...and with that, Week 3 of my workouts has come to an end as Week 5 of my overall program begins Monday. You'll recall that I began with the Rock's Jumanji routine which went through a transitional period until it morphed into something I like. I feel good about it and I've tried to keep out reps that have no practical application (for me) outside of the weight room. Yet, I highly value the weightroom as a highly-controlled environment to maximize gains with incremental shifts.

I'm still developing my Saturday workout with its Taekwondo forms. As for now, it's basically just a focus/theme of the day to work on—which is fine, but I'd like to optimize the time. I began using 45 second rests between form reps. I also started off at a walkthrough pace of Dan-Gun this morning as its steps came back to me again. I picked up some speed, practiced some of the technique on the bag, and finally finished with about 3-4 reps of Dan-Gun with an aggressive approach. As the weeks increase, I'll be digging down into my old toolbox and pull up these forms back into use.

Where I would welcome the community that being a part of a Taekwondo school provides, I'm unsure if I would be interested in ever returning. I'm not interested in TKD as a sport. I HATE its sport's approach of point sparring, i.e., once a strike/kick is judged as scored, the match stops. That makes no sense. If you're going to go with points, have it scored like how it was when I wrestled, cumulative and no stoppage. But, that's a conversation for when I step out of the DeLorean twenty years ago.

Community is critical though at this point, I don't know what direction it'll go. I'm rather limited out here in the country. And I'm unlike any of my neighbors: I don't have a single piece of camo or own a pair of overalls. But, I've got a beard that will rival the best of them! No, the reason I want community is not in of itself, but the understanding of how being around positive people with similar goals can help spur my own development. But maybe I'm being naive in a world full of pretense.

I made a shift back to a lb of romaine a day because I reached the point where eating 5.7 oz of spinach for lunch and then again for dinner made me dread it. I've reduced that by half and I still wish I could punt it altogether...but it's hard to beat the nutrition per calorie.

I'm excited for the fall time...

Whew...today was supposed to be a chest workout, but my arms are difficult to lift this morning. I have this idea I'm trying out: dumbbell incline press and fly; press and fly; and decline press and fly. As I'm building for endurance, it was all 4×15 with 45 second rest. Of course, there was the 30-min treadmill, but I only had time for 22 minutes on the bike.

I had a great Back & Abs workout yesterday and I feel closer to solidifying this workout. That said, I'm considering on introducing some Tabata sets of bagwork at the close of my shoulder workout on Thursday. I'd like to use Tabata into another context for tomorrow, but as I'm sucking down with fury this cinnamon soymilk with sunflower seeds and flaxseeds, my body is beat—that makes the best kind of workout.

I remain loving my exercise ball. I had one years ago but never gave it much mind. Perhaps, it's the height? It amuses me: for $23 it's a great replacement for my $300 computer chair. But, it's all about context right? Back when I bought the chair, I really wasn't looking to sit on a ball. I had little need to rotate my hips in a chair, even if Ace-of-Base's Beautiful Life pops on...sigh I date myself, oh just Ride Wit Me, c'mon "Ms Jackson, I'm for real." I guess we all just "wanna be a baller, shot caller, twenty-inch blades on the Impala."

If I were to grab one song to articulate this phase of my life, it's the New Radicals "You Get What You Give." It's posted on the video section of my site.

I write this from atop a 75cm high exercise ball. I can see how it will strengthen my core and will give me a nice, deep middle/horse stance. But, I have to manage the need to bounce as that gives me a nice spoonful of motion sickness as I type. It also compels me to wear these old glasses from my time in Alaska. I never wear them and that's why this prescription is five years old. I live through most of life fine with astigmatism. Most things look better with a slight fantasy blur, right?! I live in an epic! Where's my tunnel into the adventure of a dark forest? But, it's not a big deal—I never squint or anything and don't really notice it sans when I need to thread a needle. And c'mon, I'm a Smith not a Taylor. I pick up molten metal!

As I hoped, today has been a REST day! (well, if you don't count this thing under me) My alarm went off and I actively chose not to get up. It wasn't one of those things where I was lazy—my body needs to heal up and again, there's nothing like losing weight and building muscle like doing it asleep. Plus, I REALLY want my foot to return to normalcy in time for Monday's cardio. But as I awoke at 6, my body was yelling at me to workout. But, there will be PLENTY of that this week...

As I've recently written, I've made a few Amazon purchases of late—including the complete 38-DVD set of The Office for $50 this morning...and oddly now, I just connected my making that purchase with my current chair. It makes me remember something I do want to put into practice: set gym rewards at certain weights. Right now, I'm thinking that at < 200, to buy a Power Tower. I really want dips and pull ups to be part of my program—anything that promotes moving my body in space. As for now, there's just far too much resistance to do that sort of thing—though what do I know, I haven't tried—regardless, it makes a nice...well, not motivator, but I guess a cherry on top?

Overall, I am rocking life. I'm just waiting around for this fat to come off.

As it has been foretold, "Ba de ya, dancing in September."