What Is the P90X Fitness Test?

P90X is a 90-day home fitness training program that varies routines and exercises to prevent your fitness gains from plateauing. The workout program includes challenging core exercises, yoga, intense cardio and strength exercises.

The P90X fitness test is designed to help beginners chart their progress and measure their current physical fitness levels. Beginners must meet minimum requirements to proceed with the P90X program. At the end of the 90 days, you'll repeat the test to see how far you've come.

Required Equipment

Equipment needed to complete the fitness test includes a heart rate monitor, a body fat caliper, tape measure, scale, securely installed pull-up bar, towel, water and a timer. You also need the P90X manual, which provides specific instructions on how to perform each exercise and provides a space to record your results.

Preparing for the Test

Do the test a few days before you plan to begin the P90X program. The test should take roughly 40 minutes. Before beginning the test, take your resting heart rate. Sit calmly and quietly for 2 minutes. Either use a heart rate monitor, or find your neck or wrist pulse and count the number of beats in 30 seconds. Multiply that result by two to measure your resting heart rate.

After recording your resting heart rate, take 10 minutes to warm up your body before beginning the test exercises. Start by marching in place, then do a low-impact activity like jogging in place or jumping jacks. Break a light sweat then stretch out your legs and arms a bit.

The Test

The P90X fitness test involves eight exercises that you should do in the same order during the initial and final evaluations.

Pull-ups: Grasp the bar with your hands a little wider than your shoulders. Pull your body up until your chin passes the bar then lower back down. Do as many as you can and record the number. Rest for 1 minute.

Vertical jump: Stand perpendicular to a wall with your shoulder against it. Raise your arm overhead against the wall. Record the height you can reach to. Next take one step away, jump up and touch the highest point on the wall you can reach. Record that height. Finally, subtract your reach height from your jump height and record the difference. Rest for 4 minutes.

Push-ups: Get into push-up position with your wrists under your shoulders. Lower down until your chest is 2 or 3 inches from the ground, elbows angled out to the sides, then push back up. Do as many reps as possible and record that number. Rest 4 minutes.

Toe touch: Sit on the floor with your legs extended. Bend forward from the waist and reach your fingers toward your toes. Reach as far as you can. If you can't reach your toes, measure the space between your fingers and toes; if you can reach past your toes, measure that distance. Record your results. Rest 4 minutes.

Wall squat: Stand with your back against the wall and walk your feet out a bit. Slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Align your feet under your knees. Set your timer and hold the position for as long as you can. You can slide your back down the wall if you get tired, but your butt can't touch the floor. Record the amount of time you were able to hold the squat. Rest 4 minutes.

Biceps curls: Choose an amount of weight you think you can lift for 10 to 15 reps. You don't want too light or too heavy a weight. Hold the dumbbells in your hands at your sides, palms facing out. Keep your elbows in close to your sides and do as many curls as you can. Record your completed reps and the weight you used. Rest 4 minutes.

In and outs: Sit with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, with your hands on the floor next to your hips. Lift your feet off the ground and bring your knees in toward your chest. Extend your legs out straight, then bring your knees back in toward your chest. Repeat for as many reps as you can without your feet touching the ground. Record the number. Rest 4 minutes.

Heart Rate Maximizer: Do jumping jacks at a quick and steady pace for 2 minutes. For an additional 30 seconds, do jumping jacks as fast as you can. Wait 1 minute and measure your heart rate again. Take your heart rate three more times one-minute apart and record your findings.

Minimum Requirements

To successfully start the P90X program, your results should match the minimum requirements for each exercise. Males should be able to do three pull-ups; women should be able to do one pull-up. The minimum for the vertical leap is 5 inches for men and 3 inches for women.

Males should be able to do 15 push-ups, and women should be able to do three push-ups or 15 modified push-ups. Men should be able to do ten 20-pound biceps curls, and women should be able to do ten 8-pound bicep curls.

Males and females should both be able to reach 6 inches from their toes in the leg stretch test, hold a wall squat for 60 seconds, perform 25 in and outs and do continuous jumping jacks for 2 minutes.