This article was written by Jordan Metzel and provided by our partners at Runner’s World.
This is adapted from Dr. Jordan Metzl’s Workout Prescription: 10, 20 30-Minute High-Intensity Interval Training Workouts For Every Fitness Level.
Here’s what’s great about doing self-tests to measure fitness: You never get a wrong answer. The result is a snapshot in time, not a life sentence nor a mark on your permanent record. Whatever your result, you can build on it (or build in another direction). These tests reveal strengths and weaknesses, not final analyses. What you come up with today will be different from what you come up with a few weeks from now. Therein lies the usefulness: It’s all about you, where you are, and where you can go.
The following tests are simple, fast ways to get an idea of certain fitness benchmarks. They give you a set of numbers you can use for comparison against later tests.
Each measures a certain aspect of fitness. You can run through the entire battery in a few minutes—however, I suggest giving yourself three to four minutes to rest between exercises. This battery will measure, in no particular order, upper-body strength and mobility, core strength, lower-body strength and flexibility, balance and stability, and cardiovascular fitness. After four weeks, have at it again and see how you do!