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MORE WORKOUTS: FIT TEST PROGRAM
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Pretest Screening
Prior to any exercise test (maximal or sub-maximal), participants should
complete a brief health/medical questionnaire, have their resting blood pressure
and heart rate measured, and provide an informed consent form. The Physical
Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) is an example of a valid health/
medical questionnaire for screening individuals prior to sub-maximal exercise
testing. Canadian health and fitness practitioners have extensively (and quite
successfully) used the PAR-Q to determine whether individuals should be given
an exercise test. A “yes” answer to any of the following seven questions taken
from the PAR-Q would disqualify a participant from taking part in an exercise
test until appropriate medical clearance was obtained.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY READINESS QUESTIONNAIRE (PAR-Q)
1. Has your doctor ever said you have a heart condition and recommended only
medically supervised physical activity?
2. Do you have chest pain brought on by physical activity?
3. Have you developed chest pain within the past month?
4. Do you tend to lose consciousness or fall over as a result of dizziness?
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be aggravated by the
proposed physical activity?
6. Has a doctor ever recommended medication for your blood pressure or a
heart condition?
7. Are you aware, through your own experience or a doctor’s advice, of any
other physical reason against your exercising without medical supervision?
Nautilus Sub-maximal Fit Test
The Nautilus Fit Test is a program that estimates maximal aerobic capacity
based on heart-rate response to sub-maximal exercise.
The Nautilus branching protocol is a series of 3-minute stages of continuous
exercise at increasing intensity. The first stage is a warm-up at approximately 4
METs. The intensity of the remaining stages is based on the heart rate response
to the warm-up. The test is designed to raise the steady state heart rate of
the subject to at least 115 beats/minute. It is important to remember that two
consecutive heart rate measurements must be obtained above 115 beats/minute
to predict VO
2 max
. The test typically lasts from 6 to 15 minutes. The test will
