Today was all about the abs. I was up early, as usual, got in the morning routine, and before getting to the workout, I was out at the store with a list. Mom forgot some things! LOL! After I returned, I hit the ab workout. It was a good, but not great workout. I believe that this particular workout has played out and I need to replace it with a tougher workout. There are a few candidates out there whose workouts I might "copy." LOL! I really like the ab workout developed by Teagen Rose (search him on YouTube). He has a workout that is done completely on the pull-up bar. It is TOUGH! I am actually scared to try it, which is probably why it needs to get into my workout cycle.

In addition to the abs, I got in the stretches, 1-mile walk and finished with a surprisingly comfortable 3-mile run, in spite of slightly sore quads and hamstrings. I managed to finish it in 20:42 (6:54 mile pace). Plus, my course was still fairly sloppy from the rain. It was amazing, however, to feel the temperature drop as I ran. I started with the temperature at about 46 degrees. When I came in from the run, I saw that the temperature was 39. It still, however, was not a bad run.

After finishing the run, my stepfather decided that the truck needed to filled up. So, guess who got to do it? LOL! We could have driven the truck and filled it up yesterday! I took that out and got it done, among other things and now blogging again, a bit later than I planned to. I am looking forward to this week's Sabbath. I will get some chance to sit and reset.  

Tomorrow is Plyometrics and Tabata day. The series of short brutal workouts that mark the end of my workout week. During the next two cycles, I will be alternating this workout with the 300 (reps) workout. I am supposed to do two sets of 25 pull-ups in the workout and am not sure if I can yet do them again. I am going to get out on the bar tomorrow and do as many as I can to failure. If I hit 25 good. If not, I will split the two sets into four (2 of 15 and 2 of 10) to get in the 50 total reps for that exercise. My arm and shoulder also feels good enough to do the dumbbell clean and press for the workout. I will, however, use the 20-pound dumbbells until I am sure I can, once again, handle the 30-pound dumbbells.

I am clamping down on my diet and removing all of those creeping snacks and carbs I have been eating over the past few weeks. This weekend is an Eat-Stop-Eat (Intermittent Fast) weekend and that should help me clean the system and burn a bit of fat. 

I cannot believe that I am almost at the end of this six-week cycle. Next week is week six and after that comes 2 weeks of Intercycle workouts before the Transformation Contest starts for me. Still a bit of work to do on the workout cycles for the contest, but I am getting there. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Everyone, enjoy the remainder of your Thursday!

Here is what I did today:

• Stretching regimen
  
  
• 3 x (2* x 25) Spiderman Push-ups-*2 indicates exercise done on left & right sides (For example 25 reps of the exercise were performed on left & right sides.)
  
  
• 3 x (2 x 25) Cross-Body Mountain Climbers
  
  
• 3 x (2 x 15) Trunk Twisters
  
  
• 3 x (2 x 30 sec) Side Planks
  
  
• 3 x 30 sec Front Planks
  
  
• 3 x 30 sec Evacuations
  
  
• 3 x (2 x 15) Side Bends with 20-pound dumbbells
  
  
• 3 x 50 Push-ups (Extra)
  
  
• CARDIO:
  
  
• 1-Mile Walk
  
  
• 3-Mile Run (20:42)