- Published on
It's been far too long since I wrote any fitness-related posts, so let's correct that, shall we? Yesterday, Jeff Cavaliere published his latest video, "How Fit Are You REALLY? (7 "Simple" Tests), which I've embedded above. These tests are focused on mobility and functionality, rather than cardiovascular health, raw strength, or other important categories, and he stresses that these are not a complete look at fitness. Still, they're seven relatively quick ways you can test your fitness so you can identify weak points and train to improve them.
I put myself through these tests and did indeed find some weak points.
I put myself through these tests and did indeed find some weak points.
I'm sharing my results here and will do an update in a few months to see if I've made progress on any of my weak points. I am 48 years old, so I used the goals for someone in their 40s outlined in the video.
Single-Leg Wall Sit (30 second goal): Pass. This one was pretty easy. I've had some pain in my right knee recently so that side was noticeably harder, but I was still able to pass this test on both legs without too much trouble.
Wall Splat Test: Pass. The easiest test for me. This one was absolutely no challenge.
Push-up Test (40 rep goal): Pass. Another easy one for me. I regularly do between 40 - 55 push-ups in a single set.
Dead Arm Hang (2 minute goal): Epic Fail. Two minutes? More like two seconds. I've had a shoulder impingement in my right shoulder that's been an issue for years. I thought it had largely cleared up. It hasn't. This is one thing I probably can't simply train to improve - I likely need physical therapy or even surgery for this one.
Side Plank Leg Lift (30 second goal): Fail. I quickly discovered that my hip flexors are too weak to hold in this position for this long. But unlike the failure above, this feels like an issue of undertraining rather than injury. Of all my failures, this should be the easiest to address.
The Old Man Test: Pass. Jeff has been talking about this one for years, and I've been doing it regularly for a long time.
The Pull-Up Test (15 reps): Fail. Spectacular fail, in fact. Pull-ups have always been a weak point of mine, and I don't think I've ever gotten more than eight decent reps. I got three in one set during my test. Yikes.
There you have it, four Passes and three Fails. Although my Fails were big Fails! Based on this test, my weaknesses are pretty clear: my posterior chain and hip flexors. I think my hip flexors will be relatively easy to whip into shape, while the pulling muscles in my back have always been a trouble spot. I'll use this info to adjust my workout routine, see if I can make improvements, and report back. If you attempt this test sequence, share your results in the comments!
Single-Leg Wall Sit (30 second goal): Pass. This one was pretty easy. I've had some pain in my right knee recently so that side was noticeably harder, but I was still able to pass this test on both legs without too much trouble.
Wall Splat Test: Pass. The easiest test for me. This one was absolutely no challenge.
Push-up Test (40 rep goal): Pass. Another easy one for me. I regularly do between 40 - 55 push-ups in a single set.
Dead Arm Hang (2 minute goal): Epic Fail. Two minutes? More like two seconds. I've had a shoulder impingement in my right shoulder that's been an issue for years. I thought it had largely cleared up. It hasn't. This is one thing I probably can't simply train to improve - I likely need physical therapy or even surgery for this one.
Side Plank Leg Lift (30 second goal): Fail. I quickly discovered that my hip flexors are too weak to hold in this position for this long. But unlike the failure above, this feels like an issue of undertraining rather than injury. Of all my failures, this should be the easiest to address.
The Old Man Test: Pass. Jeff has been talking about this one for years, and I've been doing it regularly for a long time.
The Pull-Up Test (15 reps): Fail. Spectacular fail, in fact. Pull-ups have always been a weak point of mine, and I don't think I've ever gotten more than eight decent reps. I got three in one set during my test. Yikes.
There you have it, four Passes and three Fails. Although my Fails were big Fails! Based on this test, my weaknesses are pretty clear: my posterior chain and hip flexors. I think my hip flexors will be relatively easy to whip into shape, while the pulling muscles in my back have always been a trouble spot. I'll use this info to adjust my workout routine, see if I can make improvements, and report back. If you attempt this test sequence, share your results in the comments!
0 Comments