Getting Started – Initial Test

Our challenge works for situps or crunches. If you are performing situps, you will need something to hold you feet down to the floor. Fitness stores have a situp bar that attaches to the bottom of your door. But… the cheaper method is to slide your feet under a couch or a set of heavy dumbbells works. You can roll up a towel to take up the extra space between your feet and the bottom of the couch.

Okay, now it’s time for your initial test but first, before starting any physical program you should obtain medical advice. Once the Doc give you the thumbs up, you can take the initial test.

To perform the test, time one minute and pump out as many good form situps or crunches as you can. Don’t cheat use good form because you don’t want to end up on the wrong level in the program. For situps, don’t bounce off the floor or interlock your fingers behind your head and pull yourself up with your arms.

This is your baseline. Now, it’s time to go to week one in the program. I suggest that you give yourself a couple days of rest to recover from the initial test. The program requires three days a week commitment to train and workout. Give yourself a day rest between each workout – I like Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

According to how many situps you were able to do in the initial test, follow the correct column in the Week One table.

Are you wondering where you stand? The charts below display so national averages for the 1 minute sit up test by age group.

1 Minute Sit Up Test (Men)

Age	18-25	26-35	36-45	46-55	56-65	65+
Excellent	>49	>45	>41	>35	>31	>28
Good	44-49	40-45	35-41	29-35	25-31	22-28
Above average	39-43	35-39	30-34	25-28	21-24	19-21
Average	35-38	31-34	27-29	22-24	17-20	15-18
Below Average	31-34	29-30	23-26	18-21	13-16	11-14
Poor	25-30	22-28	17-22	13-17	9-12	7-10
Very Poor	<25	<22	<17	<9	<9	<7

1 Minute Sit Up Test (Women)

Age	18-25	26-35	36-45	46-55	56-65	65+
Excellent	>43	>39	>33	>27	>24	>23
Good	37-43	33-39	27-33	22-27	18-24	17-23
Above average	33-36	29-32	23-26	18-21	13-17	14-16
Average	29-32	25-28	19-22	14-17	10-12	11-13
Below Average	25-28	21-24	15-18	10-13	7-9	5-10
Poor	18-24	13-20	7-14	5-9	3-6	2-4
Very Poor	<18	<20	<7	<5	<3	<2

Source: adapted from Golding, et al. (1986). The Y's way to physical fitness (3rd ed.)