Testing for Improvement
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Here are some basic tests to follow to find out where someone is at and if they're ready to increase their activity levels or difficulty.
- For endurance: See how far you are able to walk in exactly 6 minutes. Record how far you walked (in feet, blocks, laps, miles, number of times you walked up and down a hallway or whatever is convenient or suited to the situation). Do this little test every month and if your endurance is improving you should find you can walk farther within the 6 minutes.
- For lower-body power: Time yourself as you walk up a flight of stairs (this should be at least 10 steps) as fast - and as safely - as you can. Record the time and repeat the test once every month to see if you've improved.
- For strength: Each time you perform your strength exercises, record how much weight you were able to lift and how many times you were able to lift it. You could record it in some kind of chart if you want, and see if you're improving.
- For balance: Stand on one foot (without support) for as long as possible and time yourself to see how long you can last. Make sure you stand near something sturdy to hold onto just in case you lose your balance. This test should be performed once per month and the time you are able to stand should increase over time.
Please ensure to keep in mind that if you are not ready or in the right state (perhaps due to a down patch in a chronic illness) - continue with exercising at a healthy level, even if this means not exercising at all and resume testing once you have reached a more controlled level. Keep in mind that whether you are testing yourself or just exercising, your pace should never make you feel dizzy, lightheaded or nauseated and you shouldn't feel pain.
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