and a fan of Mike Mentzer, and a huge fan of Dorian Yates. So his workouts are completely different in style to what I have done historically. I've been used to High Volume Training: usually doing about four or five exercises per bodypart, each with three to four sets on each. HIT basically involves exhausting the muscle through a series of 5-6 different exercises, each with only one working set, and doing warm-up sets early in the workout. There's a shitload more to it, which I'm still becoming au fait with, but the results and my experience of it has been extremely inspiring. I barely broke a sweat in the first session we did (delts and tris), but the muscles were so ridiculously exhausted, and very sore the following day. But a few days later I swear my shoulders looked bigger. No I know that's basically in my head, but it was bloody inspiring.

My old style was both aerobically exhausting as well as anerobically - the former sabotaging a lot of the latter. I was also overtraiing and sabotaging significant gains. I ate well so I wasn't feeling too much fatigue or any of the more serious symptoms of overtraining, but I wasn't really getting anywhere in terms of strength and size gains.

My back workout involved two warm up sets of bent over rows with a barbell, then a working set on a row apparatus I could load weights on. I added a few more reps on to that with rest-pause (finishing the working set, counting to 10, then cranking out one or two more - option to do a second round of that). Then did a warm up on lat pulldown, then a working set (plus rest-pause). Then a working set on bent over dumbell rows. Then a bicep cable curl to blast the arms I'd already been working in my back exercises (one warm-up, one working with rest-pause and static hold). All the time concentrating on the negative portion of the movement (lowering of the weight). In my chest workout I've taken to doing however many dips I can do to failure, then just stepping to the top and doing purely negatives (just lowering to the floor without pushing back up) until failure.

The Guy is going to lend me some of his books (one or two he won't lend because they're well-loved, and ocnstantly revisited - totally understand as a bibliophile). I'd really like to read more.

Pimping News

Another post! A miracle. Hopefully this will be less verbal diarrhea than the last.

In short I'm basically now able to say I'm seeing someone. So less pimping, and more... not sure what an amusing antithesis to pimping would be. It'll come to me.

Started as a friendly message on Biblio Faccio because we were both interested in bodybuilding, and neither of us actually knew anyone in the real world who also was. Messages just got longer and longer and we ended up meeting for lunch. It was a 1:30 lunch date, and I was seeing Grace Jones that night (another story!) and meeting my friend with the tickets at 7:00 for dinner. I figured I'd have plenty of time between lucnh and then to head home, and shower and change for Grace. But we were talking non-stop from 1:30 through to 6:30 and I ended up going straight to meeting my other friend.

From there we met to see a movie (Slumdog Millionaire - gorgeous, delightful, heart-rending, beautiful, uyplifting), then followed a few more dates inlduing Australia Day where we met to go to see Monet and the Impressionists at AGNSW but the line was outrageous so we ended up walking through the crowds to Circular Quay where we ate lunch, then we ended up going back to his place in the evening where he showed me all his bodybuilding books and we just talked into the night. Nothing happened. I think we were both a little shy.

Next time we met up to train together at Fitness Last. He's into High Intensity Training in the Mentzer/Yates style. Completely different way of training for me. Then we went back to his place again, and I took the plunge and kissed him, for which I think we were both grateful. He's since stayed at my place once, and come over for lunch another day. Tomfoolery ensued.

To be frank all the other serious bodybuilders I've ever met (with the exception of Con Demetriou who was just lovely - not to mention hot as hell) have been arrogant, and superior in their manner, and demonstrably macho. This guy is softly-spoken, sensitive, considerate, articulate, sweet, and just adorable all round.

A few years ago I had a joke that all I needed was a single, gay, attractive, decent, stable, bodybuilding wog - how hard is that? Oddly enough he fits all those criteria.

The road to Hell...

... good intentions etc. Specifically good intentions of updating this blog regularly, AND starting to log ritual experiences, AND starting to spice it up with some hot and inspiring musclemen.

Alas all is for nought when one has no internet connection at one's hot new home, nor enough shifts at work in a week where one can hop online regularly. No.

So this is the first post in however long, and it may be a little longer before the next post. But a next post there will be, be assured!

I'm currently in the penultimate week of rehearsal for a play which is part of Sydney's Mardi Gras Festival. It's a fabulous play, and I have a true gift of a role. I also have to do it in a sustained accent, which is a great challenge. I teach other people how to talk like New Yorkers, Hillbillies or Warwickshire farmers all the time, but it's a while since I've had to play a character in accent. This one is a New York Jew. I'm having trouble getting consistency with the short back-mid vowel in not and stop. It keeps veering more GenAm than New York - and of course the more pronounce the NY diphthong is, the more Jewish he sounds, and the director wants him to be a little softer. Hmm... It'll come together. First rehearsal on the set tomorrow night. Excitment.

I'm also the dialect coach on three other productions at the moment. Yes, typical Sagittarian. Just can't say no. If it'll help me meet new people and have new experiences, I'm in. And I'll find a third end of the candle to burn in order to be there. One of the plays is Angels in America Part 1. I now have a bit of a theory that the playwright Tony Kuschner read a bit of Western Occult literature in the writing of this play. Repeated Hebrew phrases like "Ha-adam, ha-gadol... Zefirot, Zazahot..." The appearance halfway through to Prior Walter of a vision of a book with steel pages and a burning Aleph emblazoned on its open page. Also the Angel keeps referring to "the breath" and "the ascent," "infinite" space, spheres, "Daughters of Light" etc. The final moment of Part 1 involves the actual arrival of the Angel, and the script specifies that there is blinding light shifting fiorst from pale light blue, to burning gold, to forest green, to royal purple, and finally bright white. I'm going to look in my 777 and my Stephen Skinner tonight to see if that figures in a particular colour scale... There's certainly a shitload of transmutational imagery and metaphor. The whole idea of Prior being infected, but having a part, deep in his core which is free of disease - like a spark of divinity. The idea of ordeal, initiation, there's a sexual edge to every encounter with the angel, and after this is "consummated" Prior is a "prophet."

Penny drop moment! Hadn't even thought of the parallel with Dee and Kelley before - ushering in a new age, the "Milennium Approaches" - Prior becomes a prophet, just as Dee and Kelley were ordained prophets of the new age - the Enochian angels were also all fire, poetry, hermetic, sexuality (let's NOT forget the wife-swapping episode), and most importantly, apocalyptic. One age must end as another begins, like the Rosicrucian Enlightenment, Christianopolis, etc. Prior finds a book under his floor in which must be written the new scripture. It's amazingly parallel.

I'm going to do some more research on Kuschner now. I love his writing (Bright Room Called Day was breathtaking - also features angels, and the Devil himself, no less).

Hmm... a lot more to talk about. Most notably in Pimping News - I'm on date number four with a lovely guy. Pumping Iron has been depressing me because of all the shit I'm doing I'm barely lucky to manage two days in a week. I'm just trying to not freak out about it, because I know this is just a two or three week period which will pass. Of course it doesn't help that Mr Fourth Date is a bodybuilder who goes four days a week, and I'm keenly aware of my "talk" of training and that I'm not currently doing much of any of it. Like I said, I'm trying to just keep perspective.

Okay, fingers crossed i'll find time for another post soon!

Pumping Iron

Wed 7th Jan 2009

Second day back with full body routine. Was really pressed for time, but I managed everything except cardio. Plus side of the lack of time though was my intensity was doubled, despite initial soreness, and endurance was much better.

Cardio: none

Comp. squat/shoulder press: 7x20; 8x20
Comp. lunge/one arm cable row: 4x20/20
Standing cable press: 4x20/20
Tri pushdown: 6x20; 7x20 }
} superset
Bicep curl (cable): 5x20/6x20 }
Cruches: 30/25

I then went outside into the humidity and swam all the way home. Sydney has been ridiculously hot lately.

Pumping Iron

Monday 5th Jan 2009

First day back after a month off. And what a month! Planning a week of full body at least - considering my workload, I can't go too heavy or I'll shatter myself before having to work.

Cardio: 3mins/100 strokes on rowing machine

Comp. Squat/shoulder press: 7kgs dumbells x 20/20
Comp. Lunge/one arm cable rows: 4 x 20/20
Standing cable press: 3x 20/20
Tri pushdown: 6x 20/20 }
} superset
Bi curl (cable): 5x 20/20 }
Crunches (on ball): 30/25

Almost stopped after first superset as I felt a bit queasy, but I risked it, and all was well.

Qabalah Water

(This title signifies all things occult int he ceremonial sphere - pun related to the different Romanised renderings of the Hebrew QBL. The insidious Kabbalah Centre has appropriated Jewish mysticism and turned it into glorified self-help. "Kabbalah Water?" Piss off - check out this discussion: http://curiouscurandera.blogspot.com/ in particular the poster "Caliban's" first response explaining the K/C/Q distinction)

Okay so me and another eCT member, Soror L, have been planning a series of Enochian workings based on the framework in Lon Milo Duquette's recent book "Enochian Vision Magick" http://www.amazon.com/Enochian-Vision-Magick-Introduction-Practical/dp/1578633826/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211189236&sr=1-3

We brought two other order members on board who we knew would be interested. We've so far only been talking, and Soro L and I had a crafty day where we began to construct the Watchtowers, and draw the Ensigns, etc.

Since then we've been in the process of coming up with a name for the group and the workings. I consulted with a Latin scholar and we've all but settled on "Spiritis Factis Magorum Tolpanis" or the Spirit Actions of the Magicians of Tolpan. Tolpan is the 58th Part of the Earth as described in Liber Scientiae Auxilii et Victoriae Terestris (1585) which was described by the angels as being "under the South Pole" - hence is popularly believed to cover much of Australasia. Dee and Kelley referred to their workings as "actions" or "spirit actions" hence the name "Spiritis Factis Magorum Tolpanis." We may very well receive a word or name from the spirits ourselves to augment this title - I'd be very interested to see if there is an Enochian word with can attach to it. For instance, tolpan is the name "given by Man" but it is called ZILDRON "as named by God." The angels frequently communicate in gestures and symbols which act like passes, and can be accompanied by word-like sounds - at least in my limitted experience of the Enochian realms. The letter-essences work of Benjamin Rowe I've found useful in interpretting these Enochian words.

Anyway I won't talk too much about the actual results of this work here - we'll have a blog dedicated to that once we start up some serious "actions."

Five Cougars Thanks

Wey-hey! finally I get the time, and the space to add something vaguely titilating to this blog. Hopefully I can draw some crowds here eventually!

For those of you who aren't Aussies and don't get the reference:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=AlDXTc8IJ7c

So yes - hotness = five Cougars thanks! (NOTE: I am in no way endorsing Cougar bourbon. In fact bourbon makes me retch). I'm hoping I have the upload technique correct - they look a bit tiny here, but ideally you can all click on them and make them bigger.

I used to have a theory this was Ilario Rongioletti, but I'm now certain it's not - any help?

Love the clothed bodybuilder look. Any ID?

Beautiful shape.

I know he's breathing in here - but the roidgut-look is fabulous. Anyone have an ID?

Is this Tommi Thorvilsdsen? Or have I had too many Boxing Day beers? Beautiful and casual either way.

Naturally anyone with issues over copyright with these images (I try to always save with the original filename, or the name of the model, and I keep the watermark if it's there), please let me know and I'll remove the image immediately.

Hope y'all had a fantabulosa Christmas.