Many people, even those who are fitness buffs, do not test themselves to find out their fitness level which is a mistake. People should check their fitness level to determine the limits of their strength and endurance. The following are the top ten best ways to test your fitness level.
Run a mile:
Running is the best way to test your endurance levels. It can help you find out the fitness of your lungs and heart. A one-mile run is all you need to get an idea of your fitness level. To get the most out of your run, you should time yourself when you decide to cover a mile. If it takes you more than eight minutes to complete the run, then you should try to improve your time.
Sit on the floor and then try to stand up using only your feet:
Doctors have found that by testing the limbs that a patient uses to sit on the ground and then to stand can help determine the risk of early death. They give the highest score of 10 points to patients who only use their feet to stand up. If a patient uses any other limb to stand up, then one point is deducted. Each point increase causes a 21% decrease in the risk of early death. So, make sure that your fit enough to stand up using your feet only.
Play any sport for half an hour:
Another way to test your fitness level is to go the park and play any game such as football, basketball, soccer, Frisbee, etc. for half an hour making sure that you are always moving. After playing assess yourself. Are you out of breath? Were you able to complete a whole half an hour of the game easily? Answering such questions can help you rate your fitness level.
Count the calories you burn on a stationary bike in a minute:
Although running is excellent for fitness and health, not everybody can sprint, especially older people. Due to this stationary bikes provide a good substitute to test your fitness levels. A good workout on a stationary bike, which also reads your vitals, can help access your fitness level.
Tread water and time yourself:
Tread water in the ocean or a swimming pool for at least 15 minutes. Don’t swim or float just tread, keeping your head above the water. This can be very tiring but it will build up your stamina, and with a little practice help you achieve your target fairly quickly.
The pushup:
Pushups test the strength of your upper body, especially of your shoulders, chest, and triceps. If you can do 30 - 40 pushups without rest it is splendid, but if you can only do 20 or less, then it shows that your upper body is not getting enough exercise, and you should work on your fitness.
The abdominal plank:
Holding a plank is the best way to test your core strength. It works your core muscles which include your glutes, abdominals, internal and external obliques, and the smaller stabilizing muscles that make up your torso. If you can hold the plank for more than 3 minutes, then it shows that you are in excellent condition, but if you can only hold it for less than 1 minute, then it indicates that you need to work more on your core.
The pull up:
Pull ups test your upper body strength. Less than ten pull ups show a poor fitness level, but if you can do more than 20 reps, then your fitness level is impressive.
The 500-metre row:
Rowing is a great exercise for the whole body, and it also helps to burn a lot of calories. You can use an indoor rower to test your fitness level, and see how many meters you can cover.
Jump rope:
Jumping rope is a great exercise to test your coordination, reaction time and aerobic capacity. If you are unable to continue for one minute without rest, then focus on building a steady form to attain a great fitness level.
