Before beginning a new fitness program, you need to make sure you know your starting point. That is why when we start with a new client, the first thing we do is take them through an assessment.

And you should do the same for yourself.

Because starting a workout program without and assessment is like getting in your car, putting on a blindfold, and hitting the gas. It's not going to end well!

The #1 goal of any workout program should be to not get injured in the process. Yes, getting stronger or losing weight is important, but if you get hurt, then all of your efforts will be for not.

There are a ton of options for what you can do when it comes to a fitness assessment, but there are certain areas that you probably need to focus on more than others.

When we do our assessments, we are looking for:

• Strength
• Balance
• Core stability
• Mobility/Flexibility
• Equal ability on both sides of the body
• Coordination

There are many people who are great in a few of these areas, but need a lot of work in the others, so those are the areas that you need to focus on first.

If you are very strong, but have no flexibility, you are on the road to injury. And if you are very flexible, but not strong…you are also on the road to injury!

So, now that we are on the same page for why assessments are so important, let's get to the video.

Today, Brad is going to show you a simple, 7-step assessment that you can do right at home to see what your current fitness level is, and where you need to focus once you start.

Check out the video and then score yourself by giving yourself a 1, 2, or 3 for each test. See below to find out how to score yourself and what your score means!

Here is how to score each test:

1) Chair Squat

• 3 - Perfect
• 2 - Can do it, but not perfectly
• 1 - Can’t do it (or it hurts)

2) Single Leg Balance:

• 3 - 15 sec on each leg with your eyes closed
• 2 - 15 sec on each leg with eyes open
• 1 - Less than 15 sec on either leg

3) In-Line Lunge

• 3 - Perfect on both sides
• 2 - Can do it, but not perfectly
• 1 - Can’t do it (or it hurts)

4) Shoulder Mobility

• 3 - Hands can touch on both sides
• 2 - Hands can touch on one side
• 1 - Hands can’t touch (or it hurts)

5) Toe Touch

• 3 - Touch the toes
• 2 - Touch your ankles (where the bony bump is)
• 1 - If you can’t get to your ankle (or it hurts)

6) Push Ups:

Men - Normal Push Up

• 3 - Perfect and easy
• 2 - Can do it, but it’s hard
• 1 - Can’t do it (or it hurts)

Women - Kneeling Push Up

• 3 - Perfect and easy
• 2 - Can do it, but it’s hard
• 1 - Can’t do it (or it hurts)

7) Bird Dog:

• 3 - Perfect and easy
• 2 - Can do it, but it is wobbly or feels tight
• 1 - Can’t do it (or it hurts)

Once you have completed all of the tests add up your score and see how you rank!

Mint Master – 19-21

Congrats! You are in great shape and can do whatever you enjoy as you get back into your workout…you have no limitations!

Good – 16-18

Very well done. You can start whatever program you like, just add in a warm up that focuses on any tests where you are better on one side than the other.

Average – 13-15

Not bad! You can move well in most things, but probably have 1-2 areas that need focus. If you got any 1s, that will be what you need to spend time working on. Don’t push yourself too much in your workouts until you get these up to a 2.

Fair – 10-12

It looks like you have some work to do. Most likely, a few things hurt or you just have not exercised in a long time. Nothing to worry about. It just means that you should start slow, and focus on building up mobility and core strength first.

Poor – 7-9

If you are in this group then you probably are dealing with some pain. The best thing you can do is to talk with a physical therapist or chiropractor to see what your best bet is for getting pain free. When it comes to your workouts, just stick with things that don’t hurt for now, and as soon as you have some help getting out of pain, you can start increasing what you do!

So there you have it. You now know where you stand. I hope that helps give you some direction as you get started so that you can all work towards scoring 19+ and becoming a Mint Master!

If you need help though, or are not sure where to start, that is where we can help.

We’re running our Thrive-in-5 trial program right now where you will get exact exercises you need to start feeling better and a coach to show you how to do them correctly while keeping you accountable to your plan.

In this program, you will get:

- A full evaluation
- A customized workout program
- Two personalize training sessions
- A sit down to review your progress and create a plan for success moving forward.

You can move better, get stronger, and have more flexibility and energy, you just need a program that can show you what is right for you.

Give us a call at (408) 370-1739 to find out more and take back control of your health and fitness today!