Contributed By Sandy | Published: Jun 15, 2005
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The
purpose of fitness testing is to determine the function and health of
an individual and an appropriate measure of exercise demands at which
an individual can begin. Although this test usually is implemented
prior to beginning an exercise program, it can be used as an
intermittent measurement tool, to determine progress. Fitness testing
comprises the following:
HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE
This phase
addresses an individual’s health status/history. The questionnaire is
an important aspect of the test since health problems must be addressed
and brought to the forefront. Moreover, it is important to have the
waiver signed to protect an instructor legally in the event of an
unforeseen and imperceptible mishap.
The remainder of the test,
described below, holds little validity as to a person’s overall
function and health and the results should be taken with some
reservation. Before I explain each aspect, consider that if a room in a
house were to be measured, to put in a new carpet or hardwood flooring,
the entire area would be measured with a tool designed for the task,
such as a measuring tape. One part of the floor would not be measured
and the remaining dimensions guessed. Nor would a person measure with
his or her foot length then tell a flooring retailer that the living
room is twenty paces by thirty paces. This would be pointless since any
individual’s foot length is not accepted universally or an accurate
method of measurement – unlike the yard, meter, or actual foot (twelve
inches). With that in mind, we then can consider the following steps in
conducting a fitness test.
BODY COMPOSITION
The percentage of
body fat is measured, usually with fat calipers, since they are
inexpensive compared to other body composition tools. The more
deconditioned (fat) a person, or the better conditioned (muscle and
leanness) a person, the less accurate body fat percentage readings
become if calipers are used as the tool of measurement. Other methods
also lose their accuracy with very muscular and obese individuals: the
extent being relative to the device in question.
Calipers are
acceptable for determining millimeter (mm) fat thickness, in order to
establish data for comparison purposes, but the readings, together with
the mathematical formulae provided to suggest "x" percentage of fat and
muscle, should be avoided in regard to body composition constitution.
(About eight years ago, I had a very experienced caliper tester, who
taught and certified instructors in fitness testing, tell me that my
body fat was close to 20% [overweight] although my abdominals were
quite visible and the remainder of my body fairly lean and muscular.)
Moreover,
mm thickness can vary significantly, and this depends on the skill of
the person who performs the test and how and where the tissue to be
measured is pinched. Even experienced caliper users must be quick in
application and take a single reading since continual prodding and
pulling of the skin alters the architecture and pliability of the
tissues, thereby encouraging different results.
Nor will
caliper body fat measurement account for areas not measured. Some
individuals, for example, have large buttocks and carry an excessive
amount of fat in that area. I tend to carry it in the lower back and
buttocks more than in other areas, a distribution that is not a typical
male characteristic. Many men have leaner buttocks and carry more fat
in the front of the abdominals. Yet, the buttocks are not measured with
a caliper reading. Hence, how can a mathematical equation be created so
that allowances are made for fat buttocks that may or may not exist and
in any measure?
MUSCULAR STRENGTH & ENDURANCE
With this
test, trainees do not prove their ability on the leg press or bench
press, although doing so would not disclose much information. Rather,
strength is determined with a hand-held dynamometer. In other words,
the strength of a person’s grip supposedly indicates how strong a
person is overall. Therefore, if a person has a relatively weak grip,
compared to the average population, and regardless of the strength in
the remaining muscle groups, that person will score below average. The
extent of an individual’s grip is irrelevant to what can be achieved or
what has been achieved as governed by the function(s) of the remainder
of the body and its health status.
Although I regularly perform
grip exercises, my grip is barely above average for my sex and age
group, even after more than two decades of regular exercise and
grasping heavy barbells. At the time of my fitness test (mid 1990s), I
was one standard deviation below normal in grip strength, although I
could leg press several hundred pounds and easily chin my body weight
for at least fifteen repetitions. My father, who was a practicing
plumber at the time, used his grip daily and scored almost three
standard deviations above normal, yet I could out-lift him in the gym
and was more fit overall. This example demonstrates that grip strength
is not an indication of strength or function in general.
The
muscular endurance test I experienced was measured through a maximum
count (uncontrolled, crank-them-out-as-fast-as-you-can) push-ups and
sit-ups or stomach crunches. After twenty push-ups, my upper body was
heavily blood engorged and I could not continue. After eighteen stomach
crunches, my abdominals also were fatigued significantly. Again, I
scored below normal since I was used to a short tension time while
under intense strain when I exercised, including abdominal exercises. I
did not practice high repetition push-ups or stomach crunches, and this
reflected the SAID Principle in my results. Although I had good
pectoral and abdominal development, and I could lift heavy weights
relative to most other people, apparently I was not in very good
condition as far as muscular endurance was concerned.
Does it
matter if a person has poor endurance in the push-up and sit-up, since
rate of fatigue may have some issues with the contention? What if the
goal is to increase lean muscle and strength, in that the environment
needs to be anaerobic, and such an environment does not require the
performance of dozens of consecutive repetitions with a focus on
endurance?
FLEXIBILITY
I have very good flexibility in some
muscle groups, particularly around my shoulder joints and ankles, and
to a lesser degree my hips. Yet, and because of laziness on my part, I
never sustained good flexibility in my hamstrings, although it was
attained once. I easily can perform very deep squats, but stiff-legged
toe-touches are uncomfortable. Unfortunately, for me, flexibility of
the hamstring muscles was tested. The stretch was tested with me
sitting on the floor and reaching forward with locked knees. I was
about 2-3 inches from reaching my toes and scored below normal in
flexibility.
I never understood the need or desire to touch
one’s toes while keeping the knees locked since I do not recall having
to perform such a feat in my activities of daily living. Moreover, with
locked knees, excessive forward bending increases the compression and
strain on the lumbar discs, an unhealthy practice for some people if
performed regularly.
Further, what bearing would tight
hamstrings have on exercises other than the stiff-legged deadlift and,
to a lesser degree, a few other lower body movements such as deep
squats? There is little purpose behind this testing except that the
authorities who created the test felt that flexibility had to be tested
in some manner. Therefore, rather than test the range-of-motion of all
joints, it is easier to focus on a limited area of the body that
typically is tight and inflexible.
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY FITNESS
The
person being tested moves three steps up, then two steps back on a
tiered platform to a beat played on a cassette music machine. If this
is accomplished for a specific period, without having the heart rate
rise above the maximum rate allowed for the person’s age group, the
next level of step-up intensity, at a faster beat, is attempted. This
process continues until the person’s heart rate exceeds the maximum
established for that age group.
What I noticed is that heart
rate had much to do with the person's being used to an activity. I was
not used to stepping up and down on steps to a predetermined beat, and
so a considerable percentage of effort was utilized in that skill. Had
I practiced only a few times prior to being tested, I could have
increased my proficiency.
Nonetheless, I did score two standard
deviations above normal for cardiorespiratory fitness. Ironically, I
never performed any cardio-type exercise at the time, only weight
training, yet my wife regularly used the Stairmaster for cardio
exercise and scored lower. It must be considered that her leg length
was much shorter and she had to exert greater effort to climb the same
stair height. Consequently, this test did not take into account the
size of the person relative to the steps, and this is similar to the
mechanical and leverage differences between a short person and a tall
person who lift the same weight off the floor.
As with any
other physiological factors, the ability to improve cardiovascular
fitness is limited – more so than muscular strength or muscle mass.
That is not to suggest that cardio efficiency cannot be improved upon,
but only to a marginal degree, although this would depend on how
‘deconditioned’ a person is. The fact remains, that either a person was
born with the ability to run a marathon or not. Furthermore, the goal
of the individual may not be to enhance cardio fitness to an optimal
extent, and this test would not hold much relevance as a result.
SUMMARY
It
has been argued that a fitness test, at least, provides a benchmark for
future comparisons, to see if an individual has made improvement.
However, that is the purpose of exercise progression and accurate
record keeping of workouts.
Moreover, after my twenty years
experience in this field, this particular standardized industry test
has never helped me make a decision in exercise prescription. I could
never reason how it could. If someone is obese, it is obvious that he
or she requires additional cardio work and greater volume and frequency
to help reduce fat stores; and more attention needs to be directed
toward safety during exercise in regard to the effects on the heart and
joints. It is unnecessary to have an obese person fail at one or two
pushups and sit-ups to help decide exercise prescription.
Other
functional idiosyncrasies will present themselves during the initial
workouts, such as joint ROM and flexibility throughout the entire body,
ability to sustain constant activity (muscular endurance and cardio
endurance), and a trainee’s strength level throughout all muscles.
These are far more accurate and usable data than those provided by a
very restricted and limited fitness test that examines specific
abilities that may not reflect other abilities. In accordance with the
SAID Principle, the results of any test reflect only the ability that
is tested.
About the Author
Brian D. Johnston is the Director of Education and President of the
I.A.R.T. fitness certification and education institute. He has written
over 12 books and is a contributing author to the Merck Medical Manual.
An international lecturer, Mr. Johnston wears many hats in the fitness
and health industries, and can be reached at
info@ExerciseCertification.com. Visit his site at
www.ExerciseCertification.com
for more free articles.
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