The Sit & Reach Test  

Measures: the flexibility of your hamstrings and lower back.

Starting Position: Sit on a flat surface, legs extended in front of the body, toes pointing up and feet slightly apart, with the soles of your feet against the base of the step. Place a ruler on the ground between your legs or on the top of the step.

Action:  Extend your arms & reach slowly forward. At the point of your greatest reach, hold for a couple of seconds.

Goal: To reach as far as you can.

Score: measure the distance reached beyond the base of your feet, or if you didn’t reach your toes, measure the distance between your fingertips and your feet (negative measurement)

         

	Max reach length (inches)	Max  reach length  (cm)
Excellent	6.5  to 10.5+	17 to 27+
Good	2.5 to  6	6 to -16
Average	0 to -2	0 to 15
Poor	-1 to -0.5	-1 to -20
Very Poor	< -8	< -20

Standards based on guidelines published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM):
 

 

How did you go?  You can improve your flexibility by stretching your hamstrings and lower back three times a week. Try to improve gradually over time from where you are right now. Remember, you are looking for improvement in yourself, regardless of charts or others.

Over the past few weeks we published a series of fitness tests for you to gain a complete assessment of your fitness in terms of muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance. Don’t worry too much about your ratings...everyone needs to start somewhere! Measuring your fitness level regularly is one way to track your progress. We hope these assessments will motivate you to become fitter and stronger.

For more fitness and nutrition advice contact the fitness experts at Bodybykris Fitness Elite on 011 2825749, 077130612, visit us at 135, Dutugemunu St, Kohuwala or check us out @ bodybykris.com.   Yourself.  Only Better.                                                     .