Unit 8 Assignment: Fitness Assessment – Self and Carl

Sara Lewis

Purdue University Global

EF310 Current Trends in Exercise and Fitness – Aging Well Across the Life Span

Dr. Jan Saeger

June 15, 2021

 Unit 8 Assignment: Fitness Assessment – Self and Carl

It is vital for individuals to do their best to reach physical activity guidelines, for the sake

of optimal health and overall wellness outcomes. This entails the incorporation of key

components including aerobic activity, muscle strengthening exercises, and exercises that

increase flexibility (4 General Principles of Exercise Prescription, n.d.). Aerobic exercise is

instrumental in maintaining cardiovascular health and chronic disease and encapsulates a litany

of activities that raise breathing and heart rates (National Institute on Aging (NIH), 2021).

Strength-training activities aid in balance and keep muscles strong. They may include weight- or

resistance-training and should be performed a minimum of two days per week (NIH, 2021).

Flexibility exercises are integral in preserving range of motion and involve stretching muscles to

promote fluid movement, prevent injury, and aid balance (NIH, 2021). Incorporating the FITT

principles of incrementally increased Frequency, Intensity, Time, and activity Type is integral to

keeping the body from stagnating or plateauing, and optimizing health and fitness outcomes

(SecondsCount, 2014).

Self-Prescription

Weekly Exercises

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Aerobic Hiking Fartlek Kayaking Biking Moderate Rest Day
Activity Training Run
Strength Dumbbel Kettlebell Rest Day
Training l HIIT
HIIT
Flexibility Tai Chi Tai Chi Yoga Rest Day
Training
 The exercise prescription plan I have made for myself is a combination of present

activities and goals. Currently, I am meeting the guidelines of 75 minutes of vigorous to 150

minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, plus two days of strength training, which comes

in the form of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with dumbbells or kettlebells, for 60-90

minutes per week (Harvard Health, 2021). Since I like total-body workouts as opposed to

working particular muscle groups in one session, I keep strength-training days at least 48 hours

apart, for proper recovery (Harvard Health, 2021). These workouts incorporate basic movements

– squats, lunges, rows, presses, crunches, swings, curls, planks – into compound sequences to

incorporate many muscle groups simultaneously. This also incorporates additional aerobic

activity, as I prefer the workouts for strength and cardio that emphasize compounding moves at a

quick pace, with cardio breaks between sets.

Using the properties of FITT, I have set additional goals to round out my exercise plan.

The first factor is frequency. Currently – outside of HIIT workouts – I am getting all my cardio

time over two or three days. This is due to time constraints, not physical limitations. The goal is

to increase the frequency until I am regularly getting four or five days of aerobic activity. Also, I

currently have no scheduled flexibility exercises in my routine, besides some sporadic static

stretching. I used to attend Tai Chi class and really enjoyed it. I also enjoy the occasional yoga

session. The goal is to increase balance and flexibility by gradually reintroducing these exercises

into my routine, until I am doing them three days per week. The second factor to consider is

intensity. When I began using dumbbells and kettlebells, I had to use five-to-eight-pound

weights, so that I could comfortably practice proper form in repetition. As this became less

strenuous, I increased the kettlebell to 15 pounds, and dumbbells to 10 pounds apiece. My

strength is now on par with this weight threshold, so I am going to increase the weight by five-
pound increments, as muscle exhaustion decreases (SecondsCount, 2014). Additionally, I have

been supplementing moderate-intensity jogs with fartlek interval training and biking faster, to

increase the intensity of my cardio workouts. To use time as an exercise intensifier, I like to

increase the time of my aerobic activities, to increase endurance. Typically – as in the case for

race training, for example – I increase the duration of runs about 10 percent over each week.

Additionally, I have been increasing my strength training to my comfort level. I began with 15-

minute HIIT workouts, and now complete workouts up to 45 minutes long. These include

additional sets of total-body exercises. The final factor is workout type. Over the years, I have

incorporated many more kinds of activity into my repertoire, both to challenge my body by

working different muscle groups and testing my endurance, and to keep exercise fun. I currently

incorporate all the aerobic and strength-training activities in my plan. Currently, flexibility

training is occasional, but I intend to make the prescribed flexibility exercises part of my weekly

routine.

Carl’s Prescription

Weekly Exercises

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Aerobic Rest Pick-Up Fartlek Swimming Moderate Intramurals
Activity Day Sports Training Run
Strength Rest Weight Weight
Training Day Training Training
Flexibility Rest Pilates Pilates
Training Day
 Carl’s fitness tests indicate some assets, as well as some areas on which to focus when

prescribing an exercise program. His BMI of 25.2 classifies him as overweight, and his YMCA

Bench Press and Push-Up Tests rate him as “fair” and “poor” respectively in strength (ExRx.net,

2021). His cardio-indicator 12-Minute Run gave a respectable “average” grade of 46.3, higher

than the population average, and the flexibility Sit and Reach Test gave him an “average” score

as well (ExRx.net, 2021). On the plus side, he walks at least 45 minutes per week, runs 30

minutes, and gets additional moderate-to-vigorous activity between intramurals, pick-up sports

games, and unstructured strength training. The implication is that he is capable of longer bouts

of different types of exercise but lacks structure and particular know-how. Because his asthma is

manageable with an inhaler and he has his doctor’s approval to exercise, I feel confident that

Carl can quickly work his way up to the prescribed exercise plan.

In terms of frequency, I am prescribing five days per week of aerobic activities because

Carl is currently overweight and because he expresses an interest to be able to contribute more to

his intramural endeavors. Aerobic training is going to help manage his weight and increase his

intramural endurance, as football, basketball, and soccer all rely on stamina and bursts of speed

(Harvard Health, 2021). One cardio day per week will still be allotted to his pick-up sports with

friends and his intramural Saturdays will continue. Additionally, I am recommending one day of

moderate jogging, for endurance, and one day or fartlek interval training – bursts of fast running

amid longer stretches at his normal pace – to intensify his workouts and build speed and stamina

for sports (Luff, 2020). One weekly swimming session will act as both cardio and total-body

resistance-training. Carl expresses an interest in upper-body strength; swimming is a good way

to strengthen the entire body, but he can also focus on upper body work. I would like Carl to try

the running and swimming days at 15 minutes each, at a pace at which he is comfortable and
then increase exertion. Once he is completing 15 minutes of an activity where the Ratings of

Perceived Exertion (RPE) drop to five or six, Carl should increase these aerobic activities by five

to ten minutes every one to two weeks, for the next four to six weeks (4 General Principles of

Exercise Prescription, n.d.). Also, I would like Carl to have two strength-training days per week,

utilizing the weight machines in the gym, to learn proper form. Weight load should be minimal

during supervised sessions with a trainer, until good form is routine. To increase strength,

intensity should increase by adding weight until he is only able to complete eight to ten reps per

set (4 General Principles of Exercise Prescription, n.d.). He should include all muscle groups in

his strength training – legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms – including basic

movements like presses, curls, flies, rows, crunches, squats, and lunges. As upper-body strength

is a priority, he can always increase the amount and intensity of upper-body work. As RPE

decreases, he can also increase the numbers of sets he performs to use time as an enhancer.

Finally, I am introducing two days of Pilates, which should give Carl some flexibility exercise

that also maintains strength. Including many different types of activities is going to help Carl

maintain total body fitness in a way that he should find fun and engaging.
 References

4 General Principles of Exercise Prescription. (n.d.)

https://www.chp.gov.hk/archive/epp/files/DoctorsHanbook_ch4.pdf

ExRx.net. (2021). Fitness Testing. ExRx.net LLC.

https://exrx.net/Testing

Harvard Health. (2021). How to Build an Exercise Plan. HelpGuide.

https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/whats-the-best-exercise-plan-for-me.htm#

Luff, C. (2020, Jan 26). Fartlek Interval Training for Runners. VeryWell Fit.

https://www.verywellfit.com/what-is-fartlek-training-2911954

National Institute on Aging (NIH). (2021). Four Types of Exercise Can Improve Your

Health and Physical Ability. U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/four-types-exercise-can-improve-your-health-and-

physical-ability

SecondsCount. (2014, Nov 4). Getting FITT with Strength (or Resistance) Training.

Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).

http://www.secondscount.org/heart-resources/heart-resources-detail-2/getting-fitt-with-

strength-resistance-training#.YMZP4L6SnIV