How to know when it's time for you to go in for sports

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A few simple tests will show you how fast you are.

For many transformations - losing weight or gaining weight, increasing the strength and volume of muscles, or, conversely, their atrophy - it takes time. The body struggles to maintain balance and resist change. And this is good. You won't lose muscle after sitting at home for a week, and you won't get fat after eating three pieces of cake at a party.

At the same time, due to the smoothness of the changes, it is easy to miss the moment when your body becomes rigid, becomes stiff and constricted like an old man, and your heart and lungs will no longer cope with even small loads.

In everyday life, we rarely have to run, jump, pull up or even do deep bends. After all, you can always tie your shoelaces by sitting down on a chair. Therefore, you realize your weakness only in emergency situations, when you have already pretty much neglected yourself.

We will show you some simple tests that will help you check your physical capabilities and understand if the moment has come when you really need to take care of your body.

How to check your aerobic endurance

This simple step test will help you determine your heart's ability to handle aerobic activity.

For the test, you will need:

• Stable elevation 30 cm high: bench, bench, high step.
• Metronome. You can download the app or just enable it in your browser.
• Simple timer.
• An assistant who will count the number of ascents and keep track of the time (you can do without it).

Step on the bench with your right foot, and then substitute your left to it. Then return one leg to the floor, followed by the other. Thus, for one ascent, you will need to make four steps.

Set the metronome to 96 beats per minute and take one step for each beat. Moving in this way, you will make 24 steps per minute on the bench. You can do it under the video, I walk there at the right pace.

Time three minutes and start the test. Move without interruptions and stops, walking and descending to the beat of the metronome. At the end of three minutes, set the timer for one minute and sit in a chair. When the time is up, count another one and count the number of heart beats per minute.

Rate your results using the table.

If you realize that everything is bad, start building endurance today. Any cardio activity is suitable for this: brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, group fitness programs, active dancing.

You can develop general endurance at home by doing 15-30 minutes daily. Try our sets of exercises - there are many of them, you can do a new one every day.

How to check joint mobility

Our joints are designed to work in full range. But if you move a little and sit a lot in one position, flexibility goes away, and you can no longer bend over normally, sit on the floor and rise without the help of hands and do many other things that are natural for a healthy and functional body.

To test your flexibility at home, perform two simplified tests from the Functional Movement Screen (FMS). To run the tests, you will need:

• Roulette.
• Any long, light and straight stick.
• Assistant.

Overhead Squat

This test will help assess the mobility of the hip, ankle, and shoulders. Take a stick with a straight grip 1, 5–2 times wider than your shoulders, raise it above your head with outstretched arms. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and point your toes forward.

Sit as deep as possible, trying to keep your back straight and keep your heels on the floor. Do this sideways in front of a mirror, or ask for a photo of you to assess the final position.

Good

• The body is parallel to the shins.
• The pelvis is below the level of the knees.
• The heels are on the floor.
• The stick is held over the feet.

Fine

• The body is parallel to the shins.
• The pelvis is below the level of the knees.
• The heels come off the floor, but if you put them on a small elevation (put a book, for example), all other criteria are the same.
• The stick is held over the feet.

Badly

• The body is not parallel to the hips.
• Hips above knee level.
• Can't keep your back straight.
• The stick is not over the feet.

Raising a straight leg

This test will help determine the mobility of the hip joint, the stretch of the muscles of the back of the thigh and lower leg.

Lie on the floor, straighten your legs, pull your socks over you. Raise your straight leg as high as possible. Do not bend your knee, pull the sock towards you. Do not rotate the other leg and body: they should remain in the same position as they were before lifting the leg.

Ask a helper to place the stick perpendicular to the floor in the middle of your thigh and assess where the raised leg is.

Good: the ankle of the raised leg does not cross the pole.

Fine: the ankle of the raised leg is exactly in line with the stick.

Badly: The ankle of the raised leg is over the knee.

If tests show that you lack flexibility, it's time to work on this important quality. You can use passive stretching methods, stretching postures or yoga asanas, or active strength training in the full range.

How to check strength

Muscle strength is needed not only to lift the bar in the gym. If you sit all day and lie down on weekends, your weak muscles won't even be able to support your posture, leading to back pain over time.

Not to mention the fact that simple everyday tasks like carrying heavy bags or moving furniture while cleaning can result in injury.

Two simple tests can be used to test muscle strength. Of course, they will not help you assess the condition of the whole body, but they will give a rough idea of the strength of the core and shoulder girdle.

Push-up test

Do a joint warm-up: twist your shoulders, elbows, hands, perform bends and turns of the body. Then you can move on to the test.

Men perform push-ups in the full range: up to a right angle at the elbow joints. In the video, I go a little lower. To use the correct range, ask your assistant to place a clenched fist on the floor and lower down until the chest touches the fist.

Women do knee push-ups in the full range: until the chest touches the floor.

Perform as many push-ups as you can without resting. See your results in the table.

Press fold test

This test will help determine the strength and endurance of your abs and hip flexors.

• Lie on your back, bend your knees at right angles and place your feet on the floor. Put your hands behind your head.
• Have a helper hold your legs to keep your feet flat on the floor throughout the exercise.
• Rise to a seated position and then lower yourself back down to the floor. At the lowest point, the back and shoulders should touch the floor each time.
• Do as many reps as you can in 60 seconds.
• See your result in the table.

If your results in muscle strength and endurance tests do not even reach the "Poor" level, it's time to take care of yourself. Fortunately, you can do this without leaving home: with the help of the same push-ups, lifting the body on the press and many other exercises with your body weight.

It's never too late to take care of your body. People gain muscle mass, develop flexibility and endurance at both 70 and 80 years old. Yes, the later, the slower the changes will be, but they will be - this is the main thing.

Our body is a machine that is thought out to the smallest detail, which, with proper care, works properly until the very end. You have all the resources to be resilient, strong and flexible in your 20s and 80s.