A number of different things are on my mind today. Workouts are going very well for this cycle and I am not struggling to maintain my motivation, but am still unhappy and/or concerned about a number of issues. I will address a few of them in this blog. Thus the "Miscellaneous Blog." LOL! 

Today's Workout

At 5:00 this morning, it was raining outside. I knew after taking the dog out, that my course would be very wet for today's 3-mile run. I finished my morning ritual and launched quickly into my planche training and ab workout.  The workout went very well.  Interestingly enough the tuck planches went well with the exception of the very last one, which I fell out of at 12 seconds! I decided today not to go after another. I pushed through the remainder of the workout and went outside and sloshed around for the 3-mile run. I was surprised that I was able to complete the run in 20:21 (6:47 mile pace). This was only 21 seconds slower than on Tuesday. So, overall, I was pleased with the workout.

Future Workouts

I was asked by a number of people about the high reps that I do during my workouts. These questions all came in the same week. So, at least a few people are reading my blogs! LOL!  It made me realize, however, that I have gained a great deal of strength with the little equipment that I have on hand and with using my bodyweight. After finishing Cycle 30, I am going to work through the next intercycle and Cycle 29 and really look at increasing up the difficulty and challenge for Cycle 30. I have to redouble my efforts to get the 50 pound dumbbells to lower the reps and help spur more muscle growth and development. I actually received a link in my g-mail to a company that sells dumbbells and other fitness equipment. I can actually get the 50s for $100.00 plus freight! There is a great deal of other equipment that can be purchased. For those who are interested, here is the website: 

http://newyorkbarbells.tv/index.html

My Body

Although the workouts are going well, I am once again in one of those phases where I question HOW I LOOK! I'm still not quite happy with the chest, but it is progressing. I forced myself to take a front-facing progress picture this morning to appraise where I am. I am posting it later. Feedback would be appreciated. Furthermore, I'm also not feeling good about how I am looking! LOL! Feeling like I look "old" right now! I guess this will pass. Nothing anyone can do about that! As I move closer to my goal weight of 145 pounds, I am actually considering the possibility of 140. But I will consider that only after I reach 145. I hope that this will also help the chest and back to look more defined and cut. Careful attention to diet is still needed.

An Additional Fitness Community

I've decided that I won't abandon BodySpace totally, but will at the end of this cycle, during the first week of my intercycle, I will put up another fitness page. I will supply all of my friends here with the link to visit my page and/or to join. I will continue to be active here, knowing that there has been a REMARKABLE DECLINE in quality of community here on BodySpace. Those things which made each page interesting to visit are gone---buried under a multitude of "clicks!" I called BodySpace this morning to make my concerns known. However, because of the lack of consistent meaningful communication, the membership does not know what is being worked on and if any of the many requests that I and the membership have made to have working aspects of the website restored will be acted upon. I still would like to know how my page and blog are doing after putting in effort to write blogs and maintain my page.

My (and other members') requests:

1. "Clickable" and larger profile pictures 
2. Return of Visitor stats to our homepages 
3. Thumbnails for videos 
4. Blog stats 
5. Functional photo gallery with dates and other relevant information included. 
6. Larger photo thumbnails for galleries 
7. More intuitive method of managing "friends" and "followers!" 
8. The entire notification system needs to be working. It is NOT working! 

Furthermore, Facebook is becoming the home to a number of BodySpace "refugee" groups where people are struggling to find the community lost here. I have NEVER been a Facebook fan. I personally think it is an elaborately designed extension of the marketplace. I do, however, like the people and the groups that I've been added to over there and I do post there. They do not, however, recapture the BodySpace experience of old. I am still cautiously optimistic that some more positive changes will occur here. But I will no longer maintain just one fitness website.

Book

The first book is almost completed. I will be informing everyone when the book is done and posted. After this book is completed and posted, I will be working on the Behavior Change Workbook. One of my goals was to integrate the work I'm doing here on BodySpace into that book since the book will walk people through the change process and help them to maintain the process until their goals are reached. My thinking, however, was based upon the old Bodyspace model. I believed it to be anEXCELLENT example of social support. I will be vigilant in watching the changes here and will determine to what extent, if any I will incorporate references to this website in the book.

Anyway, I guess that exhausts some of my concerns. I am wishing everyone a great day.

Here is what I did today:

PlancheTraining

Tuck Planche:

2 x 30 seconds

1 x 12 seconds

Pseudo Push-ups:

3 x 40

Tiger Push-ups:

3 x 40

3 x 100 Reverse Crunch

3 x (2 x 50) Oblique Crunch

3 x 100 Crunch-Weighted

3 x (2 x 50) Roman Twists

3 x (2 x 50) Side Bends

Cardio:

3-Mile Run (20:21)