Fitness Testing

7 Stage Abdominal Strength Test

purpose: The 8-level sit up test measures abdominal strength, which is important in back support and core stability.
equipment required: flat surface, recording sheet and pen

description / procedure: The subject lies on their back, with their knees at right angles and feet flat on the floor. The subject then attempts to perform one complete sit-up for each level in the prescribed manner (see table below), starting with level 1. Each level is achieved if a single sit up is performed in the prescribed manner, without the feet coming off the floor. As many attempts as necessary can be made.
scoring: There are 8 levels ranging in difficulty from very poor to elite. The highest level sit-up correctly completed is recorded.

Level	Rating	Description
0	very poor	cannot perform level 1
1	poor	with arms extended, the athlete curls up so that the wrists reach the knees
2	fair	with arms extended, the athlete curls up so that the elbows reach the knees
3	average	with the arms held together across abdominals, the athletes curls up so that the chest touches the thighs
4	good	with the arms held across chest, holding the opposite shoulders, the athlete curls up so that the forearms touch the thighs
5	very good	with the hands held behind head, the athlete curls up so that the chest touches the thighs
6	excellent	as per level 5, with a 5 lb (2.5 kg) weight held behind head, chest touching the thighs
7	elite	as per level 5, with a 10 lb (5 kg) weight held behind head, chest touching the thighs

advantages: moderate sized groups can be tested at once, with minimal equipment required.
disadvantages: People with very heavy upper body find this exercise difficult to perform, as they find it hard to keep their feet on the ground.