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Fitness Activity Instructions – Week 6: Ongoing Fitness Assessment

Track 2

Introduction:

Performing an ongoing fitness assessment is an ideal way to measure the progress that was made during a fitness program and acts as a quantitative way to measure goal achievement. In addition, a fitness assessment is a helpful tool for measuring an individual’s fitness at a given point in time. It also provides a baseline against which to measure progress while participating in a physical fitness program.

For this week’s Fitness Activities, you act in the role of a coach for a group of six fictional fitness students. You will be provided with fitness assessment results for each of these students. Complete the ongoing fitness assessment by analyzing the results for all six students and evaluating their progress based on their results from Week 1.

Student Statistics:

The following is information about the six fictional students you will be evaluating:

• Tara, 41-year-old female

• Grace, 68-year-old female

• Jessica, 21–year-old female

• George, 85-year-old male

• Steven, 38-year old male

• Willie, 51-year-old male

Preparation:

Review the media titled “Fitness Activities: Baseline Fitness Assessment,” “Fitness Activities: Muscular Endurance Assessments,” and “Fitness Activities: Assessing Flexibility.” Pay particular attention to the instructions provided for each fitness assessment.

Fitness Activities:

1. Body Composition Assessments

Body Mass Index – Body mass index (BMI) is a common way to assess an individual’s health risks using height and weight.

Process:

To calculate your BMI, determine your height and weight and use one of the following formulas:

BMI = (weight (pounds) / height (inches)2 ) x 703

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)2

Waist-Hip Circumference – Waist-hip circumference is an alternate way of assessing an individual’s health risk. In addition, this technique provides some insight into how fatty tissue is distributed around the body.

Process:

Waist measurement – Using a flexible tape measure (or a piece of string combined with a ruler), measure the distance around the body at the level of the navel. Make sure to perform the measurement after exhaling a normal breath.

Hip measurement – Using a flexible tape measure, measure the distance around the hips at the maximum circumference of the buttocks.

Waist-to-hip ratio = waist circumference (in.) / hip circumference (in.)

Review Tables 6.1 and 6.4 in your textbook to determine categories and risk classifications for BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio.

1. Cardiorespiratory Assessment: 1-Mile Walk

The 1-mile walk is a standard assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness. The goal is to walk 1 mile as quickly as possible. The walk should be timed over a measured distance. While it might be tempting to increase speed, this test should be performed walking as briskly as possible, but not jogging or running.

Process:

Before beginning this test, perform 5–10 minutes of warm-up activities. Once warmed up, record the time it takes to walk a measured distance of 1 mile.

Review Table 3.2 in your textbook to determine the fitness classification based on the 1-mile walk test.

1. Muscular Endurance Assessments

Muscular endurance is an essential part of any fitness program. Complete the following muscular endurance assessments while maintaining appropriate form.

Process:

Push-up test – Perform as many push-ups as possible in 60 seconds while maintaining correct form. Use either the standard or modified version of the push-up.

Sit-up test – Perform as many sit-ups as possible in 60 seconds while maintaining correct form.

Curl-up test – Perform as many curl-ups as possible in 60 seconds while maintaining correct form.

Review Tables 4.7, 4.8, and 4.9 in your textbook to determine your fitness categories for the muscular endurance assessments.

1. Flexibility Assessments

Sit and Reach Test – The sit and reach test is a general flexibility assessment.

Process:

Before conducting the assessment, warm up and stretch. While keeping the feet pointed upwards and the knees straight, slowly and steadily reach forward as far as possible. Have a partner record the distance reached beyond the heels of the feet. Repeat the test three times and record the best results.

Shoulder Flexibility Test – The shoulder flexibility test targets the shoulders and measures their flexibility.

Process:

When performing the test, measure the distance of finger overlap to the nearest inch. For example, an overlap of ¾ inch would be recorded as 1 inch. If the fingers do not overlap, record the score as -1. Finally, if the fingertips barely touch, record the score as 0. Make sure to perform the test on both sides. Before conducting the assessment, warm up and stretch.

Review Tables 5.3 and 5.4 in your textbook to determine the fitness category classifications for the sit and reach and shoulder flexibility tests.

Reference:

Powers, S. K., Dodd, S. L., & Jackson, E. M. (2011). Total fitness & wellness (brief 5e, media update). San Francisco, CA: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.

© 2012 Laureate Education, Inc.