How can you easily and simply determine your level of physical fitness? You can, of course, try to perform all sorts of tests on your body, go to the doctor and undergo a medical examination, but in reality it is enough just to pass the Cooper test.
Kenneth Cooper in 1968 developed a program of thirty tests to assess the physical condition of US Army soldiers.
The most popular of them was the treadmill, as it turned out to be simple and accessible to perform. It consists in the fact that you need to walk or run as much distance as possible in 12 minutes. The most convenient place to hold it is the stadium.
This test was developed for people aged 18 to 35 years. But this does not mean at all that a 50-year-old man will not be able to overcome it; he just needs to have good physical training. During a 12-minute run, the body receives aerobic exercise and all body cells are saturated with oxygen, so it cannot cause any harm to health.
Kenneth Cooper himself was against the test being carried out among people over 35 years of age. It is important to understand that an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old man cannot perform this task in the same way, and the results clearly show the influence of the subject’s age on his physical condition.
The Cooper test involves more than 2/3 of a person's muscle mass. Therefore, it can be used to assess the performance of the entire organism. During running, the main systems involved are: respiratory and cardiovascular; it is quite easy to understand the level of training and their condition after this test.
Stages of the Cooper test
Before starting testing, a person must warm up. Warm-up can last from 5 to 15 minutes. You need to do the following exercises:
- Jogging- will help launch all the necessary systems in the body, warm it up and prepare it for the upcoming work;
- Various types of general developmental exercises which will be aimed at all muscle groups;
- Mandatory stretching, which avoids injuries and prepares muscles and ligaments for work.
It is important to understand that you cannot overdo the warm-up, as the subject will already be tired and will show a worse result than he could. But if there is insufficient warm-up, the body will also not be ready for testing and an injury or a poor test result may result.
The test begins using the usual commands: start, attention, march. After the last command, the stopwatch starts and the person begins the test. It is possible to overcome it both by running and on foot. But, of course, if you go the entire distance, the result will be disastrous.
After 12 minutes, the stopwatch stops and the distance covered is measured. The results are compared with a table of standards for this test.
"Cooper test standards"
After comparing the results, a conclusion is made about the person’s physical fitness.
We must not forget about the mandatory cool down after the test. It is done in order to restore breathing and bring all body systems back to normal. It can include just 5 minutes of jogging or walking.
Video: Coaches love it and athletes hate it - Cooper test
People at any age think about their state of health - how to check how physically developed a person is? Nobody wants to go to the doctor with such a strange question, but, fortunately, this is not necessary - there is an effective way to determine the athletic condition of the body.
Thanks to Kenneth Cooper, there is a method on how you can test your own endurance. He developed it to test physical endurance of US soldiers, however, it is often used by ordinary people around the world to test their strength. Let's figure out what the Cooper test is?
Testing consists of thirty exercises. For the average person, the test is quite suitable, it is not difficult to carry out, but not everyone finds it easy to meet the norm. This test is a running test. Since anyone with a little time and shoes can try it, this test is one of the most popular.
Note that this test is absolutely harmless to health - running creates aerobic exercise, body cells receive oxygen, so the exercise will be useful for the vast majority. During the test, you can learn about the state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the subject, since during running these systems are used more than others. If you can't wait anymore, learn how you can do the Cooper Running Test, let's get down to business.
If you decide to take the test, you will need to do a warm-up of five to fifteen minutes. Be sure to stretch to avoid possible injuries such as muscle strains and ligaments, stretch both your legs and upper body so that all muscles are prepared for running. Do a short jog - this will allow the body to tune in to serious running and prepare the respiratory and cardiovascular systems for running. It is important not to get tired during the warm-up - the body must prepare for the work, and not do it before the test. So, 12 minutes are timed on the stopwatch, and the subject begins to run.
After the time has passed, the distance that the person managed to run is measured, and the result is checked against the table . Cooper table by columns assessment categories are distributed - there are five of them: very good, good, average, low, very low result. The lines are distributed according to age categories (13-14 years old, 15-16 years old, and so on), and within each age category there is also a breakdown by gender of the subject - it is no secret that the physical abilities of men and women differ.
An important point in the Cooper rating system— the assessment depends not only on the result, but also on age. The same result at 20 and 30 years old will show a different level of functioning of the subject’s body systems.
It is convenient to measure the distance at the stadium, but it is not always possible to count the exact number of meters traveled, so the author also developed a modification of this test, thanks to which it is much more convenient to carry out measurements, and it is also possible to evaluate a whole group of subjects at the same time. It is not the distance that is measured for this purpose., and the time it takes a person to run 1.5 miles (that's about 2,415 meters). The results are assessed according to a simplified scheme - for men under the age of 30, an excellent result is less than 10 minutes 15 seconds, good - from 12 to 10 minutes 15 seconds, normal - 14.30 - 12 minutes, from 16 to 14 minutes 30 seconds - low a result of more than 16 minutes is very low.
Exercise Testing
For those who have bad weather outside and are unable to run a distance, but want to test their endurance, we suggest trying another exercise from the Cooper complex. Do a full warm-up, then get started. Don't forget to time yourself before starting the test..
After completion, similar to other exercises, the results are checked against the standards. For this exercise:
- 3 minutes - very good
- 3 minutes 30 seconds - good
- 4 minutes is normal
- More than four minutes - low result, it’s worth working on the exercises
- If you doubt that you are doing the exercises correctly, watch the Cooper test video from an expert
Swimming testing
For the more experienced, the Cooper complex includes an exercise such as swimming. Just like running, you need to warm up before swimming. Warming up will be a necessary activity before each endurance exercise in Cooper's assessment. 12 minutes are timed on a stopwatch and the distance in meters that the subject managed to swim is measured. Similar, as in running, the results are compared with the table: Cooper test standards are different for different ages, as in other exercises.
Cooper test - cycling
Cycling enthusiasts will appreciate the following exercise - testing physical endurance through a twelve-minute bicycle ride. It is important to carry out the test on a bike in calm weather on a track without sharp descents and ascents, and good coverage will be an important factor in obtaining an adequate assessment, otherwise the result will be incorrectly assessed according to Cooper standards. The standards are also presented in table form:
Thanks to the Cooper test, anyone can evaluate their fitness. Note that Cooper himself recommended that people over 35 years of age not use his test if they do not have good physical fitness.
This article will focus on the Cooper test. In my opinion, it is worth paying attention to; it is not for nothing that it is often used to find out the physical characteristics of a person, his endurance. There is something similar in the army, but this is not relevant to this article. Walking around the Internet, I found several Cooper tests, it is noteworthy that one of them is used to pass the Red Beret (I don’t know how true this is, as they say, it’s also written on the fence), but the test itself seemed interesting to me. Moreover, this test can be attributed to crossfit. Naturally, an experiment with a group of like-minded people immediately followed. We were overwhelmed with emotions, especially on the day when we completed two endurance tests in a row, the sunshine provided a special contrast to the sensations( Not recommended).
Let's look at them in more detail. The first test we performed was running for 12 minutes.
It was developed by Dr. Ken Cooper in 1968. This is a quick way to assess the physical readiness of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Cooper originally developed it for US Army personnel. Today it is popular all over the world, including in schools. Perhaps there was something similar in the USSR, but unfortunately I couldn’t find it.
You can perform the test yourself by measuring the distance you run within 12 minutes. I would like to note that you need to approach the test headlong, count your strengths, your degree of preparedness, otherwise it may be associated with a risk to your life. No fanaticism!( although I admit it’s difficult when there’s excitement). We compare the results obtained with the results in the table and set a mark for ourselves.
This was the first test we took. Everyone was happy with the result. Then, after resting for about 10 minutes, we moved on to the second Cooper test. To be honest, in the hot sun we were already terrified of what awaited us, but nevertheless we overcame ourselves and began to carry out the task.
"Cooper Test"
1. Do 10 push-ups and remain in a lying position.
2. We lift our legs into a sitting position and return to a lying position, and so on 10 times.
3. Turn over onto your back. Press. Either raise the body to the vertical, or throw your legs behind your head, or fold your elbows to your knees at the same time. Lumbar lift is required 10 times.
4.10 jumping out of a full squat or 10 stretches, 5 on each leg, knee touching the floor.
4 exercises 10 times - one circle/cycle. 4 laps in 3 minutes - excellent, in 3.30 - good, in 4 minutes - satisfactory. If the time is longer, it's bad.
A description of this test can be found in the book "Reconnaissance Training. GRU Special Forces System." Literature varies, but everywhere you can learn something useful. This test is worth doing at least once a week. It will improve endurance and functionality well, and it is also a good gymnastics for weight loss. At the moment of execution there were puddles of sweat underneath us. And if it becomes easy, then what prevents you from supplementing it. I read somewhere that crossfit is like a kitchen, where dishes are made according to both good and bad recipes. No one is stopping you from being creative and creating your own well-balanced WOD.
A comprehensive strength test consists of sequential exercises.
Exercise No. 1
Starting position: crouching. Take a lying position and return to the starting position, repeat 10 times.
Exercise No. 2
Performed immediately after exercise 1.
From the starting position, lie down on your stomach and roll over onto your back (1), raise your legs without bending your knees (2), touch your toes to the floor behind your head (3) (if there is no contact, the exercise is considered not completed), return your legs to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise No. 3 Performed immediately after exercise 2.
Roll over from your back to your stomach, take the starting position, lying down, bend your elbows until your chest touches the floor (ground), straighten your arms.
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Exercise No. 4 Performed immediately after exercise 3.
Take a squatting position, sit down on one knee, raise your arms up, place your palms on the back of your head. Jump up, straighten your legs, and squat on the other knee.
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Cooper test. Strength endurance.
Cooper test is a series of tests to determine the level of physical fitness and general assessment of the physical condition of the human body. The author of the technique is Kenneth H. Cooper. In 1968, an American scientist and physician, a former military man, developed a set of endurance tests for various sports. Today, in international sports practice, Cooper tests are used for runners, swimmers and cyclists.
The testing program includes about 30 tests, which are designed for people under the age of 35. As the editors share with us, people over this age can also get tested, but only if they follow the recommendations for taking the test.
The main condition for performing the test is good health.
When passing Cooper tests, a person performs aerobic types of exercise. At this moment, all cells of the body use the oxygen that is in them to the maximum. With this type of load, oxygen starvation of the body is excluded. During Cooper's tests, two-thirds of a person's muscles are used, and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are stressed.
Cooper running test
To test yourself in running using the American scientist’s method, you need to run as far as possible in 12 minutes. Note that 12 minutes is the standard for passing each Cooper test. It is most convenient to conduct a running test at a stadium. Read about other equally interesting articles on this topic in the section
After the command “Start!” The subject begins to move on a flat treadmill.
Stages of the Cooper test
- Warm-up is required from 3 to 15 minutes;
- Basic load (12 minutes of running, swimming or cycling);
- Hitch.
How to perform the Cooper test
Run: Run on a flat running surface for 12 minutes.
Swimming: swim the longest freestyle distance in 12 minutes
Bike: on a flat track without changes in height and surface, cover the distance in 12 minutes. To show the best results, you need to perform it in good weather without natural distractions.
The test results obtained must be correlated with the standard table.
Kenneth Cooper developed certain standards for each of the tests, taking into account the gender and age of the person taking the test. Regulatory tables will help assess the state of the body of men and women from 13 to 29 years old.
Distances are indicated in meters.
Running standards
Swimming standards
Cycling standards
Cooper tests are one of the methods for diagnosing the physical level of fitness. It is not the result itself that is valuable, but its dynamics over time.
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