10 Simple tests you can do at home to assess your physical condition

In your youth, did you run up the stairs without any problems, and now you can’t go up a flight without using the elevator? The rhythm of everyday life sometimes does not allow us to do physical activity more often. However, as we know, keeping in good shape is extremely important.

And there are some simple ways to assess your physical condition. O awesome.club separated some tests that can be done at home or even at work. Check it out.

To calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI), just use a simple formula: divide your weight (kg) by your height squared. For example, for a 1.70 m woman weighing 60 kg, the calculation would be as follows: BMI = 60 / (1.7*1.7). If we round the result, the value will be 21. An index below 18 corresponds to a body mass deficit. BMI between 18.5 and 25 is considered normal; indices between 25 and 30 point to overweight. Finally, levels above 30 are considered obesity.

You will need a ruler and a balloon that, when full, has a round shape, not an elongated one. Stand up straight and breathe in slowly, trying to fill your lungs completely. Soon after, fill the bladder calmly. Tie off the end, then use the ruler to measure the diameter of the balloon.

Knowing the diameter, it is possible to calculate its volume. For this you will need a special calculator. To interpret the results correctly, you need to consider age, gender and height. For example, for women aged 28 and 1.7 m tall, the balloon diameter must be between 19 and 20 cm to be considered within the normal range.

After how many flights of stairs do you start to feel short of breath? If you need to rest after climbing a floor or two, your heart and lungs aren’t in the best shape. If shortness of breath starts from the fourth floor, you have an average physical endurance index. And to be considered fit, you must be able to climb six to seven floors without much effort.

This exercise is important for working all the muscles in your body, but it is also an indicator of your fitness. The main condition, however, is to establish the position correctly. You first need to stand on all fours and distribute your weight equally between your legs and arms. It is also important to contract the abdomen and buttocks, without bending your back or letting your belly sag. The support can be done on the hands (as if you were going to do push-ups) or on the forearm. Gradually, you can make the exercise more difficult by moving your hands or feet farther apart or increasing the time you hold.

Normal results vary between 50 and 100 beats per minute, depending of course on gender, age and other factors. A heart rate below this threshold is considered a pathology and is known as bradycardia🇧🇷 In people who train frequently, the situation can manifest itself as a positive indicator: the more your heart is adapted to cardiovascular activities, the slower it beats at rest.

Check your heart rate after moderate/high intensity aerobic training (cycling or running, for example) and compare the results when at rest. The faster your heart rate returns to normal, the better trained you are. And, of course, in better physical condition.

Sit on the floor and try to get up without using any support. It’s not worth turning sideways, leaning on your knees or using your hands. This test measures your flexibility, strength, and balance. If not, maybe it’s time to intensify strength training and stretching.

Stand with your back to the wall and, leaning on it, try to sit down, as if there were a chair there, so that your legs are parallel to the floor. If you are able to hold this position for more than a minute, congratulations, you are in excellent shape. If you lasted less time, include squats with additional weights or even free movement in your workout.

Climb onto a step and lean forward with your legs straight. If you can’t touch the ground and hold this position for more than two seconds, you need to improve your flexibility. On the contrary, if you manage to take the palm of your hands below the step, by approximately 10 cm, for example, you can be considered extremely flexible. This condition is important for healthy aging, as, as age advances, problems related to the spine, for example, tend to manifest more frequently.

To carry out this test, you will need a 50 cm ruler and an “assistant”. Stand up straight and extend your arm forward. Ask someone to hold the ruler 10 cm above your hand, with the number zero on the marking pointing down.

Then, the assistant says: “Attention!” and release the ruler. His task is to grab the ruler as quickly as possible before it falls to the ground. The test needs to be done three times to ensure minimally reliable results. Mean normal values ​​are calculated according to gender and age group. For example, a 25-year-old woman who can pick up the ruler at 17 cm can be considered within the reaction standards for her characteristics.

Lie on your back and lift your straight legs off the floor at a 90 degree angle as many times as you can, each time keeping your legs lifted for 20 seconds. The evaluation of results also depends on the person’s gender and age. If we take as an example a woman between 25 and 30 years old, it would be normal to achieve 12 to 13 lifts. For men of the same age, a normal average would be 15 to 16 movements.

We remind you that all these tests are just a reference. If you notice, based on them, that your results are far below those expected for your age and gender, look for a specialist. He will be able to carry out the evaluations more accurately and indicate possible treatments.

How did it go? Are you in good shape? Write your results in the comments.