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Fitness testing under controlled conditions with performance measurements can help break the vicious cycle of training monotony and lack of motivation to exercise.
Fitness is fun. But motivation diminishes when we feel like we’re exercising every day, with no idea if we’re really progressing.
Testing fitness under controlled conditions with performance measurement can help break the vicious cycle of training monotony and lack of motivation to exercise.
“Fitness tests are becoming a great way to track your progress,” says David Wiener, AI-powered fitness and wellness education specialist at Freeletics. See also: Why conduct functional diagnostics of athletes?
Why is it important to do fitness tests?
Many of us rely on how we look or how we feel to determine if we are getting better, healthier, and stronger. But fitness tests can provide a more accurate answer, as well as help establish a foundation for development,” the specialist emphasizes: “Measuring your fitness, whether it be cardiovascular or strength, is important because we can better understand how we are meeting our goals. and motivate yourself to achieve them.
“You can’t manage what you can’t measure. By testing your performance, you can modify your workouts accordingly,” says trainer Jason Bone, head of strength training at FLEX Chelsea.
Important: If you’re not seeing progress despite exercising regularly, fitness tests can be the catalyst you need to make a difference. See also: The effect of regular exercise on the body
The most common fitness tests
Testing your fitness can be divided into five main steps:
- cardiovascular endurance (for example, running);
- muscle strength (for example, powerlifting);
- muscle endurance (any exercise for functional fitness);
- flexibility (stretching);
- body structure (ratio of height, weight, volume).
Are fitness tests an accurate way to measure fitness?
“It’s important to make sure you test under the same conditions or you won’t get reliable results,” cautions award-winning personal trainer Rachel Lines: “A lot of things can affect test data, even if you’re not an athlete.”
Variables that can affect the accuracy of the results:
- Times of Day;
- do you eat before the test, what do you eat;
- weather (for example, running in the heat can adversely affect hydration);
- the period of the menstrual cycle;
- sleep quality;
- moving to another climate zone and/or time zone.
How often should you test your fitness?
“If you’re on a regular training program, you need to retest about every six to eight weeks,” Lines says. “This gives your body enough time to adapt to training and improve either cardiovascular function or muscle strength and endurance. , depending on your goals and what you’re testing.”
More frequent testing is not recommended. “Continuous testing can be demotivating, especially if the results don’t come back as quickly as you’d like. Some fitness goals can take time to reach,” warns Bone. See also: How to start exercising after a break?