Project: Get Fit – June (end of)

*First published on the {Virgin Active Blog}

Remember my baseline fitness test I did in {May}?

I did a follow up test last night.  Here are my results.

  • 3km run – 21m40s
  • Pull ups – 3
  • Sit ups (1 minute) – 31
  • Push ups (1 minute) – 20
  • 400m sprint – 1m42s

Im a bit disappointed in my 3km time.  I really thought I would shave off at least a minute, instead I added just over a minute.  Im not sure how though, I ran more than I walked this time and my lung capacity was definitely better than before.  I guess I just have to keep trying.

On the other hand, everything else is an improvement!

I guess the lesson here is to keep trying, keep training, keep on keeping on!

A bit about running…

Part of my training is running.  I have never been a big runner.

I remember a sports day in primary school, where I got drafted to run the 800 m (someone really wasn’t thinking clearly) and I told them it just wasn’t going to happen, they insisted and said that everyone must run, everyone must complete their race, even if they have to walk or crawl.  I ran for about 50 m before I felt like my lungs wanted to explode from my chest, so then I walked, for 750 m and because the rules stated EVERYONE had to finish, they couldn’t pull me off the track, they had to watch and wait for me to finish, they couldn’t do any other races, they had to wait for me.  They never asked me to run again!

Back to the present and the fact that I have to run.  3 km!

I bought myself a new pair of running shoes (the first new pair in over 15 years!) and I am running.  Sometimes I walk, but I always complete the run.  Yesterday morning we did the 3 km route and I ran 1 block, walked 1 block for most of it, the last 6 or so blocks I walked 1, ran 2.

running

I think I am getting better and I must admit, its not my legs that are the problem, its my lungs.  I cannot breathe.  Also my shins hurt with the impact of my feet on the road.

If anyone has any exercises or ideas on how to increase my lung capacity and how to avoid shin injury, I am all ears!

Project: Get Fit – June

*First published on the Virgin Active blog!

So, I have joined a fitness group outside of gym, we meet 2 or 3 times a week.

Last night we did a 3 km run in about 28 minutes. 8 minutes longer than the last 3 km.  To be fair though, we ran as a group (so our pace was an average of the group) and we stopped four times in order to drop and do 25 sit ups PUSH-UPS, I meant push ups.  Half way through we also did a piggyback carry for one block – I didn’t carry anyone as I was the only girl and the guys outweighed me by a fair chunk.  That being said I was in high demand to be the piggyback-ee 😉

This morning we met at 5:30.  AM!!  I will state here and now that I am NOT a morning person!  I usually gym in the afternoons with the exception being a weekend, but then its not before 9:30.

This morning we did a 2 km run of which I managed 1 km.

Then we did chin ups, I managed 5! That’s 4 more than the first time I did chin ups.  The difference this time was that my hands were facing me on the bar.  I think that made it easier.

Then we did push ups with a medicine ball across the mat and then leopard crawled the ball back to the start.

We followed that with a little {Krav Maga} body conditioning.  This is where I learned something new this morning.  In Krav Maga, body conditioning is NOTHING like {Pilates}.  It involves being punched (not so gently) in the abdomen.  Ouch!

We followed that up with sparring.  Sparring is easy.  When you are not wearing protective headgear, body padding, groin protection and gloves.  With all that extra weight and padding, sparring gets a little harder.  My arms are now like jelly.

All in all I am super proud of myself.  I feel like I’ve been run over by a bus but I also feel good, like I have accomplished something and I am really motivated for our next session!

 

Project: Get Fit – May

*First published on the Virgin Active blog!

I really need to update more.

I have been gyming more so thats a good thing.  I have been doing lots of Pilates and Zumba and Killer Abs.

Pilates is good, my core is definitely stronger than its been in a long long time.  I also like that its quite and calm, Ingred from Balfour Park is an awesome instructor.

Zumba is fun!  Especially since I do it with my mommy on a Sunday morning.  Its a great motivation to get out of bed knowing that I get to share some fun quality time with my mom.  The cup of coffee together afterwards is also great ;)

Killer Abs is, well, killer! Its definitely a help having someone standing over me pushing me to keep going.  Those are the most hectic 25 minutes of gym ever.  I never sweat quite as much as I do during a Killer Abs class.

Last night I did a baseline fitness test, I need to keep training to improve on my times but these are my results from last night:

  • 3km run – 20m16s
  • Pull ups – 1
  • Sit ups (1 minute) – 28
  • Push ups (1 minute) – 13
  • 400m sprint – 1m57s

Any advice on what to do to better those stats would be greatly appreciated!

Here are my stats as of 13 May 2013:

  • Weight:                   51 kg (down 1.2 kg from last measurements)
  • Body fat:                 27.9 % (down 0.6 %)
  • Blood Pressure:   94/57 mmHg
  • Heart Rate:            100 bpm (ummm, I must have been excited about something!)
  • Tummy:                  78cm (down 2 cm)
  • Thigh:                     55.5 cm (down 0.5 cm)
  • Arm:                        27 cm (down 1 cm)

6 pack what??

I used to have a 6 pack.  I also used to weigh under 40kg (I was perfectly healthy just a lot smaller and younger than I am now) and I used to have a metabolism.

A great many few years and 2 kids later I no longer have a 6 pack and I definitely do not weigh under 4okg.

I must have missed the Twitter conversation but I saw this post on Pinky’s blog and thought ‘what the heck, lets do this!’

Head on over to Pinky and add your name to the list!

~~~

My pre challenge stats

Weight: 50kg

Height: 1.52m

Waist circumference: 65cm

BMI: 21.6

*excuse the crappy photos, my 4 year old took them! Will see if the Hubband will take proper ones later 🙂