What’s the Best Way to Test Your Strength?

There are many ways to track strength gains. Some avid lifters will obsess over their one‑rep max bench press; others swear by a five‑rep max on the squat rack. If you teach a program like BODYPUMP™, your regulars might measure progress by making it through a full squat track with more weight on the bar. Some people simply count how many push‑ups they can string together before their arms quit.

So what’s the best way to measure our progress, and why is it important?

We turned to professional fitness research scientist Dr. Jinger Gottschall to explore why strength testing matters and how to choose the approach that suits you and your class participants best.

Why measuring your strength matters

According to Jinger, having a baseline strength measurement is an anchor point on any training journey. “Without a baseline, it’s impossible to know if something is working. With a baseline measure, change becomes measurable, training decisions have meaning, and confidence comes from data.” Jinger adds that baseline measures also help inform training progression, giving guidance on how much load or how many reps to do while moving safely.

Baseline strength testing gives you:

• Clarity on where you're starting

• Motivation, because progress becomes visible

• Confidence to move safely and choose the right load

• Meaningful decisions, based on data, not guesswork

‍Is 1RM testing really the gold standard?

The one‑rep max (1RM) test involves determining the maximum weight you can lift with proper form for a single repetition. For decades, it has been treated as the gold standard for measuring maximal strength. And for some people, it really is.

It’s highly reliable and works brilliantly for powerlifters, competitive athletes, and anyone who wants to measure absolute strength with precision.

But ‘best’ is relative. A 1RM isn’t right for everyone. It demands experience, confidence, supervision, and a clear goal. If your own training – or your members’ objectives in your classes – is about general strength, health, or consistency, there may be easier ways to track progress.

Simple, self‑led strength tests for everyday exercisers

For Instructors teaching strength-based programs, here are three quick tests you can introduce at the start of the first class of a new release as a fun shared experience. You can repeat them at the end of the quarter as a simple way to revisit progress and keep members engaged in their development.

The Wall Squat Test

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back against a smooth vertical wall. Slowly slide your back down the wall until both your knees and hips are at a 90-degree angle. Lift one leg off the ground and start the timer. When you can no longer keep that leg off the ground, stop the timer. After a period of rest, test your other leg.

The Hover Test

Assume a hover position on your forearms with your hips lifted off the floor so your body creates a straight line from head to toe. Start timing and stop the timer when your hips lower and you’re no longer able to hold your back in a straight line.

Jinger’s favorite strength test…

Ask Jinger for the one test she personally relies on, and she doesn’t hesitate: the push-up test. Not only does push-up capacity provide a solid measure of upper‑body strength and muscular endurance, but it’s also deeply connected to overall health.

For Instructors, the push-up is also a great tool for teaching alignment, core engagement, and upper-body control – making it a valuable movement to coach and observe in your members. A 10-year study of 1,104 firefighters showed that men who could complete 40 or more push-ups had a 96% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to those who could do 10 or fewer.

The Push‑Up Test

Start in a standard push-up position; hands shoulder-width apart, body straight from head to heels. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground. Push back up to the starting position. Repeat without pausing, ensuring good form for every rep (no sagging hips or flared elbows).

Jinger notes: “While the push-up test is one of my favorites, it is likely to lead to more delayed onset muscle soreness, so be prepared for this! It’s best if you focus on good form – and ideally have someone watch you.”

What’s the deal with grip strength testing?

Grip strength is another go‑to measure, often discussed as a broader indicator of health and longevity. Testing requires a hand dynamometer, but the data can be powerful. According to a large-scale study (involving over 500,000 participants), low grip strength is linked to a higher risk of all-cause mortality, with a specific increased risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and cancer. The researchers found that for every 5kg decrease in grip strength, mortality risk increased by 16-20%, cardiovascular death risk increased by 19-22% and respiratory disease death risk increased by 24-31%.

For Instructors, grip strength can also be a useful (if informal) indicator when coaching resistance-based movements – particularly when guiding members on barbell control, dumbbell work, or sustained holds.

How to test grip strength:

Grip strength is most commonly measured using a hand dynamometer (which assesses the force exerted when you squeeze and indicates muscle strength in the upper body). You hold the dynamometer in one hand and squeeze as hard as possible for 3-5 seconds to get a measure. Good grip strength is between 30-48kg for males and between 16-30kg for females (depending on age).

Don’t have a dynamometer? No problem - whilst not practical in a studio setting, you and your members can try the towel twist test at home. Twist a wet towel as hard as you can for 10–15 seconds. Compare how long you can maintain the twist or how much water you can wring out.

Learn more health insights from Dr Jinger Gottschall on Instagram.