Yikes, standardized tests. Those two words draw out a few possible reactions from most people.
Those of you who are 40ish like me cringe at the thought of filling those bubbles with your number 2 pencils in middle school. Admit it, you had a rule, when in doubt go with B.
For others, the thought of standardized testing gets your blood boiling. You may believe that standardized tests improve student and teacher performance and they are necessary for the future of our education system. Or, conversely, you may believe standardized tests drive the wrong behavior and that our kids are better off learning how to learn rather than learning how to pass a test.
Trust me, I'm not jumping into that debate.
For the purposes of this article, standardized testing is good...for your fitness.
Yesterday I did one of my benchmark workouts. A workout that I do every 3-6 weeks to see my fitness improvements. I was ecstatic. For this particular workout I made a 10% improvement over my last attempt. That's huge!!
What this test showed me was that my commitment to 5 workouts per week (4 of them are 30 minutes or less) over the last two months is paying off. My results rarely show up on the scale and body fat percentages are an inexact science. I need personalized fitness tests to tell me if I am improving my fitness.
When I begin working with a client we do a series of benchmark tests (weight, body fat, measurements, core strength, flexibility, cardio capacity and basic strength). Every 4-6 weeks we revisit these tests. Everyone should do these basic tests and track their progress.
It's when we get past the beginner stage with my clients that we start to add personalized benchmark tests. In boot camp we do these every 6 weeks. Below are some of the tests we do regularly in boot camp:
- Maximum number of pushups (elbows come to a 90 degree bend and no more than 3 seconds of rest between pushups)
- 100 box jumps (10" step) as fast as possible (two foot jump or step up and down)
- Maximum number of jump ropes in 2 minutes
- 40 - 10foot side-to-side shuffles as fast as possible.
How to perform your standardized tests
The most important thing about the test is that it must involve a repeatable exercise done with a specifically measurable range of motion. If you choose to do squats, put a chair behind you and make sure your butt hits the chair on each repetition. If your butt doesn't hit the chair then the rep doesn't count. Similarly with the pushups listed above. If your elbows don't hit a 90 degree bend then the rep doesn't count.
Secondly, the exercise must be done for a defined number of reps or a defined period of time. If you choose to do jump ropes make sure you pick a number or jumps or do as many as you can in a given period of time.
Thirdly, choose tests that measure all aspects of your fitness. Your tests should involve exercises that measure your cardio capacity, maximum strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and core strength.
Lastly, perform these tests as part of your regular workout at various times. Don't set aside special days and don't do any specific preparation for them. In other words, don't rest for two days beforehand or change your routine in any way prior to your tests. Just make them a normal part of your routine.
Here are the benchmark tests that I use to measure my progress regularly.
CrossFit's Fight Gone Bad: 5 exercises done for 1 minute each with a continuously running clock. I move from one exercise to the next without stopping the clock, performing as many reps as possible in the minute. After getting through the 5 exercises I rest for one minute then repeat the 5 exercise set two more times. Grand total is 17 minutes. The exercises:
- Toss a 20 lb medicine ball up to hit a 10 foot target
- Sumo deadlift with an upright row using a 75lb barbell
- 20" box jumps
- 75 lb overhead push press
- Row for one minute
I count the total reps for the first 4 exercises and the total calories on the row to get my total score for each round then add them up for a grand total.
Maximum weight deadlift, back squat and overhead press: Deadlift increasing amounts of weight until I hit my maximum using good form. Do the same for back squat and overhead press.
Tabata pushups and squats: Do as many pushups as possible in 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. Repeat that for 5 rounds and add up your total number of pushups. Do the same for squats.
Run 5K as fast as possible
Filthy Fifties:
50 reps of 12 exercises done as fast as possible with good form
Box jumps, 24 inch box
Jumping pull-ups
Kettlebell swings, 35 lb kettlebell or dumbbell
Walking Lunges, 50 steps
Hanging straight leg raises
Push presses, 45 pounds
Back extensions
Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
Burpees
Double unders jump ropes
Your tests should reflect your current fitness level and should be made more difficult the more fit you get. Fight Gone Bad and Filthy Fifties are a real struggle for me but they are getting better.
If you need assistance with assessing your current fitness level or if you would like help setting up regular tests for yourself please contact me at the number below.
Be well,
Paul
Paul Dziewisz
Active Personal Fitness
www.ActivePersonalFitness.com
267.626.7478
"You give us the effort...we'll get you the results."
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
More on my marathon training
My training plan for the Philly Marathon in November has gotten some significant criticism from friends and clients. I think it is time for me to publish what I have done over the two weeks of training so far and also reiterate why I am choosing a less traditional training methodology.
Let's start with the two key reasons why I am not running long distances 3-4 times a week like a traditional training plan requires.
First, I don't love running. Traditional plans are extremely running intensive. Runner's World magazine provides a standard 4-month training plan for "beginners". The total amount of running over the 4 months is 347 miles. That is the equivilent of 13+ marathons. That is for beginners.
They recommend an intermediate plan of 5 runs per week with a range of total mileage between 562 and 610 miles and with 4 straight weeks of 45+ miles of running. If you love running, by all means, have at it!!!
If not, my plan calls for a approximately 300 miles of running in 5+ months of training. No week will cover more than 30 miles of running and my focus is on building up the leg stamina for the long runs. Each weekend includes a long run, beginning at 10 miles in late June and building up to 22 miles in late October.
The second reason I am constructing a less-traditional plan is that I don't like what endurance training does to my overall fitness. I work with many triathletes and distance runners. They simply are not as strong as I want to be. I refuse to sacrifice overall strength and function to be able to do a marathon. My plan calls for a lot of continued strength training and power workouts to improve my leg, hip, lower back, core and upper body strength to help prevent overuse injuries.
The long weekend runs will be supplemented by my Interval Strength Training workouts throughout the week. To the extent that those include running they are typically short, hard, fast interval runs. But for the most part, those workouts are total body strength and high-intensity cardio workouts lasting between 20 and 40 minutes.
Here is what I have done over the last two weeks. For those of you who are new to my blog, I personally follow the CrossFit Workout of the Day with modifications away from some of the gymnastic and olympic lifting movements.
June 14th
Row 500 meters
30 body weight bench presses (done on a chest press machine)
Row 1000 meters
20 body weight bench presses
Row 2000 meters
10 body weight bench presses
June 15th
Row 2000 meters
50 Wall ball tosses with 20 lb ball
Row 1000 meters
35 Wall ball tosses with 20 lb ball
Row 500 meters
20 Wall ball tosses with 20 lb ball
June 16th and 17th - Rest Days
June 18th
10 - 100 meter sprints with 90 sec rest in between each
June 21st
5 rounds of 50 foot walking lunges with 45lb barbell overhead, and
21 burpees
June 22nd
5 rounds of:
hard 1/2 mile run, and
50 pushups
June 23rd
3 rounds of:
15 dumbbell thrusters with 2-50lb dumbbells
30 situps on the glute-ham developer
June 24th - Rest Day
June 25th
5 rounds of:
40 double under jump ropes
30 - 2' high box jumps
20 - 55lb kettlebell swings
June 26th - 10 mile run
that is just a two week overview. Notice that running is combined in with a lot of rowing and other high-intensity aerobic activities that build stamina, strength and functional movement.
Stay tuned,
Paul
Let's start with the two key reasons why I am not running long distances 3-4 times a week like a traditional training plan requires.
First, I don't love running. Traditional plans are extremely running intensive. Runner's World magazine provides a standard 4-month training plan for "beginners". The total amount of running over the 4 months is 347 miles. That is the equivilent of 13+ marathons. That is for beginners.
They recommend an intermediate plan of 5 runs per week with a range of total mileage between 562 and 610 miles and with 4 straight weeks of 45+ miles of running. If you love running, by all means, have at it!!!
If not, my plan calls for a approximately 300 miles of running in 5+ months of training. No week will cover more than 30 miles of running and my focus is on building up the leg stamina for the long runs. Each weekend includes a long run, beginning at 10 miles in late June and building up to 22 miles in late October.
The second reason I am constructing a less-traditional plan is that I don't like what endurance training does to my overall fitness. I work with many triathletes and distance runners. They simply are not as strong as I want to be. I refuse to sacrifice overall strength and function to be able to do a marathon. My plan calls for a lot of continued strength training and power workouts to improve my leg, hip, lower back, core and upper body strength to help prevent overuse injuries.
The long weekend runs will be supplemented by my Interval Strength Training workouts throughout the week. To the extent that those include running they are typically short, hard, fast interval runs. But for the most part, those workouts are total body strength and high-intensity cardio workouts lasting between 20 and 40 minutes.
Here is what I have done over the last two weeks. For those of you who are new to my blog, I personally follow the CrossFit Workout of the Day with modifications away from some of the gymnastic and olympic lifting movements.
June 14th
Row 500 meters
30 body weight bench presses (done on a chest press machine)
Row 1000 meters
20 body weight bench presses
Row 2000 meters
10 body weight bench presses
June 15th
Row 2000 meters
50 Wall ball tosses with 20 lb ball
Row 1000 meters
35 Wall ball tosses with 20 lb ball
Row 500 meters
20 Wall ball tosses with 20 lb ball
June 16th and 17th - Rest Days
June 18th
10 - 100 meter sprints with 90 sec rest in between each
June 21st
5 rounds of 50 foot walking lunges with 45lb barbell overhead, and
21 burpees
June 22nd
5 rounds of:
hard 1/2 mile run, and
50 pushups
June 23rd
3 rounds of:
15 dumbbell thrusters with 2-50lb dumbbells
30 situps on the glute-ham developer
June 24th - Rest Day
June 25th
5 rounds of:
40 double under jump ropes
30 - 2' high box jumps
20 - 55lb kettlebell swings
June 26th - 10 mile run
that is just a two week overview. Notice that running is combined in with a lot of rowing and other high-intensity aerobic activities that build stamina, strength and functional movement.
Stay tuned,
Paul
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