Besides its efficacy as a flexibility test, the cobra stretch is a popular yoga pose.  Not only does it feel great as an abdominal stretch, the cobra helps keep the lumbar spine limber and preserves elasticity in the surrounding muscles and connective tissue.  Retaining flexibility in our lower backs is vital as we age; it helps reduce low-back pain (a very common condition) and reduces the risk for back injuries.

To perform this test, lie face down on an exercise mat.  Place your palms and forearms on the mat in line with your shoulders, as shown in the first picture.  Your upper body will be slightly lifted off the mat as you lean on your forearms.

From here, press your palms into the mat and extend your arms as much as you can while keeping your hips in contact with the floor.  Relax your lower body as you press away from the mat, as demonstrated in the second picture.  Pay attention to the distance between your hips and the mat – ideally, you would like to remain in contact with the floor as your arms become fully extended.  Rate yourself according to the table below.

Although this is a mild stretch, it is still very important not to overextend yourself.  Stop the movement immediately if you feel any pain in your back.

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The sit and reach test measures the flexibility of your lower body, specifically your hamstrings and lower back muscles.  Because this movement involves stretching, make sure you have properly warmed-up your muscles before undertaking this test.  Performing the step test, push-up test, and plank hold prior to the flexibility tests would accomplish this nicely.

You will need a few materials for this challenge: a mat, masking tape, and a yard stick.  To begin, set up your mat and apply a piece of masking tape across the top ¼ of the mat – essentially dividing the mat into 2 sections.  Align the 15-inch mark of your yardstick with the masking tape (numbers 16 and higher should be pointing towards the smaller section of the mat).  The picture to the left illustrates this set-up.

Next, sit on the mat facing the smaller section and line your feet with the 15-inch mark and the masking tape.  Keeping your legs straight (and not allowing your knees to bend!), reach forward along the yardstick as far as you can.  Just be gentle! You never want to force muscles into a stretched position.

Make note of what number your fingertips reach and perform the test a second time.  You’ll then compare your highest number with the standards below for you age and gender.  As before, A is excellent, B is good, and C needs improvement.

Tomorrow’s post (and the last test in this series!) will be for upper body flexibility: the Cobra Stretch.

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Just as the push-up test challenged your upper body strength, today we’ll challenge your core strength with a plank hold.  You can think of your “core” as the center of your body: your abdominals (rectus abdominus, transverse abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles) and your lower back muscles (erector spinae).  Strong core muscles are critical for balance, strength, posture, and to prevent lower back pain.

You might be surprised to hear that more than 80% of Americans suffer from low back pain at some point in their lives, often as a result of physical deconditioning.  Simply sitting at a desk all day (as I know most of us do) just doesn’t cut it for retaining muscle strength in your midsection… or anywhere for that matter!

So on that note, let’s test your core strength! Planks are one of my favorite moves for strengthening the core, and there are a million variations of this simple exercise.  For today, we’ll simply be holding the “plank” position for 1 minute (or as long as you can).

To begin, lie face down on a mat and lift yourself onto your elbows and toes.  Your elbows should be positioned directly underneath your shoulders, feet about hip width apart.  Look down at the mat to keep your neck and spine in alignment.  Also pay close attention to the position of your bum – if it’s too high, you won’t be working your core (that’s cheating!) and if it’s too low you could stress your back.  Instead, position yourself so you form a straight line from head to heel.  Let’s start the timer!

P.S. Make sure you BREATHE through this exercise…

Once again, A is excellent, B is good, and C needs improvement.  The last two tests of this series will challenge your flexibility, so stay tuned for those posts later this week.  And remember to keep track of your scores – you’ll need them later to determine your workout level!

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The purpose of the push-up test is to evaluate both the strength and endurance of the upper body, including the chest, shoulders, and triceps.  As much as we hate them (I can actually hear you groaning in despair…), push-ups are one of the best exercises I know.  Not only do they work every “problem” area on a woman’s upper body, they are extremely effective at engaging your core (both your abdominals and your lower back).  I can learn a lot about a client’s fitness level and muscle weaknesses simply by watching them perform push-ups.

To begin, set up a mat and get into push-up position.  For men, this is on your hands and toes, making sure your hands are directly underneath your shoulders and your body is straight.

For women, set yourself up on your knees and hands, again making sure your hands are directly underneath your shoulders.  I’ve demonstrated this position in the pictures the the left.

The test requires you to perform as many push-ups as you can in one minute.  In order to count the push-up, you must lower yourself to only a couple inches off the floor and return to the top without breaking form.

Count how many you did and compare to the charts below.  Just as with the step test, A is excellent, B is good, and C needs improvement.

My next post will test your core strength through plank holds (basically holding the top of a push-up for one minute).  So go ahead and start practicing!

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