Discovery Vitality fitness assessment — what happens and how to earn points

If you're a Discovery Vitality member, the annual fitness assessment is one of the easiest ways to earn meaningful Vitality points — and to get a useful snapshot of where your body is at. A biokineticist is one of the practitioner types Vitality recognises for conducting these assessments.

Here's exactly what happens at a Vitality fitness assessment, how many points you can earn, and how to prepare so you get the most out of it.

What is the Vitality fitness assessment?

The Vitality fitness assessment is a standardised set of tests designed to measure four key health markers:

1. Body composition
2. Cardiovascular fitness
3. Muscle strength
4. Flexibility

The results are submitted directly to Discovery, and points are awarded based on how you score relative to age- and gender-based benchmarks. You can complete the assessment once per Vitality year.

How many points can you earn?

Vitality awards up to 10,000 points for a complete fitness assessment, depending on your results across the four categories. Even partial completion earns points — you don't lose everything if one test doesn't go to plan.

For context, 10,000 points is a substantial contribution to your annual status — easily worth booking the session for, especially if you're chasing a status upgrade.

The four tests, in detail

1. Body composition

We measure height, weight and body fat percentage. Body fat is typically measured with a bioelectrical impedance scale, which sends a tiny imperceptible current through the body to estimate the proportion of lean mass versus fat mass.

Preparation tip: for the most accurate reading, be well-hydrated but don't drink large amounts of water immediately before. Avoid heavy meals and intense exercise in the 2–3 hours before the assessment.

2. Cardiovascular fitness

This is typically a submaximal step test or a treadmill protocol designed to estimate your VO₂ max — a measure of how efficiently your cardiovascular system delivers oxygen to working muscles.

Preparation tip: wear running shoes and clothing you can sweat in. The test pushes your heart rate up but is not maximal — you'll be working hard but not collapsing.

3. Muscle strength

The standard Vitality strength test is a grip strength measurement using a dynamometer. Grip strength is a well-validated proxy for overall body strength, particularly as you age.

Preparation tip: don't grip the dynamometer with tense shoulders — squeeze with your hand alone, breathing out as you squeeze. We'll do a practice attempt to calibrate.

4. Flexibility

The sit-and-reach test measures hamstring and lower back flexibility. You sit with legs extended and reach forward as far as comfortable.

Preparation tip: warm up a little — five minutes of easy walking or a few gentle hamstring stretches makes a meaningful difference to your score.

What to bring and wear

• Comfortable exercise clothing (shorts and a t-shirt are ideal)
• Trainers / running shoes
• A water bottle and small towel
• Your Discovery Vitality card or membership number (we need this to submit your results)

How long does it take?

A full Vitality fitness assessment takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes. That includes a brief health questionnaire, the four tests, a cool-down, and a discussion of your results.

What you get out of it (beyond the points)

The points are great. But the more useful outcome is the data itself. After your assessment, you'll know:

• Where you sit relative to your age-group on each marker
• Which areas are your strongest and weakest
• What realistic improvements look like over the next year
• Whether there's anything that warrants a deeper conversation with your GP or a follow-up biokinetic programme

Many patients use the assessment as an annual baseline — a built-in accountability check that's also paying them points.

How to book

The easiest way is to use the online booking widget on the home page and select a slot. Mention "Vitality assessment" when you book, or WhatsApp 078 471 8959 if you'd prefer to chat first.

Bring your Vitality membership card to the session and we'll handle the submission to Discovery on your behalf.