3 Core tests that will gauge your fitness in minutes
Want to know where you’re at but can’t afford a trainer? I’ve got you covered!
If you’ve stepped foot in a gym before, you’ve likely seen a promotion for a free personal training session or health assessment. Well, let me tell you a little secret. While they may advertise the use of ‘fancy technology’ or ‘science’ to assess your health, most of these tests are very simple and are just used to get you in the door. While I’m not saying that this entry-level session is a waste of your time (it can be incredibly beneficial), I believe that you could recreate it in the comfort of your own home without having to sign your life away at a gym.
To save you time and money, I want to introduce three core-related assessments that I use with a lot of my clients. These take mere minutes to do but can help you get a good of where key areas of your fitness are at including strength, endurance, joint stability, and overall coordination. It also acts as a fun challenge that you can repeat over the coming weeks and months to gauge your progress. Now without further ado, it’s time to put on your active attire and get ready to push your health forward!
Be Your Own PT and Level-Up Your Core Fitness
Before we get too deep into things, please be aware that the assessments below may come with risks for certain populations. If you have any injuries or chronic conditions that may put you at risk, please talk to a trusted health professional who knows your history before getting started. The three assessments below are more of an intermediate level so they may not cater to complete novices. If you are looking for resources as a complete beginner, check out my comprehensive guide to core training here.
Secondly, I want to be clear that these aren’t gold-standard tests that have been established by governing bodies in the health and fitness community. To be quite frank, I’m not a fan of most of these ‘official’ tests as they’re far too focused on numbers and comparing against other individuals. While I’ll offer general ranges (novice, intermediate, advanced) for the tests below, please recognize that this is far less about determining whether you’re in a ‘good’ place, and more about establishing a baseline for your current core fitness so you can compare down the line with real, personal data.
The best way you can push your health forward is by being competitive with yourself. I typically will repeat these assessments every 1–2 months with my clients and we always celebrate the small and big improvements. I encourage you to do the same! Without further ado, let’s dive in. ⤵
BEAR PLANK HOLD
Target/Purpose: assessing core endurance, knee health, quad strength, lower back health, etc…
General Ranges: novice = 15–30 sec, intermediate = 30–1 min, advanced = 1 min+
Cues: Set yourself up on all fours with your knees bent at 90 degrees. To begin the test, simply elevate your legs off the floor and assume the position above. As you hold, ensure you take deep breaths from the diaphragm and keep your upper body as relaxed as possible. The assessment will end when you drop your knees to the floor. This one recruits tons of muscles outside of the core complex so it’ll be harder than it looks!
REVERSE PLANK
Target/Purpose: assessing shoulder stability, posterior chain strength, extensor endurance, etc…
General Ranges: novice = 10–20 sec, intermediate = 20–40 sec, advanced = 40 sec+
Cues: Start in a seated position with legs straight and hands resting beside the hips. Next, press up and extend your elbows to elevate your position (photo). While doing so, tighten the glutes and core while attempting to keep a straight-line position with the whole body as seen above. Keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid tensing the traps up towards the neck. As you hold, remember to take deep, long breaths.
SIDE PLANK LEG RAISE
Target/Purpose: assessing hip stability, oblique endurance, glute strength, shoulder stability, etc…
General Ranges: beginner = 5–10 sec, intermediate = 10–30 sec, advanced = 30 sec+
Cues: Prop yourself onto your elbow with the only other point of contact being your foot. Ensure the core is engaged and glutes are squeezed together (avoid the infamous hip drop). Once you’re locked in, slowly raise the top leg 1–2 feet towards the ceiling and hold. Keep your top leg internally rotated so the heel stays in line with the toes — this will help engage your glutes while avoiding quadriceps takeover. The test will end when either or both of your legs start to drop to the floor. If you’re more of a novice, a great regression is to start on your knees instead of your feet.
In Closing,
Assessing your core strength is a fantastic way to gauge where your overall fitness is at. It’s quick, easy, and doesn’t require you to leave your house. Instead of getting caught up in the numbers, however, focus on simplifying your approach to fitness. To keep things sustainable and inspire you to push the envelope, simply view this as a baseline so you have data to compare against yourself further down the road. This is all about drowning out the outside noise and being better than yesterday’s self!
Here’s to a stronger core and a more functional body. You got this!
-DavidLiira.Kin
