Done with 90 days and fitness test! Hope you find the following pictures and fitness test results interesting, edifying, relaxing, and uplifting all at once. Or something.
Fitness Test Results:
Day 1 Pull-ups — 1.5
Day 90 Pull-ups — 9
Day 1 Push-ups — 20
Day 90 Push-ups — 43
Day 1 Vertical Leap — 16 inches
Day 90 Vertical Leap — 24 inches
Day 1 Bicep Curls (15lbs) — 20
Day 90 Bicep Curls (20lbs) — 31
Day 1 In and Outs — 39
Day 90 In and Outs — 101
Day 1 Wall Squat — 1 Minute 31 Seconds
Day 90 Wall Squat — 3 Minutes 32 Seconds
Day 1 Toe Touch — 1.5 Inches from touching toes
Day 90 Toe Touch — 4 Inches past toes
Body Fat Percentage Results:
Day 1 – 21% Body Fat
Day 90 – 7% Body Fat
[...] Upon looking back at my photos and stats, one big surprise that stands out is my increase in vertical leap. I didn’t really have a goal of seeing dramatic gains in this area, but I added 8 inches to my vertical, almost getting back to my peak high school basketball numbers. In high school I had a 27 inch vertical and now I have a 24 inch vertical. I started the program with a 16 inch vertical. Why is this gain surprising? I only did Plyometrics once a week, but that coupled with losing some fat and gaining mobility was probably enough to make the difference. [...]
Uhm, where would those body fat figures come from?
For someone who have never lifted weights or done the movements kinda all the extra strength come from neural adaptation and learning the technique, not from slabs of muscle.
Images don’t show much of a difference but then I wouldn’t expect much of a difference from 3 months of weight training, so I’m not saying it’s bad.
But well, the BF % values are probably way fucked up. Using a bioimpedance scale or some formula from abdominal circumference and body weight or something such?
Johan, you’re probably correct about the body fat percentages being out of whack. I did an old-school body-caliper measurement across several areas of the body (chest, arms, thighs, abs, back, etc). The percentage is derived from taking the various percentages into account. It’s a specific methodology I came across that was easy to employ, but I haven’t spent time figuring out what the most accurate measurement strategy would be. I’m guessing electric current or some other technology? Anyway, my guess is that the original percentage was higher than in reality and the final percentage measured lower than in reality.
Regarding the pictures — they really don’t show the level of overall fitness improvement, although in person people have certainly noticed a change in appearance (particularly when at the beach). I am going to write a blog post about this issue, actually. I think Beachbody markets the whole “Before/After Picture” transformation a little too heavily at the expense of the many other benefits of the program. Hell, my vertical improved 8 inches! I can dunk a basketball again! There’s no way a picture can really get this point across. Same with all the flexibility, balance, and coordination improvement.
I agree with you on the whole focus on the dramatic before and after shots. Some would say I was a miserable failure because I didn’t end up with six pack abs. As a matter of fact a hater left a comment on my blog said in so many words that if you need to follow the program exactly or it won’t work. Implying that the reason why I didn’t have a six pack, was that I somehow cheated along the way – whatever.
It worked for me. I’m in better shape than when I started. My fitness level has improved, I lost a few pounds, and I have a desire to continue my exercise program. Of course those results won’t sell fitness DVD’s.
Congratulations on sticking to it for 90 days!
As far as measuring body fat%, the bio electrical method is sometimes seen as more accurate than the calipers but calipers in the hands of an experienced person are actually pretty accurate. Electrical methods can be thrown off easily due to hydration level, whether you have eaten or not, ETC. But on another note. Nice results. I am going to start p90x soon, can’t wait to see the results.
[...] P90X you take a fit test at the beginning of the program and at the end. Most of the exercises would be familiar to anyone who has exercised before; you know, push-ups, [...]