Take notice before your muscles begin to evaporate, and you need someone else to take charge.
Here are some questions, allowing you to make a self-evaluation, which can help you decide if you need assistance.
- Can you walk 50 feet in 12 seconds? This benchmark is a good indicator of the ability to walk for exercise. If you can’t, it’s time to think about ways to get moving.
- Can you walk 400 meters (a little less than a quarter mile) in just over five minutes? For endurance, the threshold is walking 400 meters or about one lap around a high-school track.
- Can you stand up from a chair five times in 11 seconds or less? This is a way to assess lower body strength needed for numerous tasks climbing stairs, walking, getting out of a chair or car, picking something up off the floor, getting off the toilet, or stepping out of a tub.
- Can you walk 10,000 steps a day? If you can achieve this benchmark, good for you. Studies have shown that it can help protect people from osteoarthritis and from developing mobility problems.
- Can you stand still with one foot directly in front of the other for 10 seconds without tipping over? If you didn’t sway or step out, great. Practice more complicated moves by continuing to take ten steps in a straight line without losing your balance. (Click here to take our Balance Quiz.)
Exercise is for everyone. But the truth is, some people, especially seniors, lack the range of motion, strength and flexibility to exercise. That’s especially true for those just starting out.
Assessment tools used by personal trainers are designed to meet the basic criteria that helps to measure physical fitness parameters and functions needed to accomplish activities of daily living. At Lori Michiel Fitness, we perform comprehensive written and physical assessments. Assessments are convenient and performed in-person or virtually on Zoom. Fill out our contact form or call us today at 818-620-1442 to get started.
If you choose to hire Lori Michiel Fitness, we’ll perform an in-depth physical assessment to further evaluate your needs and develop a personalized fitness program to get you started.
Our professional assessment includes reviewing basic information about your health history to determine any risk factors such as heart health, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. During our assessment, we will observe how well your movements are controlled. Do you have knee or hip pain? Is your balance a bit wobbly? Are you flexible enough to get down and off the floor? Do you maintain a healthy diet?
Click here to learn more about our in-person assessment during our first meeting.