Need your help devising a fitness test!

[toadstool]

Trying to create a "Biggest Loser" type contest between some family and friends.

The contestants run the gamut: men, women, people who need to lose weight, people who don't need to lose weight. I want it to be as fair as possible, and not too complicated.

It's a 7-week challenge. To begin: everyone weighs themselves. Then, at the end, we measure:

-Percent body weight lost (so if I weighed 150 and lost 15 pounds, my total points for this category would be 10)

-Percent body weight you can squat 8 times, divided by two (so if I weigh 150 and can squat 150 pounds, that means my total points would be 50)

-Number of situps you can do in 30 seconds (if I can do 15, the score is 15)

-Distance you can run, walk or some combination thereof in 45 minutes, times 10 (so if I run 4 miles, my score is 40)

An extra 5 points if you can touch your fingertips to the ground (with knees locked), or an extra 10 if all of your fingers touch the ground, or an extra 15 if your palms touch the ground.

Add 'em all up: In my examples, my score would end up: 115 plus any extra points for the flexibility test

I figure that covers weight, strength, endurance and flexibility. All the "times 10" or "divided by 2" is so there isn't too much weight put into one particular category.


Any thoughts? Suggestions?

[kirkjobsluder]

I think well, hrm. I think a better way to encourage healthy habits is to map out what people can do now, and then project into the future. Increase by no more than %5 a week.

[toadstool]

possible... though would require a little more record-keeping and coordination of efforts. My question: how would we choose a "winner?" (and, sure, everyone is a winner in their own way, bla bla bla, but this exercise is a way for the competitive among us to stay motivated)

[Jes]

That's a terrific idea and a real motivator. My partner and I really feed off of each other in terms of our work-out and eating habits. BUT

What if I start by being able to run 1/2 a mile and increase that to two miles - Then, someone else can run 4 miles and increases that to 5. I've increased my fitness level more than that person has, but he or she gets more points than me. Is there some way you can take a baseline fitness level score and figure it out that way?

[Joe]

An extra 5 points if you can touch your fingertips to the ground (with knees locked), or an extra 10 if all of your fingers touch the ground, or an extra 15 if your palms touch the ground.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Flexibility tests commonly use a box or stool and a ruler. So touching the "ground"/surface of the box or stool is one thing, but many people can stretch beyond this plane, and this ability is measured by the ruler, either in inches or millimeters.

You might also include some sort of test of upper body strength, like push ups or pull ups or something like that.