I read somewhere that fitness can measured by these categories:

-endurance
-strength
-flexibility
-speed
-coordination
-agility
-balance

I would like to test how I’m doing in each of these areas. Does anyone have suggestions for tests that I can do to measure these? ..or ways to improve them? .. or a book or website that would be a good resource for researching this more?

Thanks!

Hi XC!  Welcome to MTM!

I did a bit of hunting for you, and here’s what I came up with:

1. When I was in college, we used a book called “Fit and Well.” It was really great, and had exercizes for all those areas you mentioned.  I believe it’s in a new edition now (college was about 7 years ago), and it looks like Amazon.com carries it:

- Sixth edition
- “Alternate" Fifth Edition (no, I don’t know why it’s called “alternate")

2. A few websites I’ve uncovered in my search that might help:
- Home Fitness Tests —for step, sit up, push up, and squats.  The results seem to be pretty easy to read.
- About.com Exercise—not a testing site, per se, but about.com generally has very good, informative content
- How to Design a Battery of Physical Fitness Tests—the actual tests are about halfway down.  Some are easier to understand than others
- Performance Evaluation Tests—apparently aimed at athletes, but many tests if you scroll down the page
- Excel calculators for the tests in the previous entry

Hope all these help you!  Let us know how it goes!

Julie

Thanks!
That’ll keep me busy for while. It’s very much appreciated!