IIt is not always easy to gauge how your fitness exercises will pay off. Especially when you’re on a break from exercising, it can be a little confusing to see the results – or even know what to look for. That’s why it’s sometimes great to spice things up with a fitness test.
Taking a simple physical fitness test is a fun way to get a better understanding of where you physically are and what needs improvement. They also offer you a new challenge. So if your exercise program feels stiff and unproductive, you can hit the road with new goals.
Are you ready for a new challenge? Below are 7 of the best fitness tests to try at home or at the gym.
The best fitness tests to take on a new challenge
1. 2,000 meter row
2,000-meter rowing is a gold standard among athletes and professional rowers (it is the official distance in rowing competitions). It’s known to work 86 percent of your body’s muscles, and it’s a great way to test your heart health too. “It’s also a real test of your own lung capacity,” said Annie Mulgrew, founding teacher at CITYROW, previously Well + Good. “It requires someone not only to be in cardiovascular form so they can breathe and sustain high-intensity heartbeats, but also be able to push through lactic acid that builds up throughout the body.”
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The test is pretty simple: time to row 2,000 meters yourself. Exactly how fast you can complete a 2,000 meter lap will depend on your height and weight, but Mulgrew recommends working with a benchmark of two minutes per split, or 500 meters. All in all, it’s really about endurance, strength and speed. You can find more information about the entire test here.
2. 3-minute plank
Holding a plank for 1 minute makes you shaky. But three? This is the ultimate test of muscle endurance. “The Plank works so many other muscles, from the chest to the lats, obviously your core, but even your quads, your glutes if you do it right,” Mike Donavanik, founder and CEO of the digital fitness platform, Welding Factor, previously Well + Good told. “Being able to hold a normal board for three minutes without a break is great. Every time you can also make movements to a plank, I mean, you only kill them if you can. “
See if you can pull a 3 minute plank here.
Before you start, here is the correct way to make a plank:
3. Sit-up test
This is fun. The Sit-Up Test (SRT) is exactly what it sounds like – how fast (and gracefully) can you go from sitting to standing and vice versa?
The goofy test was inspired by Brazilian doctor Claudio Gil Araújo, MD, to predict longevity. It turns out that the older we get, the harder it becomes to maintain balance and stay agile. If you can switch from a sitting position to a standing position without using anything for extra balance (or just tipping over), you are in good shape. Try the test yourself here.
4. 10 minute squat test
Like the previous workout, this challenge is designed to test your ever-important skill. The format was developed by mobility trainer Kelly Starret, PT, and alternates between a standard squat and an assisted pistol squat, AKA the one-legged squat.
As Starrett explains in the video below, one-sided movements, like straightening a leg before returning to a normal squat, really test your stability, which is the basis for almost any workout out there. Read our full explainer here or watch Starret’s video below:
5. Military aptitude tests
Armed forces around the world are notorious for the need for their members to be in tip top shape. This means you can pass some of the toughest fitness tests that challenge strength, endurance and speed.
From the grueling 8-part challenge of the British Special Air Service to the final physical fitness test of the Indian Para Special Force, here is a roundup of the 5 toughest military training programs from around the world if you really want to test your limits.
6. Fire department fitness test
Likewise, firefighters need to be in incredible physical shape, which is why the New York Fire Department requires every incoming firefighter to pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CDAT).
As you’ve probably guessed by now, this isn’t your average fitness challenge. According to the FDNY prep guide, there are some not-as-basic equipment available, like a 10-pound sledgehammer (for practicing forcible entry) and a 165-pound mannequin (for practicing rescuing a person from a burning building.) The entire test can be completed in 8 serious steps. Find out more here.
7. General fitness test in 9 steps
Would you like something more comprehensive? This 9-part exercise test covers all the key components for general fitness, from strength and condition to endurance and balance.
Designed by Brynn Putnam, the founder of Refine Method, this examination is ideal for at home to get a pulse check on where your physical fitness is now and how it can be improved. Expect the basics, like pushups, vertical jumps, and planks, as well as some novel exercises like the SRT from above, as well as the adult version of the beep test. Try the complete workout here.
Before you begin, learn how to do a push-up properly:
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