Testing and goal setting

These notes combine advice from 139 reviewed passages across 79 workouts.

Overview

Performance tests are assessment tools for identifying bodily deficiencies or excesses, not pass-or-fail judgments. Use tests as indicators to identify what is lacking or excessive. Use a test to establish a baseline, then increase the tested performance values as training continues.

Setting goals

Start by choosing one solid primary goal, because skill-focused training and general-health training call for different programming. If the aim is to stay stable and healthy, the program is organized around that; if the aim is a movement like planche, the shoulders and scapula need substantial development.

A person can specialize in a small group of movements and pursue excellence in them. A concrete skill goal such as planche can give training a clearer purpose than doing sit-ups and push-ups alone.

Keep a specific practice target in mind and work deliberately toward it instead of proceeding without a target. Progress by setting a target number and raising it after reaching the current target, for example moving from 20 to 25 to 30. A personal-record list can be continually updated to monitor progress across movements, and visually tracking strength progress may make further improvement easier to pursue.

Do not wait until you are already capable of an ambitious number before starting. Begin working toward it directly; if you decide it is impossible and never try, you stay where you are.

Break a large target into progressive subgoals. To reach 70 push-ups, first pass 20, then 40, then 60.

Set small and medium goals that support a larger long-term goal, and keep the ultimate goal in mind even if you do not reach it right away.

Testing methods

A monthly test can use repeated two-minute maximum-effort intervals alternating with two-minute rests over 30 minutes. A monthly multi-movement test with two-minute maximal efforts, two-minute rests, and recorded scores can track performance levels and weaknesses.

For a maximum test, effort can be distributed strategically between exercises, although maximal effort is recommended. In a two-minute repetition test, short breaks are allowed and progress can be assessed against the previous record.

Use a test to establish a baseline, then increase the tested performance values as training continues. Test an element after it has been trained rather than introducing an unpracticed element into the current test.

A formal fitness test can combine level standards, judged form, and timed maximum-repetition exercises. A beep test uses repeated twenty-meter shuttle runs with progressively shorter signal intervals and increasing speed.

The apparatus and movement mechanics used for timed push-up testing can change the measured maximum.

Hold a plank for three minutes as a basic target for a better-quality body. Three to four minutes is good plank endurance and five minutes is excellent.

Comfortably using 20 kg in each hand is a sign of substantial progress in a movement.

Using test results

Compare test results across movements to identify the limiting quality and adjust training, for example emphasizing stamina when burpees lag and arm strength when push-ups lag. Use tests as indicators to identify what is lacking or excessive.

Performance tests are assessment tools for identifying bodily deficiencies or excesses, not pass-or-fail judgments. Performance-test values vary with daily condition, mood, and pain, but averaging results can still provide a general picture.

A challenging assessment can prepare later training and reveal what is lacking or excessive in the person’s current condition. Evaluating an athlete makes subsequent individualized program design easier.

Use progressive testing to locate problems; difficulty during the lowering phase indicates that the upward phase will be harder.

Maximal or unlimited repetitions may be appropriate for tests, but should generally be avoided in regular programmed workouts.

Pacing and strategy during tests

For a two-minute effort, create an individual pacing strategy to maximize repetitions while maintaining correct form, for example doing repetitions until you finish, resting, then continuing.

Completing a test rather than stopping halfway can preserve even a minimal result and provide psychological value. In a test, effort can be shifted toward one movement by doing minimal work on others, although completing all movements is generally more sensible.

Set a limit on record attempts and move on to another movement rather than trying indefinitely. Use five attempts regardless of earlier success or failure, with the goal of succeeding on all five.

The ability to perform 50 repetitions can be used as a basis for suggesting 200 repetitions split into four sets of 50.

In his own training, he runs about 20 kilometers once a month to check whether he can still complete that distance, and trains if he cannot.

In his own training, he did 100 push-ups for a month as a fixed-number challenge, and finds such occasional week- or month-long challenges useful for assessing readiness.

In his own training, the coach set targets above his maximum and made completing them a condition for eating, a practice he used about 90% of the time; those sessions sometimes lasted one hour and sometimes six hours. He also describes using progressively larger practice targets when a lower target is not achieved, moving from three to five to seven to eight and then to eleven. He prioritizes usable strength and freedom of movement over appearance, treating physique as a secondary benefit. His own handstand record was 3:05 without leaning on anything.

In his own training, the coach chose three movements, one from power, one from acrobatics, and one static, and concentrates on mastering them.

In his own training, the coach set a lifelong goal of never going below 120 kilos in the snatch.

In his own training, the coach’s goal is to be one step better than a comparison target rather than being the strongest overall.

In his own training, the coach recalls a challenge that once took about 20 minutes and later improved; his goal is to reduce the time even slightly.

In his own training, the coach does not focus on the full distance of a 20-kilometer run; he focuses on finishing it and divides the distance into five-kilometer segments.

The coach set himself a coin-bending challenge. On the grip exercise he assigns, he can manage about three maximum repetitions, and he estimates that reaching fifteen repetitions would give him the grip strength to bend a coin.

In his own practice, the coach tracks progress by taking photos regularly and checking them before lessons and on days off.

Further guidance

Goal setting in training means choosing a specific, achievable target before each attempt and working toward it. A clear number gives each effort a purpose. The approach combines ambitious long-term goals with nearer, progressive targets, and it depends on committing mentally to the number you choose.

Testing and goal setting begin with knowing your current level. Assess a trainee’s starting point with questions and a small test, such as counting push-ups, then write programs slightly above that level. Testing also gives you repeatable benchmarks you can compare over time to see whether you have improved.

Approach each attempt with a clear target in mind, accept lower current results, and progress systematically.

Testing and goal setting give training direction. A test shows where you stand, and a benchmark shows what a good result looks like. Targets such as one and a half times bodyweight on the bench press or a ten-second freestanding handstand turn vague intentions into numbers you can check.

A test only means something when you have a starting point. When no baseline exists, set a first data point and build from it, and after a break from training, repeat the test to re-establish where you are.

Setting targets

Set a specific duration or repetition goal before you start, such as five or ten seconds, rather than entering an attempt without a plan. Keep the target ambitious but achievable, and do not announce a goal you cannot realistically reach. Hold a long-term ambition in mind, but work through nearer progressive targets, because aiming directly at a much higher number can be dangerous. Distinguish the ultimate goal from the target for the current lesson or the next two weeks, and choose a long-term goal you genuinely believe you can reach.

Work toward a clear target until you reach it, and use small targets that you complete one at a time while building toward a larger goal. Setting a specific hold target, such as ten seconds, encourages longer holds. When practicing balance, aim for your highest level, and aim to exceed your previous record. Set successive targets above your last best, such as ten, twelve, and fourteen after reaching eight. Once you reach a new level, treat it as your new baseline and keep progressing beyond it rather than focusing on lower counts. You can also set a collection goal, such as ten variations of one skill, or a personal challenge like holding a handstand for a number of seconds equal to your age. In independent practice, set a specific hold-time target and persist until you reach it; the target may come in the first minute or the tenth minute. Committing mentally to a higher target can help you reach a lower but still strong result.

Benchmarks

Twenty clean pull-ups is a strong performance benchmark and a serious training goal, and it is a notable number that can be reached on a good day. Twenty pull-ups performed without swinging or leaning forward are especially effective. A one-minute hang is a reasonable benchmark for average adults aged 30 to 40. A two-minute handstand hold is sufficient for a gymnast. Pressing one and a half times your bodyweight for two repetitions is presented as a strong, entry-level fitness benchmark. A 15-second wall-free forearm stand hold is treated as a meaningful control milestone and as evidence that you can perform the hold anywhere, anytime. Five repetitions is a rough criterion for knowing a dynamic movement, and five seconds for knowing a static hold. Being able to perform a movement up to chest height is evidence that the cartwheel skill is established. Performing a flick at a good level indicates good flexibility and strength. One-hand, one-foot balance is a demanding test of bodily capacity, including for strong people. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-second milestones can act as gateways to longer holds. Use a ten-second tuck-planche hold as the threshold before progressing to a more open variation. Wheel-based exercises can make right-left differences easier to measure than dumbbell exercises, and simple movement-speed tracking can help you monitor progress.

Handstand holds give a clear scale of progress. Around 30 seconds already counts as good, one minute is very good, and two minutes is difficult. National-team gymnasts often hold two to two and a half minutes, and Olympic-level athletes may reach six to seven minutes. Practitioners typically start cartwheel work once they can hold about 30 seconds. A ten-second hold shows that coordination, strength, and balance are all in place.

An 11-second back lever hold does not need to be pushed to 20 or 30 seconds. Other skills, such as the front lever, also deserve the training time.

A 100-kilogram bench press is a good general target for chest strength and shows the chest can lift that weight. Some people aim for twice their bodyweight, but 100 kilograms is solid; above that level, development takes a different form.

Thirty repetitions of a 90-degree exercise count as somewhat above an intermediate level.

The front lever is a useful test: it shows whether the back and shoulders can lift the rest of the body properly. Performing a difficult movement that draws on the L-sit and pullover shows substantial control of both skills.

Testing

When a test involves multiple efforts, rest between efforts and complete the test rather than abandoning it midway. During a two-minute repetition test, increasing by two each round can help build toward a higher total. A challenging station can be set beyond full completion capacity, with a passing threshold below full completion while you still aim for 100%.

Assessing a baseline

Before writing a program, get a baseline. Ask questions and run a small test, such as counting push-ups. This gives you a starting picture of the trainee, and as you work through the program you learn their level more precisely. Write the program slightly above that level so it keeps developing them.

Withhold an assignment when you do not know enough about the athlete’s capabilities.

Some tests have a specific measurement. Vertical jump height is the difference between your standing reach and your jumping reach. Stand straight, touch the farthest point you can reach, then jump and touch the highest point, and measure the gap. Measure by reach height, not by pulling the legs up during the jump; when you pull the legs inward, that distance is not counted.

When you assess a test, look at each item individually rather than only the full set. A single pull-up can also gauge how much capacity you have left before moving to the next bar exercise.

Benchmarks can be used to place people. Participants who can complete about 80 percent of a benchmark are suited to a more advanced camp, while those who cannot belong to level one. A one-minute effort can serve as a recurring benchmark workout, and a one-minute work, one-minute rest format repeated ten times works as a conditioning benchmark. A two-minute assessment records the highest number of repetitions you complete in a single effort.

Setting goals and targets

Approach each attempt with a clear target in mind. If your target is 30, keep 30 in your head every time you start; do not go in expecting whatever happens. Accept that a current result of 10 or 15 is fine, and progress systematically toward the target.

Set an initial target, then build on it once you reach it. For example, set an initial target of 20, and once you reach 20 keep adding to it while working to avoid a fall. A timed effort can target improvement over a prior result without being treated as a record attempt.

Use staged targets for a skill. For wall handstand push-ups, a common path is 10, then 15, with 30 as the ultimate target; reaching 30 shows strength at a distinctly higher level. For handstand push-ups, five can be the first target, and aim for a 30-second handstand on each entry.

For an advanced planche hold, a 15-second progression target is a reasonable goal. Small, measurable goals also work well for practice, such as holding a position for eight or ten seconds.

Some goals are long-term. Choose a small set of personally meaningful skills and devote long-term practice to mastering them. You might pick a handstand or a planche and keep going until you are very good at it. Two or three movements can be enough. Long-term practice can also be based on weighted progress and sustained commitment to a chosen movement.

Planche is a good long-term strength goal. It is a movement you can still do at fifty, and it preserves strength, because even trying to maintain the planche is itself a highly demanding workout.

Some targets act as thresholds. Treat five pull-ups as an acceptable level; falling below five is a problem. A 20 kilogram foot load can serve as a benchmark for having a front lever and comfortably performing the straddle version.

Tracking and measuring progress

Compare a completed performance with the previous session to judge whether you have improved. If you complete 12 on the first set and then do 10 on the third, you can see you are clearly better than last time.

Record your performance numbers in writing. Note the numbers you achieve, and you can look back to see how far you have gone, which makes improvement easier to measure.

Repeating the same performance indicates that an earlier result was genuine. Twenty pull-ups with good form is a sign of good strength.

When handstand performance shows sufficient core strength, additional core work may not be needed, because you are already doing it.

Count a freestanding handstand hold only from the moment your feet leave the wall. You can start from the wall, but the count begins when the feet separate from it. A wall-supported handstand is a different standard from the freestanding test, which counts only time with the feet off the wall. For handstand tracking, prioritize the time with both feet in the air.

During a handstand, track the count by counting internally or by placing a phone camera in front and watching the count.

Mindset around testing

Frame high-repetition efforts as training rather than a test, because the word test can make people apprehensive. The same effort can be viewed both as a test and as training.

A meaningful skill goal can improve motivation and purposeful technique practice. When you do push-ups to strengthen the planche, the planche starts to improve and you want to keep practicing with correct form; without a reason, you eventually stop.

Handstands require composure. A two-minute time limit can make a handstand harder and make you tense, but the goal is to perform it under those conditions.

Running tests and tracking

For a timed pull-up test, do one maximal effort in the first 30 seconds, rest for a minute, then do another maximal effort in the final 30 seconds. This can bring the total close to 40.

Run a test at the same level and in the same order each time; that consistency is what allows the result to progress.

Assess a movement when fresh. Test the back lever on its own, before any front-lever combination, so front-lever fatigue does not distort the result.

For an L-sit test, do a few repetitions first, then hold the position for as long as you can without breaking form; that hold establishes your maximum.

Testing whether the target muscles actually engage during a movement shows whether the program needs adjustment.

Use a line on the wall at ankle height as a visual checkpoint; reaching that line means the movement is acceptable.

Track progress with several markers at once, including rest numbers, recovery time, strength, power, and appearance.

Safety in testing

Motivation and discipline: Supports
Progressions, regressions, and scaling: Supports