Three fitness tests to try right now

Want to test your strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, vascular health and longevity to name a few? Try these simple at home tests and see how you score. Ways to improve are also detailed below.

Test 1

30 second sit-to-stand test (Tests lower body muscular strength and endurance)

Start by sitting in a chair (approx 17” high from seat to floor and without arm rests ideally) with your arms crossed over your chest in front of you and simply stand up then sit straight back down again as many times as you can in 30 seconds. Make sure you touch the seat chair with your glutes (bottom) and stand completely straight at the top of the move. Count how many times you complete one stand up and sit down. It may be easier to ask a friend to time you for the 30 seconds.
How did you do? (The following results are taken from 60 year old test subjects so if you are a lot younger than this then you should be able to perform the above average scores!)

Females:

Level 3 (Less than 12 ) = Below average

Level 2 (12-17) =Average

Level 1 (Greater than 17) = Above average

Males:

Level 3 (Less than 14) = Below average

Level 2 (14-19) = Average

Level 1 (Greater than 19) = Above average

Test 2 - 30 second standing on one leg test (Tests postural instability, vascular health and even dementia risk!)

Stand on your right leg and raise your left leg up off the floor several inches. (Your left foot must not touch your right leg/foot for support).

How long can you hold this stance for without too much wobbling? Dont forget to try the other leg too. If this was easy try it again but with your eyes closed this time!

Level 1 = 30 seconds + with eyes closed. Fantastic!

Level 2 = 20-30 seconds + eyes open. Not bad at all. This is what everyone should be aiming for at the minimum.

Level 3 - Less than 20 seconds = There may be balance issues/vascular damage that needs investigating. Is one side significantly easier than the other? Look into possible issues with the spine.

Want to improve your time? Try standing on your right leg whilst cleaning your top teeth and then standing on your left leg whilst cleaning the bottom teeth. In this way you will be incorporating balance training into our daily life.

Test 3

Standing straight touch toes test (Tests flexibility especially in legs and lower back)

There is some evidence that being able to touch your toes is a good marker of how flexible you arteries are and an inability to reach the floor with your fingertips can be a predictor of a future heart attack. Issues of mobility or stability must be looked into if you cannot yet touch your toes in this move.

To perform this test stand up straight with your feet close together but not touching. Reach up from the hips and then bend forwards towards your toes. Not touching the floor? Try this. Stand tall again and simply rotate your pelvis forwards into a slight posterior pelvic tilt (tuck your bum in and forwards). Keeping this position reach up and forwards again and see what happens? Did you get further down this time?

Everyone should be striving towards being able to touch their toes from this standing position and with regular practice this will be achieved. If you simply are not getting any closer, investigate mobility and stability issues with a personal trainer or physical therapist.

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The power of resistance bands

Resistance bands could be the one piece of workout equipment that can take your body to the next level of fitness, strength and overall muscle tone.  As a Personal Trainer, Pilates instructor and pre and post-natal teacher (www.redhotpersonaltraining.com) I find resistance bands a wonderful, versatile and full body strengthening little 'gym in my pocket' tools that really do work wonders.

Bands come in a variety of lengths and strengths so suitable from beginner to advanced athlete and some are made in a loop construction that adds to the versatility and variety of exercise combinations that can be used. They are budget friendly and can easily be used while away from home travelling as they are so portable and require little space to use. (Many of my clients travel with work a great deal so when they are away from home they can continue with their exercises whilst away).

Resistance bands allow you to get a full body strengthening workout without the use of any free weights or gym machines.  The key here is that working out with resistance bands produce a different type of tension on your muscles than that of free weights or resistance machines. They produce progressive tension so they actually create more resistance through the range of your repetitions. This is a good thing as the bands will be targeting your muscles fibres in a different way than you would achieve by just using free weights and machines alone. Resistance bands strengthen the neuromuscular system where it is weakest which is at the end of the range of motion but do not place as much strain on the joints than using heavy weights thus their is less chance of injury. 

Have you reached a fitness plateau?  Resistance bands can be an excellent way to add an element of fun and variety into your workout and can be just what the muscles are looking for to overcome that stagnation.

You can do just about any strength training exercise using bands. In fact an entire full body workout can be achieved (including a band warm up and cool down) using a set of small loop bands (in different strengths) and one 1.5 meter single length band. My diary is usually very full and that sometimes leaves very little room for me to work out myself. A short 20 minute band session can be amazing at achieving an excellent resistance workout in a short amount of time. 

Some body weight exercises can be taken to the next level by simply adding the use of a resistance band. For example, a plank with an alternating rear leg lift could be done with a loop band attached around the ankles for added resistance. 

If you have not tried integrating bands into your workouts you simply must give it a go as they are such a wonderful addition to any workout.

If you would like the help of a personal trainer or to purchase gift vouchers for a loved one please contact www.redhotpersonaltraining.com

Could you skip this one?

Do you remember effortlessly skipping as a child? How about giving it a go again? What a great way to raise that heart rate up, help with fat loss and help tone that mid section while you are there! Skipping is great as part of a warm up or used as a whole body workout in itself. An inexpensive tool to purchase that is easily portable too!

Try this quick skipping workout below that you could even squeeze in before breakfast!

1. Set the timer on your phone for 5 minutes. Keeping your elbows by your sides and using your wrists to propel the rope (try not to use your shoulders) do 30 simple skips.

2. Take a 30 second (active) break by gently marching on the spot.

3. Repeat the skipping and rest periods until the 5 minutes are up and there you have a great mini workout!

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