Are you fit?

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It is difficult to get a objective definition of fitness. Here is a way to test your fitness on a ongoing basis to see improvement.

"Test your fitness" technique: 

What you will need: 


  1. A 30cm (12 inch) high step or box
  2. Stopwatch (or use the timer on your phone)
  3. Heart rate monitor or if you don't have a heart rate monitor you can place your index and middle finger on your wrist just below the thumb, or along either side of your neck, so you can feel your pulse. Count the number of beats for 30 seconds and then double it to get the beats per minute.
  4. Metronome to keep pace at 96 beats per minute (use metronomeonline.com if you do not have one)


Procedure:


  1. Make sure you have not done any exercise or had coffee for at least 2 hours.
  2. After sitting very relaxed for a couple of minutes, take your pulse. This is your "resting heart rate".
  3. Next, for 3 minutes, step up and down the box (or step) at 96 beats per minute. Up, up, down, down, up, up, down, down, ect.
  4. After 3 minutes, stop, sit down and take your pulse. This is your "target heart rate".
  5. Now wait 2 minutes and take your pulse again. This is your "2 minute recovery heart rate".
  6. Subtract your "2 minute recovery heart rate" from your "target heart rate". This is your "heart rate recovery score".

Interpretation:

Keep track of the different values. As you become fitter over time the following should happen.
Your "resting heart rate" should come down slightly.
Your "target heart rate" should peak lower for the same excercise.
Your "2 minute recovery heart rate" should also drop lower.
Your "heart rate recovery score" should increase (the difference between the the two measurements will be more).






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