In fact, gym class may have been the last time you gauged your fitness level. "And that might be what's holding you back," says Mike Robertson, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training. "When you know your strengths and weaknesses, reaching your goals becomes a lot easier—and you achieve them faster."
More: Quiz How Fit Are You?
Sure, the definition of "fit" varies; powerlifters and marathoners have different views. Still, every man should be able to meet certain standards before he can call himself "in shape." And then there's Men's Health Fit. Take these tests to see how you measure up. If you don't clear our admittedly high bar, don't sweat it—we have tips from top experts to help bring you up to speed. (Don't let fitness obstacles deter your training—here are 20 Ways to Stick to Your Workout
1. Jump At Least 8 Feet
The Scorecard:Men's Health Fit: 8 feet or more
Above Average: 6 to 8 feet
Ordinary: Less than 6 feet
Everyone from strength coaches to drill sergeants uses the standing broad jump to gauge raw power—for good reason: It calls on several muscle groups throughout the body to fire at once.
More: 4 Exercises to Help You Jump Higher
The Test: Stand with your toes on a line and your feet shoulder-width apart. Dip your knees, swing your arms, and jump as far as you can. Have a buddy measure the distance from the starting line to the back of your heels.
Improve Your Power: "Power is a combination of strength and speed, so if you come up short, work on both," says Gentilcore. Start by doing squats and hip thrusts each week in separate workouts. During week one, go heavy with the hip thrusts (3 to 5 sets of five reps using 85 percent of your one repetition maximum) and light with the squats (six sets of two fast reps with 50 percent of your one rep max). The following week, flip the set-rep scheme, going heavy with squats and light with hip thrusts. Continue alternating for 4 to 6 weeks. "To build even more explosiveness, also do three sets of 10 kettlebell swings twice a week," says Gentilcore.
Barbell Hip Thrust
Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and a padded barbell across your hips. Push through your heels (not your toes) and raise your hips until they're in line with your knees and shoulders. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top and then slowly return to the starting position.
Barbell Squat
Using an overhand grip, hold a barbell across your upper back and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your lower back naturally arched, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause, and slowly return to a standing position.
Kettlebell Swing
Hold a kettlebell in both hands using an overhand grip, and let it hang at arm's length in front of you. Keep your lower back naturally arched, bend at your hips, and swing the kettlebell between your legs. Squeeze your glutes, thrust your hips forward, and swing the kettlebell up to chest level as you rise to standing. That's one rep. Continue swinging the bell without pausing.
More: A 20-Minute Kettlebell Workout to Get Your Blood Pumping
2. Squat, Curl, and Push Press 20 Times in 1 Minute
The ScorecardMen's Health Fit: 20 reps in one minute
Above average: 18 reps
Ordinary: 16 reps
Anaerobic endurance refers to your ability to work at near maximal intensity in bursts of 20 to 60 seconds. "Anyone can sprint or punch hard for 10 seconds," says L.A.based strength and conditioning coach Chad Waterbury, M.S. "But if you can sustain high levels of muscle force beyond that time, you'll gain a huge advantage over your competitors." Anaerobic endurance reflects the stamina of your fast-twitch (type II) muscle fibers, which generate energy in the absence of oxygen.
The Test
Use dumbbells that total roughly 30 percent of your body weight (that's a pair of 30-pounders if you weigh 200) and hold them by your sides with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back naturally arched, push your hips back and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. As you stand up, curl the dumbbells to shoulder height and then press them straight overhead using your legs in the effort. Return to the starting position and repeat for one minute.
Increase Your Muscle Stamina
Perform two sets of the drill twice a week, resting 90 seconds between sets. If you can't do at least 16 reps on your first set, lighten the load. "Each time, add an extra rep to your first set," says Waterbury. "Once you reach 20 reps with the lighter weight, grab slightly heavier dumbbells and work your way up to 20 reps again." Continue the slow increase until you can hit the Men's Health goal.
3. Perform One Controlled Wall Squat
The ScorecardMen's Health Fit: Full squat in control
Above Average: Halfway down
Ordinary: Less than halfway
Mobility is a quality great athletes hone but most regular guys ignore. That's a mistake: "The more mobile you are, the better you can move your joints through their full range of motion and the less likely you are to be injured," says kinesiologist and rehab expert Dean Somerset, C.S.C.S. This test, he says, "will expose limitations in your ankles, hips, neck, and upper back—places where most men are bound up." A lot of people fail this test because they have a rounded back or inflexible ankles.
The Test
Stand facing a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes 2 inches from the baseboard and turned slightly out. Keeping your feet flat, chest up, and back naturally arched, see how far you can lower your body without touching the wall or falling backward.
Boost Your Mobility
Loosen your back with self-massage. Lie on your back with a foam roller placed perpendicular to your spine just below your shoulder blades. Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. Support your head with your hands, and move your head, neck, and upper back forward and backward over the foam roller four to six times. To loosen tight ankles and calves, try the ankle mobility lunge. Stand in a split stance with your front foot about 6 inches from a wall. Now bend your front knee to touch the wall without letting your front heel leave the floor. Do this 8 to 10 times. Switch legs and repeat.
4. Score Level 12 on The Beep Test
The ScorecardMen's Health Fit: Level 12
Above Average: Level 11
Ordinary: Level 9
Cardiovascular endurance isn't just a sign of your 10K potential; it's an indicator of how long you'll last in any athletic endeavor, from a 48-minute basketball game to an afternoon of backyard football. And people who play aerobic endurance sports have a higher life expectancy than those who do not, according to a recent German study review.
The Test
Download the Beep Test app for your iPhone (Beep Test Solo, $1) or Android device (Beep Test, $2.50). Place two cones 20 meters apart on a track or field, hit the start button on the app, and run from one cone to the other. When you hear the beep, run back. Continue until you can't reach the opposite cone before the next beep sounds. (The time between beeps will shorten as you progress through the test.) Then hit the "record score" button. "This is the best way to test aerobic endurance," says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. Its escalating intensity is a good measure of your body's ability to deliver oxygen to working muscles—your "peak aerobic capacity."
Improve Your Endurance
Repeat the beep test once a week. Just repeating the drill can help boost your peak aerobic capacity, says Cosgrove. On two other days each week, do sprint intervals. Sprint at 85 percent of your maximum effort for one minute and then rest for two minutes. Do that 5 to 8 times total. "Over and over, intervals have been shown to be the fastest way to improve your VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can process at once, which is a powerful indicator of your aerobic fitness level," says Cosgrove.
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