Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Warning: This is probably of interest to no one but myself.
I've got a lot of stuff to do, but I'm so tired that I can't be bothered to do more than glide my fingers along the keyboard.
Today there was an all-day sports test at the high school and because I wasn't assigned to run one of the circuits, I decided to participate. I chose a small group of sophomore girls to go through the test with and off I went. I placed pretty well (80th percentile for all of Japan)—especially since I'm four to six years older than these girls. But then again, maybe not because I'm significantly taller and genetically stronger than them all too. In a group of American high school girls I probably would have placed much lower in the strength/power exercises.
Anyway. Here's the run down. (The levels are as follows: 10 is highest and 1 is lowest, meaning if I was placed in a group of 10 random girls, I would be the best (10) or the worst (1) at any given exercise.
Hamstring stretch
I placed 10th and it's no surprise, really. Everyone knows my hamstrings are unnaturally gumby.
Distance jump
1 meter 62 cm. Placed 5th. (You don't get a running start... That's hard!!!)
Side-step race
Getting your foot over a line on your right then left, etc. Mostly this is aerobics, but takes some skill. I did it 50 times in 20 seconds, placing 9th.
Sit ups
24 sit ups in 30 seconds. Placed 8th. I know I could have done more than this, but I was a little embarrassed to go so fast. Everyone in my group was so slow. I got the highest number of them all.
Hand strength (grip)
Right hand 47 kg and left hand 45 kg. No surprise my left hand is weaker than my right, but I was significantly stronger than the average girl, the scale ended at 36 kg for girls (and for perspective 56 for boys). 10th
50 meter run
I did this race four times, but twice I didn't try my hardest because I was "an extra" so the girls didn't have to run alone. I didn't want to get ahead of them because that's just discouraging. I ran it twice in 8.8 seconds, placing 6th.
Ball throw
Throwing a ball sized between a softball and a soccer ball; it fit nicely into one hand. (Also without a running start, which is much harder!) 19 meters and placed 8th.
20 meter shuttle run
Running 20 meters in a time that gets progressively faster every 8-9 laps. Easy at first, but then everyone starts to drop out. I dropped out after 68 laps (although I thought it was 67, the girls insist it was 68.) Either way I placed 8th again.
I also found out I'm about 24% body fat. There's a little electronic scale/meter at the gym and I finally decided to figure it out and see what it said. If I'm considered athletic (exercising approximately 12 hours a week) then I'm 24%, and if I'm "standard" than it jumps to 37%. I may not exercise 12 hours a week, but I'm not willing to except that my body is 37% fat. 64 kilos of fat in my body!! 41 kg sounds much better! The gap between 24 and 36% seems huge.
Anyway, apparently 24% is the maximum number to fall under "good health," but I've read that I should be somewhere nearer 22% (or even as low as 18% if I believe fair-skinned red-heads have denser bones and should be a bit lower). I know these scales aren't terribly accurate, but it's a good estimate. I've had the tank test (was 17%) and calipers test (was 22% on the same day) so it's all basically a guess anyway. But still interesting... to me.
You know, I think I am THE tallest girl at this school. I can’t think of a SINGLE student who is taller than I am, and there certainly aren’t any teachers taller than I. Interesting. 92 girls at this school and I’m the tallest. (There are 156 students in my school this year. Down from 180 last year.)
Okay, I’m going home to email some very important people and start packing for my hitchhiking vacation which starts THURSDAY!!!
Love, Sierra
Today there was an all-day sports test at the high school and because I wasn't assigned to run one of the circuits, I decided to participate. I chose a small group of sophomore girls to go through the test with and off I went. I placed pretty well (80th percentile for all of Japan)—especially since I'm four to six years older than these girls. But then again, maybe not because I'm significantly taller and genetically stronger than them all too. In a group of American high school girls I probably would have placed much lower in the strength/power exercises.
Anyway. Here's the run down. (The levels are as follows: 10 is highest and 1 is lowest, meaning if I was placed in a group of 10 random girls, I would be the best (10) or the worst (1) at any given exercise.
Hamstring stretch
I placed 10th and it's no surprise, really. Everyone knows my hamstrings are unnaturally gumby.
Distance jump
1 meter 62 cm. Placed 5th. (You don't get a running start... That's hard!!!)
Side-step race
Getting your foot over a line on your right then left, etc. Mostly this is aerobics, but takes some skill. I did it 50 times in 20 seconds, placing 9th.
Sit ups
24 sit ups in 30 seconds. Placed 8th. I know I could have done more than this, but I was a little embarrassed to go so fast. Everyone in my group was so slow. I got the highest number of them all.
Hand strength (grip)
Right hand 47 kg and left hand 45 kg. No surprise my left hand is weaker than my right, but I was significantly stronger than the average girl, the scale ended at 36 kg for girls (and for perspective 56 for boys). 10th
50 meter run
I did this race four times, but twice I didn't try my hardest because I was "an extra" so the girls didn't have to run alone. I didn't want to get ahead of them because that's just discouraging. I ran it twice in 8.8 seconds, placing 6th.
Ball throw
Throwing a ball sized between a softball and a soccer ball; it fit nicely into one hand. (Also without a running start, which is much harder!) 19 meters and placed 8th.
20 meter shuttle run
Running 20 meters in a time that gets progressively faster every 8-9 laps. Easy at first, but then everyone starts to drop out. I dropped out after 68 laps (although I thought it was 67, the girls insist it was 68.) Either way I placed 8th again.
I also found out I'm about 24% body fat. There's a little electronic scale/meter at the gym and I finally decided to figure it out and see what it said. If I'm considered athletic (exercising approximately 12 hours a week) then I'm 24%, and if I'm "standard" than it jumps to 37%. I may not exercise 12 hours a week, but I'm not willing to except that my body is 37% fat. 64 kilos of fat in my body!! 41 kg sounds much better! The gap between 24 and 36% seems huge.
Anyway, apparently 24% is the maximum number to fall under "good health," but I've read that I should be somewhere nearer 22% (or even as low as 18% if I believe fair-skinned red-heads have denser bones and should be a bit lower). I know these scales aren't terribly accurate, but it's a good estimate. I've had the tank test (was 17%) and calipers test (was 22% on the same day) so it's all basically a guess anyway. But still interesting... to me.
You know, I think I am THE tallest girl at this school. I can’t think of a SINGLE student who is taller than I am, and there certainly aren’t any teachers taller than I. Interesting. 92 girls at this school and I’m the tallest. (There are 156 students in my school this year. Down from 180 last year.)
Okay, I’m going home to email some very important people and start packing for my hitchhiking vacation which starts THURSDAY!!!
Love, Sierra
