Keeping track of your statistics on physical fitness is incredibly important if you’re training to improve them. The reasons for this are many as not only does it improve your dedication and commitment by showing you how you’re slowly improving, but it also improves your attention to detail and allows you to tweak your regime, diet and supplement stack to bring the best results. For example, write down all the exercises you’re doing and every product you’re taking every day, then if you change any elements and begin adding extra muscle mass more quickly you can identify exactly what it is you changed and make sure you keep on doing it!

Keeping an eye on your statistics on physical fitness has other benefits too, and allows you to measure yourself against the averages and champions of your field. So you look like you’re getting stronger, but just how much stronger are you than the average Joe? Using your own statistics on physical fitness along with those representing the nation you can see just how successful you are and have something worthwhile to aim for. You might even find that you’re ready to start competing this way. Keeping an eye on the world records also tells you what the current pinnacle of human performance is, who wouldn’t want to know that? (Although Usain Bolt, who smashed the 100 metre record, seems uninterested in running without waving his arms about…)

For those reasons you should monitor your statistics at all time, and try to stay aware of others. Below are some world records and national averages (for American males). How do you measure up? Bare in mind however that not average or record is flawless – many of these records such as the 100 metres will depend on wind direction etc, while the averages must take into account extremes such as the overweight and the ill.

The records:

The heaviest Bench Press is 470kg, Ben Riddle

The heaviest ‘Raw’ Bench Press (i.e without equipment) is 324kg, Scot Mendelson

The heaviest Squat is 550.5kg, Andy Bolton

The heaviest Raw Squat is 430kg, Mark Henry

The heaviest Deadlift is 455.0kg, Andy Bolton

The best 100 metres is 9.69, Usain Bolt

The fastest Mile is 43.13, Hicham El Guerrouj

The averages:

The average IQ is 100 (because this is actually how the tests are designed)

The average Chest is 41 inch

The average Back is 16.2 inches wide

The average Waist is 34 inches

The average Biceps are 13-inch

The average Thighs are 20.4 inch

The average Body fat is 19.7%

The average Height is 5 feet 9.1 inches

The average Weight is 175 pounds

The average BMI is 26.6

The average Press ups is 27 press-ups

The average Sit ups is 36

The average Pull ups is 1

The average Bench Press is 93% of his body weight

The average VO2 Max is 2.0 litres/minute and 38 ml/kg/min

Time it takes the average guy to run a mile is 8 minutes, 34 seconds

Measuring your bodyfat percentage – To measure your bodyfat using the fat pinching method you will need family member or friend (you have one of those right?) as well as a ruler with millimetres on it. Now hang your right arm down by your side, and get your friend to find roughly the halfway point between the elbow and shoulder on the posterior (rear) side of your arm. Then with their forefinger and thumb get them to pinch a fold of flesh (not too hard so it hurts mind) and pull it up away from the muscle and the bone as far as they can comfortably (make sure you trust this person implicitly…). Now get them to measure the stretch of skin the pulled out with the aforementioned ruler down to the arm (making sure not to press the ruler against the skin as this can stretch it further and mess up the results). For the most accurate result have them do this three times and take an average reading (the sum of the readings divided by three). Once you’ve measured the skin you can work out your bodyfat percentage as follows… (deep breath inwards): Six millimetres is about five to nine percent bodyfat for men and about eight to thirteen percent bodyfat for women. Thirteen millimetres is about nine to thirteen percent bodyfat for men and about thirteen to eighteen percent bodyfat for women. Nineteen millimetres is about thirteen to eighteen percent bodyfat for men and about eighteen to twenty three percent bodyfat for women. Twenty Five millimetres is about eighteen to twenty two percent bodyfat for men and about twenty three to twenty eight percent bodyfat for women. Thirty eight millimetres is about twenty two to twenty seven percent bodyfat for men and about twenty eight to thirty three percent bodyfat for women.

Measuring your VO2 Max – Your VO2 max is the maximum rate at which your body can get oxygen around your body. As you tax your body more the rate at which this happens will increase up until a certain point; and that’s your VO2 max. This means that your VO2 max reflects your cardiovascular fitness, and the better it is the further you’ll be able to run without getting tired. To work out yours try sprinting for twelve minutes and run as far as you can in this time (you will slow as you tire). Then apply the following equation known as the Cooper Test. Be careful though that you don’t overstrain yourself as this is actually very taxing for the body.

VO2 Max = (maximum metres run in twelve minutes – five hundred and five) divided by forty five.

Measuring muscle size – To measure the size of your muscles you will need a tape measure and a friend who won’t make fun of your vanity. Now measure around each of the following areas while tensed in inches: chest, biceps, waist, thighs, calves and forearms; and across the shoulders. You want them all to be large except the waist…