Do-It-Yourself Fitness Assessments
-- By Jason Anderson, Certified Personal Trainer
Why do you exercise? Whether you want to increase your energy, reduce your health risks, or lose some unwanted pounds, do you ever wonder if all that working out is working for you? That's where fitness assessments come in, and they can be great motivational tools to help you reach your goals.
Measuring your fitness level regularly is one way to find out if you're making progress. Most fitness centers have trained staff who can evaluate your body composition, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance, but it can be pricey. If you don’t have access to all the toys and tools of your gym, don’t panic. You have everything you need to measure your fitness level in your own house!
Start with the simple assessments below, whether you plan to start an exercise program tomorrow or you've been at it for a while.
The Pushup Test
| Measuring your fitness level regularly is one way to find out if you're making progress. Most fitness centers have trained staff who can evaluate your body composition, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance, but it can be pricey. If you don’t have access to all the toys and tools of your gym, don’t panic. You have everything you need to measure your fitness level in your own house! The Pushup Test measures muscular strength and endurance, a combination that better reflects your fitness level than strength tests like the one rep max. Besides being dangerous, single rep max tests also require a lot of equipment (bench press or squat rack, barbells, and other weights). A timed pushup test, on the other hand, can be done anywhere. Equipment needed: A stop watch or timer that can measure one full minute; a friend to help keep count and time you (optional). Goal: Do as many pushups as you can in one minute. Execution: Men will assume a traditional pushup position and females can use the modified pushup position (on knees). When the pushups start, so does the clock! Press yourself up with arms fully extended and lower yourself back until your chest is three inches from the floor (but do not touch your body to the floor). Repeat as many times as you can in one minute. You may rest only in the “up” position if necessary. What this measures: Strength and endurance in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Scoring: Here are the age-adjusted standards based on guidelines published by the American College of SportsMedicine (ACSM): Ratings for Men (Full Pushups), based on Age
Ratings for Women (Modified Pushups), based on Age
Maybe you’ll find that you’re doing really well. But even if you weren't able to do enough reps to register on the chart, that's OK. Everyone starts somewhere! Just try to improve gradually over time from where you started. Remember, you are looking for improvement in yourself, regardless of what a chart says or how many repetitions someone else can do. How to improve: To improve your scores in this test, focus on strength training the specific muscles of the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Good exercises that target these muscles include:
This test is a great tool to see how you are doing. If you don’t score as well as you like, just remember to focus on improving your own scores periodically. As long as you are improving, your fitness plan is working. If you find you aren’t making the progress that you feel you should be seeing, it may be time to change your workout routine.
The Crunch Test
Measuring your fitness level regularly is one way to find out if you're making progress. Most fitness centers have trained staff who can evaluate your body composition, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance, but it can be pricey. If you don’t have access to all the toys and tools of your gym, don’t panic. You have everything you need to measure your fitness level in your own house!
The Crunch Test, technically referred to as the "partial curl-up" test, measures abdominal strength and endurance, a combination that more truly reflects your fitness level than strength tests alone. This test is a better choice over the standard sit-ups because crunches are safer for the lower back and target the abs better. A timed crunch test can also be done anywhere. Equipment needed: A stop watch or timer that can measure one full minute; a ruler; a friend to help keep count and time you (optional). Goal: Do as many crunches as you can in one minute. Execution: Although this test involves regular crunches, it has some specific guidelines. Lie down on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and your heels about 18 inches away from your behind. Place your arms at your sides, palms down, fingertips next to your hips. Place a ruler next to your fingertips in this position and measure 6 inches further. You can put a piece of paper, the ruler itself, or a piece of tape at that 6-inch marker. Keep your hands on the floor throughout the test. Just like abdominal crunches, engage the abs to lift your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor, but allow your fingertips to slide toward the 6-inch marker. Return to the starting position to complete one rep. Repeat this as many times as you can in 60 seconds, counting only the number of repetitions that your fingertips successfully reach the 6-inch marker. You may rest in the starting position (relaxed), but the clock continues to run. What this measures: Strength and endurance in your abdominals. Scoring: Here are the age-adjusted standards based on guidelines published by the American College of SportsMedicine (ACSM): Ratings for Men, Based on Age
Ratings for Women, Based on Age
Maybe you’ll find that you’re doing really well. But even if you weren't able to do enough reps to register on the chart, that's OK. Everyone starts somewhere! Just try to improve gradually over time from where you started. Remember, you are looking for improvement in yourself, regardless of what a chart says or how many repetitions someone else can do. How to improve: To improve your scores on this test, choose strength exercises that focus on the core musclesof the abdominals and lower back. There are lots of variations of crunches that can help build strength and endurance in the abs. Good exercises that target these muscles include: Without equipment: Bicycle Crunches, Modified Plank, and Lying Straight Leg Raises At home: Crunches with Ball, and Dumbbell Crunches At the gym: Abdominal Crunch Machine and Knee Raises on Captain's Chair The 3-Minute Step Test
Measuring your fitness level regularly is one way to find out if you're making progress. Most fitness centers have trained staff who can evaluate your body composition, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance, but it can be pricey. If you don’t have access to all the toys and tools of your gym, don’t panic. You have everything you need to measure your fitness level in your own house!
The 3-Minute Step Test measures your aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness level based on how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after exercise. Equipment needed: Stopwatch or clock with a second hand; a friend to help you keep count; a 12-inch bench, box, or step; a metronome (if you don't have one, use the free online version at www.MetronomeOnline.com) Goal: Step on and off the bench for 3 minutes straight while keeping a consistent pace and then see how quickly your heart rate will come back down. Execution: This test is based on a 12-inch step, so use one as close to 12 inches as possible, otherwise your results will be skewed. Set the metronome to 96 beats per minute and make sure you can hear the beat. Stand facing the step. When ready to begin, start the clock or stopwatch and march up and down on the step to the metronome beat (up, up, down, down) for 3 consecutive minutes. (You can rest if you need to, but remain standing.) When 3 minutes are up, stop immediately, sit down on the step, and count (or have a friend count) your pulse (use your wrist or neck) for one full minute. What this measures: This test assesses your fitness level based on how quickly your heart rate recovers after exercise. The fitter you are, the quicker your heart rate will return to normal after exercise. Scoring: Here are the age-adjusted standards based on guidelines published by YMCA. Ratings for Men, Based on Age
Ratings for Women, Based on Age
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Maybe you’ll find that you’re doing really well. But even if you weren't able to register on the chart, that's OK. Everyone starts somewhere! Just try to improve gradually over time from where you started. Remember, you are looking for improvement in yourself, regardless of what a chart says or how well someone else does.
How to improve: To improve your scores on this test, develop a regular cardio (aerobic) exercise routine and stick to it. Increase your intensity and duration gradually and you'll boost your endurance over time. Use the SparkPeople resources below for more tips to improve your aerobic fitness.
The 1-Mile Walking Test
This 1-Mile Walking Test measures your aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness level based on how quickly you are able to walk a mile at a submaximal (moderate) exercise intensity.
Equipment Needed: Comfortable clothing and sturdy walking or running shoes; a stopwatch or a clock with a second hand; a flat one-mile walking surface, such as a standard quarter-mile track (four laps equals one mile) or a flat road where you've measured the one-mile distance with your car's odometer.
Goal: Walk one mile as quickly as possible.
Execution: We suggest that you DO NOT attempt this test until you are routinely walking for 15 to 20 minutes several times per week. Do not perform this test on a treadmill, as it will skew your results. Warm up by walking slowly for 3-5 minutes. When you are ready to begin, start the clock and begin walking as fast as you can while maintaining a steady pace. You can slow down and speed up as you wish, but the goal is to complete the mile as quickly as possible. Stop your watch or check your time at the end of the mile to the nearest second. When finished, keep walking for a few minutes to cool down. Follow up with a few stretches.
Scoring: Here are the age-adjusted standards (listed in minutes and seconds) for men and women, which are based on information collected from the Cooper Institute, American Council on Exercise and other sources.
Ratings for Men, Based on Age
| Age | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60-69 | 70+ |
| Excellent | <11:54 | <12:24 | <12:54 | <13:24 | <14:06 | <15:06 |
| Good | 11:54-13:00 | 12:24-13:30 | 12:54-14:00 | 13:24-14:24 | 14:06-15:12 | 15:06-15:48 |
| Average | 13:01-13:42 | 13:31-14:12 | 14:01-14:42 | 14:25-15:12 | 15:13-16:18 | 15:49-18:48 |
| Fair | 13:43-14:30 | 14:13-15:00 | 14:43-15:30 | 15:13-16:30 | 16:19-17:18 | 18:49-20:18 |
| Poor | >14:30 | >15:00 | >15:30 | >16:30 | >17:18 | >20:18 |
Ratings for Women, Based on Age
| Age | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60-69 | 70+ |
| Excellent | <13:12 | <13:42 | <14:12 | <14:42 | <15:06 | <18:18 |
| Good | 13:12-14:06 | 13:42-14:36 | 14:12-15:06 | 14:42-15:36 | 15:06-16:18 | 18:18-20:00 |
| Average | 14:07-15:06 | 14:37-15:36 | 15:07-16:06 | 15:37-17:00 | 16:19-17:30 | 20:01-21:48 |
| Fair | 15:07-16:30 | 15:37-17:00 | 16:07-17:30 | 17:01-18:06 | 17:31-19:12 | 21:49-24:06 |
| Poor | >16:30 | >17:00 | >17:30 | >18:06 | >19:12 | >24:06 |
Maybe you’ll find that you’re doing really well. But even if you weren't able to register on the chart, that's OK. Everyone starts somewhere! Just try to improve gradually over time from where you started. Remember, you are looking for improvement in yourself, regardless of what a chart says or how well someone else does.
How to improve: To improve your scores on this test, develop a regular cardio (aerobic) exercise routine and stick to it. Increase your intensity and duration gradually and you'll boost your endurance over time.
This will build a good aerobic base and over time, your heart will become more efficient which means that it will be able to do the same amount of work without working as hard. If your exercise of choice is walking, think about incorporating a little bit of higher intensity intervals, such as hills or light jogging.
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