P-Fitness

Preparation Stage

Schedule a free appointment with your OptiHealth Coach to help you answer Questions 2, 3 , and 4.

Question #3:
Am I Fit?

The 10-Minute Walk/Jog Test

The 10-Minute Walk/Jog Test is a valid measurement of your aerobic fitness, which indicates the functional capacity of your cardio (heart), pulmonary (lung), and vascular (blood vessel) systems.

A low aerobic fitness indicates an increased health risk for sedentary-related chronic disease, such as: obesity, arthritis, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and many forms of cancer.

To measure your level of aerobic fitness, use the worksheet PDF linked below to follow the instructions. Also, you may contact your personal OptiHealth Coach for free assistance. (Go to "My Account.")

Pre-Test Preparation:

After reading all the instructions, submit the online "Informed Consent" form linked below.
Determine a location where you can walk/jog 50 meters (55 yards) back-and-forth. Record
A local public park or the side of a very lightly traveled street in a safe neighborhood is ideal.
Schedule a time (30 minutes) as soon as possible to conduct your fitness test. Record
Your OptiHealth Coach or Club may have a designated place and time for conducting fitness tests.
Do not do the test alone. Have a friend or relative accompany you. (Encourage them to do the test, too.)
Your friend or relative can help you set-up your course and assist recording your test results. Record
Collect 6 wash cloths (white or brightly colored) for marking your test course.
Be sure you have a pair of comfortable walking/jogging ("tennis") shoes.
Create a 10-minute Timer (a feature on your smart phone clock) for when you do your test.
*Optional: Also create a Timer for 2 minutes and a Timer for 0:15 seconds (If you want to measure your Heart Rates).
Make sure you will hear the alarm when you use your Timer.
Familiarize yourself with the 2 Charts at the bottom of this page, especially the RPE Chart.
*Optional: Learn how to take your pulse, (If you choose to measure your Heart Rates).

Test Day:

Weigh yourself in the morning of your test. Record
Dress appropriately for the weather, and wear your walking/jogging shoes.
With your 6 wash cloths in hand, find an appropriate starting point.
Drop the first wash cloth at your starting point.
Mark your course by taking slow, larger-than-normal strides in as straight a line as possible.
If you are < 5'4", drop a wash cloth at each 12th stride. (12 strides = 10 meters)
If you are 5'4"- 6'0", drop a wash cloth at each 11th stride. (11 strides = 10 meters)
If you are > 6'0", drop a wash cloth at each 10th stride. (10 strides = 10 meters)
Drop the last (6th) wash cloth to mark the "end" (turn-around-point) of your course.

Fitness Test:

*Optional: Use your Timer to take your pulse for 15 seconds.
*Optional: Multiply your 15-second pulse count by 4 to get your Pre-Exercise Heart Rate. Record
Start your 10-minute Timer and start walking/jogging your 50-meter shuttle course.
Walk/Jog the 50 meters back-and-forth until the alarm goes off on your Timer.
Be sure to count your laps. (50 meters out and back = 1 lap = 100 meters)
Be careful NOT to overexert yourself. You should be breathing "heavily," but never "out-of-breath."
Pace yourself to maintain a Rating of Perceived Exertion around 6 or 7 (stay out of the Orange and Red Zones).
Slow down or even pause if necessary to catch your breath, but keep the Timer running.
Do not sprint at any time, including the last minute or the last lap.
When you hear the alarm on your Timer, STOP walking/jogging. Mark the spot where you stopped.
Do not lay down. Walk slowly "in place" as your heart rate and leg muscles recover.
Immediately rate your perception of exertion (RPE) using a scale of 0 (at rest) to 10 (fully exhausted). Record
*Optional: Use your Timer to take your pulse for 15 seconds (x4) to get your Post-Exercise Heart Rate. Record
Determine the total Distance in meters that you covered during your 10-minute test using the formula below:
(Lap Count x 100m) + (Marker Count of your last partial lap x 10m) + (Stride Count past the last Marker x 1m) Record
*Optional: Use your Timers to take your pulse for 15 seconds (x4) after 2 minutes to get your Recovery Heart Rate. Record

Post-Test Analysis (this can wait until you get back home):

On the Worksheet, you should have recorded:
1) Optional: Your Pre-Exercise, Post-Exercise, and 2-minute Recovery Heart Rates (if you took your pulse).
2) The Distance in meters that you walked/jogged during the 10-minute test.
3) Your RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) between 0-10 (refer to the chart below).
Fill-in the remaining blanks on your Worksheet as instructed using the Functional Fitness Charts below.
Discuss your test results with your OptiHealth Coach to help you interpret your fitness level and what you can do to improve it.