better I fitness
How’d you do?
M o stly As: H ello, L ittle M iss
T o n ed —y o u are buff!
M o stly Bs: You’v e got som e
stre n g th , b u t th e re ’s ro o m for
im p ro v em en t.
M o stly Cs: You’re n o w eakling,
b u t y o u could u s e a little m ore
m uscle.
Want to
improve your
strength?
S c o re d m o stly As: Beef
u p y o u r stre n g th -tra in in g
w o rk o u ts by sh o ck in g y o u r
m u sc le s w ith n ew m oves.
V ary y o u r fo o t p lacem en t
d u rin g lunges, com bine
ex ercises (su c h as sq u a ts
a n d sh o u ld e r p re sse s), or
re s t le ss b e tw e e n exercises.
S c o re d m o stly Bs: C ircuit
train in g is a g rea t w ay to
b u ild stre n g th w ith o u t
g ettin g bo red . Pick eight to
10 ex ercises th a t ta rg e t th e
m ajo r m u scle gro u p s. S ta rt
w ith o n e s e t an d 10 re p s o f
each exercise; build u p to
tw o o r th re e sets.
S c o re d m o stly Cs: F ocus on
b asic to ta l-b o d y m oves, su c h
a s sq u a ts, lu n g es, p u s h -
u p s, cru n c h es, a n d bicep
curls. T h e n p ra c tic e th e m
th ro u g h o u t th e day. For
exam ple, if y o u can m anage
to do only six p u sh -u p s
a t one tim e, d o six in th e
m orning, six m o re in th e
a fte rn o o n , a n d six m o re at
night. By th e en d o f th e day,
y o u ’ve d o n e 18 p u sh -u p s.
Port »2
Strength Test
Q Do as m an y p u sh -u p s as y o u can
(legs ex ten d ed , to e s tu ck ed , back
straig h t, b o d y balanced). Bend elbow s
a t le a st 90 degrees; go dow n an d u p
fo r o n e pu sh -u p .
H o w m a n y d id y o u c r a n k o u t?
A. 20 o r m ore
© Lie on y o u r back, k n ees b en t, feet
o n th e floor w ith heels together. Place
y o u r fingertips u n d e r y o u r head,
elbow s out. Do a s m any cru n c h es as
you ca n in 60 seconds. If necessary,
re s t part-w ay th ro u g h , b u t k eep going!
H o w m a n y d id y o u d o ?
A. M ore th a n 25
B. 15 to 25
C. o t o i 4
© A ssum e th e plank p o sitio n —
fo rearm s o n th e floor, legs ex ten d ed ,
h ip s lifted— an d h old it th e re as long as
y o u can.
W h a t w a s y o u r tim e ?
A. M ore th a n 45 seco n d s
B. 15 to 45 seco n d s
C. L ess th a n 15 se co n d s
O S tan d b esid e a chair, holding a
10-pound (4.5 kg) dum b-bell in y o u r
rig h t h an d . Lean fo rw ard an d p u t
y o u r left h a n d o n th e seat. Do a
single-arm row, pulling y o u r right
elbow to w a rd y o u r rib cage. Go as
long as you can, taking 1 second
each to low er an d raise th e w eight.
S w itch sid e s a n d repeat.
H o w lo n g d id y o u g o o n e a c h
s id e w ith o u t g e ttin g tire d ?
A. M ore th a n 45 seco n d s
B. 30 to 45 seco n d s
C. L ess th a n 30 seco n d s
© S tan d in fro n t o f a ch air w ith
feet sh o u ld er-w id th apart. S q u at to
ta p th e se a t w ith y o u r b u tt; sta n d u p
an d repeat. Go as long as you can,
tak in g 1 se co n d each to low er an d
sta n d up.
H o w lo n g d id y o u la s t?
A. M ore th a n 60 seconds
B. 31 to 60 seco n d s
C. o to 30 seco n d s
