Can you run 10 kilometers in 50 minutes?

Lots of trainers bash long runs. My take: If you can’t cover a good distance of ground quickly, you’re not that fit. Running is the most fundamental form of human exercise. The ability to burn through more than 6 miles in 50 minutes or less—an 8 minute mile pace—tells me your lungs are in order. It also shows that you likely have the ability to recovery quickly during rest periods or timeouts. What's more, the 10 kilometer run seems to be an ideal training distance to prep my Special Forces guys in the event they ever have to flee a hot zone.

You’ll notice these standards test your strength, power-endurance—which is your ability to produce strength and power repeatedly—and endurance. If you want to be truly fit, you need to have a high level of fitness in each of those categories.

Individually, those seven fitness standards are good, but not great. A guy who can, for example, squat twice his bodyweight or bench 10 reps with his bodyweight is strong, but he’s not breaking any strength records anytime soon. A guy who can row 2,000 meters or run 10 kilometers in 50 minutes has a pretty solid base of endurance, but he’s not taking the podium at a race.

But a guy who can do all those things? That person is exceedingly fit.

Most people tend to be good in one area, but not in others. That’s because the body types and skills that lead to more strength, endurance, or power often compete with each other. This shouldn’t be a shock: Short, beefy guys tend to lift more, while long, lean guys tend to be better at cardio.

You’ll struggle with some of the standards. That's how you find your weaknesses. Once you've identified them, you can begin working to iron them out. When you're ready to get started, you can find the same 12- and 26-week workout programs that I use to help my Gym Jones clients achieve elite, functional fitness in my new Men's Health book, Maximus Body. The programs will get you in the best shape of your life, and help you nail all 20 standards.