5 tests to help you learn more about your body

The most ordinary Tuesday in my life started with a trip to the Russian Olympic Committee on Luzhnetskaya Embankment. To be honest, I had never done a fitness test in my life and had a very vague idea of what it looked like and what it consisted of. From the preliminary conversation with our expert Pavel Korneev, who will conduct the test for me, I realized that this test will help to learn about your hidden reserves and weaknesses – a thing, in my opinion, very necessary, especially when you have not yet determined your goal in the gym or are preparing for the first race in your life.

At the very beginning of the test, I was asked to mark a few goals that I would like to set for myself in the near future. Out of everything on the screen, my first choice was “Lose weight”, followed by “Improve body quality” and “Increase physical performance and endurance”. What will come out of this I don’t know yet, but at the end of the study the machine should be able to give me a customized set of recommendations.

The test I am taking today takes about 1-1.5 hours. It is not as detailed as the one that our Managing Director Maxim Syreyshchikov participated in within the framework of the project “That very Monday”, but it will allow no less detailed assessment of my health reserves. And the promised result, as the welcome window on the device informed me, is not the usual list of diseases and treatment schemes for medical examinations, but an individual program of recovery, figure correction, nutrition and well-being. Well, it’s time to tell you more about all the examinations and their results.

Anthropometric changes

Anthropometry is necessary to assess my physical development and, importantly, to identify parameters that require correction. Simply put, it is a measurement of my volume, weight, as well as determining the fat, muscle mass and fluid distribution in the body.

Why is it important? Measuring accurate quantitative indicators at the very beginning will allow you to track the dynamics in the process of sports, no matter what your goal is – weight loss or muscle mass gain. The dynamics of these indicators are objective criteria for the effectiveness of your program.

What did the test tell me?Thetestpredicted for me an increased risk of metabolic obesity and associated diseases, despite the fact that many of my indicators were within normal limits. Insufficient muscle mass was to blame. The machine recommended that I undergo muscle testing to see if individual muscle groups needed to be strengthened.

Cardiovascular assessment

Our well-being, health, physical performance and quality of life are directly related to our cardiovascular system. Our heart is like an engine that needs a checkup. By assessing the condition of the vessel walls and the condition of the heart, we can learn about the most vulnerable areas at the moment. During the test I had my blood pressure measured several times, my pulse rate was monitored in different states, my body’s recovery period and its reaction to changes in external factors were monitored.

Why is this important? Because most of these problems are easily correctable at an early stage, the main thing is not to start the process. Any risk and any predisposition – this is just an assumption of scientists and doctors about how the body may behave if you continue to move in a given vector, do not give up bad habits, do not start exercising or at least take vitamins.

What did the test tell me? The result of the study was a large table, in which I learned the upper and lower limits of my blood pressure in a state close to normal, learned about the condition of the walls of my blood vessels, how much oxygen is in the blood. The main indicators were normal or extremely close to them. Based on the recommendation, all these indicators can be easily corrected with physical activity.

Breathing system

One of the most unusual and interesting tests for me. The study is aimed at determining the functional capabilities of the respiratory system. The test itself allowed to identify disorders that can be caused by bad habits or sedentary lifestyle, as well as to determine the direction of the training process. In addition, a separate study was conducted, aimed at hypoxia. Its purpose was to understand how resistant the body is to oxygen deficiency and how quickly it can recover.

Why is this important? Determining the capacity of the respiratory system is essential for determining health reserves and physical performance.

What did the test tell me? The test revealed minor lung function abnormalities. Lung capacity (the maximum amount of air that can enter and leave the lungs during maximal inhalation and exhalation) is reduced. The degree of the organism’s resistance to hypoxia and the oxygen capacity of the blood according to the results of special tests correspond to optimal values. Our expert Pavel informed me that it is necessary to increase these values by at least 20-30% – this will significantly increase the functional reserve of the organism, as well as improve oxygen supply to the muscles. Aerobic exercise and special hypoxic training are usually recommended for this purpose.

Musculoskeletal system

I have known since childhood that my spine is slightly curved, so I didn’t even expect to hear something new at the end of the test. It wasn’t the result that surprised me, but the approach. I remember that at the school examination to write this incomprehensible for me “Mild form of scaliosis” the doctor just looked at me a couple of times and decided on the diagnosis. Things were different in the Olympic Committee lab. In an upright position my body was photographed on cameras from different angles, after which the machine “thought” for a while and gave me a map of my body with a clear indication of all the bends and curvatures in the spine.

Why is this important? Posture curvature is not a simple visual defect, it causes imbalances in various compartments of our body. Stressing either the lower back, neck, or chest for no reason. This is why it is so important to understand the condition of your musculoskeletal system and correct any abnormalities in a timely manner.

In addition, during the study I underwent testing of the nervous system, mental and emotional state, was able to find out my real biological age and the state of adaptation reserves of the body (the higher it is, the less effort required for the body to maintain health and adapt to physical activity). At the end of the testing I received a detailed program of recommendations, a list of workouts that I need to include in my daily routine, found out the norms of my pulse and pressure. I unequivocally recommend this study to anyone who wants to understand how to properly monitor their health and in what vector to develop their body. Knowledge is power, and understanding your weaknesses and strengths will help you design an effective workout, and most importantly, achieve the desired results faster.