The word ‘fit’ gets thrown around a lot. We join a new gym or start a new running routine to ‘work on our fitness’, but if you’re a normal older person with no real experience in the world of health, how do you know when you’ve reached the goal?
In addition to physical results, which are fun but not the point, there are many different measures of fitness to consider, and as someone trying to monitor their fitness, I’m interested in which ones work best.
So, I chatted with some experts in the field via email: Jono Castano, fitness trainer and founder of STEEL gym in sydney, Australian Institute of Fitness Master Trainer, Brodie Hicks and Jeremy Tunkunas, the director of Body Fit Training Town Hall. This is what they had to say.
First, what does ‘fit’ really mean?
Both Castaño and Hicks agreed that the term ‘fitting in’ itself is a bit complicated. That there is no real way to give a solid and singular answer as to what it is.
“The term ‘fit’ can be quite ambiguous, as it often means different things to different people,” Hicks shared. It can be applied to everything from cardiovascular fitness to flexibility, and everything in between. And while each type of fitness is certainly valid, he explained to her, this makes the definition of the word “a bit nonspecific.”
Castano added:
“Being ‘fit’ definitely has a different meaning depending on who you talk to. For most of my clients, being fit is a destination, but for me the definition of ‘fit’ is more the journey. Being in shape is being able to commit to live a healthier lifestyle that includes exercise and a balanced diet,” he said.
Tunkunas explained that while everyone (and every body) is different, there are some elements that make up physical fitness, in your opinion. Via email, he shared that:
“The human body consists of many different systems that together create its (bio) functionality and determine its physical, cognitive and mental health.
“Being fit(er) would mean a good level of all these pieces. Fortunately, seeking to improve one (physical) will often imminently improve the others, and therefore [will] be a good place to start!”
However, fitness improvements are a bit easier to recognize
How we define “fit” may not be particularly clear, of course. But measure progress? There are plenty of ways to do that.
On the simplest level, Castaño suggested “taking note of what you did in the same workout last time. To progress, you could add extra weight, reps, time, or distance.”
Tunkunas has a similar opinion. While he doesn’t think it’s necessary to have specific numbered goals, he suggests taking a look at numbers like your heart rate, body composition scan, or even training and eating diaries, and building.”a goal to increase [or improve] from there”.
For example, for cardiovascular exercise, “doing a v02 max test, or trying some intervals for lactic acid threshold data would be great to build up and improve,” he said.
Hicks shared that he has five measurement tools that he uses to assess clients in different types of fitness.
number one is lower body strength test where he asks clients to lift their maximum weight to one, three and five repetitions. “The fewer repetitions, the heavier the weight [and] the more experienced you should be,” he said.
“Lower body strength transcends many other facets of ‘fitness’ (including cardiovascular fitness), so even if your primary goal is related to cardiovascular exercise, lower body strength should be a priority area.
This can be tried using barbell back squats or barbell deadlifts, but leg presses, rack/block deadlifts, hip thrusts, and lunges are also options.
Upper body strength test is next, following the same rules as the lower body. Here, he suggested barbell bench press and pull-up tests along with shoulder press, incline row, seated row, and lat pulldown as options.
Third on the list is aerobic capacity test. Hicks explained that he usually opts for a two kilometer triaI here.
“…provide not only a readout of cardiovascular fitness through heart rate response and time to complete distance, but also an individual’s ‘maximal aerobic speed’ (MAS). Maximum aerobic speed may be a useful exercise prescription technique for aerobic training to ensure you hit some key markers.”
It will then try anaerobic endurance which is “all about shorter lengths and distances”. In this area, Hicks bets on a 500m queue test. which asks customers to “go hard and fast to see how fast you can row 500m”.
“Our anaerobic system provides us with energy for very high to maximal intensity efforts lasting up to 3 minutes max,” he explained.
The last measure is flexibility test. “Although not normally thought of when it comes to fitness testing, flexibility is an important aspect overall fitness,” Hicks shared.
“Reduced injury rates, as well as improved performance, have been shown to result from increased flexibility,” he said.
To test this, he recommended the thomas test, lying hamstring test, knee to wall test and shoulder stretch test.
An added bonus would be to use photos to compare physical changes as you go, Castaño suggested.
“…it really shows the progression and the transformation, not only in her body but also in her face and confidence.”
What kind of goals should we aim for?
I’m sorry, friends. But the answer here is not going to be a straight figure.
Although Castaño said he keeps a close eye on his heart rate during training: “I always like to keep my heart rate above 130 bpm to make sure [clients] are trying hard in training”: the goal is just really measure against yourself.
The secret, Castaño added, is to find a realistic training program using exercises that “make you feel good.” He also shared that goals make a difference.
“You may have a general fitness goal, but make sure you have smaller goals along the way, so it keeps you motivated,” he said.
In Tunkunas’ opinion, the most important elements in a consistent exercise routine are “staying responsible by reservation [in] your sessions;” increase motivation by building a community around your fitness journey; use health professionals to ensure that the technique is correct and avoid injuries and, finally, “make your exercise comfortable for you”.
And if you’re interested in building your fitness, the trainers emphasized that variety is the spice of… your training plan.
Hicks shared here his “rule of thumb” which is, for strength fitness goals, take a 60 percent strength focus and a 40 percent cardio focus, and for cardio fitness goals, reverse that split.
Oh, and don’t forget, “flexibility training must be completed in and around these primary sessions.”
Now who’s ready to exercise?
This article has been updated since its original publication.
