Senior Fitness Test Manual

Roberta E. Rikli, PhD, is professor and chair of the division of kinesiology and health promotion at California State University in Fullerton and is cofounder of the LifeSpan Wellness Program at Fullerton. For the past 20 years, Dr. Rikli has done extensive work in physical performance assessment with a particular focus on senior fitness. She has published numerous scientific papers on her work and has made over 100 presentations at conferences and workshops in the United States, Germany, France, Finland, China, and Japan. She serves on the editorial boards of three scientific journals and is a regular reviewer for several others. She holds professional memberships in numerous organizations including the International Society for Aging and Physical Activity; the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD); the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM); and the American Academy for Kinesiology and Physical Education. Dr. Rikli lives in Orange, California, and enjoys hiking and playing tennis and golf. C. Jessie Jones, PhD, is a professor of the division of kinesiology and health promotion at California State University in Fullerton and is codirector of the Center for Successful Aging at Fullerton. Dr. Jones is internationally known for her research, program design, curriculum development, and instructor training in the field of exercise science and aging. She has taught senior fitness classes and conducted training workshops for senior fitness instructors for over 15 years. Her work has been covered in numerous publications and presented at conferences worldwide. Her professional memberships include the Gerontological Society of America; the California Council for Gerontology and Geriatrics; the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD); and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Dr. Jones also lives in Orange, California, where she enjoys hiking, playing golf, and dancing.

Fitness testing in later years - recognizing the unique needs of older adults; the senior fitness test - defining functional fitness parameters; test validity, reliability, and performance standards - identifying relevant fitness measures for older adults; test administration - establishing consistent testing protocols; test results - interpreting and using feedback to motivate and improve performance.