As a way to monitor my increased fitness I'm going to perform a weekly fitness test every Saturday and log the results (see side bar).
From the owners manual of the Schwinn 140 exercise bike.
Fitness Test
The Fitness Test measures the improvements of your physical fitness level. The test compares your power output (in Watts) to your heart rate. As you become more fit you will produce more power (Watts) at a given heart rate.
When the test starts, the power (Watts) slowly increases. This means you will work harder, and as a result, your heart rate increases. The Watts continue to increase automatically until your heart rate reaches the “Test Zone.” This zone is individually computed to be near 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. When you reach the Test Zone your machine holds the Watts steady for 3 minutes. This lets you reach a stable condition (where your heart rate becomes steady). At the end of the 3 minutes, the Console measures your heart rate and the power output (Watts). These numbers, along with information about your age and weight, are computed to produce a “Fitness Score”.
Note: Fitness Test scores should only be compared to your previous scores and not other users. Over time, you will output more Watts of power at a certain Heart Rate. Compare your Fitness Scores to see your improvement.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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What does the score mean at the end of the fitness test? Am I half way to heaven or halfway to hell? WTF? They ask you all this information about your age and weight and then give you a number at the end and don't tell you what the number means.
ReplyDeleteI'm a 46 yr old female, 130 lbs, my boyfriend is 48 210 lbs. My score: 43, his 31. I believe his is the better score as he is an avid cyclist with proven high stamina although I'm in pretty good shape myself -- so, Schwinn, WTF?
The higher the score, the more fit you are. However, you shouldn't just rely on one number. It's better to take the test several times and average the scores, as your energy level varies day to day.
ReplyDeleteI believe Adrienne is mistaken about who's score is better. She only has 57 out of 100 points available to improve. Her friend has 69 points available. She is closer to her maximum theoretical efficiency of power output. 100-43=57.
ReplyDeleteAfter much searching, finally found the answer
ReplyDelete"The Fitness Test is one of the best ways to measure improvements in your physical fitness level. The test measures your fitness by comparing your power output
(in Watts) to your Heart Rate.
In general, as you become “more fit,” you will produce more power (Watts) at a given Heart Rate.
Here is how the test measures your power and heart rate. As the test starts, the power (watts) slowly increases. This means that you will work harder, and
as a result, your heart rate increases.
The watts continue to increase automatically
until your heart rate reaches the “Test Zone.” This zone is individually calculated for each user to be near 75% of their estimated maximum heart rate.
(This "Maximum Heart Rate" is computed from the information you input into the computer when you start the program. These number values are different
for everyone.) When you reach the Test Zone, the bike holds the watts steady for 3 minutes to allow you to achieve a steady heart rate state.
It is important to concentrate on keeping a steady heart rate during these 3 minutes to ensure consistent and more accurate readings.
At the end of the three minutes, the computer measures your Heart Rate, and the power (Watts). These numbers (along with information about your age and weight) are put into a formula, and produce a “Fitness Score.”
By logging and noticing the change in your own fitness scores, you can see your progress to increased fitness. The higher your score, the higher your fitness level. For example, let’s say you have an initial fitness score of 28. Four weeks later you perform the test again and your score is 35. This means you have increased your fitness. Your power output has increased and at the same time your heart rate has decreased. You are producing more power with less effort.
Note: The Fitness Test is an excellent way to measure changes in your own fitness level. It is not designed to compare one person’s score to another person’s
score, because the test's formula only “estimates” your Maximum Heart Rate. Therefore the numbers are only relevant when compared with your own fitness
scores. (There are no corresponding "absolute" numbers in the owner’s manual that you can reference to see what your fitness level is.)"
https://download.nautilus.com/supportdocs/OM/Schwinn/SCH_SR23-SB13_OM_RevA_web.pdf Page 17
Great explanation
ReplyDelete