There are different types of fitness - aerobic (endurance), anaerobic (speed), mobility and strength. Considering yourself fit depends on what type of fitness you’re referring to. For the purpose of this article, we’ll discuss fitness in terms of endurance in order to perform well in an aerobic fitness test.
Examples of aerobic fitness tests include the beep test, Yo-Yo test, 5km time trial and VO2 max test.
You might complete an aerobic fitness test to establish a baseline measure (for example, in the recruitment process towards the police), or as a measure of your progress (for example, in the evaluation of your fitness with a sporting team or body transformation program).
The purpose of conducting a fitness test is to either gain a one-off measure of your fitness or an indicator of your progress.
Whatever fitness test you follow or your purpose for doing it, here is how to get fit for it in 2 weeks.
Week 1
Day 1 - Swim
Swim 2-10 laps depending on your level of fitness. Have up to 30 seconds rest between laps.
Swim 2-6 laps depending on your level of fitness, breathing every 3, 5, 7 strokes or 2, 4, 6 strokes. Have up to 60 seconds rest between laps.
Swim 2-4 laps depending on your level of fitness, kicking only. Have up to 60 seconds rest between laps.
Day 2 - Strength
4 Rounds:
30s Front Plank
30s Side Plank
30s Back Plank
30s Side Plank
30s Rest
Day 3 - Run
3 Rounds:
Sprint as far as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10s. Complete 8 times for 1 round. Rest for 3-5 minutes between rounds.
Day 4 - Strength
4 Rounds:
30s Squats
30s Arabesque Hold (Right)
30s Lunges
30s Arabesque Hold (Left)
30s Rest
Day 5 - Swim
Swim 2-10 laps depending on your level of fitness. Have up to 30 seconds rest between laps.
Swim 2-6 laps depending on your level of fitness, breathing every 3, 5, 7 strokes or 2, 4, 6 strokes. Have up to 60 seconds rest between laps.
Swim 2-6 laps depending on your level of fitness, sprinting 25m and cruising 25m. Have up to 90 seconds rest between laps.
Day 6 - Run
Run 5km. Run at a pace that you can still talk but no longer hold a conversation. When you need a break, walk. Start walking before you feel like you reach your limit, not when you feel like you’ve reached your limit.
Day 7 - Stretch
Complete 2 lots of every stretch for 30s on each side of your body.
Shoulders
Glutes
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Calves
Week 2
Day 1 - Swim
Swim 2-10 laps depending on your level of fitness. Have up to 30 seconds rest between laps.
Swim 2-6 laps depending on your level of fitness, breathing every 3, 5, 7 strokes or 2, 4, 6 strokes. Have up to 60 seconds rest between laps.
Swim 2-6 laps depending on your level of fitness, sprinting 1/3 of a 50m pool, treading water for 15s and repeating 3 times down the pool. Have up to 90 seconds rest between laps.
Day 2 - Strength
4 Rounds:
60s Push Ups
60s Horizontal Pull Ups
30s Rest
Day 3 - Run
Sprint 20m, 5 seconds rest.
Sprint 20m, 5 seconds rest.
Sprint 40m, 10 seconds rest.
Sprint 40m, 10 seconds rest.
Sprint 60m, 15 seconds rest.
Sprint 60m, 15 seconds rest.
Sprint 80m, 20 seconds rest.
Sprint 80m, 20 seconds rest.
Sprint 100m, 25 seconds rest.
Sprint 100m, 25 seconds rest.
Sprint 80m, 20 seconds rest.
Sprint 80m, 20 seconds rest.
Sprint 60m, 15 seconds rest.
Sprint 60m, 15 seconds rest.
Sprint 40m, 10 seconds rest.
Sprint 40m, 10 seconds rest.
Sprint 20m, 5 seconds rest.
Sprint 20m.
Day 4 - Strength
45s Skipping
15s Jump Squats
60s Front Plank
30s Broad Jumps
Day 5 - Swim
Swim 2-10 laps depending on your level of fitness. Have up to 30 seconds rest between laps.
Swim 2-6 laps depending on your level of fitness, breathing every 3, 5, 7 strokes or 2, 4, 6 strokes. Have up to 60 seconds rest between laps.
2 Rounds:
Deep water running for 20 seconds. Tread water for 10s. Complete 8 times for 1 round. Rest for 2 minutes between rounds.
Day 6 - Run
Run 5km. Run at a pace that you can still talk but no longer hold a conversation. When you need a break, walk. Start walking before you feel like you reach your limit, not when you feel like you’ve reached your limit.
Day 7 - Stretch
Complete 2 lots of every stretch for 30s on each side of your body.
Shoulders
Glutes
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Calves
I’m confident that if you stick to this program and supplement it with great sleep and great nutrition (see my blogs on those topics), the results of your fitness tests will improve relative to your potential.
What’s your purpose to get fit?
Leave your answer to that question in the comments section below.
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