Miller Health: Platinum Fitness Challenge

It's now the universal test of fitness that includes tests of strength and aerobic fitness, suitable for use by 'regular folks', sports teams and school children. It's an essential diagnostic assessment tool for determining health status.

The strength tests are based on three of the most universal strength training exercises - squats, situps and pressups. These are tests that can be trained for at home.

Administration

The award system is easy to administer. The strength tests are the same tests as you'd use to improve your strength at home. The aerobic fitness test requires participants to see how many laps of a 20m course they can complete in five minutes. It's an adapted version of the 'beep' test - as a reliable and valid and easier to administer.

It's important you do the tests in the order recommended. Do the 20m run test first. If you don't do the squats last, your scores on the 20m run and feet-held situps will be compromised. Doing pressups before sit-ups will compromise your situps score.

1.	AEROBIC FITNESS 20m run How many times can you run between two lines 20m apart in 5 minutes. One foot must go beyond the line at the end of each lap. It may take you several attempts to work out what the best speed to start off with. You can run, jog or walk. You can slow down to a walk if you need to. You must stop of you feel you could be doing yourself a grievous metabolic harm. If you're in very poor metabolic heath, start off with a slow walk and over the weeks and months gradually pick up the pace. Consult your physician if you feel you may be in very poor cardio-vascular health.

2.	ABDOMINAL STRENGTH Situps - feet held - maximum consecutive number until you can't do any more - feet held, hands clasping opposite shoulders, coming up so elbows touch the knees, upper back (not head) hitting the ground.

3.	UPPER BODY STRENGTH Pressups - maximum consecutive number until you can't do any more - men on toes, women on knees. Women make sure you're on the front of your thighs and that your knees, bottom and shoulders are in a straight line.

4.	LEG STRENGTH Squat - number of times you can squat down so your backside is close to your heels and stand-up (straight) until you can't do any more. Start standing up.

Do the situps, pressups and squats to exhaustion. No stopping for a breather. Once you stop you're out.

The Platinum Fitness Challenge Award

The award is based on the lowest points scored for a particular test item. For example if you do 34 20mrun laps, 40 pressups, 30 squats and 10 situps, the 10 situps counts as the lowest score and you qualify for the 'amber' award.

Level	Award	Pressups	Situps	Squats	20m run laps		Award
					Men	Women
10	Platinum	70	70	70	55	52
9	Diamond	60	60	60	53	50
8	Ruby	50	50	50	50	47
7	Emerald	40	40	40	45	43
6	Gold	30	30	30	40	37
5	Silver	25	25	25	37	34
4	Bronze	20	20	20	34	30
3	Green	15	15	15	30	26
2	Amber	10	10	10	25	22
1	Red	<10	<10	<10	22	20
0	Black	<5	<5	<5	<22	<20

Standards

The bronze standard is readily achievable by people who have a regular aerobic fitness and strength training program.

The platinum award is readily achievable by people who are highly trained and in excellent physical condition, particularly people in elite forces.

Fitness Frontline a Division of Miller Health Pty ltd

7 Salvado Place, Stirling ACT 2611 Australia

(02) 6288 7703