12 Things Every Bodybuilder Should Be Able To Do
The fitness test in the article is not your typical fitness check-up. There is no pacer test or climbing the rope like a fitness test you would take in middle school gym class. We aren’t going to ask you to check your BMI or to take your body measurements. We’ll test you in functional aspects and let you be your own judge.
Lifting weights shouldn’t be just about moving godly weights and pumping your ego, although moving heavy weight on things like squats and deadlifts is pretty top tier. Your goal should be based around being muscular and agile as well as flexible and strong. Bodybuilding shouldn’t turn you into a slab of meat. It should rather add to your lifestyle and make you active in all aspects.
RitFit Power Cage is a heavy-duty and stable rack with 12 variable positions to allow for many big lifts.
Isn’t Bodybuilding Just About Getting Big?
When people think of bodybuilding, they often think it is just about getting big and shredded. They think of guys like Nick Walker or Big Ramy, and other guys like that. Competitive bodybuilding may be heavily focused on these things, the broader term of bodybuilding covers more. The broader term applies more to people who are looking to better their lifestyle overall, building up the body in multiple ways, which include agility, muscularity, flexibility, and strength.
The Fitness Test
Here are some different tasks that you can complete to assess your own fitness. So sit back, sip your protein, and let’s dive in.
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1. Bench Your Bodyweight
This fitness test is for people who have passed the beginner stage in the gym. If you have reached the intermediate stage, you should at least be able to bench press the equivalent of your own bodyweight.
Remember, a standard barbell typically weights 45lbs.
2. Squat Your Bodyweight
Many people focus on their upper bodies and lack lower body strength. You should be able to squat with your own bodyweight on the barbell. Another squat test would be to squat and hold at the bottom for 30 seconds without any added resistance. Repeat this for 10 reps.
3. Deadlift Two Times Your Bodyweight
Deadlift is one of the most alpha exercises. Many people are against it, however it is something we always enjoy throwing in our routines. Lifting heavy weights off the ground is one of the most functional exercises you can do. Deadlifting two times your bodyweight is the ultimate sign of brute strength. Just remember to do it with proper form and weight that you can handle. Maybe even wear a belt!
4. 50 Strict Push-Ups
Most people in the gym focus on lifting weights and completely ignore the bodyweight exercises. For chest, so many people are caught up with the idea of a heavy bench press. While bench pressing certainly is something you should throw in your workout routines, it can’t get more functional than working out with your own bodyweight. Work towards performing 50 strict push-ups in one set without resting.
5. 20 Strict Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are one of the few exercises which work the entire upper body. Most people use leverage while performing the pull-ups by generating momentum with their legs. Your goal should be to perform 20 strict pull-ups without jerking or using any momentum.
6. Planks for Two Minutes
Planks are a great exercise for building core strength. While performing the planks, your body should be in a straight line from head to toe. Make sure your hips don’t slouch or form a bridge.
7. Sit on Floor Without Using any Support
Many people are incompetent in sitting on the floor without using any help. You should be able to sit cross-legged on the floor without using your hands or knees. Similarly, your legs should be strong enough that you can stand up without any support.
8. Touch your Feet without Bending Your Knees
This is a flexibility part of the fitness test. While standing, you should be able to touch your feet – or even the floor without bending your knees. In the second variation, sit on the floor, stretch out your legs and touch your toes without bending your knees.
9. Balance on One Foot for 30 Seconds
It’s important to maintain your balance as you get bigger and stronger. Stand on your right foot and lift your left leg so your quad is parallel to the floor. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the left leg.
10. Carry Your Bodyweight for 30 Seconds
Farmer’s walk is one of the best exercises to build grip strength. Use a trap bar to do a 30-second farmer’s walk. You can use dumbbells if you don’t have access to a trap bar at your gym.
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11. Long Jump Your Height
You need to constantly fight against turning into a chunk of meat by performing agility exercises and routines, so we had to throw this into the fitness test. You should be able to long jump the equivalent distance of your height from a standing position. High jumps and box jumps should also be a part of your exercise arsenal.
12. Run a Kilometer in 4 Minutes
This fitness test isn’t just about lifting weights. We’ll be testing your strength, flexibility, agility, and endurance. Having great cardiovascular conditioning is a must for a healthy lifestyle. You should be able to complete a 1K run in under four minutes.
Perform all the exercises mentioned in the article and rate yourself on a scale of 1-12, with 12 being the fittest and 1 being the worst fitness level. Give yourself a point for completing each exercise listed in the article.
Fitness Lifestyle
While the physical aspect of a fitness test certainly is a good gage of where you are physically, always keep in mind that the work does not end in the gym. Fitness ends up being a lifestyle quite honestly. You may find yourself switching out an alcoholic drink for some BCAAs. You may end up finding more enjoyment in getting under a barbell rather than going out to an actual bar, who knows?
Your lifestyle as a whole will have an effect on your performance in the gym. So, stay up on your supplementation, your meals, and stay focused in the gym, and as always, enjoy yourself.
Fitness Test Wrap Up
While being massive and strong is always a plus, it is not necessarily the most important thing when it comes to bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is more than just size and strength, it is about building the body overall. Agility, flexibility, and speed are all things that factor in to building your body as well.
When was the last time you took a fitness test? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
