Starting a Workout 57
Fitness Tests
Fitness tests evaluate your body’s overall fitness in terms of
its aerobic capacity. During the warmup stage of the test, you
can adjust your starting resistance settings. After that, you
complete a series of stages of increasing intensity. Based on
your progress through these stages and the changes in your
heart rate as you complete them, the equipment calculates
your fitness score at the end of the test.
On treadmills, the Gerkin Fitness Test compares your fitness
level with the official fitness standards of the International
Association of Firefighters (IAFF). This test is written using
the Gerkin Protocol, which is the basis for the official IAFF
fitness test and part of their Wellness and Fitness Initiative.
The equipment ends the test prematurely if any of the
following things happen:
The equipment cannot detect your heartbeat.
Your heart rate exceeds 85% of your maximum safe rate
for 15 seconds or more.
Your heart rate changes too quickly.
You stop the test yourself (by pressing the STOP switch
or pulling on the safety clip lanyard on a treadmill, or by
coming to a stop on an EFX or climber).
Important: For best results, sit and rest for at least five minutes
before you take the test.
Training tip: To see how your performance level increases
with exercise over time, try taking the fitness test as soon as
possible after you begin your exercise program. Then, as you
keep working out, take the fitness test from time to time and
watch your results improve.
