How can we measure DS3 (14)'s fitness?

[BoffinMum]

For various reasons DS3 (14) was ill and off sport for a year. He was able to start doing PE at school again this academic year but he's a bit out of condition for his age. He wants to sort this out, so he's doing an hour a day jogging on the Wii fit, riding his bike around the place and going for walks (he doesn't like doing proper sports in public at the moment as he's quite self-conscious). He really wants to work at this over the summer holidays and be up to normal fitness by September. We would like to measure his fitness so he has a baseline to work from and motivate himself. Does anyone have any ideas about how we can do this at home with no specialist equipment? Are there any tables/charts/techniques we could use?

Measure a mile on Google maps and time it every so often.?

Count how many burpees he can do in 60secs?

Resting pulse rate?

Read tour post twice. Are you sure the impetus for this is all coming from him?!

Why would you want yo measure his fitness if he's doing all that daily.... Sounds a tad obsessive. Just let him get on and ark him if it feels earners / faster. The wii will grade it all anyway.

If he really wants to do that get the Bleep test.
You set out to markers a fixed distance apart and you run between them before the next 'beep' sounds.
It gets faster so you get a level.
Ds1 had to do it in rugby training every few weeks at about that age.

LogLady, no, I would like him to get fitter too. He gets upset about his Man Boobs and getting breathless. I think there's no need for either and that if he gets his act together over the summer he'd be a lot healthier and happier for it.

What is a burpee and how far apart do the things have to be for the bleep test?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burpee_(exercise)

He might like doing the burpee thing. I will show him the film clip tomorrow. I might try doing it with him. Hope the old pelvic floor holds up

At that age I had a book from the 70's on training to join the army 1 think it was something like commando training, 8 week plan it was a short circuit training routine that can be done in your bedroom. Could he look at what the army expect now and try it each fortnight.

Does he want to be aerobically fit or strong? How about lifting weights or joining a circuit class?

The routine (from memory) was running on the spot, burpees with star jump, press ups, star jumps, sit ups, squats.

He has a dumbbell set in his room he pilched from his brother, but I don't think he would go to a class at the moment. I might have a look for this army thing in case that appeals.

If he wants to do something that he can do alone in his own time get him to have a look bat "You are Your Own Gym" - strength training using bodyweight and pretty minimal equipment - a pull up bar is useful (not for pull ups, at least not initially). It's available as a book ormas an app - I'd recommend the app as it keeps track of everything for you. The guy who devised it used to train new marine recruits.

At various bootcamps that I've been to they test you at the start and then every 4 weeks. people have training plateaus at certain points so don't expect to see improvement every single week. also be wary of doing too much repetition, 14 is still young and you want to keep it fun!

but having said that, there are lots of ways to measure fitness with minimal equipment.
try some of the following:
-how many sit ups in 1 minute
-how many burpees in 1 minute
-how long can he hold the "plank" position

• how long can he hold the "wall sit"

-how long does it take to run up/down 3 flights of stairs (find a nice wide set of steps outdoors. this is also a good agility test)

• how long does it take him to run round the nearest house block/rdge of a sports field. if its a rectangular-ish shape then jog the long sides but sprint the short sides
• how long can he skip/jump rope without stopping

good luck!

That sounds like exactly the sort of list he would like!

I don't think the you are your own gym is the thing for a half interested teen its a pretty full on book to read.

The app is much less reading :)

The one I was thinking of is called royal marine commando 7 exercises, perfect fitness in 12 mins a day.
I loved it as a teen.

I think the main thing is to keep his confidence up actually.

Think ill look at the app myself I need some new inspiration

Can you both start the couch to 5km programme? It gets you to the point of being able to do a 5km after so many weeks training

Have you thought about taking him to see a physiotherapist who specialises in sports rehabilitation? They would be able to check him over and give advice about the type of fitness programme most suitable for him, and that might be helpful in avoiding the possibility of injury whilst he is trying to regain his fitness.