The Combo Coach was created specifically to help women over 50 get fit, feel fantastic and importantly tame your mind monkey (that voice in your ear telling you to do stupid stuff).
We’ve come up with a fun effective fitness test and tracker How FAB Are You? which are three easy tests to measure and then track your fitness levels without the guesswork and keep you moving and motivated.
How FAB are you?
Fitness, Aerobic endurance and Balance
Here are three effective exercises or tests to assess your fitness levels which can be repeated to track progress over time.
Take a look at the tests and accompanying videos, these need a little practice before to get the best from them.
Pick your day and do all three, note the date and results on your printed Tracker, this sets your target to beat next time. The test can be repeated monthly or quarterly and if you have been working hard you will see the results improve.
FAB - Fitness - Chair Stand Test
The Combo Coaches FAB fitness tests and tracker is the first step (pun intended) in getting you fitter, happier and healthier, without getting bored or going mad.
Purpose:
Measures lower body strength and physical endurance.
How to Perform:
- Start seated in a sturdy chair with feet flat on the ground.
- Cross arms in front of chest and lift away from chest.
- Stand up straight and sit back down without using arms for support.
- Time how long it takes to complete 20 repetitions.
Watch the short video:
Regression:
If you find the test too hard, decrease repetitions to measure your maximum capacity without straining yourself. If it is really hard, use your hand on a table to assist you.
Progression:
If you find the test too easy, increase repetitions to measure your maximum capacity without straining yourself. Fold your arm out in front of you so you can’t swing them to assist the stand.
Progress Tracking:
Record the number of repetitions and time taken to complete the test.
Aim to improve the time or complete more repetitions over subsequent tests.
Tips for Implementation:
This Fitness test and the next two simple tests provide a clear record of overall fitness and can help set goals for future workouts.
FAB – Aerobic - Walk Test
The walking test is my favourite, I LOVE WALKING! We all need to walk more!
This test will get you started on your journey to firstly improving your aerobic endurance and cardiovascular fitness and most importantly, its the best way to boost your metabolism and your mood. Secondly, it will make you realise how beneficial even a 5 minute walk can be!
Once you’ve done this 5 minutes you’ll so want to walk for longer!
Strong cardiovascular fitness reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, while also aiding in weight management and boosting metabolism and mood.
Purpose:
Assesses aerobic endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
How to Perform:
- Find a safe area where you can walk a distance of about 500m (or for 5 minutes) and can be repeated without change.
- Walk (or jog) at a comfortable pace for the route selected.
- The easy option is to walk for just over 2 minutes, pick a notable point to turn around, walk back to start.
- Time how long it takes to cover the distance.
Watch the short video:
Exertion level:
You need to be slightly breathless, not out of breath, if necessary slow down. You should not feel pain in any joints, if you do “STOP”, a slight bearable discomfort is acceptable.
Regression:
If 500m is too much it can be reduced to an achievable distance, at the end of the walk you need to be slightly breathless.
Progression:
When the selected distance can be completed easily, increase the distance.
Progress Tracking:
Note the time the test took when performed and the start and end point.
A shorter time indicates improved endurance.
Tips for Implementation:
This Aerobic test and the other two simple tests provide a clear record of overall fitness and can help set goals for future workouts.
FAB - Balance Test
You know what they say, its all about balance and that’s not just food and drink. We need to balance our mind with our body.
Balance exercises are also called load bearing, which improves osteoporosis. Balance is often overlooked and lack of balance is often the cause of trips turning into dangerous falls. The stronger your core and balance, you have much more chance of staying on two feet if you trip.
You can do this while making a cuppa, while watching TV, it literally only needs to be 2 to 3 minutes
Balance prevents falls and injuries and enhances our mobility and independence. It improves coordination, flexibility, and reaction time – such as being able to recover from a trip.
Regular balancing exercises also stimulate brain activity. This connection improves your brain power, coordination, and concentration, lowering the risk of cognitive decline as we age.
Balance - Single Leg Stability Test
Purpose:
Evaluates balance ability.
How to Perform:
- Start with bare or socked feet, get comfortable and ready to stand on one leg.
- On the command "go," stand on one leg only, do not use anything to steady you.
- Time how long it takes before you have to steady yourself by placing your other foot down or touching something.
- After a recovery period of a couple of minutes, repeat using the other leg.
Watch the short video:
Exertion level:
After an extended period the muscles in your leg will start to burn which is OK but STOP if there is pain anywhere.
Regression:
Stand a stretched arms length form a wall and use the tip of one finger to steady you, remove from wall whenever possible.
Progression:
Move the lifted leg around in a circular motion.
Progress Tracking:
Record the time taken for each leg.
Improvement will show as an increase in the time taken to complete the task.
If necessary, record “finger used”.
Tips for Implementation:
This Balance test and the previous two simple tests provide a clear record of overall fitness and can help set goals for future workouts.
FAB – The Progress Tracker
Finally the FAB tracker so you can get started on managing and measuring your fitness. How exciting!!
Hopefully you've organised a safe space and destination (for the aerobic walking test) and been practising all three tests.
Purpose
Not only to measure your fitness level when you started the tests but also, importantly, your progress over the months. What gets measured gets managed and this is what motivates you!
Keep it on your fridge or in your bedroom, somewhere you’ll see it every day, to remind and inspire you to improve those next set of scores!
How to use
Get it printed, your own printer, the local print shop or that good friend.
Plan a your day, morning is better because you have more energy, but if not afternoons are fine.
Do a warm up, a gentle march on the spot while swinging your arms for a minute or two.
Do each of the three tests with a 5 to 10 minute rest between each one.
Use the rest period to enter the results of the test, add remarks of how you felt while active i.e. left knee ached, was easy and must increase.
Also add general notes i.e. had a cold recently, feeling great...
Don’t forget to add the date below the month number
Exertion Level:
Don’t skimp, give it some effort but don’t overdo it. Obviously its important to be honest with yourself, remember this is for your eyes only, and you’ll be amazed at how good you feel when you see the numbers improve over the months.
Regression and Progression:
Don’t ramp up or down the test too quickly, if you get similar results for two consecutive months then slightly change the parameters.
Progress Tracking:
Its important to be realistic when it comes to tracking and any improvement is an improvement. Its like the snowball effect, small improvements each month mount up to a big improvement over a year.
Use this as your incentive to get up and move, go to those classes, go for that walk. When you get home, look at the tracker and say, “I will beat that”.
Set your GOALS.
Why THE COMBO METHOD is different.
The Combo Coach was founded to fill a gap in the health and fitness market. Everything we do is aimed at getting you into the best shape, both mentally and physically, so that you can feel fabulous in your 50s, super into your 60s and beyond.
It would be great if you could stay in touch and let us see your progress on our Facebook pages – seeing how other people are doing is really motivational, even when things don’t go to plan!
The Combo Coach combines movement, mindset and motivation so you can feel more confident, happy and healthy.