Take the 20 Minute Test for Functional Core Strength ––
You May Not Be as Fit as You Think!
The strategy behind the SpinalCore Platform® Joint-Friendly Training is not about repetitions or multiple sets in the beginning of your fitness journey. The most important “exercise” is to extend your “Hold Time” in order to force your muscles to failure so they can rebuild stronger and more efficiently without damage to your joints. Focusing on your upper body and core strength will quickly improve your overall strength, health and physical endurance.
Basic skills required for a college level gymnast are flexibility, core strength, balance, upper and lower-body strength, power, mental focus, discipline, and dedication. Olympic Ring Gymnasts have achieved hold times of 60 Minutes or more for each of our test positions and are required to perform other more difficult ring exercises, including; the iron cross with the arms fully extended at the side, a horizontal full-body hold and vertical hand stands on the rings without lateral movement.
The SpinalCore Efficiency™ Test makes it easy to verify your current physical fitness ability and allows you to create a strategy so you can focus your training on your existing strength and weakness.
The number one problem with traditional fitness training programs is the lack of testing that reveals weekly improvements and/or existing weakness in your physical fitness and endurance. If you don’t have a trainer, then you should get someone to help record your time during a test, so you can properly evaluate your progress.
We recommend that SpinalCore Certified Trainers test all of their clients before any other training activity. This will establish a base line of physical fitness. Testing will allow the trainer to properly evaluate their client’s abilities and provide evidence where their client needs to improve.
The SpinalCore Efficiency™ Test should be performed on a weekly basis in order to evaluate progress and reveal weaknesses. The test also makes it easy to create a specific training program that will quickly produces results and create an instant gratification. As the client improves on each test, they will see and feel the results of their efforts and want to continue their training. When the client can successfully pass the 1 Minute hold time, increase the hold time to 2 Minutes or more.
Stage One Testing Procedures:
Hold each of the 11 positions for up to 1 minute (60 seconds).
A hold time of 60 seconds on each test is a perfect score.
The goal is a total of 10 minutes (600 seconds) of “hold time” completed with 20 minutes of “test time”. Discontinue testing if extreme fatigue, dizziness or loss of consciousness is experienced.
SpinalCore Efficiency™ Test Results
How to Calculate Your SpinalCore Efficiency™ for Each Test.
The optimum level of SpinalCore Efficiency™ is based on 60 seconds of “hold time” for each test. The scale below will indicate what level of SpinalCore Efficiency™ you are able to maintain for each test. The longer you are able to correctly hold any position, the greater your fitness level for that test. To calculate your SpinalCore Efficiency™ Score (%) for each individual test, divide your hold time, in seconds, by 60.
Individual Test Seconds Divided by 60 = Score
How to Calculate Your Overall SpinalCore Efficiency™
Add all 11 test results (total seconds) to determine your overall level of SpinalCore Efficiency™ using the table below.
| LEVEL | TOTAL SECONDS | SCORE |
| Beginner | 0 –– 200 | 0 –– 33% |
| Intermediate | 201 –– 400 | 34% –– 66% |
| Advanced | 401 –– 600 | 67% –– 100% |