Muscular
Strength Assessment
Excerpted from The No Sweat Exercise Plan:
Lose Weight, Get Healthy, and Live Longer
By Harvey B. Simon, M.D.
Reprinted by permission of the McGraw-Hill Companies; © Copyright
2005 by President and Fellows of Harvard College.
All Rights Reserved.
For more information or to purchase this
book, follow this link:
www.health.harvard.edu/books/The_No_Sweat_Exercise_Plan.htm
Although cardiopulmonary fitness is most precisely
evaluated in an exercise lab, you can use simple
self-tests to get a good idea of where you stand.
The same is true for muscular strength. For a
detailed analysis, sign-up at a health club where
a trainer will put you through your paces using
resistance machines and weights — but for
a reasonable estimate, take these simple tests
that use your own body weight to see how strong
you are.
To test your abdominal muscles, take the 1-minute
sit-up test. Lie on the floor with your back
flat, your knees bent, and your feet flat on
the floor. Clasp your hands behind your neck,
and then do as many sit-ups as you can in one
minute, touching your elbows to your knees each
time, then returning to the starting position.
You may need to have someone hold your feet to
the floor, but don’t do this test if you
have back trouble. Use the table below to find
out your rating.
1-Minute
Sit-up Test (Number of Sit-ups) |
|
Age |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Women |
20–29 |
32 or lower |
33–38 |
39 or higher |
|
30–39 |
24 or lower |
25–30 |
31 or higher |
|
40–49 |
18 or lower |
19–25 |
26 or higher |
|
50–59 |
14 or lower |
15–20 |
21 or higher |
|
60–69 |
9 or lower |
10–15 |
16 or higher |
Men |
20–29 |
36 or lower |
37–42 |
43 or higher |
|
30–39 |
28 or lower |
29–34 |
35 or higher |
|
40–49 |
23 or lower |
24–29 |
29 or higher |
|
50–59 |
18 or lower |
19–24 |
25 or higher |
|
60–69 |
13 or lower |
14–19 |
24 or higher |
To test your legs, see how many squats you can
do without stopping. Stand 8 to 12 inches in
front of a kitchen chair with your feet at shoulder-width
and your arms crossed over your chest. Slowly
lower yourself to a squatting position with your
butt just touching the seat, and then slowly
stand up straight. Keep your back as straight
as possible, and give yourself about six seconds
for each squat. Use the table below to evaluate
your score.
Squat
Test (Number of Repetitions) |
|
Age |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Women |
20–29 |
20 or lower |
21–23 |
24 or higher |
|
30–39 |
17 or lower |
18–20 |
21 or higher |
|
40–49 |
14 or lower |
15–17 |
18 or higher |
|
50–59 |
11 or lower |
12–14 |
15 or higher |
|
60–69 |
8 or lower |
9–11 |
12 or higher |
Men |
20–29 |
26 or lower |
27–29 |
30 or higher |
|
30–39 |
23 or lower |
24–26 |
27 or higher |
|
40–49 |
20 or lower |
21–23 |
24 or higher |
|
50–59 |
17 or lower |
18–20 |
21 or higher |
|
60–69 |
14 or lower |
15–17 |
18 or higher |
To test your shoulders, chest, and arms see
how many push-ups you can do without stopping.
Men should do full push-ups. Lie on the floor
face down. Place your hands on the floor slightly
in front of your shoulders. Keeping your trunk
rigid, push yourself up to full arm’s length
until you are supporting your weight on your
hands and toes, then slowly lower your chest
down to the floor. Women should do half push-ups,
supporting their weight on their knees instead
of their toes. Use the table below to evaluate
your score.
Push-up
Test (Number of Repetitions) |
|
Age |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Women* |
20–29 |
16 or lower |
17–33 |
34 or higher |
|
30–39 |
11 or lower |
12–24 |
25 or higher |
|
40–49 |
7 or lower |
8–19 |
20 or higher |
|
50–59 |
5 or lower |
6–14 |
15 or higher |
|
60–69 |
2 or lower |
3–4 |
5 or higher |
Men** |
20–29 |
34 or lower |
35–44 |
45 or higher |
|
30–39 |
24 or lower |
25–34 |
35 or higher |
|
40–49 |
19 or lower |
20–29 |
30 or higher |
|
50–59 |
14 or lower |
15–24 |
25 or higher |
|
60–69 |
9 or lower |
10–19 |
20 or higher |
*Half push-ups
** Full push-ups |
Excerpted from The No Sweat Exercise Plan:
Lose Weight, Get Healthy, and Live Longer
|
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