A treadmill fitness test evaluates your aerobic capacity and gives you valuable information to assess health-related risk and physical fitness. The information provided gives insight into how your body functions and can be used for goal-setting. The Fit Test program on a Life Fitness treadmill is one such field test that was designed to be user friendly and takes only a minimal amount of time.
Features
Life Fitness treadmills include a dedicated Fit Test button on the console. Once it is selected you are prompted to enter your age, weight and gender. You then choose a walking speed and begin the five minute test. During the test, the treadmill will rise to a 5 percent incline. Toward the end, the program will search for a heart rate. It can read a Polar heart rate monitor if you are wearing one or you can simply hold the Lifepulse sensors on the treadmill. Once the heart rate is determined the test will end and the program will calculate your results.
Facts
The Fit Test will give you a numeric estimation as well as a descriptive rating of your fitness level. The ratings range from very low to excellent. This estimation is calculated using all of the information you provided before the test began and your heart rate response to a given workload so it is personal to you. This means that you and a friend may have a similar fitness rating but your numeric estimations are different.
Reliability
Most aerobic fitness field tests have a possible 10 percent to 20 percent error rate. Life Fitness claims that its Fit Test program falls on the lower end of that range at 10 percent for most exercise participants. Outside of a controlled laboratory setting there is a limit on the information gathered, complexity of the test and accuracy of the results. Field tests, such as the Fit Test, were designed to be more basic and provide an estimate and not an exact calculation.
Significance
The Fit Test and other types of treadmill tests provide valuable information that is utilized by health and fitness professionals when designing cardiovascular exercise programs. The results also educate you about your current level of aerobic fitness and your risk of cardiovascular related disease. It provides a baseline for follow-up tests to monitor your improvement and helps keep you motivated.
Considerations
The Fit Test is not appropriate for every participant. Consult your doctor if you are under supervision for any medical condition before performing the test. Certain medications can raise or lower your heart rate so the results from your test may have a higher error rate. Lastly consider if the test is right for you based on your goals. If you want to improve your swim time, a walking treadmill test is not a good choice.
References
- "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- Empirical Testing on New Treadmill Design Revamps Fit Test Program
- IDEA Health and Fitness Association: Cardiorespiratory Fitness Testing, Part II
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