Why is fitness testing so important?

There are many reasons why individuals should engage in a properly conducted fitness evaluation before starting and throughout their exercise training.

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Lets examine some of them:

Safety - all professionals in our field agree that safety in training is of paramount importance, yet many programs do not test, or offer basic, inaccurate testing as part of their programming. The result is a program which risks injury for its participants.  

Individuality - ensuring that you are completing the correct training for you and your goals is of utmost importance. Without testing, there is no way of knowing (without guessing) what you need to work on to reach your goals. 

Focus - all too often fitness professionals try to "fit" in several types of training in a single training session in an attempt to develop several areas of fitness in one training session. The result is a program which develops very little of alot of things.

Effectiveness - how do you know your training is actually working unless you are frequently evaluating and comparing your fitness values over time. Testing ensures that the training you are completing is actually working, and to what extent. 

Progression - if you want to continue to improve your fitness, your training must be properly adjusted to progressively challange your body to improve. Without testing, you are simply guessing how to progress your training moving forward.