Just as we are using your measurements as a benchmark for inches lost, fitness tests act as a point of reference for improvements in your health and fitness. You’ll test yourself in three key areas (cardiovascular health, strength, and flexibility) and compare your scores to others of your age and gender. Then you can retake the tests at a later date to see how much you’ve improved!
There are a multitude of tests you could use to determine your fitness level in cardio and strength, speed and power, and flexibility and balance. And, as you can imagine, the equipment used to perform these tests ranges from absolutely nothing to very expensive, high-tech gadgets that measure probably more than you care to know about your body! For our purposes here (and because I try to provide you with stuff you don’t need to spend money on!), I’ve narrowed the field down to 5 tests that you can do at home with little-to-no equipment:
- The step test for cardiovascular health
- The push-up test for upper body strength
- The plank hold for core strength
- The sit-and-reach test for lower back & hamstring flexibility
- The cobra stretch for trunk flexibility
Today we’re going to start with the step test…
At-Home Step Test
To begin, you’ll need to measure your resting heart rate. Place the tips of your right index and middle fingers on the inside of your left wrist, at the base of the thumb, and press only lightly. Move your fingers ever so slightly back and forth until you feel your pulse. Count the number of beats in 30 seconds and multiply that number by 2. For a more accurate reading, take your pulse twice and average the numbers. Average pulse rates for women are around 75 beats per minute, while men average about 70. However, a “normal” resting heart rate can range from as low as 40 bpm to as high as 100 bpm. The more fit you are, the lower your resting heart rate will be.
Next, stand in front of a 12-inch-high step. If you don’t have an “aerobic step” at your house, just use stairs or another sturdy surface. Emphasis here on sturdy. The height of the step is important too, since you will be comparing your scores to standards based on this step height. A shorter step is technically cheating (and I know you want to find your real score)!
Place your right foot on top of the step, then step up with your left foot. Step down the same way: right, then left. You will continue in this pattern of “up, up, down, down” for 3 minutes at a very steady pace. Once the 3 minutes are up, take your heart rate again for 30 seconds. Multiply by 2 to get your beats per minute and your step test “score”. You can then compare your post-step test heart rate with the values in the tables below. Record the corresponding letter (remember, we’ll be tallying the results from ALL fitness tests next week!). For now, I’ll just say that A is excellent, B is good, and C needs improvement.
We’re basically looking to see how high your heart rate gets after doing an activity like stepping for 3 minutes. The more fit your heart is, the less of a difference you’ll see between your resting heart rate and your post-step test heart rate.
My next post will be the upper body strength test… the push-up! To make sure you don’t miss the rest of the fitness tests and other posts, you can subscribe to Trainer Confidential via email or RSS.
