Time to assess those New Year’s resolutions
Withto renew spring thosejust around January the resolutionscorner, this youis a greatmay have time already forgotten or pushed aside. Here are a few easy health and fitness assessments you can do at home or your local gym. Not only are these assessments good baselines and benchmarks for you to note where you begin and how far you’ve come in your exercise program, but they can also tell a lot about your health status. ■ For information on these exercises, contact: Garrett Stangel at 121 E. Silver Spring Drive, #102, Whitefish Bay; or phone at (414) 405-2855; or visit his website at www.livebalancefit.com. Garrett Stangel is owner and personal trainer at Balance Fitness in Whitefish Bay. ■ To see videos of these exercises, go to www.jsonline.com/video
Waist measurement assessment
Waist measurement can tell a lot about your risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. With other data, it creates a fitness narrative for you.
How to do: Wrap a tape measure around the smallest portion of your waist, just above the love handles or at the lowest portion of the ribs. You are looking for that natural indentation of the waistline. Make sure the tape measure is flat and that it isn’t twisted. Make sure there is no slack in the tape and read the number that is closest to where the tape overlaps. This will be your waist measurement.
Forearm plank and hip bridge assessment
This test helps to assess the strength and stability of your core. For this test, you are encouraged to contract your abs or think about pulling your belly button into your spine while engaging your pelvic floor. That will help protect your lower back.
How to do: The first part of this test is a forearm plank. Hold yourself up on your forearms and toes. Maintain a straight position with your hips and knees off the ground for as long as you can.
Contract your abs and while looking down at your hands to keep your spine neutral, squeeze your glutes and hold position. The goal is to try and hold for 60 seconds if possible with a maximum goal of 2 minutes.
However, the moment you start to feel your hips dropping or discomfort in your lower back, stop and record your time.
For the hip bridge ratio assessment, lie with your back flat on the floor, shoulders tucked back, arms by your side and legs almost completely extended straight out, but with a five-degree bend in the knees.
This bridge is different from the traditional bridge where your legs are at 90 degrees. This is a very small bend in the knees. Your toes should be lifted off the floor. Lift your hips off the floor with nearly straight legs.
This assessment challenges the entire back side of your body from the arches of your feet to the base of your neck. This test should be able to match the endurance that you have in your plank position or come close.
Aim to hold the hip bridge for 1-2 minutes.