<p> How fit are you? See how you measure up.</p><p>Gather your tools</p><p>The American College of Sports Medicine recommends assessing fitness in Four key areas: aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition. For the purpose of our programme, we will do the first three</p><p>To do your assessment, you'll need:</p><p> A watch that can measure seconds or a stopwatch  A cloth measuring tape  1 metre ruler  Heavy duty tape  Someone to help you with the flexibility test </p><p>You'll also need a pencil or pen and paper to record your scores as you complete each part of the assessment. You can record your scores in a notebook or journal or save them in a spreadsheet on your computer.</p><p>1. Check your aerobic fitness: 5 minute Power walk</p><p>Checking your pulse over the carotid artery </p><p>To assess your aerobic fitness, you'll take a power walk/run. (Medium – fast paced – arms pumping)</p><p>Before and after the walk/run, you'll check and record your pulse in your notebook or journal.</p><p>To check your pulse over your carotid artery, </p><p> Place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe.  When you feel your pulse, look at your watch and count the number of pulsations in 15 seconds.  Multiply this number by 4 to get your heart rate per minute.  Let's say you count 20 pulsations in 15 seconds. Multiply 20 by 4 for a total of 80 beats per minute. Checking your pulse over the radial artery </p><p> Place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery, which is located on the thumb side of your wrist.  When you feel your pulse, look at your watch and count the number of pulsations in 15 seconds.  Multiply this number by 4 to get your heart rate per minute.</p><p>Now what you're doing is measuring your recovery heart rate.. The fitter you are, the faster your heart rate will drop after you stop moving. So you want to try to get as close to a resting heart rate as possible. </p><p>2. Measure muscular fitness: Push-ups</p><p>Push-ups can help you measure muscular strength. If you're just starting a fitness program, do knee push-ups. If you're already fit, do toe push-ups. For both types:</p><p> Lie facedown on the floor with your elbows bent and your palms next to your shoulders. </p><p> Keeping your back straight, push up with your arms until your arms are extended. </p><p> Lower your body until your chest touches the floor. </p><p> Push your body upward, returning to the starting position.  Count each time you return to the starting position as one push-up.  Do as many push-ups as you can until you need to stop for rest.  Record the number of push-ups you complete in your notebook or journal. 3. Building strength in your core.- Sit ups </p><p>Sit ups help to strengthen your core muscles. This helps with body mass reduction and better strength in your back.</p><p> Start by laying flat on your back</p><p> If you are just beginning you may want to bend your knees.</p><p> Keep your hands just behind your ears.</p><p> Slowly raise your body to about 45 degrees. </p><p> Lower your body back to the mat with control.</p><p>4. Assess your flexibility: Sit-and-reach test</p><p>Assessing flexibility in your legs, hips and lower back </p><p>The sit-and-reach test is a simple way to measure the flexibility of the backs of your legs, your hips and your lower back. Here's how:</p><p> Place a 1 metre ruler on the floor. Secure it by placing a piece of tape across the yardstick at the 25 cm mark.  Place the soles of your feet even with the 25 cm mark.  Ask a helper to place his or her hands on top of your knees to anchor them.  Reach forward as far as you can, holding the position for two seconds.  Note the distance you reached.  Repeat the test two more times.  Record the best of the three reaches. </p><p>Adapted from Mayo Clinic Feb 23, 2007 </p>