Many fitness assessments test one or more components of physical ability. Our 5 Pillars of Fitness Testing is designed to assess five crucial areas including cardiovascular endurance, strength/power, flexibility, body composition and balance.

A fitness assessment is a series of tests or measurements to obtain the level of physical ability and proficiency according to standardized benchmarks. Assessments are typically made according to population demographics relating to age and gender.  The program runs for 3 weeks (once per week) by appointment only and is conducted indoors Oct-April and outdoors May-Sept.

SAMPLE OF FITNESS TESTING RESULTS

There are several indicators to the relevance of fitness assessments. They can provide a wealth of information and help us obtain our levels of health and wellness quickly:

· Assessments serve as a baseline measurement used over a period of time for individualized programming.

· They address benchmarks in strength, flexibility, mobility, endurance, balance to help reduce the risk of injury.

· They increase participant motivation for exercise programs

Before starting a fitness program, it is important to share your medical history with your assessment professional to get the necessary approvals from your health practitioners.

Most fitness specialists will use one or more screening tools to help determine your baseline health. This may include obtaining vital sign measurements such as your height, weight, body mass index, resting heart rate, and resting blood pressure.

Cardiovascular endurance testing, also known as aerobic fitness testing, measures how efficiently your heart and lungs work to supply oxygen and energy to your body during physical activity for prolonger period. Metabolic equivalents (METs) are used to measure your intensity of exercise and uptake of oxygen. They measure energy expenditure at rest.

Cardiorespiratory endurance is measured by maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) and how it’s used during intense exercise. Higher amounts of oxygen uptake show that you’re using more oxygen and that your cardiorespiratory system is functioning efficiently.

We use several methods in this program involving submaximal exercise tests to measure your cardiorespiratory endurance. The test used will depend on the participant’s age and fitness level:

· The Astrand Treadmill Test

· 2.4km Run Test

· Multistage Fitness Test

· Cooper Test (12-minute run)

· Rockport Fitness Walking Test

Muscular strength testing measures the ability to overcome resistance usually within 6-12 repetitions of an exercise. Power testing refers to the ability to overcome resistance in the shortest period of time typically less than 4 repetitions. Muscle endurance testing measures the length of time a muscle group can contract and release before it fatigues through repetitive failure usually more than 15 repetitions of an exercise.

Strength, power and endurance tests are valuable as they help the fitness specialists pinpoint which muscle groups are stronger and which are vulnerable and in need of focused attention. Baseline levels will be assessed and compared to population norms for specific age groups.

The tests used will depend on the participant’s age and fitness level:

· Push-Up Test

· Core Strength and Stability Test

· Vertical Jump Test

· Squat Tests

· Isometric Strength Tests

· Dynamic Sit-up Test

· Handgrip Strength Test

· Upper and Lower Back Strength Tests

· Submaximal Muscle Fiber Tests

· Abdominal Endurance

· Wall Sits

· Endurance Jumps

Flexibility is the capacity of a joint to move through its full range of motion. There are various tests utilized because no single test can assess overall body flexibility. Each flexibility test is specific to a particular movement or joints.

Some flexibility tests require participants to be 'cold', that is with no prior activity or warm up, while others allow a warm-up. It is also important to that participants wear either loose clothing or tights to allow the body to move through full range of motion without barriers. Ideally the clothing should allow freedom of movement, and also allow the tester be able to observe all anatomical landmarks during movement to ensure correct procedures are followed.

The tests used will depend on the participant’s age and fitness level:

· Sit & Reach Test

· Toe Touch

· Stand & Reach

· Side-Bending Test

· Shoulder Flex Test

· V-Sit Test

· Trunk Lifts

· Schober Test

· Kraus-Weber Floor Touch Test

· Calf Flexibility Test

Balance is the ability to stay upright or stay in control of body movement. Simple balance tests involve attempts to stay upright, either on one foot, the ball of your foot or with eyes closed. Static balance is maintaining equilibrium when stationary, while dynamic balance is maintaining equilibrium when moving.  

Both static and dynamic balancing will be tested. Dynamic balance is an important component of agility.

The tests used will depend on the participant’s age and ability:

· Beam Walk

· Balance Beam Test

· Balance Board Test

· Side-Bending Test

· Star Excursion Balance Test

· Bass Test

· Flamingo Balance

· Stork Stand Test

· One Leg Stand

A body composition test not only tell us body fat percentage but also helps us assess nutritional needs for fat loss and muscle gain which are strong determinants for health.  Undergoing body composition analysis may also assist us in uncovering deeper levels of understanding bone density and lean muscle mass which is a predictor of increased or decreased risk for certain chronic diseases.

The higher the body fat percentage, especially visceral fat that lines the organs in your abdomen, the greater the risk for developing nutrition related chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

The tests used will depend on the participant’s age and consent level:

· Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (hand held and scale)