GeO Spa Fitness -- Fitness

Testing resistance & strength


	Fit enough? Knowing your own level of general fitness is important, both for choosing the most suitable kind of training and to check its results. Functional assessment tests enable metabolic levels such as resistance, strength and flexibility to be measured. The information obtained means that physical activity needs can be taken into account. At this point and with the help of a trainer a more specific and personalized workout programme can be designed or modified. In this article we will talk about resistance and strength tests. You will read about flexibility test in April issue. FITNESS TEST The fitness test, carried out to assess cardio-respiratory efficiency, is a sub-maximal test made up of two try-outs lasting 3-4 minutes each, using workloads at 65% and 75% of the theoretic heart rate (calculated by subtracting the subject's age from 220). Basically the intensity of the test increases progressively whilst pedaling on a bike or running on a treadmill. The cardiac frequency check is guaranteed by the CPR system in the machine that 'dialogues' with the subject's heart thanks to a special cardio-measuring device. Results obtained are then matched to tables like the following ones, where levels are registered in ml of oxygen consumed per minute, per kilo of weight:

	BIKE (ml/min/kg)



	TAPIS ROULANT (ml/min/kg)



	STRENGTH TEST A trial of strength. Tests to assess muscular endurance feature among those used to determine strength. Endurance is the muscle's capacity to perform repeated contractions whilst delaying the onset of fatigue as much as possible. This is an important element for those involved in resistance sports and is therefore directly linked to aerobic capacity. The maximum repetitions test is the best for checking fitness strength. After a warm-up freestanding exercises are carried out to assess the number of repetitions achieved in terms of speed and wideness of movement. Push-up & abdominal test. Muscle groups that can be monitored are the triceps, frontal deltoids and the gran-pectoral in the Push-up test and abdominals in the Abdominal test. In the former push-ups are carried out in different positions for men and women. Men have to keep hands and toes only in contact with the ground whilst women can also have knees touching. During movement the body should maintain a rigid position with the chest not touching the ground but stopping a few centimeters above it. Endurance levels are assessed based on the number of repetitions carried out correctly:


	The abdominal test is usually carried out on the Abdominal Crunch isotonic machine and

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