Check Your Fitness: Know Where You Start
Why are you here? Maybe you want to lose fat, build muscle, or feel better. Fitness isn’t a guess. It’s your lifeline, and you need to know where you stand to improve. Regular exercise cuts heart disease risk by 30% (Circulation, 2018), increases energy, and helps your mind stay sharp. You can’t move forward without a starting point. This isn’t about judging yourself. It’s about finding your baseline so you can track progress. Get a notebook, write down your results, and test again every 4-6 weeks to see how far you’ve come.
Why It Matters
You wouldn’t drive without knowing the road. The same goes for fitness. Weak cardio makes stairs tough. Low strength slows you down with daily tasks. Poor endurance tires you out fast. People who stay fit live longer—good cardio fitness lowers early death risk by 21% per 3.5 mL/kg/min increase (Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 2014). Checking your level helps you avoid injury, pick the right workouts, and measure gains. Your body shows you where you are. Pay attention and use it.
How to Check Your Fitness: Five Steps
You’ll need a timer, tape measure, and notebook. No gym is required. These four tests (push-ups, squats, plank, 1-mile walk) plus body measurements cover strength, endurance, cardio, and size. Do them today, write down everything, and see where you start. Here’s how:
1. Push-Ups (Upper Body Strength)
How: Lower your chest to 2 inches off the ground with your back straight. Count how many you can do with good form until you can’t keep going. Beginners can use their knees. Write down your total.
Score It: Number of reps by age and gender: fit, average, or needs work. Test again monthly.
| Age | Men: Fit | Men: Average | Men: Needs Work | Women: Fit | Women: Average | Women: Needs Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 25+ | 15-24 | <15 | 20+ | 10-19 | <10 |
| 30-39 | 20+ | 10-19 | <10 | 15+ | 5-14 | <5 |
| 40-49 | 15+ | 8-14 | <8 | 12+ | 4-11 | <4 |
| 50-59 | 12+ | 6-11 | <6 | 10+ | 3-9 | <3 |
| 60+ | 10+ | 5-9 | <5 | 8+ | 2-7 | <2 |
Why: This shows strength in your chest, shoulders, and arms. These help with everyday lifting.
2. Squats (Lower Body Strength)
How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, lower until thighs are parallel to the ground, and keep knees over toes. Count how many you can do with good form. Use a chair for support if needed. Write it down.
Score It: Number of reps by age and gender: fit, average, or needs work. Test again every 4-6 weeks.
| Age | Men: Fit | Men: Average | Men: Needs Work | Women: Fit | Women: Average | Women: Needs Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 30+ | 20-29 | <20 | 25+ | 15-24 | <15 |
| 30-39 | 25+ | 15-24 | <15 | 20+ | 12-19 | <12 |
| 40-49 | 20+ | 12-19 | <12 | 15+ | 10-14 | <10 |
| 50-59 | 15+ | 10-14 | <10 | 12+ | 8-11 | <8 |
| 60+ | 12+ | 8-11 | <8 | 10+ | 6-9 | <6 |
Why: This shows strength in your legs. They help with walking, running, and daily tasks.
3. Plank (Core Endurance)
How: Put your elbows under your shoulders and keep your body straight without sagging or lifting your hips. Hold as long as you can, time it until you drop, and write down the seconds.
Score It: Hold time in seconds by age and gender: fit, average, or needs work. Test again monthly.
| Age | Men: Fit | Men: Average | Men: Needs Work | Women: Fit | Women: Average | Women: Needs Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 90+ | 60-89 | <60 | 75+ | 45-74 | <45 |
| 30-39 | 60+ | 30-59 | <30 | 60+ | 30-59 | <30 |
| 40-49 | 45+ | 25-44 | <25 | 45+ | 20-44 | <20 |
| 50-59 | 30+ | 15-29 | <15 | 30+ | 15-29 | <15 |
| 60+ | 20+ | 10-19 | <10 | 20+ | 10-19 | <10 |
Why: Your core supports your whole body. A weak core affects everything you do.
4. 1-Mile Walk (Cardio Fitness)
How: Walk on flat ground or a treadmill at a brisk pace without jogging. Time how long it takes. After, check your pulse for 10 seconds, multiply by 6 for beats per minute (BPM), and write down both numbers.
Score It: Time in minutes and heart rate in BPM by age and gender: fit, average, or needs work. Test again every 4-6 weeks.
| Age | Men: Fit | Men: Average | Men: Needs Work | Women: Fit | Women: Average | Women: Needs Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | <14 min, 60-90 BPM | 14-16 min, 90-110 BPM | >16 min, >110 BPM | <15 min, 60-95 BPM | 15-17 min, 95-115 BPM | >17 min, >115 BPM |
| 30-39 | <15 min, 60-90 BPM | 15-17 min, 90-120 BPM | >17 min, >120 BPM | <16 min, 60-95 BPM | 16-18 min, 95-125 BPM | >18 min, >125 BPM |
| 40-49 | <16 min, 60-95 BPM | 16-18 min, 95-125 BPM | >18 min, >125 BPM | <17 min, 60-100 BPM | 17-19 min, 100-130 BPM | >19 min, >130 BPM |
| 50-59 | <17 min, 60-100 BPM | 17-19 min, 100-130 BPM | >19 min, >130 BPM | <18 min, 60-105 BPM | 18-20 min, 105-135 BPM | >20 min, >135 BPM |
| 60+ | <18 min, 60-105 BPM | 18-20 min, 105-135 BPM | >20 min, >135 BPM | <19 min, 60-110 BPM | 19-21 min, 110-140 BPM | >21 min, >140 BPM |
Why: This shows how well your heart and lungs work. A slow walk or high pulse means you can improve.
5. Body Measurements (Size and Shape)
How: Use a tape measure to check your waist at the narrowest point, hips at the widest, chest under your armpits, and right arm at the mid-bicep while flexed. Write down the inches and the date. Test again every 4-6 weeks.
Score It: No set “fit” range. Track changes over time. Average waist for ages 20-39 is about 36-40 inches for men and 32-36 inches for women. Smaller waist or bigger arms show progress.
Why: These numbers track fat loss and muscle gain. They help when test scores don’t show everything.
What Your Scores Tell You
Fit Across the Board: You’re strong and in good shape. Make a tougher plan in Part 4, “Craft Your Workout Plan.”
Mixed Results: Good squats but a big waist? Work on fat loss and core strength. Part 4 will help.
Needs Work: Low scores and extra inches? Start easy and build up. This guide shows you how.
Write down all your numbers—reps, seconds, minutes, BPM, and inches. Test again every 4-6 weeks to see how you improve.
Your Next Step
You’ve checked your fitness level, so use it. Low scores are a chance to grow. High scores are a base to build on. This is your starting point for getting better. Read Part 2, “Set Your Sights,” to set your goals. That’s next. Start your fitness journey here and keep going.
