Try these self-tests developed by the Cooper Institute of Aerobic Fitness in Dallas. Comparing your scores with your age and sex can give you a good indication of how fit you are. The numbers also can provide a good baseline to compare yourself with six weeks or six months from now. When you see that you started out being able to do only as many sit-ups as the average 60-year-old, then after working out for two months, could do as many as the average 30-year-old, that's a great motivator.
Test 1 - Upper Body Strength:
Perform as many push-ups as you can in one minute.
Men should have only their hands and toes touching the floor; women can use the "modified" position, with their hands and knees touching the floor.
The average score for women in their twenties is 26, in their thirties is 21, in their forties is 15, in their fifties is 13 and over sixty is 8. The average score for men in their twenties is 33, in their thirties is 27, in their forties is 21, in their fifties is 15 and over sixty is 15.
Test 2 - Abdominal Strength:
Perform as many sit-ups as you can in one minute, keeping your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides and palms down with fingers extended. Curl up only until your shoulder blades lift off the floor, and let your fingers slide forward along the floor about three inches.
An "intermediate" range for women in their twenties is 25 to 45, in their thirties is 20 to 40, in their forties is 18 to 35, in their fifties is 12 to 30 and over sixty is 11 to 25. The intermediate range for men in their twenties is 30 to 50, in their thirties is 22 to 45, in their forties is 21 to 40, in their fifties is 18 to 35, and over sixty is 15 to 30.
Test 3 - Flexibility
To gauge the flexibility of your lower back and hamstrings, tape a yardstick to the floor, then place a foot-long strip of tape perpendicular to the yardstick at the 15-inch mark. Take off your shoes and sit on the floor with your legs straight, straddling the yardstick with the "0" end closest to your groin and your heels on the piece of tape at the 15-inch mark. Place one hand on top of the other and lean forward slowly with your legs straight, reaching as far forward along the yardstick as you can without bending your knees.
Your score is the point at which your fingertips touch the yardstick at maximum reach.
The average score for a woman in her twenties is 20", in her thirties is 19", in her forties is 18", in her fifties is 17.9" and over 60 is 16.4". The average score for a man in his twenties is 17.5", in his thirties is 16.5", in his forties is 15.3", in his fifties is 14.5" and over sixty is 13.5".
Test 4 - Aerobic Fitness
Timing how long it takes you to run or walk a certain distance, and your heart rate response to that effort, is a good indication of your cardiovascular endurance. At Step into Life Hallett Cove we run scientifically based cardiovascular sessions that target various heart rate zones through interval training techniques. We also offer regular fitness testing on our timetable which includes all the above 4 tests.
Keeping fit is more important than ever with age. If after performing the above test you are unhappy with the results, then regular exercise is the answer.
Exercise can help boost your fitness at any age so it is never to late to exercise and turn back your body clock.
Jason Kimber
Personal Trainer / Director
