What are some creative and fun fitness tests for employees who are not fit?
We are just starting to spark employee wellness at our site. We have a lot of over weight, uninterested people who we are trying to motivate. We are having a kick off health fair and want to do some kind of fitness testing. We have the step test, plans to use hula hoops and balance discs, but looking for some more creativity.
Hi Michele,
obviously, you have to unite creativity and safety as you are dealing with the unfit.
I can think of excursion reach tests for arms and legs. If you do not have a grid, you could use cones. This will illustrate discrepancies between the right and left side of the body in a really tangible way.
Another test on the floor is to have the subject lie an a roller from head to tailbone and have them lift one leg and the other. They can first do this with hands on the floor and then try it with hands off. Creates endless giggles but also demonstrates that some work on core stabilization may be a good idea.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com
Hi Michele,
You can also have them walk a certain distance either on the treadmill or outdoors. You can give them a set distance to cover and time them or measure the distance they can cover in a set time. Another idea could be to do a wall-sit test. You can also ask the participants if they would like to sign up for a race sometime in the near future. They can compete either individually or as a team. This can help with building a team spirit and motivate those who are not willing to do it alone. You can also have a contest of how many steps each person takes every day for a month and have them sign up during the health fair event (it will require pedometers). These are just some ideas that might help you come up with something creative for your clients.
I hope this helps.
Best,
Harris
I like to have my clients do pushups at various heights:
For instance I start new unfit clients on the wall, then they progress to the back of a counter or chair, then finally to the floor on their knees.
It may not be “fun” but it will show them a lot about their fitness level.
I measure all of my clients waist’s also, not for vanity reasons but mostly for health risk factors.
Overweight people sometimes have shyness about exercising in group settings, particularly among work peers, possibly you can create some sort of privacy screen or room.
You can also do a jump test and see how high they can reach or a balance test with Tree Pose. They hold the pose for 5 seconds, then close their eyes and see how long they can hold the pose for. This really tests their balance as their eyes can no longer help them focus on a point, but they have to rely on their body mechanics to find balance. Plus, it produces a lot of giggles!