slightly higher, don’t get stressed (that only increases it even more). However,
if your blood pressure is higher than 140/90, you are considered hypertensive,
a fancy term for having high blood pressure. In case you’re wondering, the
top number, called your systolic blood pressure,measures pressure as your
heart ejects blood. The bottom number, your diastolic blood pressure,mea-
sures pressure when your heart relaxes and prepares for its next pump.If you get a high blood-pressure reading, ask your tester to try again. The
numbers can be affected by many factors, such as illness, caffeine, nervous-
ness, or racing into your test because you were late. But if you repeatedly get
high readings, see a doctor.How Fit Is Your Heart? ..................................................................................
Most reputable clubs perform something called a submax test.That’s short
for submaximal test,fitness jargon for a test that evaluates your heart rate
when you’re working at less than your maximum effort. Typically, this test
takes you to about 75 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. A maximal
test— in which you go all-out — should only be performed by a physician or
in the presence of a physician.Submaximal tests are usually performed on a stationary bicycle, treadmill, or
step bench. (If you’re a runner, request a treadmill; if you’re a cyclist, ask to
be tested on a bike. You’re best at what you practice most.) The test usually
lasts about 15 minutes. During this time, you increase your intensity every
three or four minutes while the tester monitors your heart rate and blood
pressure. The test shouldn’t be very hard. On a bike, the worst it should feel
like is pedaling up a moderately steep hill for a few minutes.If you don’t belong to a health club, you can test your aerobic fitness using a
watch with a second hand and a course that’s exactly 1 mile long. Warm up
with a slow walk for five to ten minutes, and then time yourself as you walk or
run the mile as briskly as you can. Take your pulse right before you stop, and
make a mental note of the number. Also note your time as you complete your
mile.One minute after you finish the mile, take your pulse again. See how far it has
dropped from the pulse check you did right at the end of your walk. Try this
test again in two months and see how much faster you can complete the mile
and how much more quickly you recover. If a mile sounds like too much for
you right now, do a half-mile or even walk around the block. Just choose a
distance that you can measure again at a later date.Schedule a second fitness evaluation in six weeks. Those first weeks of train-
ing can bring about some dramatic changes, and it’s really motivating to see
how well you’ve done. After that, changes tend to be steady but somewhat
slower. Get tested again every three to six months. Don’t go longer than a18 Part I: Getting Your Butt off the Couch