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Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Physical Fitness Assessments Are Important
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every exercise program should begin with an assessment of your current fitness level. The assessment is the first step in developing an exercise program that will also provide the base line from which to evaluate your progress. If you employ the services of a Personal Trainer, the assessment becomes a tool, which will help the two of you note each of the physical areas that need to improve. The assessment will further aid in the development of a program based on which exercises are best for you.
Always consult with a physician before beginning an exercise program
Types of Assessments
Cardiovascular Endurance
Testing for cardiovascular endurance includes a variety of methods and equipment, reflecting the wide difference in capabilities found among clients. For instances a client with bad knees may take the swimming test or a visually impaired client may feel safer taking the cycling test.
a. 12 - minute Run – Walk Test
b. 12 - minute Swimming Test
c. 12 – minute Cycling Test
d. Step Test
Muscular Strength
These tests gauge arm and leg strength and reliably reflect strength throughout the upper and lower body, respectively.
a. Upper Body Test – (Chest Press)
b. Lower Body Test – (Leg Press)
Example: To safely gauge the chest press 1RM of your client, multiply the clients weight by .65. Providing your client is in fair condition, this is the number that he/she should be able to bench press.
Flexibility
This is your Range of Motion test. It is used to show flexibility in the shoulders, lower back and hamstrings.
a. Zipper Stretch
b. Sit and Reach
Muscular Endurance
a. Pushups – upper-body strength and endurance
b. Sit-ups – overall muscular strength and endurance
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Get Real
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2007 is around the corner and it’s the time of the year to re-evaluate your career, lifestyle, and health status.
So this year when you look in the mirror to evaluate your physical fitness and appearance, get real with yourself.
Don’t convince yourself you are just 5 pounds overweight (when you are really 20 lbs) and then tell yourself that 5 pounds does not really matter in the overall scheme of things so you don’t have to make any adjustments to your exercise routine or eating habits.
Instead, calculate your BMI ( and don’t guess your weight, really step on an accurate scale). Use this link to easily calculate your BMI: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
Once you have the objective numbers, make an action plan and stick with it. Bring health care professionals into your plan development (nutritionists, physical therapists, physicians) and schedule your yearly physical with your primary care physician to get the status of other important numbers like blood lipid levels, bone density, etc.
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