Fitness Testing

Bell Ringer

Why do we need to test our fitness level?What are the benefits of these tests?

Height- measurement taken in feet and inches in an effort to record any growth throughout the year.

Weighing Yourself: It’s Great And It Sucks •weight is simultaneously an important and useful measure of progress •a confusing and deceptive number that often fails to tell you the whole story.

The Importance Of Weighing Yourself• It shows if things are working. • Fat and muscle both weigh something, which means that losing fat will typically cause a decrease in body weight and building muscle will typically cause an increase in body weight. •It shows if things are working at the ideal rate they should be or if it’s workin at all. Not too fast or too slow.

The Problems With Weighing Yourself •“Weight” is more than just fat or muscle. There would be no downside to weighing yourself if the weight you lose and gain was guaranteed to always be either fat or muscle. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Your body weight can and very often does change as a result of a loss or gain in muscle, fat, water, glycogen, waste, food intake and more. That means daily fluctuations in body weight (plus extra monthly fluctuations for women) are extremely common and normal.

And it’s this fact that causes 3 other problems…• “Weight” alone tells us nothing about the composition of that weight. The number on the scale only allows you to track your weight… not the

composition of that weight. And since most of us want to lose fat (but not muscle) and gain muscle (but not fat), the composition of the weight we lose or gain is often more important than anything else. That’s why most people should do more than just weigh themselves to monitor progress. For example… use measurements, body fat percentage, pictures, mirror and so on.

• Unrelated fluctuations in weight can skew progress or lack thereof.• Normal daily fluctuations in weight can drive a person crazy. Some people just aren’t aware of the fact that it’s normal for their body weight to fluctuate, and this can easily cloud that person’s judgment about the effectiveness of their diet/workout and generally drive them insane. Even when you know there are other factors influencing your scale weight every day, just seeing that number fail to move (or move in the wrong direction) can still get into your head and lead to all sorts of problems (making unnecessary changes, depression, eating disorders, etc.).

What Does All Of This Mean? It means that you should weigh yourself regularly because it’s a useful tool for tracking progress, but at the same time realize that the numbers you are seeing aren’t always an accurate representation of what your body is doing.

Measuring Your Body Fat

There are several ways you can find out your percentage of body fat. •Body fat % scale used because they can be inexpensive and relatively easy to use. They may present some inaccuracies.• Calipers are widely used because they are inexpensive and easy to use, but they are less accurate than other methods. Other ways of measuring body fat include: • Underwater weighing—Under water, lean tissue sinks and fat floats. Your underwater weight can be used to estimate the amount of fat mass you carry. Underwater weighing is highly accurate, but it can be expensive and time consuming, and it requires special equipment. • The Bod Pod—This machine works by measuring the amount of air your body displaces. Like underwater weighing, the Bod Pod is highly accurate, but it can be expensive and requires special equipment. The Bod Pod is, however, slightly more convenient than underwater weighing, since it does not require underwater submersion. The Bod Pod also takes less time.

Healthy Body Fat Percentages

So, what should your body fat percentage be? A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the following information based on your sex and age:

Body Fat Guideline

Age Healthy Body Fat % (Women) Healthy Body Fat % (Men)20-39 21%-32% 8%-19%40-59 23%-33% 11%-21%60-79 24%-35% 13%-24%

As you can see, women naturally have a higher body fat to lean tissue ratio than men, and body fat naturally increases with age. Why?

Resting Heart rate- the number of heart beats per minute when you are relatively inactive.Relatively active person- 55 to 60 beats /minuteInactive person- 70 or more

Heart-acts like a pump pushing oxygen rich blood to the body and remove waste. The more vigorously you exercise the more demand is placed on the heart. If unable to pump enough blood, muscles will be less able to contract and they will fatigue quickly.

Blood pressure

Watch the video

Curl UpHere’s what you do:•Have the student lie on a cushioned with knees flexed and feet about 12 inches from buttocks. Do not hold or anchor the feet.•Arms are extended forward with fingers resting on the legs and pointing toward the knees.•The student being tested curls up slowly, sliding the fingers up the legs until the palm of the hand touch the knees, then back down until the head touches the partner’s

hands.•Make sure that the participant’s arm is fully extended from the starting position.•Record only those curl-ups done with proper form and in rhythm.•Done slowly with knees bent and feet not held, the partial curl-up is also an indicator of abdominal strength and endurance.

Right Angle Push UpHere’s what you do:

• The student starts in push-up position with hands under shoulders, arms straight, fingers pointed forward, and legs straight, parallel, and slightly apart (approximately 2-4 inches) with the toes supporting the feet.

• Keeping the back and knees straight, the student then lowers the body until there is a 90-degree angle formed at the elbows with upper arms parallel to the floor. A partner holds her/his hands at the point of the 90-degree angle so that the student being tested goes down only until her/his shoulders touch the partner’s hand, then back up.

• As with the pull-up, spend as little time in the starting position beforehand in order to increase the number of repetitions. Any extra movement may also decrease the number of repetitions.

• Record only those push-ups done with proper form and in rhythm.• Right angle push-ups are a good indicator of the range of strength/endurance . Pull-

ups remain an option for those students at higher levels of strength/endurance.

PACERThe Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test. The lines are placed 20 meters apart. The test involves continuous running between the two lines in time to recorded beeps. The time between recorded beeps decrease each minute (level) requiring an increase in pace. The subjects continue until they are unable to keep pace with the beeps. There are a total of 21 levels, which would take approximately 21 minutes to complete. This test is a good indicator of endurance and agility.

Endurance Run/Walk This activity measures heart/lung endurance. Here’s what you do: On a safe, one-mile distance, students begin running on the count “Ready? Go!” Walking may be interspersed with running. However, the students should be encouraged to cover the distance in as short a time as possible.

Sit and Reach Testing Here’s what you do:The student removes shoes and sits on floor with knees fully extended, feet shoulder-width apart and soles of the feet held flat against the end of the box. With hands on top of each other, palms down, and legs held flat, student reaches along the measuring line as far as possible. After three practice reaches, the fourth reach is held while the distance is recorded. This test is a good indicator of flexibility.

Weight, body fat, body mass index -- what do all these numbers mean? And what do they really tell you about your health?

Some experts tout BMI, or body mass index, as the most accurate way to determine the effect of weight on your health. In fact, most recent medical research uses BMI as an indicator of someone's health status and disease risk.

The CDC provides the following ranges for BMI values for adults:Underweight Less than 18.5 Recommended 18.6 to 24.9 Overweight 25.0 to 29.9 Obese 30 or greater

But others feel that body-fat percentage is really the way to go.Some say "The BMI numbers are way too general to be really useful "These numbers were developed using data from enormous numbers of people. They don't tell you anything about your own body composition, how much of your weight is fat, and how much is muscles and tissue.“Are You At Risk? Just remember As your BMI or Body Fat % goes up, so does your risk of developing weight-related diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.

. Go to this website and determine your B.M.I. by inputting the required

information.Mayoclinic.org

In the search box on this page enter bmi-calculator

Then it will say tool:BMI calculatorClick on this and enter your informationMake sure you make note of the number

and recommendations

Setting GoalsIn life, we're told to dream big. Reach for the stars. Go for the

gold. While I think everyone would agree that having big aspirations is admirable not to mention inspiring, you should take a more calculated approach when setting fitness goals.

Think about it. How many times have you or someone you know set a huge goal to lose 50 or more pounds, or exercise for an hour six days a week, only to fall off the wagon a few weeks (or days) later? The truth is that even when people have the best of intentions and the willpower to set out and do something grand, without a plan and a smart goal, they stumble—and are more likely to fail.

When you first set a goal, you're full of energy and completely motivated, but over time those feelings can wane and your overzealousness can push you to do too much too soon. The fix is to define a progressive set of fitness goals that build on one another to help propel you toward that big dream or aspiration. Breaking a big goal into smaller, realistic goals can help you both mentally and physically. This method can also help you improve your fitness level gradually and safely, which helps to build confidence.

The first step to setting realistic goals is to really think about your goal and write it down.Then, ask yourself these three questions: smaller goal within your reach • How big is the goal?• Is your goal only attainable in three months or more? • If so, make a or goals to get you to that long-term goal. Ideally, you should be able to reach the smaller goal in two to six weeks. 2. What does it take to achieve the goal? This question addresses your goal's frequency. Be realistic about what time you have to devote to the goal and be honest about your fitness level. Building your fitness base takes time, and being smart about increasing it will help you stay injury-free. As a general rule, never increase your weight lifted or your minutes exercised by more than 10 percent in any given week. Slow and steady really does win the race! 3. Can you see yourself reaching the goal? You want a program that you can stick with for the long haul—not just this week. Be completely honest with yourself and ask if you can realistically see yourself doing what it takes to achieve the goal at hand. If you can and it meets the above criteria, then you probably have a goal ! Take a look at these common situations (and fixes)

Unrealistic Goal for a Sedentary Person: I want to go to the gym every day. There are two main issues with this goal.

• First, it's not specific—what activities do you want to do and for how long? After all, just showing up at the gym doesn't accomplish anything unless you get your body moving. • Second, it's not realistic. I love to work out and even I don't want to go to the gym every day. Plus, taking a day off here and there helps give your muscles time to repair and rest, and it gives you a break mentally.

Realistic Goal: I will be active for at least 10 minutes each day. While this goal isn't specific when it comes to the activity, it is specific and realistic with the time constraint. While going to an hour long spinning class every day would be impossible, not to mention not very healthy for you (cross-training is important so that no specific groups of muscles get overused), doing something active for 10 minutes a day, whether it's a walk after work, some push-ups or sit-ups over lunch, or a full session at the gym or with a workout DVD, is very doable. Also, note the addition of "at least" in this goal, which helps to emphasize that 10 minutes is just a minimum. Over time, this goal could progress to have a minimum of 15, then 20, then 30 minutes.

Don't Forget to Reward Yourself Perhaps the most important component of setting an effective and realistic fitness goal is rewarding yourself when you reach your goals, even the small ones! From buying yourself a new magazine to read, enjoying a long bath, or buying a new pair of workout shorts, the reward should be a time where you compliment yourself for your hard work and revel in your success. Also, don't be afraid to tweak a goal as time goes by. Life happens! Remember, the key to setting yourself up for success is to be realistic. Now, start setting those goals!

HEART RATE – Each individual will have a unique heart rate response. Individual response will depend on body structure, fitness level, goals, and motivation. Your heart rate will increase with exercise.

RESTING HEART RATE – resting heart rate represents the minimum number of heartbeats needed to sustain the body. The resting heart rate should be taken first thing in the morning upon waking up and before getting out of bed. Attempt to do this on a day when you are not wakened by a noisy alarm that gets your adrenaline pumping. Your blood levels are the lowest first thing in the morning, thus this is the ideal time to take the count. The population norm for a resting heart rate is between 60-90 heartbeats per minute.

AVERAGE MAXIMUM HEART RATE: Based on averages, your maximum heart rate can be determined by subtracting your age from 220.

AVERAGE TARGET HEART RATE: on average, your target pulse rate should reach 70% of your maximum heart rate.

RECOVERY HEART RATE – the length of time it takes the heart to return to a resting rate is generally an indication of aerobic fitness. If you do not recover within 5 minutes, you may be exercising too vigorously (lower your intensity – target pulse rate), your cool down may not be sufficient, or may have a low fitness level.

CALCULATING YOUR HEART RATE Step 1: Use the correct fingers. Use the index and middle finger to find a pulse. The thumb is never used as it has a pulse of its own that could interfere with a correct count.

Step 2: Locate your pulse. Most people find their pulse in the side of the neck or at the wrist. If you are locating it on the side of your neck, do not press too hard or you could block blood flow to one side of the brain. Tilt your head back slightly and place your fingers in the groove that is to the side and slightly above the Adam’s apple. If you are trying to locate the pulse in your wrist, tilt the hand back slightly and place your fingers on the thumb side of your wrist, not in the middle.

Step 3: Count the beats that you feel. The first count begins with zero. Each successive beat you feel is counted 1,2,3 and so forth. Continue counting for one full minute.

Step 4: Record the count. The number should lie somewhere between 45 and 80. An elite athlete will have a low resting heart rate. The higher resting heart rate does not indicate cardiovascular disease, but rather lack of aerobic conditioning. Drugs affect the resting heart rate.•An older person who is sedentary will have a higher resting heart rate. •Drugs such as caffeine and those found in cold medications raise the heart rate and do not give a true indication of the resting count. Some drugs, such as LSD, have been known to increase the resting heart rate for months after a single dose has been taken.

Target Heart Rate

220- age= AA X .60A X .70A X .80

Critical Thinking Questions: Please be thorough and use the information presented in the hand-out

1. What is the significance of the B.M.I.?

2. How does the F.I.T. formula help you build fitness?

3. Explain how you take your pulse. What is your resting heart rate? When is the best time to take your pulse to find your resting heart rate and why? What is the significance of this number?

4. Calculate YOUR target heart rate. Explain how you went about this.

5. What is the importance of your recovery heart rate?

Why is physical activity important?Regular physical activity is important for good health, and it's especially important if you're trying to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight.When losing weight, more physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses for energy or "burns off." The burning of calories through physical activity, combined with reducing the number of calories you eat, creates a "calorie deficit" that results in weight loss.Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake. However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity.Most importantly, physical activity reduces risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes beyond that produced by weight reduction alone.Physical activity also helps to–•Maintain weight.•Reduce high blood pressure.•Reduce risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and several forms of cancer.•Reduce arthritis pain and associated disability.•Reduce risk for osteoporosis and falls.•Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Learning objectives

By the end of this presentation you should be able to: Name and Define the components of the FITTR principle Understand the concept of reversibility Describe how to use the FITT principles when planning a training session Name and explain the various aspects of fitness testing

The FITT principleFITT stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type.

All of these principles must be taken into consideration when planning or performing a training program. By combining these four elements, a person may achieve the minimum level of fitness, or by adapting them further and increasing the intensity, a person can train to a higher level.

FrequencyFrequency is the number of times exercise is undertaken in a week.

The more times a person exercises the more often their body is put under stress.

Exercising between three and five times a week is the recommended amount to reach the minimum level of fitness.High level athletes have to train a lot more frequently, often several sessions a day, but training very hard, every day, can also be harmful, even for a top-class athlete.

IntensityIntensity is the level of difficulty of the exercise.

•In cardiovascular training, working in a target zone of 60 to 80 per cent of the maximum heart rate is the level where fitness will usually increase. •When training for strength, the intensity is calculated in the same way. A person can train within the target zone by finding the maximum weight they can lift and working to 60 to 80 per cent of that weight. •As the amount of weight lifted increases with training, this will add to the intensity.

TimeTime refers to how long an exercise sessions lasts.•30 minutes, not including a warm-up, is the recommended length of a session in order to maintain good health and fitness.

The following are useful rules to follow in an exercise session:1.Keep your pulse at 60 to 80 per cent of its maximum for 20 minutes (the maximum can be calculated by using this formula: 220 – your age).2.Warming-up is not included in the 20 minutes.3.The time begins when the pulse is at 60 per cent of your maximum.

TypeType refers to the variety of training performed. If general fitness is the aim, it can be a matter of personal preference to suit the individual.

TaskIn pairs, discuss •what would happen if you suddenly stopped training due to an injury.•how you think the body changes if you cannot follow the FITT principle.

ReversibilityReversibility is the result of stopping or not training frequently.

Just as the body will increase in strength, tone and skill with exercise, it will lose them without it.

The body needs to be stressed in order to maintain and increase strength. After an injury or illness, an athlete may have lost their strength and skill.

Remember,

if you don’t use it,

you lose it!

Study questions

What is reversibility? Give an example of how this can effect an athlete.

When training for a sport, explain how one element of the FITT principle can help an athlete improve their performance.

Website for notes, study guides, projects, homework , etc.

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