“How can you stay on track and motivated? Is your current workout regimen moving you closer to your fitness goals? Are you receiving positive health benefits from your regimen? Would you like monitor your progress? Don’t have a sporting event or competition to assess your progress? Fitness testing is an excellent way to ascertain whether you are achieving all of the aforementioned. Fitness testing is a process through which baseline information is established via testing of one or more of the components of physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition). Testing is then done intermittently to gauge progress.
The Tests
There are many tests that can be used to ascertain information to be used later for comparison and contrast purposes. Some tests are very simple to administer while other require expensive equipment and/or the assistance of others. Let’s take a look at some of the test that might be used to gauge progress in specific areas of physical fitness:
- Skin fold test (body composition) - this test uses calipers to measure a pinch of skin at predetermined sites on the body to assess body fat content. Measurements are usually taken at between three and nine sites.
- Push-up test (muscular strength and endurance) - this simple test uses either the number of push-ups completed in a specific amount of time or the amount time required to complete a specific number of push-ups. The same procedure can be utilized to establish baseline numbers for sit-ups or body weight squats.
- Three-minute step test (cardiovascular endurance) - step up and down alternating right leg and left leg for three minutes on a 12 inch high step. At the three minute mark, measure heart rate to determine number of beats for one minute.
- Basic walk/run test (cardiovascular endurance) - this test can be done for time or distance, either to determine how much distance is covered in a specific amount of time or how long it takes to cover a specific distance. Some popular tests of this nature are the Cooper 12 Minute Test, the Rockport Walk Test, the Six-Minute Run Test, and the Shuttle-Run Test. This timed principle can be applied to swimming, biking, or other forms of aerobic activity.
- Hydrostatic weighting (body composition) - a method of obtaining body weight via weighting while submerged in a tank of water. This method of weighing is said to be the most accurate method for determining body fat percentages.
- Sit and reach test (flexibility) - this test measures the flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings. While sitting on the floor with legs outstretched, lean forward as far as possible with arms and fingers extended, mark the furthest point reached.
- Hip to waist ratio (body composition) - this test entails measuring the circumference of the waist and hips. The difference between the two numbers can be used as an indicator of health risk such as heart disease.
Fitness testing can provide the impetus necessary to keep you immersed in your fitness. It can be a tool that drives you to the next fitness level. We all garner strength, both physical and psychological, from success. The anticipation of accomplishment could be just what is needed to revive an otherwise humdrum routine. Keep your fitness regimen interesting and inspiring, choose one or more fitness factors to measure and chart your success.
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T.S. Eliot
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