The 4 fitness tests that you should pass to ensure that you will age well
To age well, we all already know that moving and playing sports must become a fundamental aspect of our lives. Not only will it help us with physical aspects such as mobility, flexibility or strength, but it will also be an excellent tool for working on memory and other intellectual abilities.
But, to know if the sport we do is working, perhaps we should do different tests that help us demonstrate it. Specifically, there are 4 fitness tests that we can do anywhere and at any time to evaluate our strength, balance and power.
The tests to know if you are going to age well
Sit down and get up
Although it may seem like a simple test, it is not if we are of a certain age. It will help us check where we are in terms of mobility in the lower body and strength in the core. It will basically consist of going from lying on the floor to standing up without using our hands or supporting ourselves. It will be something that will help us when we fall and need to get up without help.
There are different levels. In the most complicated one, we will have to lie down on a mat but, if we are not able to do the exercise like this, we will simply sit on the floor with one leg crossed and placed under the buttock, and we will use the opposite leg to get up.
The most important thing is that at no time do we use our hands and that we keep them right in front of us, concentrating on maintaining balance.
If we do the test and see that we are not moving fluidly, nothing happens. We can always continue working on our abilities, through functional movements that serve us on a daily basis.
The 30 second test
To measure our power, we will have to practice this test which, specifically, will evaluate our ability to apply rapid force. We will only have to time how many times we can stand up without using our hands in 30 seconds, while sitting in the starting position.
The ideal results? For those under 65, women must do it at least 15 times and men, 17. For those over 65, women, 11 and men, 12.
It is probably the simplest test. We just have to take a chair and sit on it with our arms crossed over our chest. We set the timer and get up and sit down again and again until time is up. To improve, we will have to focus on strengthening our upper body and practicing flexibility and mobility.
Be hanging
It may seem strange, but with this test we can check our grip strength, which is crucial in certain health problems or in our recovery after an injury. We will only have to hang from a bar and remain in that position for as long as possible.
Beginners should hold for 10 to 15 seconds; the intermediate level, 20 or 30 and the experts, more than 45. The objective should be that at some point we can last a specific minute, but we will have to work on this little by little.
The balance test
Finally, we focus on balance, which will be the ability that will help us avoid falls and other types of accidents. To measure it we will have to see how much time we can spend standing, on one leg.
We will have to be barefoot, put our hands on our hips for greater stability and lift one foot off the ground, so that we are on one foot. We'll have to see how long we last. These should be our results:
Under 40: at least 43 seconds.
Between 40 and 49: 40 seconds.
Between 50 and 59: 37 seconds.
Between 60 and 69: 30 seconds.
OVER 70: 18-19 seconds.
Of course, the longer we last, the fitter we will be. If we do not reach the level we should be at for our age, we should include unilateral exercises in our training, to improve coordination, balance and mobility, and it is best to do it with the help of a trainer.
And you? Will you dare to check if you are going to age well or not?
[via GQ Spain]