FITNESS TESTS

CORE TRUNK STRENGTH TEST

Core Strength

Core strength refers to the lower innermost abdominal muscles. The best test for core muscle endurance is the Crunch Test.

Crunches

1. Lie on back with knees bent, and feet flat on the floor close to the buttocks, or raised up on a bench.
2. Clasp hands behind the neck just to support the weight of the head, without pulling on neck.
3. Curl up with the shoulders, then the upper back, to no more than 30 degrees
4. Hold momentarily then lower the torso.
5. Repeat without resting, keeping movement smooth, avoid jerking.
6. Continue, counting crunches until exhaustion.
7. Check your rating on the charts below.

Men - an excellent score for men is 60.

Women - an excellent score for men is 50 repetitions.

TIPS

1. Breathe comfortably throughout the exercise.
2. Avoid having the feet held down, unless you want to work your Hip Flexor muscles.
3. Keep your chin off your chest, aim to keep your upper spine straight (neutral)
4. No jerking or twisting movements for beginners.
5. By doing some dorsal raises, this will help stretch out your abdominals.
6. If you have use of an abdominal exerciser, this will help give you the correct position.
7. Warm up your stomach muscles with easy stomach exercises, before you advance.
8. Finish off by stretching out the abdominals
9. Use Tape to keep consistent crunch
   1. Place a strip of tape on the floor at the end of your fingertips.
   2. Place another piece of tape 3 inches away from the first strip.
   3. Curl your rib cage toward your pelvis.
   4. Your fingers move from one strip of tape to the next.

Core Strength Crunch Test - MEN

Core Strength Crunch Test -WO MEN

Source: Adapted from The Y's way to physical fitness (3rd ed.) Golding, et al.

More Crunch Techniques

Great care and excellent technique are required to strengthen the abdominal muscles with crunches.

• To be effective, crunches must pull the torso upward from a lying position toward the knees, using only the abdominal group.
• Often, more powerful muscles (those that flex the legs and hips), do much of the work. This is especially true with straight-leg crunches.
• For best results, abdominals should be performed slowly with legs resting on a chair/bench, so that legs are bent at 90 degrees.
• Twisting at the top of the crunch movement causes tremendous rotational stress on the lower back which can lead to injury.
• When doing crunches, never push through back pain. Stop immediately at even the slightest twinge in the lower back.

Other Fitness Measures & Tests

Measures

• Body Frame
• Weight to Height
• Body Mass Index [Body Fat]
• Heart Rate
• Blood Pressure

Fitness Tests

• Cardiac Fitness - Step Test
• Flexibility - Trunk and Hip Flexion Tests
• Agility - Zigzag Test
• Balance - Standing Balance Test
• Upper Body Strength - Push Up and Bench Press Tests
• Lower Body Strength - Wall Squat Test
• Core Strength - Crunch Test
• Explosive Power - Burst Test