If you are about to start a fitness program, or even if you have already started a program you need to be able to assess your level of fitness. This is important as it will help you understand where you are right now and to set some goals for the fitness level you want to achieve. A good way to start this assessment is to get a checkup with your doctor, particularly if you are over 40. Here are the primary numbers you need to know.
Your resting heart rate, or pulse rate, is simply the number of heart beats per minute before you have started any exercise. You can measure this yourself by placing your forefinger on your wrist pulse and counting the beats for 15 seconds and multiplying by four. Measure this periodically and keep a note of it in your exercise log. Over time as you do regular exercise the number should decrease.
The next number is your activity heart rate, measured after about 15 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise on a treadmill, stationary bike, or rowing machine. This will be higher than your resting heart rate, and it also should decrease as you progress through your exercise program.
Optimal blood pressure is vital to your health. This is measured as two values: the systolic number over the diastolic number. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart contracts and diastolic pressure is the pressure when the heart relaxes. The optimal values are 120 over 80, with 140 over 90 being borderline high blood pressure. If you have higher BP numbers you definitely need to consult your doctor who will recommend changes to your diet, especially the reduction of salt intake. You can measure your own blood pressure with one of the many BP monitors available today.
Your Body Mass Index is a measure of how much fat you have in your body relative to your weight. This can easily be computed by many online BMI calculators using your height and weight. The normal BMI is in the range 18.5 through 24.9, whereas an overweight BMI is 25 through 29.9. Once you know your BMI you can set a goal of getting into the normal BMI range. These calculators do not take account of body fat versus muscle, so you may get a higher value if you are more heavily muscled.
Muscular strength and endurance can be tested with a push-up test. The number of push-ups that you can do in one minute is a good assessment of your upper body strength, but this also shows your overall fitness. Over 40 push-ups in one minute indicates excellent fitness for a 30 year old male.
Make these measurements every month through your fitness program to get feedback on how you are doing and to keep you motivated.
To learn more about fitness check out the Dynamic Wellness program for great tips on building great muscles.
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