When it comes to fitness benchmarks, most people rely on strength and flexibility. But cardio is equally important. Your Fitbit or Apple Watch may give you some numbers, but I prefer a simpler test. Here’s how it’s done.
Now, my main cardio pastime is running, so I think in terms of covering distance on my feet. You could do this with a bike instead, or anything that can provide a consistent measurement. Ellipticals vary, for example, but if you have an exercise bike or a real bike that you can trust to give you a correct-ish distance, go for it.
The test is simple: cover 1.6 kilometres as fast as you like. You can walk, run, or mix it up. (Or, flip it around and see how much distance you can cover in ten minutes.)
The result usually gives you a perfect data point for planning out your training paces, using a calculator like this one from Jack Daniels (not the whisky, the other guy).
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