Your fitness achievements should never be gauged by a number on the scale! We have a tendency to group exercise and weight loss together, which prevents us from celebrating our fitness achievements independently from weight loss goals.
One of the best ways to measure your fitness progress is to conduct a benchmark workout. I usually have a client benchmark where she is at the beginning of her fitness journey and revisit the same workout in a month or two. The strength and cardiovascular gains are always so impressive (and encouraging)!
Your benchmark can be one or several exercises. I always tie the exercises to the overall goal my client has identified. If my client has a goal to do 20 push-ups, I will make sure “doing push-ups to exhaustion” is one of her benchmark exercises. I also make sure I incorporate exercises that test balance. We always need to be working on our balance and flexibility! Whatever exercises you choose, make sure you always go in the same order when you do the benchmark workout.
I’m including some of my favorite benchmark exercises below. Take time this summer to benchmark where you are at and revisit it again this fall. You will be amazed at your progress!
For additional ideas about benchmarking, visit my other post “Three Ways to Measure Your Fitness Progress”.
Benchmark Exercises/Workout:
Plank to exhaustion. Plank time: ________________
Wall sit for as long as you can: ___________ Minutes (Make sure your arms are out straight, crossed over your chest or against the wall. No bracing your hands against your legs.)
Push-ups to exhaustion: __________ Repetitions
Total number of Jumping Jacks in one minute: ______ Repetitions
Balancing on one leg (Warrior 3 Pose) Time for Left:_________ Time for Right:__________
How long it takes you to do 100 walking lunges (option: while holding dumbbells): ________Minutes (50 lunges per leg)
Waterfalls/Ball Exchanges in one minute: _______Repetitions
On-the-ground Triceps Dips (or on bench):__________ Repetitions (until exhaustion)
Balancing on one leg with arms straight overhead – and looking up at the ceiling:
_______ Left Leg _______Right Leg
