Fitness Assessments

Fitness Assessments refer to thorough evaluations of physical fitness of individuals usually conducted before starting an exercise program or to determine physical fitness level. Some people are recovering from injury or dealing with a specific health concern and need a plan tailored to their specific needs. Others are focused on a specific sporting event and may want better flexibility, increased endurance or other specific goals.

Typically, a fitness assessment includes the following:

• General body information such as blood pressure, heart rate (resting), height and weight
• Body / fat ratio assessment using methods such as measuring skin fold thickness or the BMI (an index based on height and weight)
• Muscle strength is tested using either a dynamometer which measures the amount of force you are exerting when pressing on the device; or manually by measuring how much resistance a person can offer when someone presses down on them in different areas of the body.
• Muscle endurance can be measured with tests such as sit-ups or push-up repetitions in a given time period
• Cardiovascular health can be evaluated using treadmill tests or an exercise ECG

Fitness assessments allow individuals to get a sense of their personal fitness level and to evaluate it against the norm, to develop a suitable fitness program, to monitor their progress in a program and to identify any health concerns that might need to be addressed.