How Fit Are You?

OK, be honest – have you ever gone up a flight of stairs and felt like you might die when you reach the top? Most people have and also thought “I’m way out of shape!” In this case, they’re probably right. Even if you eat healthily and are active, there’s always room for improvement in the eyes of health experts like your Los Angeles personal trainer. If you’re curious about how fit you really are, here are a few ways you can tell.

You Can Touch Your Toes

This is a simple test but also a good indicator of how fit you really are – the ability to easily touch your toes. That’s because those who are really fit have increased coordination and flexibility.

Try it out yourself by touching your toes or stretching your arms out across your body. If you feel a lot of tightness, then it’s time to get in touch with a personal trainer.

You Can Hold a Plank for 60 Seconds

Planks look easy, but they’re actually quite a chore – especially if you’re not fit. “Holding a plank depends on the strength of your abdominal muscles and lower back,” says Los Angeles personal trainer Lalo Fuentes, CSCS, “so if you’re in good shape you should be able to hold a plank for about a minute.” If you’re not able to hold a plank for even a few seconds, then you need to work to improve your core.

You Sleep Well

Getting restful and restorative sleep is a great indicator of how fit you really are. That’s because exercise strengthens the circadian rhythm your body needs to go sleep and stay that way. If your quality of sleep is lacking, then you’re probably not getting enough regular exercise. Work with a Los Angele personal trainer to find ways to easily incorporate some moderate activity into your day.

You Have a Low Resting Heart Rate

Your heart needs to get pumping during exercise, but when you’re at rest a healthy heart should be more efficient, meaning it beats fewer times per minutes simply because it’s more efficient at doing its job. The normal range for a heart at rest is 50 to 100 beats per minute. On average, people are somewhere between 60 and 80, but in a very fit person, that number can be lower. The only caveat is that if you’re not active and have a very low resting heart rate, you may have a heart condition.

You Can Get Up from the Ground Easily

You can try this test almost any time and anywhere and learn a lot about how fit you are in the process. All this test requires is for you to sit down on the floor, then stand without the use of your arms or knees. If you can get up without assistance, then it’s a real testament to your muscular strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility. If this wasn’t an easy test for you, then you need to meet with a Los Angeles personal trainer to help you focus on building coordination and strength.

These fitness tests may give you some idea of how fit you really are, but for an in-depth analysis and a plan to help you get fitter, see a personal trainer! They will help you determine your level of fitness and come up with a plan to improve it.