The 5 Fitness Test that predict longevity
Traditionally fitness testing has been reserved for athletes….think NFL combine. But the more we understand the science of fitness, the more we realize its one of the best leading indicators of health and longevity.
Over the course of the next 5 weeks, I”m going to release what I consider the 5 most basic fitness tests that anyone can do to help them understand not only where they fit amongst age and gender norms, but how they stack up against communitites and culutres around the world who can express fitness in a way that transfers to longevity. Think…..Blue Zones of Fitnes!
This week is an overview of why this is so important to know and understand!
When I was in college, in order to make the soccer team, we had to pass a fitness test that consisted of running three miles in less than 18 minutes. The test always took place at 5 a.m. on the first day of pre-season training. The course was through a hilly neighborhood in Des Moines, Iowa, next to the Drake University Campus. Our coach made it clear: If you didn’t pass the test, you would get cut from the team. I was a midfielder and my job was to run all over the field, so running three miles in less than 18 minutes wasn’t hard for me back then. But the goalkeepers, whose positions don’t require a lot of running, also had to run the course that fast. I couldn’t help thinking that the coach should have different time requirements based on position. After all, the data existed, even back then, showing how much distance an average player in each position covered in a game. If the coach’s goal was to ensure that each player was fit enough to effectively do his job, he should have looked into the standards for each position and tested us on those. When I asked about the reason behind the 18 minutes, he said, “It’s always been that way.” Similarly, industry fitness standards often are not applicable because they don’t take into account age, gender and where you, specifically, are right now with your fitness. That’s where the fitness-check up comes in.
Regular fitness check-ups are just as important, if not more important in terms of prevention, as regular medical check-ups. A fitness check-up is a series of fitness assessments and the specific standards that go along with them that will help you understand how to compare yourself to others of your age and gender who are healthy, strong and fit. These assessments will give you insight into your overall fitness capacity and also help you know where to start your training and what the right progression is for you.
I’ve gathered the data so you can see how you stack up against what is normal and healthy for someone your age and gender. The key to creating fitness standards is finding the right data that supports realistic performance and is representative of strong correlations between fitness, longevity and health. You will not be comparing yourself to Olympic athletes 25 years younger than you, nor will you be comparing yourself to hardcore fitness enthusiasts who live, breathe, and eat fitness, people like Paula Ivan, a 60-year-old female who ran a 4:15 mile or Carlton Williams, a 50-year-old man who did 2,220 push-ups in 60 minutes. Instead, we will use standards that represent the best possible outcomes attainable given your age, gender and busy lifestyle.
The data I’ve based these fitness standards on comes from a range of studies and real experiences with millions of participants. I’ve selected five assessments that provide a wide range of cardio and strength standards as well as mobility and stability standards. These standards are relatable, well-researched, and designed to help you take some simple steps to get closer to where you want to be with your fitness. These assessments will give you insight into your overall fitness capacity. After doing the tests and seeing where you fit within the standards, you will have a Fit Score that shows your overall fitness and will give you a clear starting place.
Note: these tests don’t define you. I know what it’s like to feel stressed about doing fitness and health tests. When I am healthy, fit and thriving, I find myself excited about trying to beat my old scores to make sure I’m getting better. But when I am not in a good place with my fitness, it can be intimidating to see how far I have fallen from my peak fitness. I have to remind myself that my fitness check-up is a tool that will help me get unstuck and move forward with my fitness goals again. The following have helped me get through health and fitness check-ups:
The results don’t define me. It helps me to see these assessments and results as tools that help me tailor a program to meet my specific needs. I know how important it is to have an individualized program designed to meet me where I am at physically and emotionally.73% of people who start a fitness program quit because the program is too challenging, boring or ineffective. Understanding where you are today and setting up the right starting point is crucial.
Don’t obsess over your score. The healthiest place for these fitness numbers to live is in the background, as a tool that we can look at once in a while for guidance. If these numbers drift to the foreground and cause too much stress, they no longer serve their purpose and they steal from connection, internal drive and joy. You might need to remind yourself to keep the focus on the work that you are doing and how you feel rather than on your fit score.
Stress can be good if used correctly. When I do my fitness check-up, I sometimes feel stressed, but I remind myself that it’s part of the process. The stress shows that I care and am passionate about my health. Once I recognize that, I have awareness and feel more in control.
Efficacy! As much as I celebrate blue ribbons and gold medals for everybody, I know that when it comes to using fitness as an indicator of health, we need to have objective data that shows us whether what we are doing is working or not, thus giving us the information we need to ask questions and make adjustments. We aren’t always going to win or see the results we want, but I’d rather have the truth so I know how to move forward effectively.
Most fitness assessment studies are done in a clinical setting, requiring blood panels, gas exchange data and sometimes muscle biopsies. Those kinds of assessments would be very challenging, if not impossible, to replicate at home or even in a gym. Instead, the following assessments come from studies of healthy, active, and thriving populations across the world. They are basic, simple to follow, and can be done in your home without equipment. The magic is in the standards associated with each test. The standards stand for something concrete in each assessment. For example, I want you to walk away knowing exactly what having more upper body strength means and why you need it as opposed to just trying to improve upper body strength. How much improvement? What is the point of the goal? What benefits will I see? The standards give you something real to understand, compare, and chase.
These five tests will give you an overall view of your fitness. Each test is different and will test a different aspect of your fitness. Remember, it’s the broader view of fitness that counts here. Doing well across all disciplines counts more than doing great in one discipline. For each test, there is a performance score from 0-5 based on the standards for each test. When added up across all five tests, your total score will be your Fit Score. This score will give you a picture of your overall fitness level and provide you with a specific starting point. Next week I will explain test #1, but before we dive in, here are a couple of frequently asked questions:
What if I can’t do one of the tests?
If you can’t complete a test due to injury or restriction, don’t worry. There are alternatives for some of the assessments designed to test the same physical markers but in a different way. If the alternative doesn’t work for you and your restriction or injury inhibits you from doing the type of movement required for the test, that’s also okay. You can skip the test you are unable to complete and think about coming back to it once you are able. It will be helpful, however, to consider why you cannot do the test and investigate what restricts you. But know that none of the assessments will ask you to do anything that is not part of what is a normal range of motion or normal strength. If you can’t squat because your knee hurts, then you should know why and be able to take a pass at how to fix it. After all, it’s your knee, and being healthy requires a certain level of awareness. Too often, we dismiss the reasons behind our physical limitations. Take the steps now to figure out what is causing pain or lack of range of motion, etc. So, it’s okay to move past an assessment if pain is involved, but ignoring that pain isn’t a solution. If you have to skip a test to attain an overall fit score, you can take the average of the tests you could complete and apply that to the tests you could not.
What if I don’t even test on the scale as a beginner?
That’s okay, you’re not alone. Remember, the standards are set by a population of fit, active people. You don’t have to be there today, but the goal is to work toward a place where your fitness checkup meets the standards. But everybody has to start somewhere. And knowing where you are will help guide your fitness program.
Stay tuned in for Test #1 in next week’s post!
See you in the gym,
Aaron Leventhal CSCS, PN1