NextHeadline

GQ Fitness: Are You as Fit as a Teenager? Take this Test

time:2025-02-06 04:37:16 Source: author:


Image may contain Michael Cera Clothing Apparel Human Person and <strong></strong>Gold
michael-cera-high-school-workout-gq-fitness-blog.jpg

Unless you hire a personal trainer—and who are you, RG3 in the offseason?—you never really knowwhat constitutes being fit. You might make it to the gym four days a week, dabble with CrossFit, or partake in the occasional fundraiser 5k (if only for the free beer at the finish line), but still have no clue just how good of shape you’re in.

So as a frame of reference we called up Doug Gle, a strength and conditioning teacher at Traverse City Central High School in Michigan, to see how he puts his pimply offensive linemen and scrawny cross country runners to the test. Can you meet his standards? If so, congratulations: You’re as fit as a high-school boy.

Compare Yourself To Midwestern Teenagers With This Baseline Fitness Test

1. Pull-ups (at least 15)

Look, pull-ups aren’t easy. We know. You’re working a lot of muscles (biceps, back, and core), which is why they’re so brutal. And if you want to hang with Gle’s kids—and the tall, fit girl from the volleyball squad in his class—you’ll have to hit 15 to 20. For all you dudes trying to get cut this winter before tank-top weather starts: Stick to pull-ups. "Honestly, you get more bicep work doing pull-ups than you do from bicep curls. And it creates that triangle guys want from the shoulders down to the waist."

2. Push-ups (at least 50)

Gle, who was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at University of Northern Iowa and Eastern Michigan University before he switched to the high-school ranks, says push-ups aren’t just about brute strength. There’s a certain finesse to the move, and sloppiness is unacceptable. "A lot of kids have bad technique. They’re not getting their arms to 90 degrees. You can’t just move your elbows really fast!"

3. Sit-and-reach (past your toes)

When was the last time you tested your flexibility? (We’re guessing never.) The old fashioned sit-and-reach is simple: Put your feet up flat against a box and reach forward. You should be able to reach at least two to three inches past your toes. All the distance runners in school fail this test. And Gle thinks flexibility is even more important for grown men than for his teenagers. "The sit-and-reach tests your hamstring and lower back flexibility," he says. "And a lack of flexibility can create a lot of lower back issues as you get older."

4. V-ups (at least 40)

Gle’s school district makes him test for sit-ups, but he’s not a fan. He likes v-ups—wait, what?—where you lay on your back, extend your arms behind you, point your feet toward the ceiling, and then lift your feet and reach for your toes. (Here’s a video for reference.) Most of the dudes in his class are in the 40 to 50 range. "With v-ups, it’s a healthier position for the back than doing a traditional sit-up."

5. Running a mile (six minutes)

You knew it was coming. The dreaded mile run, which is a simple test of your aerobic fitness. And Gle has high standards for his pupils. "If you’re in any kind of shape," he says, "you should be able to run a six-minute mile." That’s a tall order. Time to hit the track, boys!

Bill Bradley is a columnist at Next City. Follow him on Twitter @billbradley3.

Related Stories for GQGQ Sports

keyword:

Friendly link

copyright © 2023 powered by NextHeadline   sitemap