How fit am I? What am I fit for? Am I fit enough, and how can I test my fitness? Am I weak in areas I might not be aware of? Unnoticed weaknesses can spread to a halt in progression and unforeseen injuries.
Test yourself in all areas of fitness by using a set of standards that involves many components of physical fitness. We’ve developed the Athletic Skill Levels as a versatile and user-friendly tool to help you evolve in your health and fitness.
The ten generally recognized components of physical fitness are: Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Strength, Stamina, Flexibility, Coordination, Agility, Balance, Accuracy, Power and Speed.
A varied workout program like CrossFit develops all of these components. This will maximize growth and development, help you set goals, measure progress and aim for balance among the components of fitness. The Athletic Skill Levels make goal-setting more efficient and allow you to track your progress through our levels of fitness.
This level is the minimum standard for health and fitness. Lacking these basic levels of strength, flexibility and work capacity makes daily life very limited. The complete level 1 should be attainable within 3 to 12 months for those with no significant limitations. At this level, proper basic movements, such as hip flexion and active shoulder use are developed while healed injuries and structural problems are resolved.
All healthy adults can aspire to this level of fitness and should recognize these skills as normal. Basic movements are perfected and advanced skills are introduced. The complete Level 2 may take from six months to several years to reach after achieving Level 1. Along the way, you develop great levels of strength, stamina, work capacity and speed, building on the Level 1 foundation already attained.
Few people obtain this level of general fitness, although any healthy person can achieve it. The strength, work capacity, power and skill required to meet these goals can prepare you to overcome any kind of physical performance with competence and confidence. Expect to apply another three to five years of consistent effort. This is an appropriate level of general fitness for those who depend on their fitness such as competitive athletes, military, law enforcement and firefighters. Engaging in combat or highly competitive sports and activities without possessing the abilities of Level 3 is inviting injury or failure.
This level of achievement requires long-term dedication and a position for fitness. The skills required for Level 4 are very advanced and, taken as a whole, represent a highly skilled and well-rounded athlete.
Each skill level contains its own progression of multi-joint movements of increasing skill, making it easy to expose weak areas, set goals and measure your progress. At the same time, you experience the rewards of increased general fitness. You develop strength, stamina and flexibility with measurable drills such as running, rowing and a selection of named CrossFit workouts. Increasingly complex movements bring improvement in coordination, balance and power output.
The Athletic Skill Levels are intended to be a guide; not a standardized test you’re obliged to “pass”. Don’t be so hard on yourself for not being a “Games Athlete”. Use the Levels to measure your strengths and weaknesses and to make improvements about your training. This guide is not a definitive guide to CrossFit, an exercise prescription, nor a complete guide to developing the skills. The skills are intended to be broadly representative of general fitness.
