HOW FIT ARE YOU?

Can't deadlift twice your bodyweight? You need to get stronger.

- ALEXA TOWERSEY

Can't broad jump greater than eight feet? You need more power. Can't touch your toes? You need more mobility. Can't run a mile without stopping? You need better conditioning. Can't hold an iso-lunge for a minute? Well then you definitely need to harden the f-k up. And read on for our resident fitness guru's essential tips...

If you ask five of your favorite experts how they measure strength and fitness, they'll undoubtedly all give you five different answers. If you ask me what my standards are, you'll get that really annoying line a lot of us coaches throw out regularly, "it depends". And it does. On sports specifity, on anatomy and on our own bias - an ultramarathon runner probably isn't going to give you the same things to aim for as a powerlifter.

THE 1RM CLUB

The original strength standards were created by powerlifting organisations to rank their competitors, with your "score" being the sum of your squat, bench press and deadlift one rep max. By definition, a one repetition maximum (1RM) is the highest load an individual can lift for a single repetition through their full range of motion with good form (and sorry, anything on a Bosu Ball doesn't count). Over time, these standards have evolved and expanded into what we now see in the general strength and conditioning realm.

Outside of the Big Boys' Club, I've compiled some of the most challenging yet doable strength and fitness standards across the board so you can see how you stack up.

KEEP YOUR SQUATS LOW AND YOUR STANDARDS HIGH