An important part of any fitness program is identifying your starting point. In many cases, this is the only way to determine whether or not you are seeing progress. While everyone exercises for different reasons, fitness tests can be used by anyone to determine how much they have improved or where they rank compared to the general population.
If you want to measure your muscular strength you have a few choices. Muscular strength measures the maximum amount of weight you can lift or force you can exert at one time.
A 1 Rep Max (1RM) test and a 10RM test are two good choices. The one that is best for you depends on your fitness level. If you chose a 1RM test, you need to find out the maximum amount you can lift one time. The test is specific to the exercise chosen. If you chose a bench press you are essentially measuring upper body strength, specifically the chest and shoulders, as well as the triceps to a smaller extent. The leg extension, on the other hand, is a great indicator of the strength of the quadriceps, the muscles on the front of the thigh. Both tests have a specific protocol to follow which includes a proper warm up and build up to the final weight.
The problem with a 1RM test is that it takes a lot of effort and can be unsafe for many exercisers who are not accustomed to this type of intensity. The 10RM test is a great alternative to the 1RM.
It also allows you to predict your result on the 1RM test. The 10RM test measures the maximum weight you can lift 10 times — no more, no less. Once you have this number, you can divide it by 0.75 to get your 1RM test. For example, if you were able to bench press 100 pounds 10 times, your 1RM would be 133 pounds (100 divided by 0.75).
Once you have your 1RM number you can easily compare your score on a specific exercise to standards across the population, which will show you where you rank against others in your age group. For example, a 35-year-old male who can lift his body weight once would rank as excellent in his age category. Another male in the same age group who can lift less than 75 per cent of his weight would be rated as poor. A simple Google search will allow you to see a variety of charts that will give you a comparison against the population.
The final way to measure muscular strength is called a Grip Strength test. This test measures your grip strength using a piece of equipment called a Dynamometre. Raise your hand if you have heard that one. This tool measures the maximum amount of force you can generate in one squeeze. Once again you can compare your results against the population by looking for grip strength norms online.
Regardless of your goals, it is always a good idea to find out where you are starting and what type of improvements you are seeing. While your goal may not be related to beating someone else, it should at least be related to setting a personal best.