Find Your Fitness Level

Written by Branda Polk

You know your phone number and address. You are quick to recall your title at work and your car's make and model. Your memory for personal information is quite sharp, right? So, do you know your fitness level? Maybe you measure your fitness level by weighing yourself. Therefore, if you have gained a few pounds, your fitness level is low, but if your weight is stable or even decreasing, you feel like you're in pretty good shape. Maybe you measure your fitness level by your abilities. If so, you feel fairly fit if you can mow the lawn and help a friend move. You're pretty sure that if you ask for help to move a box or can't change a flat tire, then your fitness level is low. 

Well, these fitness guides are not so foolproof. However, through a series of easy exercises recommended by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), you can evaluate your cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and stamina, core (abdominal and back) strength, and flexibility. When you properly evaluate where you are strong and where you are weak, improvements can be made to increase your fitness level no matter what the scale reads or if you can still loosen a lug nut.

Evaluate your cardiovascular fitness. Use the odometer of your car to measure a one mile loop or go to a local high school track (usually, one mile is equal to four laps). Begin a stop watch when you start walking and time yourself until you finish the mile. You are in good cardiovascular fitness if you can walk/jog one mile in 12 - 14 minutes.

Evaluate your muscle strength and stamina. Test your upper body with pushups. Get down on the floor in a pushup position placing your hands shoulder width apart and your knees on an exercise mat or folded towel. Keep your body straight as you bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward the floor. Push back up to the starting position. You have good upper body strength and stamina if you can complete two sets of 15 modified pushups with a 15 second rest between sets. 

Test your leg strength with lunges. Take a giant step forward so the front foot is flat on the floor and the heel of the back foot is lifted. Balance your weight evenly between the front and back feet. Keep your back straight as you bend both knees to lunge down. Do not allow the front knee to extend beyond the front foot. Complete ten lunges on the first side then step back and immediately switch legs.  After completing ten lunges on each leg, rest for 15 seconds and repeat ten more lunges on each leg. Your lower body strength is good if you can complete two sets of 20 lunges with a 15 second rest between sets. 

Evaluate your core strength. Lie face down on the floor with your elbows and forearms on the floor under your shoulders. Push yourself up to bridge between your toes and forearms with your body straight like a board. Hold this position. If you sag or lift your seat up, stop the exercise. You have good core strength if you can hold an elbow plank for 30 seconds. 

Evaluate your flexibility. Stand up with your legs straight but without locking your knees. Bend over at the waist and touch as close to your toes as possible. You have good flexibility if you can touch your toes.

These fitness assessments are very general. The tests will let you know where you may need to make some improvements. For a more in-depth fitness assessment, consult week 2 of the Fit 4 Fitness Member Workbook, which features the complete directions and scoring for the fitness assessments recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Branda Polk, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified Fitness Instructor, personal trainer, and wellness coach in Memphis, Tennessee.

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