The purpose of a fitness assessment is to gather information related to your current level of physical fitness. This information may be used to establish an exercise program specific to your needs, evaluate progress in your current exercise program, establish goals and provide motivation and identify possible health injury risks. This fitness assessment is not a diagnostic tool. It is not meant to determine the presence or absence of disease. The assessment outlined here is a very basic assessment. A more extensive assessment can be done by a qualified fitness professional. For those with a family history of heart disease, pulmonary or metabolic disorders, or those with existing disease, it would be wise to consult with a physician. We will cover the following four components in the fitness assessment:
- Cardio-respiratory efficiency (at rest and during exercise)
- Muscular strength and endurance (ability to exert a sub-maximal force repeatedly over time)
- Muscle and joint flexibility (range of motion for a given joint)
- Body composition (comparison of fat to fat-free body mass)
The results of each assessment can be used in two ways. The first, comparing the results to established norms (data collected on general population who have taken same test). The second is to establish your own personal baseline and use as a tool for measuring % improvement in each area. The latter is a great method for measuring fitness goals.
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