21. How much do you sleep each night?

GREEN: 6 to 8 hours.
YELLOW: One hour over or under that span.
RED: A lot more (or a lot less).

22. What is your morning resting heart rate (MRHR)?
(Note: Your pulse rate can be taken either with a portable heart rate monitor or by checking your pulse at the carotid artery on your neck or on the radial artery at your wrist. Do this before getting out of bed in the morning. Count the amount of beats in a 10-second period and then multiply by 6 for your heart rate. When using the carotid artery at your neck, do not press firmly or massage the area because that type of maneuver results in cardiac reflex that actually slows your heart rate, resulting in a false reading.)

GREEN: I check my MRHR, especially in times of hard training, and it remains very constant (i.e., within 5 beats per minute—day to day).
YELLOW: I train pretty hard but don’t usually check my MRHR, or it’s been pretty variable (i.e., up 5 to 10 beats per minute), and I’m kinda whipped.
RED: I train very hard but don’t check my MRHR, or it’s been pretty variable (i.e., up 10 beats per minute). I feel pretty beat, and I’m not making gains.

23. Have you ever taken steroids, growth hormone, or supplements such as androstenedione and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone)?

GREEN: No.
YELLOW: Yes.
RED: Yes, recent or current use.

24. For how many hours at a stretch do you sit at a desk?

GREEN: Less than 2.
YELLOW: 2 to 4.
RED: More than 4.

25. Are you hypermobile? (Try the following 3 tests)

  1. Hyperextend (go beyond straight) your elbows
  2. Hyperextend (go beyond straight) your knees
  3. Pull your thumb all the way back to touch your forearm or pull your fingers all the way back so they are at a right angle or beyond to your hand

GREEN: My joints do not hyperextend.
YELLOW: One more more joints hyperextend slightly.
RED: Call me Gumby!

26. How often do you work out?

GREEN: Three times a week, an hour a day.
YELLOW: Maybe once or twice a week.
RED: Let's see, a couple of months ago...

27. Does your workout include the following?

GREEN: Balanced aerobic, strengthening and stretching.
YELLOW: A little of this, and a little of that.
RED: Just one thing (running, yoga, swimming, weights)

28. Do you run to get in shape? Or get in shape to run?

GREEN: I am in shape, or I’ll walk, swim, bike (or other low-impact alternatives) till I’m buffed and ready to run .
YELLOW: I’ll run a little to burn extra calories.
RED: Running is the best and only way to lose those pounds.

29. For a given sport or activity (bicycling, Rollerblading), do you wear the full protective gear suggested?

GREEN: Yes.
YELLOW: Usually.
RED: No.

30. Do you stop an activity when you feel pain?

GREEN: Always.
YELLOW: Usually.
RED: "No pain, no gain" is my mantra.