Fitness Test

June 18, 2012

So as you can see this is just a one mile run in 8:37.  The reason for this run was as a benchmark for a class I signed up for at the Y.  I wanted to do something to complement the running in order to tone up the upper body and this ten-week class started at the Y.  So with this class on Mondays we will be doing kettle bells and TRX.  Tuesdays are half spinning and half running steps (which is exactly as fun as it sounds).  Wednesdays are "cardio challenge" Thursdays are strength training and Fridays are "Expect the unexpected."  Yikes.  So I'm going to be doing this on top of my 3.5 mile runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

So we started on Monday with a fitness assessment.  We did one-minute sit-ups, one-minute push-ups, plank, wall sits and the aforementioned one mile run.  We also used a body composition scale which differs from a regular scale because it not only tells you your weight, but it tells you what percentage of your body weight is fat vs bone vs  muscle etc.  I was actually very pleasantly surprised to see my results in this regard.  I've lost 12 pounds since I started this little running adventure nigh on three months ago.  More importantly, however, my metabolic rate is up, my visceral (trunk) fat is in a good range and my muscle is well above average.  The scale also gives a "physique rating"  I expect to receive "lard-ass" or "tubby" or "sweats while I eat" but instead I got "standard muscular."  As Borat would say, very nice.

So here's to a summer of busting my butt in the gym while putting the miles on the road.