Athleticism in the real world is about much more than how much you benched at the gym today. You should be fast enough to compete on the sports field but agile enough to take rush hour in your stride the next day. Put simply, you want to be as fit on the inside as you are in the mirror. Turn the page and take our test and to make leaps and bounds in one month. That you will look better for doing so is the best reward scheme going.
Your Assessment
How many push-ups can you do in a row right now?
Your Results
Strength-endurance
Strong Over 60
Good 40-60
Average 20-39
Weak Less than 20
Technically speaking, strength-endurance is your ability to repeat an activity requiring relatively long-term muscle tension with a minimal decrease in efficiency. In real terms – the terms that matter – this means it’s not the strongest athlete that wins, but the one whose strength lasts the longest. Get ready to become a true 90-minute man.
Your Assessment
Now stand up again. For how many seconds can you balance on one leg?
Your Results
Core stability
Strong Over 120sec
Good 60-120sec
Average 30-59sec
Weak Less than 30sec
Core stability is the key to better balance. It has benefits far beyond unnecessary and infuriating step-overs at five-a-side. Being balanced reduces energy wastage when running, allowing you to put all of the power you generate into pushing you forward for longer cardio sessions and faster fat-burning. It will also limit injuries when working out. And, of course, stop you falling over.
Your Assessment
How many seconds can you hold the plank position for, without losing form?
Your Results
Core strength
Strong Over 120sec
Good 60-120sec
Average 30-59sec
Weak Less than 30sec
According to journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 50% of adults have a lifetime prevalence of lower back pain. Whether you are lifting, twisting
or sitting at your desk, the most important link in the chain of every movement you make is your core. Strengthen it and you can perform better in the gym and stand taller everywhere else.
Your Assessment
Stand by a wall and jump as high as you can to tap it. Record the height in cm.
Your Results
Explosive power
Strong Over 50cm
Good 36-50cm
Average 25-35cm
Weak Less than 25cm
This is very much about one-off maximal movements of the fast-twitch muscle fibres. They are the ones you use for sprinting, jumping, throwing and punching. They are the fun ones, basically. Explosive power is crucial in any contact or
combat sports, but also for general agility and
even reaction time. What are you waiting for?
Your Assessment
Hang from a pull-up bar, arms straight. How many seconds can you hang for?
Your Results
Grip strength
Strong Over 120sec
Good 60-120sec
Average 30-59sec
Weak Less than 30sec
Increasing your grip strength leads to a big improvement in your athletic performance. It plays a major role in the transfer of power or when manipulating your body weight, found The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. It equals more reps on heavier weights – for more muscular growth – and will enhance everything from your distance off the tee to your day-to-day dexterity.
Your Assessment
One last test:run one kilometre as fast as you can – record it in minutes.
Your Results
Cardiovascular fitness
Strong Less than 4min
Good 4-5.5min
Average 5.5-7min
Weak Over 7min
Admit it – a little bit of cardio is all too often an
afterthought at the gym. But on top of the benefits to your heart and the associated decrease in your risk of a heart attack or stroke, better CV fitness results in a higher metabolism – so you use up kilojoules quicker, lose weight faster and burn off the fat that can damage your six-pack and your health.
Now find out if you’re MHFit, here: ELITE!
