Back in December, Sanya told me that he was trying to pass Cooper's test for strength endurance. In short: the test consists of alternately performing 4 exercises (push-ups, transition from squat to lying position and vice versa, jumping out and something on the press). 10 repetitions of the first exercise are performed, then without stopping for 10 repetitions of the second, third and fourth. This is one cycle. Then, without rest, again 10 repetitions of the first exercise, then the second, and so on. The result is evaluated in two ways: you must either complete a certain number of cycles before you fall from fatigue, or perform a specific number of cycles in a minimum time.
Googling on this topic, I came across the site of the special forces "Vityaz" and became interested in the requirements for recruits. There are 7 trials (tests) in total, each is estimated at a maximum of 50 points, the minimum allowable total result is 295 points, that is, on average 42-43 points for each test.
Now I want to fulfill some of these standards, not at selection, of course, but for myself. I'm not eager to join the special forces, so I simplify my tasks a little. I will write for each test separately.
Test number 1. Endurance.
Continuous running for 12 minutes is assessed by the distance covered by the subject during the specified time. By the way, this is also called the Cooper test. 42 points is 3200 meters. Considering that at school I ran 3 km in 13 and a half minutes, the standard seems unrealistic. You have to start running. Summer. Yeah.
Test number 2. Strength endurance.
The very same test of Cooper's strength endurance. For 40 points, you need to complete 5 cycles, time is not taken into account. As “something on the press”, such an exercise: “from the starting position, lie on your stomach and roll over onto your back, raise your legs without bending your knees, touch the floor behind your head with your toes, return your legs to their starting position”. I strongly doubt that I will be able to do even one repetition of such an exercise on the press. Normally, without panting and without crunching in the joints, I can only do push-ups for now.
Test number 3. Power.
With some kind of fright, it is estimated only by the number of pull-ups. Will not work. Instead, let there be the power standards of the FSB special forces (by the way, they are tougher):
pull-ups - 25 (10-11);
push-ups from the floor - 90 (40-50, probably);
press (lying on your back, flexion-extension of the trunk) - 100 (I have no idea);
bench press lying, own weight - 10 (2);
jumping up with a change of legs - 90 (some kind of crap, I won't do it).
In parentheses, my approximate figures for today.
It seems that everything is very complicated, but it is not. For example, bench press 75 kg for 10 times is a hundred at a time (according to an online calculator). Now I press 80 at a time, so a hundred is quite achievable.
Test number 4. Speed.
10 to 10 shuttle run offered. Never loved it. So instead of it, one hundred meters from the same FSB standards is 12.7 seconds. At school, and at the university, I ran for 14. I wonder if it's not too late to try to improve the result?
I will not pass tests No. 5 (flexibility, twine, etc.) and No. 6 (dexterity, somersaults, walking on hands, etc.). Although I want to learn to walk on my hands. Well, test # 7 (courage, yeah) - training fights according to the rules of boxing - I, naturally, will not pass either.
These are the requirements, albeit truncated, but very difficult for me. I already go to the rocking chair, it remains to start running. It will be interesting to see what changes, say, over the next six months.
Shl. Yes, I'm weak, you don't have to mock me
FSB special forces standards
Requirements for newly arrived personnel for combat and physical training
1. Pull-up - 25
2. Push-ups from the floor - 90
3. Press (lying on your back, flexion-extension of the trunk) - 100
4. Run 100 m. (Shuttle run 10 to 10) - 12.7 sec (25 sec)
5. Cross 3000 m - 11.00 min
6. Bench press lying (own weight, but not more than 100 kg) - 10 times
7. Hand-to-hand combat
-Demonstration of punches and kicks technique - 2 min. On a boxing bag
- Sparring according to free rules with throws and painful holds - 3 fights, 3 minutes each.
8. Jumping up with a change of legs - 90
9. Complex-strength exercise (performed sequentially 8 times: - 10 push-ups from the floor, 10 times a press, 10 times crouching - lying down, 10 jumping up from the crouch). 8 reps (no pause)
All exercises are done one after the other without interruption.
This article will focus on the Cooper test. In my opinion, it is worth it to draw attention to it, it is not for nothing that it is often used to find out the physical performance of a person, his endurance. There is something similar in the army, but this does not apply to this article. Walking around the Internet, I found several Cooper's tests, it is noteworthy that one of them is used to pass the Red Beret (I don’t know how much this is true, it’s also written on the fence, as they say), but the test itself seemed interesting to me. Moreover, this test can be classified as a crossfit. Naturally, an experiment with a group of like-minded people immediately followed. Emotions overwhelmed us, especially on the day when we performed two endurance tests in a row, the sun gave a special contrast to the sensations ( Not recommended).
Let's consider them in more detail. The first test we did was running for 12 minutes.
It was developed by Dr. Ken Cooper in 1968. It is a quick way to assess the physical fitness of the cardiovascular and respiratory system. Initially, Cooper developed it for the US Army. Today it is popular all over the world, including in schools. Perhaps in the USSR there was something similar, but unfortunately I did not find it.
The test can be performed independently by measuring the distance that you run for 12 minutes. I note that you need to approach the test with your head, calculate your strength, your degree of preparedness, otherwise it may be associated with a risk to your life. No fanaticism! ( although I admit it is difficult when there is excitement). We compare the results obtained with the results on the plate and set a mark for ourselves.
This was the first test we passed. Everyone was happy with the result. Then, having rested for 10 minutes, we proceeded to perform the second Cooper test. To be honest, in the sun in the pitch, we were already horrified of what awaited us, but nevertheless we overpowered ourselves and began to fulfill it.
"Cooper's test"
1. Do 10 push-ups and stay in support lying.
2. We make the tray of the feet in the sitting position and return to the lying position, and so on 10 times.
3. We roll over onto the back. Press. Either raising the body to the vertical, or throwing our legs behind our head, or folding our elbows to the knees at the same time. Lumbar separation is required 10 times.
4.10 jumping out of a full squat or 10 times, 5 on each leg, touch the floor with your knee.
4 exercises 10 times - one circle / cycle. 4 laps in 3 minutes - excellent, in 3.30 - good, in 4 minutes - satisfactory. If the time is longer, it is bad.
A description of this test can be found in the book "Scout training. The GRU special forces system". Literature is different, but everywhere you can get something useful. This test is worth doing at least once a week. It will well increase endurance and functionality, it is also a good gymnastics for weight loss. At the time of execution, there were puddles of sweat under us. And if it becomes easy, then what prevents to supplement it. I read somewhere that crossfit is like a kitchen where dishes are made according to good recipes and bad ones. Nobody bothers to create and create your own well-balanced WOD.
The Cooper test is a famous test for assessing the endurance of an athlete's aerobic performance, which is actively used in running, swimming and cycling.
Often, athletes rely on a subjective assessment of their own aerobic capacity when embarking on a grueling workout. But is it possible to judge with confidence the level of endurance, relying only on personal feelings and well-being?It is necessary to listen to the body, but even an experienced athlete will not always immediately assess his level of preparedness. What, then, can beginners expect?
You can contact a specialist and undergo a full physical examination using. But if this is not possible, the Cooper test is a simple, decades-proven method that does not require you to spend time and money.
The history of the Cooper test
The test used today to assess an athlete's aerobic performance was originally developed exclusively for US Army combatants. The test is named after its creator, scientist Kenneth Cooper. In 1968, he came up with a universal 12-minute test to determine how well a person is prepared for grueling physical activity compared to the established norm.
At that time, testing included only running, later they began to use other aerobic disciplines that are part of the modern, and even connected power load.
The scientist was prompted to create the test by his own health problems. The idea to develop a universal formula for checking general health came to Cooper at the age of thirty, when he, having lost his former physical shape, decided to lose weight through exercise.
However, by loading his body a little more than required, he felt unwell and noted a decrease in results. This observation led Kenneth Cooper to an ingenious decision: before starting training, it is necessary to conduct a test that determines the initial level of the athlete's fitness.
What the Cooper test evaluates
Cooper's original test is a running test in which the subject is required to run at increased intensity for 12 minutes.
This type of load was not chosen by chance, because during running, almost all muscle groups are involved, which is why the body actively consumes oxygen.
Together with the muscles, most of the musculoskeletal system is included in the work, which makes it possible to assess the condition of bones, joints and ligaments. Along with the musculoskeletal system, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are checked.
How long does the Cooper test take
The test lasts exactly 12 minutes: it is during this time that the average body begins to experience the so-called oxygen starvation, after which energy resources begin to deplete. Since the task of bringing the subject to exhaustion is not worth it, the test is limited to the time limit that a person of almost any level of training can do.
How is the Cooper test done
Before starting the experiment, you need to make sure that your physical and psychological state is normal. The test is performed with such intensity that the cells use the oxygen that is in them to the maximum. At the same time, oxygen starvation is excluded, in this case the test will not harm the health of the subject.
The test results directly depend on age, so the data obtained will be individual for each athlete. The test is suitable for athletes of all ages, however, Cooper himself does not recommend taking part in it to unprepared people over 35 years old.
The fact is that a person who has not been involved in sports for a long time, in pursuit of the result, may simply not calculate the level of his capabilities on his own. In this case, the test must be carried out in the presence of a specialist.
Run
Let's start with the most affordable option - the Cooper running test. To do this, you will need a treadmill, running shoes, and a stopwatch.
Prepare your body for stress by doing a full warm-up. At the same time, try not to exhaust yourself before starting testing. You can also walk at a brisk pace for 2-3 minutes.
Let's move on to the main part.
The rules here are extremely simple: in the allotted 12 minutes you need to “wind” more kilometers. On the treadmill, you can set a timer, or measure a segment with a stopwatch on your phone. If you cannot find a treadmill, you can use a arena or stadium with a fixed lap length.
Just do not forget that you need to run along one path, if in the course of movement you either approach or move away from the center of the arena, the result will be inaccurate. Be careful with the use of special ones: it is not a fact that the GPS signal will allow you to calculate the most accurate distance.
Try to give your best as much as possible without harming your health. If it becomes difficult to run, take a quick step, but the test results will be much worse.
At the end of 12 minutes, note the distance traveled, but do not rush to an abrupt stop.
Compare the obtained result with the standards given in the table.
Cooper's test (running) Don't be in a hurry to get upset if you haven't scored excellent. This result is comparable only to the level of well-trained athletes. If you have jumped the indicators of this table, you can safely be proud of your physical fitness!
By comparison: the current 5,000-meter male world record holder Kenenise Bekele runs 4,800 meters in 12 minutes!
Swimming
A swimming pool is best suited for this test. In a natural body of water, measuring the distance traveled will be more difficult.
The swimming stage requires more preparation from the athlete. Many of us feel more confident on land than in water. If running is a universal activity for everyone, then not everyone can master the water version of the test, because you have to swim for 12 minutes!
The warm-up is best done right in the water to get the body used to the temperature. Beforehand, be sure to warm up and prepare the shoulder girdle for work.
If you are not confident in your abilities, or while there is still a fear of being in the water for a long time, it is better to conduct the test in more comfortable conditions, leaving swimming for later.
The rules remain the same: swim the maximum number of meters in 12 minutes. Swimming is allowed freestyle, but as quickly as possible. For accurate results, try to swim to the end of the pool, pushing off the side.
Cooper's test (swimming) Add up the resulting number of segments passed from side to side, and check the results against the table.
A bike
To begin with, you should decide on the location of the test. The track must be dry, without descents and ascents. For these purposes, it is best to choose a stadium or park with a cycle path. There are maps of many parks on the Internet, so you can find out the length of all the tracks.
Pay attention to weather conditions; headwinds may reduce results. There should be no frost and puddles on the site, which will have to be bypassed. If you have the opportunity to get on the cycle track, this is the best option, eliminating any interference. A stationary bike can be used, but make sure it is well tuned before performing the test.
Choose a neutral speed that is comfortable for you. Don't make it difficult for yourself by creating unnecessary interference and additional resistance.
You can measure the distance traveled in circles, the radius of which must be known in advance, or you can use the application with GPS.
Cooper's test (bike) The task remains the same: you have to pedal for 12 minutes and record the mileage traveled. Compare your result with the table.
Your physical and psychological condition must be normal - otherwise, the results will be biased. Never start exercising if you feel unwell.
If you have ruled out any unpleasant symptoms, but felt a sharp discomfort during the test, you should stop the experiment. Most often, untrained subjects experience arrhythmia, tachycardia, weakness, dizziness, nausea and tingling in the side and chest. In experienced athletes, such symptoms may indicate the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.
Before you start exercising, take your resting heart rate and after warm-up to make sure your heart is ready for stress and that you don't overdo it. The ideal option would be to measure your heart rate throughout the training process, this will give you the ability to track progress or stop.
For the purity of the experiment, do not use aids: for example, fins can greatly facilitate your task when swimming, and descents will help when running and cycling. At the same time, comfortable equipment and protective equipment, such as tapes or knee pads, will not interfere with the test results.
Avoid any factors that could affect your heart rate, breathing and safety while driving. To do this, try not to talk, not worry, and avoid sudden stress. Do not make sudden movements that raise the pulse, try to move at the same pace, accelerating gradually, without jerking.
Take care of your nutrition in advance: while walking the distance, the stomach should be empty, but there should be enough glycogen in the muscles and liver for intensive work. Therefore, the last meal is taken 2-3 hours before the start of the load. Food should not be fatty, heavy or create a fermentation effect (black bread, grapes, pickles). It is best to fortify yourself with slow carbohydrates, and after completing the test, fortify yourself with protein foods.
Cooper's strength test
The Cooper Strength Test is designed to engage virtually all muscle groups. Versatile exercises allow you to identify which muscles are in good shape and which need to be strengthened.
First, warm up, working all joints. Pay special attention to the pectoralis, quads, and hamstrings.
For the test, you need a small amount of exercise space and a comfortable shape. No equipment other than a rug is expected here.
You have to do four simple exercises, each of which must be repeated 10 times:
- Push ups. Push-ups from the support with maximum amplitude. Try to get as low as possible to the floor, keep your head straight, do not bend your lower back, lowering your pelvis. After ten repetitions, remain in the “prone position”.
- Jumping from a lying position (pulling the knees to the chest in a lying position).
- Exercise on the press. Roll over onto your back and do 10 abdominal reps in any way you like, such as crunches.
- Squats. The last exercise is for the lower muscle group. This is a normal no-weight squat. If you want to make the task more difficult, you can use the jump squat.
At the end of the complex, stop the stopwatch and compare the data obtained:
- 3 min. - perfect
- 3.3 minutes - Okay
- 4 minutes - satisfactory
- 4.5 minutes - Badly
If the result worries you, it's time to start improving. For training, it is enough to use a set of the listed exercises in different versions.
Such a workout will not take much time and will not even require a gym membership from you: you can easily upgrade your physical form at home. The main condition is regularity and a gradual increase in the load. Repeat the test a month later. Perhaps the new result will amaze you.
It is enough to carry out the test once a month. After that, be sure to allow the body to recover by giving up intense aerobic and anaerobic training.
Frequent use of the test can lead to disruption of the cardiovascular system: the athlete simply will not notice how he will “drive” his body. If this happens, you will notice a gradual decline in performance, loss of energy, deterioration in mood and loss of motivation. In other words, you will drive yourself to the effect of overtraining.
Record your results in one place: keep yourself a workout log or create a folder with monthly calculations on your phone. This way you can track changes in the functioning of your body's systems.
Do not rely on subjective assessment, use proven methods, because now you understand this issue!
How long will you run / swim / pass in 12 minutes? Share in the comments for this article.
The Comprehensive Strength Test consists of exercises performed in succession.
Exercise number 1
The initial position is an emphasis squatting. Take the lying position and return to the starting position, repeat 10 times.
Exercise number 2
Performed immediately after exercise 1.
From the starting position, lie on your stomach and roll over onto your back (1), raise your legs without bending at the knees (2), touch the floor behind your head with your toes (3) (if there is no touch, the exercise is considered unfulfilled), return your legs to their original position.
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise number 3 Performed immediately after exercise 2.
Roll over from your back to your stomach, take the starting position lying down, bend your elbows until your chest touches the floor (ground), straighten your arms.
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise number 4 Performed immediately after exercise 3.
Take a rest-crouching position, sit down on one knee, raise your hands up, put your palms on the back of your head. Jump up, straighten your legs, squat on the other knee.
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Cooper's test. Strength endurance.
Not all athletes, not to mention just physical education lovers, know how to easily evaluate their own. You can independently come up with some exercises, doing them for a while, and then comparing the results with the achievements of other people. You can just go to the doctors for a complete medical examination. However, it is much more convenient, faster and easier to pass the already developed Cooper test, the standards of which will show how strong your body is.
Various aerobic exercises, which are combined with correct breathing exercises, have been very well known since antiquity. However, it was possible to draw up a general picture, to classify the results only at the beginning of the last century. A former colonel in the United States military and a professor of medicine from Oklahoma named Kenneth H. Cooper, while serving in the army, he began to use such exercises to maintain and improve health, both by example and for those under his command.
In 1968, a fitness and general health test was developed and experimentally tested by Professor Cooper. It was aimed just at the servicemen of the American army. Such a test fit in only twelve minutes, which greatly simplified the testing of beginners.
A brief glimpse into the history of the discovery
Initially, the Cooper test determines physical qualities, after three dozen studies. The idea to develop something similar to a military doctor came at the age of thirty, at the moment when he was already in the service, lost his shape, gaining quite a lot of excess weight. Finding this, Kenneth decided to fight with the help of physical education, gave a lot of stress and noted a general deterioration in his condition.
Today, the link between a healthy lifestyle and physical activity is obvious to everyone. But in the days of Dr. Cooper, research in this direction was just beginning to be carried out. It was he who had the honor to discover and prove a direct connection between mental state, physical activity, general health and fitness.
He found that the less active a person is, the faster the aging processes occur, the wear of all systems. At the same time, the doctor managed to translate physical characteristics into numerical (quantitative) characteristics. So a special system for assessing physical condition was developed by points gained in the process of performing different types of exercises designed for men and women of any age.
Features and application of Cooper tests
During the passage of such testing, the main condition that must be observed is the well-being of the subject. It is most commonly used for runners, cyclists, swimmers and other athletes over the age of thirty. However, older people can also afford testing on this principle. So what does the Cooper test measure, what insight does it give you about your overall health?
During testing, a person performs exercises that imply which are at the same time the best antidepressants according to modern scientists. Then the cells begin to use the oxygen that is in them to the maximum. At the same time, oxygen starvation is completely excluded, which makes the study harmless even for an unprepared organism.
An important feature of the test is that the final grade received by the test subject directly depends on age. Whatever the result turns out to be, it must be correlated with the age data of the test taker. Therefore, in each specific case, the objective assessment can vary significantly.
The simplest and most affordable testing option is running. Such experiments can be carried out on yourself to find out your own preparedness. For implementation, you will need a regular stopwatch and a treadmill. But swimming or cycling won't be a problem either. You just have to move to the pool or cycle track. However, you can also pass the test without difficulty, if you approach the matter correctly.
Proper preparation is half the battle
To get the most correct result, as well as completely eliminate the negative effects from excessive sharp loads, you must definitely remember to warm up. For each, the time spent on the preliminary preparatory exercises will be individual. Here, again, a lot depends on age, initial state, fitness. Running preparation is very simple
- Walk around the stadium or treadmill for two to three minutes.
- Jogging for about half a minute.
- The same amount of walking at a fast pace.
- Repetition of the previous points, alternating them, several times (four to six).
You need to perform or other selected exercises according to the rules. For some, three to five minutes is enough, for others it is better to make a simple complex for all fifteen. However, you need to remember that they should tone you up, prepare your muscles for future loads, and not exhaust you ahead of time.
Performing the Cooper test
12 minute run
After warming up, you can immediately start passing the test. Its essence is very simple: you need to run the longest possible distance in a measured period of time. It's best when you enlist the help of friends to take the test. You need to start moving after the "Start" command. It is required to try to give all the best.
If you find it difficult to run, it is okay to take a fast step, but then the test results will hardly surprise you. At the end of twelve minutes, measure the distance that the runner managed to do. The results obtained must be looked for in a special table of standards, which is given below. Only after that you can already conclude what level of training you have.
12 minute swim
Similarly, this test is carried out in swimming. Not only the warm-up, but the test itself will have to take place in the water. It is optimal to choose a pool for these purposes. However, if one is not available, you can test yourself even in the nearest pond or river. The only drawback is that it will be quite difficult to accurately measure the distance, but if desired, this can be solved.
The distance that a person swam in the same twelve minutes is taken into account. You don't need to use any special skills, just swim freestyle as fast as possible. The results are also checked against the standard table.
12 minute bike ride
The best results can be shown in the gym, but the simulator must be well tuned to give suitable loads. But you can also do it outdoors. It is advisable to choose a day when the weather will be rather dry and calm. Air movements can influence the result by "braking" or "accelerating" on the subject.
There are requirements for the track: it must be completely dry, level, without sharp descents and ascents. For the street, the best solution would be an open stadium or park with specially delineated paths. In the same way, you need to drive at maximum effort for twelve minutes, and then check the figures obtained with the table below.
Recovery from the Cooper test (hitch)
It is very important not only to pass the test, but also to complete it so as not to get dire consequences for health. The abrupt completion of the loads can have a negative effect, therefore it is imperative to make a hitch. Otherwise, for the heart, such experiments may end up with unpleasant effects.
It is necessary to gradually "reset" the pulse, restore breathing and the normal rhythm of the heartbeat. After the bike test, it will be enough to jog or even walk at a brisk pace for only three to five minutes. The same should be done after the race. In the case of swimming, you can swim another 200 or 300 meters in a comfortable, unhurried mode.
Physical fitness assessment tables
Professor Kenneth Cooper has developed for each version of his test, and they all show the same result (the level of preparedness of a person), tables for ease of verifying the numbers obtained. Dealing with them will not be difficult. With the help of them, you can independently assess the condition of men and women of different ages (up to 40 years).
| Preparedness | Girls (13-19 years old) | Women (19-28 years old) | Women (28-39 years old) | Men (13-19 years old) | Men (19-28 years old) | Men (28-39 years old) |
| Very bad | 1600 | 1550 | 1500 | 2100 | 1950 | 1900 |
| Badly | 1600-1900 | 1550-1800 | 1500-1700 | 2100-2200 | 1950-2400 | 1900-2100 |
| Satisfactorily | 1900-2100 | 1800-1900 | 1700-1900 | 2200-2500 | 2100-2400 | 2100-2300 |
| Good | 2100-2300 | 1800-1900 | 1900-2000 | 2500-2750 | 2400-2600 | 2300-2500 |
| Fine | 2300-2400 | 2100-2300 | 2000-2200 | 2750-3000 | 2600-2800 | 2500-2700 |
| Preparedness | Girls (13-19 years old) | Women (19-28 years old) | Women (28-39 years old) | Men (13-19 years old) | Men (19-28 years old) | Men (28-39 years old) |
| Very bad | 350 | 275 | 225 | 450 | 350 | 325 |
| Badly | 350-450 | 275-350 | 225-325 | 450-550 | 350-450 | 325-400 |
| Satisfactorily | 450-550 | 350-450 | 325-400 | 550-650 | 450-550 | 400-500 |
| Good | 550-650 | 450-550 | 400-500 | 650-725 | 550-650 | 500-600 |
| Preparedness | Girls (13-19 years old) | Women (19-28 years old) | Women (28-39 years old) | Men (13-19 years old) | Men (19-28 years old) | Men (28-39 years old) |
| Very bad | 2800 | 2400 | 2000 | 4200 | 4000 | 3600 |
| Badly | 2800-4200 | 2400-4000 | 2000-3500 | 4200-6000 | 4000-5500 | 3600-5100 |
| Satisfactorily | 4200-6000 | 4000-5600 | 3500-5500 | 6000-7500 | 5500-7100 | 5100-6800 |
| Good | 6000-7600 | 5600-7200 | 5500-6800 | 7600-9200 | 7100-8800 | 6800-8400 |
* All distances are presented in meters.
* Indicators that are higher than the results indicated in the tables are considered excellent and indicate excellent physical fitness and form.
As already mentioned, the most important condition for completing the Cooper study is well-being. There is no need to start testing even with the slightest "malfunction" in the body. A mild headache, fever, body aches, any unpleasant symptom may indicate the onset of the disease, and sudden loads can aggravate the situation. Therefore, first you need to fully recover, only then check your fitness in the physical plane.
Prohibitions
If a person, during the research, felt some symptoms and ailments, then you need to immediately stop testing.
- Arrhythmia.
- Dizziness.
- Tachycardia.
- Painful sensations in the region of the heart.
- General weakness.
In addition, such measurements should not be taken too often. Once a month is definitely enough. After testing, you need to give up intensive strength training. After all, the body needs proper recovery. You should also avoid taking a hot bath, going to a Russian bath or sauna.
- Be sure to get a heart rate monitor to keep things under control. By measuring your heart rate regularly during exercise or tests, you can avoid risks to your heart.
- It is not recommended to do jumps and jumps, changing the pace of movement. It is best to conserve energy by taking the Cooper test at an even pace throughout the course.
- In the process of passing the test, it is better not to share your feelings, and indeed not to talk at all. This will cause the breath to be choked up and the results will be incorrect.
- If necessary, you can use additional means: a helmet and knee pads for running or cycling, a hat. You can lubricate the joints with a warming ointment. The main thing is that the aids do not affect the result, as, for example, fins can do it.
Cooper's strength test: 4 exercises
In addition to the study that we have already reviewed, there is another test by Professor Kenneth Cooper. It is a set of exercises performed for a while.
It should be borne in mind that such a test gives a rather high load on the cardiovascular system and the heart muscle itself, but not sudden, but gradual. In addition, it works well on almost all muscle groups. After it, it will immediately become clear what is normal for you, and with what you still have to work long and hard.
The proposed exercises will have to be performed ten times. In total, you need to make four circles.
- Push ups. After execution, you need to stay in the prone position.
- Jumping from the support lying. Next, you should roll over onto your back.
- Torso lifts or crunches (can be replaced with leg raises).
- Squats or jump squats.
The sooner you practice the exercises, the better your preparedness.
- 3 minutes is great.
- 3.3 minutes is good.
- 4 minutes is satisfactory.
- 4.5 is bad.
If it suddenly turns out that this time is not enough, then you will have to work on yourself for a long time and persistently. Perhaps such testing simply does not suit you, so you can return to the options presented above. However, it's better to just put in the effort, because fitness is really important. This is a factor that directly affects the quality of life.
Workouts for the Cooper test at home and in the gym
Often, different types of testing are carried out sequentially one after the other. It makes sense to consider in advance the options for preparatory sets of exercises that will help show good results. If you have not been involved in sports before, then a long journey awaits you, which should start with the usual half-hour or hour-long walks. You can start doing the running test as soon as you can run for a minute and not start to choke.
Home complex
- Squats - 4 sets of 25 reps
- Twisting (double) - 3 sets of 30 reps.
- Bench Step - 2 sets of 15 reps for each leg.
- Running in place (focus on the wall) - 3 sets of 1 minute.
Gym complex
- Overweight Hyperextension - 3 sets of 20 reps.
- Leg Press - 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Weighted Lunges (Dumbbells) - 4 sets of 10 reps for each leg.
In this case, it is imperative to remember about the warm-up and cool down, otherwise you can harm yourself.