Baseline Fitness Measurements Foundations for Training 1

Fitness

What are Baseline Fitness Measurements? These are test you can do to assess your current state of health and performance. These results should guide your training.

Performance VS Health Baseline fitness measurements can either be health related or performance related. Health related tends to measure body fat and things related to your overall health. Performance related tends to relate to your physical abilities.

Health Related

Performance Related

Health Related Resting Heart Rate Resting heart rate (RHR) is the number of times a person's heart beats per minute while at rest. The best time to measure your resting heart rate is in the morning, after a good night's sleep, and before you get out of bed. For most people, the heart beats about 60 to 80 times a minute at rest. RHR tends to increase with age. It also tends to be lower in physically fit people, because endurance training makes the heart stronger so it can pump more blood through the body with each contraction. The heart rate changes based upon the body's need for oxygen, most notably, during exercise.

Resting Heart Rate Find Carotid Artery or Pulse in your wrist and count the amount of beats in a minute while watching the clock. Average resting heart rate = 72 bpm Normal resting heart rate = 50 to 100 bpm Physically fit resting heart rate = 50 to 65 bpm Elite athlete resting heart rate = 40 to 50 bpm

Health Related Resting Blood Pressure Blood moves through the body in small surges each time the heart beats. Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls as it circulates through the body. The heart is a pump, and when it beats, it pushes blood in to the arteries. This pumping action results in the highest pressure on the artery walls. This is the systolic blood pressure, and it is recorded as the top number in a blood pressure reading. Between heart beats, the pressure on the artery walls decreases to its lowest point. This is the diastolic blood pressure, and it is recorded as the bottom number in a blood pressure reading.

Resting Blood Pressure High blood pressure readings often warn of increased cardiovascular disease risk. Optimal blood pressure is approximately 120/80 mm Hg. For those with a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher on at least two separate blood pressure measurements over time, your doctor may recommend treatment with exercise, lifestyle changes or medications. Low Risk = 120/80 mm Hg or lower Moderate Risk = between 120/80 and 140/90 Increased Risk = 140/90 or greater on more than one test Next Time you are at the pharmacy or doctors remember this number and record it.

Health Related Body Mass Index This is a way to measure you body weight to determine your current state of health. It takes into consideration your height and weight. However it can be faulty! Especially if you are shorter and muscular. For example Mr. Vosman is considered to be a high risk obese male according to body mass index.

BMI Use the Chart to determine where you are and where you want to be. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm BMI Categories: Underweight = <18.5 Normal weight = 18.5–24.9 Overweight = 25–29.9 Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

More Complicated Measurement Units Formula and Calculation Pounds and inches Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703 Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703. Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 5'5" (65") Calculation: [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 = 24.96

Health Related Hydrostatic Underwater Weighing Principles Underwater weighing is based upon Archimedes Principle which states that the buoyant force on a submerged object is equal to the weight of the fluid that is displaced by the object. We can use this principle to determine a person's percentage of body fat because the density of fat mass and fat-free mass are constant. Lean tissue, such as bone and muscle, are more dense than water, and fat tissue is less dense than water. Basically, muscle sinks and fat floats. Therefore, a person with more body fat will weigh less underwater and be more buoyant. Someone with more muscle will weigh more underwater.

Hydrostatic Weighing

Health Related Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is a method of measuring body fat percent by sending a low-level, safe, electrical current through the body. The current travels at a different rate through the various body tissues, which then allows a calculation of fat mass and fat-free mass. This feature is common in many of today's at-home digital scales. The current passes easily through muscle tissue (which contains a large amount of fluid), but it travels slowly as it passes through fat tissue. The resistance encountered as the current hits the fat tissue is called bioelectrical impedance.

Bioelectrical Impedence

Health Related- SkinFold The skinfold measurement test is one common method of determining a person's body composition and body fat percentage. This test estimates the percentage of body fat by measuring skinfold thickness at specific locations on the body. The thickness of these folds is a measure of the fat under the skin, also called subcutaneous adipose tissue. Skinfold thickness results rely on formulas that convert these numbers into an estimate of a person's percentage of body fat according to a person's age and gender. The tested uses special calipers to measure the thickness.

Skin Fold Measurement The measurement sites vary depending upon the specific skinfold testing protocol being used, but typically include the following seven locations on the body: Triceps - The back of the upper arm Pectoral - The mid-chest, just forward of the armpit Subscapula - Beneath the edge of the shoulder blade Midaxilla - Midline of the side of the torso Abdomen - Next to the belly button Suprailiac - Just above the iliac crest of the hip bone Quadriceps - Middle of the upper thigh

Skin Fold Measurement

Performance Related- VO2 MAX The Bruce Protocol The Bruce Protocol is a maximal exercise test where the athlete works to complete exhaustion as the treadmill speed and incline is increased every three minutes (See chart). The length of time on the treadmill is the test score and can be used to estimate the VO2 max value. During the test, heart rate, blood pressure and ratings of perceived exertion are often also collected.

Bruce Treadmill Test Bruce Treadmill Test Stages Stage 1 = 1.7 mph at 10% Grade Stage 2 = 2.5 mph at 12% Grade Stage 3 = 3.4 mph at 14% Grade Stage 4 = 4.2 mph at 16% Grade Stage 5 = 5.0 mph at 18% Grade Stage 6 = 5.5 mph at 20% Grade Stage 7 = 6.0 mph at 22% Grade Stage 8 = 6.5 mph at 24% Grade Stage 9 = 7.0 mph at 26% Grade The Bruce Protocol Formula for Estimating VO2 Max For Men VO2 max = 14.8 - (1.379 x T) + (0.451 x T²) - (0.012 x T³) For Women VO2 max = 4.38 x T - 3.9 T = Total time on the treadmill measured as a fraction of a minute (ie: A test time of 9 minutes 30 seconds would be written as T=9.5). Do not do without appropriate supervision.

Rockport Walking Test http://www.csep.ca/cmfiles/certifications/cpaflainsert/10_Rockport_One_Mile_Walking_Test.pdf Another way to measure VO2 MAX

VO2 MAX

VO2 Max the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during a specified period of usually intense exercise that depends on body weight and the strength of the lungs—called also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake, max VO2

VO2 Max Test The Bruce and Rockport tests are not 100% accurate.

Performance Related Baseline tests can be done according to push up and sit up tests. Also recording and keeping track of your progress in weight training is also a great way to measure you increases in strength.

Push Up Test Men Age: 20-29 Age: 30-39 Age: 40-49 Age: 50-59 Age: 60+ Excellent 54 or more 44 or more 39 or more 34 or more 29 or more Good 45-54 35-44 30-39 25-34 20-29 Average 24-34 15-24 10-19 Poor 20-34 12-19 8-14 5-9 Very Poor 20 or fewer 15 or fewer 12 or fewer 8 or fewer 5 or fewer Women 48 or more 19 or more 34-48 25-39 15-29 5-19 17-33 12-24 8-19 6-14 3-4 6-16 4-11 3-7 2-5 1-2 6 or fewer 4 or fewer 3 or fewer 2 or fewer 1 or fewer

Sit-Up Test Starting Position: Lie on a carpeted or cushioned floor with your knees bent at approximately right angles, with feet flat on the ground. Your hands should be resting on your thighs. Technique: Squeeze your stomach, push your back flat and raise high enough for your hands to slide along your thighs to touch the tops of your knees. Don't pull with you neck or head and keep your lower back on the floor. Then return to the starting position.

Sit-Up Test Men Age:18-25 Age:26-35 Age:36-45 Age:46-55 Age:56-65 Excellent >49 >45 >41 >35 >31 Good 44-49 40-45 35-41 29-35 25-31 Above average 39-43 35-39 30-34 25-28 21-24 Average 35-38 31-34 27-29 22-24 17-20 Below Average 29-30 23-26 18-21 13-16 Women >43 >39 >33 >27 >24 37-43 33-39 27-33 22-27 18-24 33-36 29-32 13-17 19-22 14-17 10-12 15-18 10-13 7-9