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Test Your Exercise I.Q.

Test Your Exercise I.Q.

Is your workout really working for you? Take our quiz to find out.

An illustration of six people playing sports or exercising on three sides of a cube. Activities include: tennis, basketball, running and swimming. Workout equipment is surrounding them.
Jiaqi Wang

Few things are more important to your overall health and longevity than exercise. Improving your fitness level can have a significant effect on mood, sexual health, energy, even immune function and cancer prevention.

But getting started can feel overwhelming. How much do you really have to exercise? Should you stretch first? And what the heck is a burpee anyway?

Let’s start with the basics.

1 of 12

How many minutes of exercise should you get per week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?

2 of 12

It’s time to start your workout. What are the best things to do to prepare? Pick two.

3 of 12

There are many effective ways to motivate yourself to exercise. Which of the following doesn’t work?

An illustration of a person jogging with a dog on a leash. A squirrel, a bird and a butterfly are keeping up beside them.
Jiaqi Wang

Now it’s time to get the heart going. Any fitness routine should include both cardiovascular activity and strength training. The cardio element, meaning any exercise that elevates your heart rate, also strengthens your immune system and improves mental health.

4 of 12

True or false: Running for just five minutes is about as good for your longevity as 15 minutes of walking.

5 of 12

How often should a regular runner get new shoes?

6 of 12

True or false: Doing longer workouts on the weekend is about as effective as spreading them throughout the week.

7 of 12

Which is the best way to track your fitness over time?

An illustration of a person in a warrior yoga pose, balancing on an oversized dumbbell, stacked on an exercise ball with a water bottle nearby.
Jiaqi Wang

Next up is strength training. Most experts recommend at least two days per week, especially as you get older. It’s essential to build strong bones, protect your joints and reduce falls. Yoga, Pilates or bodyweight exercise can help. But for the best results, use weights.

8 of 12

True or false: It’s all but impossible to build muscle mass after you hit 50.

9 of 12

Which of the following are widely recommended ways to strengthen the body to prevent back pain before it begins? Select two.

10 of 12

True or false: The abdominal muscles, or abs, are the most important part of a healthy core.

An illustration of a person in a plank position on a blue yoga mat. The person is wearing headphones and a smart watch and an orange cat is laying on their back.
Jiaqi Wang

You’re just about there. You have done your warm-up, your cardio and your strength training. Let’s try a couple more questions.

11 of 12

Which of the following are widely recommended ways to strengthen the muscles around the knee and prevent pain before it begins? Select two.

12 of 12

Which of these are NOT real exercises? Select two.