The Best Shape of My Life!

So today I decided to give myself another assessment. I haven’t done that in a while.

12 Minute Treadmill Cardio Test
Pre-HR: 92 (after warmup)
Post-HR: 144
Distance: 1.48 miles

The distance was just .01 lower than my last assessment (see my bb accomplishments listed on my profile), but considering that I have not done an extensive amount of running, especially times running, I think I held steady pretty well. Obviously, I’m still at average, and I’m working on getting better. I’ve adjusted my goal for this year concerning running. I originally posted that I want to run 1.75 miles in 12 minutes by my next birthday (June 09), but the more I think about it, the more I really want to push myself to reach 2.0. My wife laughed a bit and reminded me that that time equates to a 6 minute mile. Sure, which is why I want to achieve it. I used to be able to run 6-6:30 miles, and I know if I push myelf, I can reach that number again. So if I can fall somewhere between 1.75 and 2.0 miles by next June, I’m going to consider myself in good shape.

My Posttest HR of 144 puts me in the 75% range of HRR, which is a good place to be. I was definitely feeling it, and by the end of the test, it was a bit difficult to breathe. I’m not sure if my asthma was just messing up on me or maybe it’s just been a long time since I’ve pushed myself that hard. Either way, the HR response was good.

PUSHUP TEST
30 consectively

Not the best in the world, but still above average. My goals would be to do at least 50, with perfect form, consecutively. There was a time when I could do 50 straight almost every day, but trying to remember exactly how I did the pushups, I’m not sure if exact form was used. One pushup with exact form is a difficult exercise, so anyone that can pump out 30 or more (keeping exact form) should be commended. Probably why ACSM labels 30 with "very good."

CRUNCH TEST
41 in 60 seconds

Very nice here. I probably could have done more, but I wasn’t rushing through them. I’m in pretty good shape as far as basic core conditioning. Now I need on zapping the fat and developing core endurance and holding strength. Flexibility and balance exercises are great at doing that! Yoga anyone?

BODYFAT PERCENT = 12.5%
Interesting here. I’ve actually dropped a bit of BF even though I haven’t been doing a whole lot of concentrated workouts. Granted, I’m not complaining, but I would like to know how I did it. If I can drop BF and not workout so much, then what else is going on? My diet is not perfect by any means. In fact, I wouldn’t even call my diet "healthy." Yeah, that’s a big deal for me, but with the means I’m living on right now, I have to make thing work the best I can. I also take no supplements that aid in burning fat and maintaining muscle. Well, a protein shake here and there, but even with those, I’m very inconsistent. Well, if I can drop to 12.5% under these circumstances, then I think I’m well on my way to getting that 9-10% back that I used to have. Maybe even go lower. I need to be more dedicated…..not only to workouts, but more to diet as well. Oh, the potential!

GENERAL COMMENTS 

I’m updating my profile with all the right stats. Since I haven’t lifted weights in a long time, those won’t change any. But the bodyweight and all the circumference measures will be changed. Some I’m quite happy about (again, can’t find a real reason that they would have changed that much in my favor), and obviously some I’m not very happy about, or would like to see better. But, overall, I think I’m doing all right. Now I just need to get back into the swing of it and really hit it hard.

So a while ago I wrote that I was being forced to change my focus on fitness. I don’t have the time to dedicate to going to the gym nearly as much as I’d like, and with everything going on, it came down to me asking myself what was most important–lifting 300 lbs on the benchpress or keeping myself in good condition for the long haul.

I chose the latter, and I’ve actually been much happier with myself for doing so. I pretty much gave up the gym, and along with hit, lifting weights. Sure, I miss it every now and then, and sure, I’d like to get in there, pound out some iron, reach my 300 lb BP goal, but the fact of the matter is this: I have much more important things in life to worry about. After all, what will benching 300 lbs on the BP get me? Fame, fortune? Possibly. But other than that, lifting weight on a benchpress is only good for one main thing, and that’s for lifting weight on a benchpress.

I’ve begun putting a lot of stock into bodyweight exercise routines. I know there are a lot of guys out there who are probably mocking me right now, and that’s ok. They can stick to their sacred benchpress while I go out and take a run and visit the local park. I enjoy being out in nature (though I’ve been running more often inside on the treadmill due to it being incredibly dark at 5 am) and doing bodyweight exercises. At the park, I usually do a bunch of agiliy and speed drills, as many pullups as I can do, dips, pushups, crunches, etc. And I LOVE TO CLIMB on the equipment. My wife yells at me sometimes because I climb where I’m not supposed to in front of a bunch of kids, which I’m sure makes me a bad role model. But I can’t help it. I enjoy it. So I try to go to the park when there aren’t many people there.

I also do a lot of bodyweight workouts in my basement. It’s amazing what a bunch of bodyweight squats, leg lifts, crunches (oh the variations!), pushups (over 15 different combos in one workout!), and more will do to your body. Whomever tells you that you have to lift 300 lbs on a bench press to get a good workout for your body is simply telling you a flat out lie. Your body has been designed to give you all the resistance you need, and, if you’re like me, that’s 185 lbs of pure physical force going against you!

Some lift weights, some swim, some run, and some play. Whatever you do, do it well. If you like the gym, and lifting, then stay there. That’s where you belong. But don’t be afraid to venture out every once in a while and try something different. You might be quite surprised at what your own body can do for you.