What is a Rise Fitness Assessment?
Dawson Persons
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At Rise, it is our desire that our members would be able to not only feel the progress they have made, but also to see the progress they have made through objective data. That is why we track our weights and progress in the gym, and why we use regular body scans on the InBody.
We want to provide data that allows our members to look back and clearly see how far they have come. These metrics also allow us, as coaches, to better understand how to help our members, giving us insight into strengths, weaknesses, and areas that deserve more focused attention.
This commitment to objective progress is a cornerstone of how we coach—and it is exactly why we believe Fitness Assessments are such a valuable tool.
The Purpose of the Fitness Assessment
The Fitness Assessment is another way we seek to provide this value. A Fitness Assessment is a standardized workout based on age, gender, and weight, designed to give both the member and coach a clear snapshot of current fitness levels.
In the past, however, our system for assessment administration was laborious for both members and coaches. It required members to come in during non-class hours for two separate sessions within one given week. While the information was valuable, the process itself became a barrier to consistency and participation.
Because of that, we took a step back and restructured the process.
Now, Fitness Assessments can be completed during your normal training hour in just one session, alongside your fellow members, with plenty of encouragement and guidance from your coach. This allows us to gather meaningful data without disrupting your routine, making assessments more accessible, more efficient, and more impactful.
Why We Are Reintroducing Fitness Assessments
As previously mentioned, we desire that our members can not only subjectively feel the progress they have made, but also objectively see their progress. Feelings matter, but data provides clarity, accountability, and direction.
By administering regular fitness assessments every six months, we are able to track progress over time instead of relying on guesswork. This gives extrinsic motivation to members, reinforces consistency, and allows us, as coaches, to better understand how each of our members is progressing so we can coach with greater precision and intention.
In short, the reintroduction of Fitness Assessments allows us to better serve our members, coach more effectively, and clearly demonstrate that our system produces real, measurable results.
Standards, Results, and Levels
Standards
During the assessment, members perform each exercise for a predetermined amount of time, reps, and/or weight. This is what we refer to as a standard. These standards have been set by the coaches as benchmarks we believe all of our members are capable of working toward and achieving.
To “pass” a standard, you must meet or exceed the predetermined reps and/or weight, time, or other specified criteria. In addition, our coaches will use their expertise and discretion to ensure that each exercise is performed with proper form and full range of motion.
The individual “tests” of a fitness assessment are called standards for a reason. This means our staff will strive to hold each standard without exceptions or cutting corners.
Results
To “pass” a fitness assessment, you must achieve (i.e. “pass”) a specific percentage of the total standards attempted. The passing percentage for our current fitness assessment levels is 80% of the standards.
Our new and improved fitness assessments have eight total standards, allowing you to “miss” one standard and still achieve a passing percentage (7/8 standards passed = 87.5%).
Levels
We have three levels in our Fitness Assessment – Strong, Stronger, and Strongest. Each level increases in difficulty, and you must successfully complete one level before progressing to the next (e.g., you must pass the Strong assessment before attempting the Stronger assessment).
The Structure of an Assessment
The Fitness Assessment is now one workout comprising eight different exercises, all geared to test an individual’s ability to express strength, stability, and stamina.
The exercises are ordered as follows:
Trap Bar Deadlift
DB Bench Press
DB Reverse Lunge
TRX Inverted Row
Standing Single-Arm Overhead Press
Single-Leg Toe Touch Balance
Pull-Up Dead Hang
Six-Minute Assault Bike
Each movement is intentionally selected to represent skills and capacities that matter not just in the gym, but in everyday life.
Exercise Breakdown and Rationale
Trap Bar Deadlift
Why: This test measures maximum full-body strength, especially through the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and back). The trap bar allows for a more joint-friendly setup, keeping the movement safe while still highly functional for everyday lifting tasks.
DB Bench Press
Why: This is our standard test for horizontal pushing strength. It’s well-researched, widely used, and a movement nearly all of our members train. It provides a reliable snapshot of upper-body strength and pressing ability.
DB Reverse Lunge
Why: This movement tests strength in knee and hip extension while also challenging coordination and balance—three qualities that greatly improve proficiency in daily movement.
TRX Inverted Row
Why: A great bodyweight pulling movement, the inverted row assesses upper-back strength, scapular control, and core stability. It complements pressing tests and helps ensure shoulder balance and healthy posture.
Standing Single-Arm Overhead Press
Why: This test evaluates vertical pushing strength and shoulder stability. We believe every adult should be able to press weight overhead safely. The single-arm variation also highlights side-to-side imbalances and challenges core stability.
Single-Leg Toe Touch Balance
Why: Balance is essential for injury prevention and confident movement. This dynamic test challenges single-leg stability, hip mobility, and core control—all critical components of functional movement.
Pull-Up Dead Hang
Why: Grip strength is a key indicator of overall health and longevity. The dead hang tests shoulder integrity and grip endurance, and it is easy to train and improve over time.
Six-Minute Assault Bike Test
Why: This test evaluates aerobic capacity without requiring an all-out run or sprint. It helps us understand how efficiently your body uses oxygen and provides a strong benchmark for cardiovascular fitness. Results are entered into a formula to estimate VO₂max.
Looking Ahead
We are excited to be administering these assessments again and are looking forward to cheering you on throughout the process. In fitness, results are king, and these assessments allow us to objectively show that our system delivers real, measurable outcomes.
We believe that members who pass our baseline assessment (Strong) are prepared to face life’s physical challenges with confidence, knowing they have built the strength, stability, and stamina to do so.
For those who pass the (Strong) assessment and want to have more concrete goals to strive for, we also created Stronger and Strongest level assessments as well.