Strength is one measure of fitness. There’s also your VO2max or the measure of oxygen consumption. And there’s also your endurance. Endurance may be one of the most important levels of fitness because it impacts your body in a number of ways.
Endurance exercise is designed to strengthen the aerobic system. This helps your body become more efficient. Your heart gets stronger. Your lung capacity improves. And your entire cardiovascular system functions optimally. Additionally, endurance exercise helps optimize your metabolism, which often leads to weight loss, better sleep, and improved mood.
So how do you measure your endurance?
Free Report: Top Types of Cardio WorkoutHow To Measure Your Endurance
How do you know if you’re in shape, what goals to set, or how to improve your endurance? You need a starting point, a measurement.
One-Mile Endurance and Fitness Test
The simplest test is the one-mile test. This test requires you to run or walk a mile as fast as you can. The only tool you need is a stopwatch so you can see how fast you’re able to cover the distance. It’s strongly recommended that you warm up. Walk a mile first to get your muscles ready to go and your cardiovascular system warmed up.
Once you’re warm, it’s time to walk or run that mile as fast as you can. Record your results. There are charts you can use to determine your endurance and fitness level based on your time.
For example, if you’re female and between the ages of 40 and 49, anything less than 14 minutes is excellent. For a man of the same age, anything less than 13 minutes is excellent. If you don’t achieve “Excellent” results, don’t worry. You can begin an endurance training program and start improving your endurance and overall fitness level.
The 3-Minute Step Test
Another test you can take at home is the 3-minute step test. You need a step, about 12 inches tall. You can use your home steps if you don’t have a fitness step. You also need a metronome and a stopwatch. You may have a smartphone application that counts beats per minute. You want to set your watch or metronome to 96 beats per minute. Each beat is a step up or a step down. Continue stepping on the beat for 3 full minutes.
As soon as the 3 minutes is up, take your pulse for a minute. You can do this by putting your fingers on the main artery in your neck. Count all the beats for a minute. Again, there are charts you can find online that will help you determine your score.
For a man aged 46-55, an excellent score is a heart rate between 56 and 82 beats per minute. A woman of the same age would have an excellent score if her heart rate were between 63 and 91.
Free Report: Top Types of Cardio Workout
Knowing your endurance levels can help you determine an appropriate fitness program so you can effectively boost your health. Building endurance is important for people of all fitness levels, because it helps you push through workouts and is good for heart health.
If you haven’t exercised in a long time or you want to push your current workout routine and measure your endurance, download my free report, Top Types of Cardio Workout.
