SIT AND BE FIT | Senior Fitness Tests

FIVE SENIOR FITNESS TESTS

Designed by Dr. Roberta Rikli and Dr. Jessie Jones

Senior Fitness Test I - Chair Stand Test:

Assesses leg strength and endurance

Use a straight back or folding chair without armrests placed against a wall for safety. Sit in the middle of the seat, with your feet shoulder width apart. You may place one foot slightly ahead of the other. Cross your arms at the wrists and hold them close to your chest. Stand completely up, then completely down. You can use your arms for assistance or for safety if you need. Count the number of chair stands you can complete in 30 seconds, your goal is to do at least 8 chair stands or more. If you perform less than 8, you may be at risk for losing the ability to perform activities that depend on leg strength.

Senior Fitness Test II - Arm Curl Test:

Assesses upper body strength and endurance
Use a 5 pound weight for women and an 8 pound weight for men. Chose a chair without armrests. Determine which arm is stronger and sit near that side of the chair. Hold the weight in your stronger hand using a suitcase grip with your arm in a down position beside the chair. Brace the upper arm against the body so that only the lower arm is moving. Curl your arm up through a full range of motion, gradually turning the palm up. As you lower your arm through the full range of motion, gradually return to the suitcase grip. Be sure to fully bend and then fully straighten the elbow. It's important that the upper arm is stable throughout the test, and doesn't swing. Count how many controlled arm curls you can perform in 30 seconds, your goal is 11 or more arm curls. Less then 11 curls indicates that you may be at risk for losing the ability to perform activities that require arm strength.

Senior Fitness Test III - Chair Sit and Reach Test:
Assesses your lower body flexibility

You'll need a ruler and a partner to help you measure. Sit at the front edge of a straight back or folding chair placed against a wall for safety. Keep one foot flat on the floor, extend the other leg forward knee straight, heel on the floor, ankle bent at 90°. Place one hand on top of the other with tips of the middle fingers even. Inhale, and as you exhale, reach toward your toe by bending at your hip. Keep your back straight and head up. Avoid bouncing or quick movements, and never stretch to the point of pain. Keep the knee straight, and hold the reach for 2 seconds. Your partner measures the distance between your fingertips and your toe to the nearest inch. If you reach your toe, score zero. If you don't reach your toe, score a negative distance, such as 3 inches; if you reach beyond your toe, score a positive distance, such as + 1 inch. Your goal is to reach at least 2 inches away from your toe for women and 4 inches for men. If you are unable to meet this goal, you may need assistance with activities that require lower body flexibility. This test should not be done if you have severe Osteoporosis.

Senior Fitness Test IV - 8-Foot Up and Go:
Assesses speed, agility and balance while moving

You'll need a partner to time you. Use a stop watch for greatest accuracy. Place a straight back or folding chair next to a wall for safety and a cone or similar marker 8 feet from the chair. Make sure there's an unobstructed path from the chair around the marker. Begin fully seated. When your partner says, "Go," stand and walk (don't run) as quickly as you can safely move around the cone, return to the chair, and sit down. If you normally use a cane or walker, it is OK to use it for the test. You are timed from the instant your partner says, "Go," until you sit back down. For best results, practice the test once, and then perform it twice. Take your best score. Your goal is to perform the test in 9 seconds or less. If it takes you longer than this, you may require assistance to move from one place to another safely.

Senior Fitness Test V - Scratch Test:
Measures upper body flexibility

You'll need a ruler or a yardstick. Place your hand over your shoulder, and reach as far as possible down the middle of your back, your palm touching your body. Place your other arm behind your back, palm facing outward and reach up as far as possible attempting to touch or overlap the middle fingers of both hands. Practice two times, and then test two times. Your partner measures the distance between the tips of the middle fingers to the nearest half-inch. If the fingertips touch, score zero. If they do not touch, score a negative distance, such as 2 inches; if they overlap, score a positive distance, such as + 1 inch. Take your best score. For women the goal is to have your fingertips no more than 5 inches apart and for men no more that 8 inches apart. If you're unable to reach this goal, you may be at risk for losing the ability to perform some activities that require upper body flexibility. Stop the test if you experience pain.