Physical Assessment

Fitness testing, often referred to as fitness evaluation or fitness assessment, includes a series of measurements that help determine the health status and physical fitness of an individual. These tests are often the starting point for designing an appropriate exercise program. The specific tests used in an assessment depend on the health and fitness goals of the individual and the type of workout routines being performed.

Darryl offers his clients a one-on-one Fitness Evaluation in order to determine your body’s strengths and weaknesses, muscle imbalances, core strength, coordination and stability, proper breathing techniques, muscle flexibility and cardiovascular conditioning.

 
The Goals of Fitness Testing
 
•  to determine current health conditions, risks or limitations
•  to learn about past injuries or surgeries
•  to assess current fitness level
•  to identify fitness goals, interests and motivation for exercising
•  to identify appropriate training options
•  to establish methods to track progress and evaluate program success
•  to create a one-on-one relationship and establish expectations for both the athlete and the trainer
 

The following is a list of measurements that will be taken at the start of your program:

 

Body Composition

Body composition describes the different components (muscles, bone, fat) that make up a person’s total body weight. Darryl uses a state-of-the-art Skyndex Digital Caliper to measure your body body fat percentage.

Many people rely on measuring weight alone to determine their ideal body weight. However, weight along can be very misleading because a scale cannot tell the difference between a pound of fat and a pound of muscle.

Body composition, however, refers to the quality or make-up of total body mass, which can be divided into fat-free mass and fat mass. Excess body fat has been associate with a number of health risks including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and sleep disorders. It is also associated with reduced performance and an increased risk of injury. Darryl can accurately measure your body composition to help you learn the make-up of your weight and in turn enable sensible decision-making regarding diet and exercise programs. Whether your goal is to lose fat, gain muscle mass, improve athletic performance, or maintain a healthy balance, knowing your body composition can be essential in helping you achieve your fitness goals.

Click here to see your body fat recommendations.

Cardiovascular Endurance

Cardiovascular endurance testing measures how efficiently the heart and lungs work together to supply oxygen and energy to the body during physical activity.

Strength and Muscular Endurance

Muscle strength testing measures the maximal amount of force a muscle group can exert at one time, and muscular endurance testing measures the length of time a muscle group can contract before it fatigues. These tests can help compare similar groups of people (gender, age, health status) and provide some norms for determining recommended levels of fitness. The best use of these tests, however, is in their ability to compare a person’s fitness progress over time and to determine any areas of specific muscle weakness or imbalance.

Flexibility Testing

Measuring the flexibility or range of motion in certain joints of the body is helpful in assessing muscle weakness, injury and imbalances.