PAR-Q Exercise Readiness Screening — Is It Safe to Start?
A free 2-minute pre-exercise readiness check based on the PAR-Q (CSEP). Answer a few yes/no questions and get a clear recommendation before you become more physically active.
Before you start or intensify a workout routine, a two-minute check helps you begin safely. This screening is based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), a widely used self-check from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology for people aged 15–69, and gives you one of three clear recommendations: you are cleared to get active, talk to your doctor first, or wait until you feel better. It is an informational self-screening, not medical advice or a diagnosis.
What you’ll learn
- Whether it is reasonable to start becoming more active now
- Whether any answer suggests checking with your doctor first
- Whether to wait because you are temporarily unwell
- A sensible next step, including finding your fitness baseline once cleared
Sample questions
A few of the questions you’ll answer in the PAR-Q Exercise Readiness Screening — Is It Safe to Start?:
- Has a doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor?
- Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
- Do you lose your balance because of dizziness, or do you ever lose consciousness?
- Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
Who this quiz is for
Anyone aged 15–69 planning to become more physically active — especially people returning after a break, starting a more intense program, or who have a health condition they want to account for first.
How it works
You answer a short set of yes/no questions about your heart, chest pain, balance, joints, medication, and current wellbeing, following the standard PAR-Q self-screening. Any answer that warrants caution routes you to a "talk to your doctor first" result; otherwise you are cleared to start gradually. It takes about two minutes, is free, and needs no signup to start.
Frequently asked questions
The PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) is a short, widely used self-screening developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) to help people aged 15–69 check whether they should get medical advice before becoming more physically active. It is a starting-point safety check, not a diagnostic test.
No. It is an informational self-screening tool, not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. If any answer suggests caution, or if you are outside the 15–69 range, pregnant, or unsure, speak with a qualified healthcare provider before increasing your activity.
About two minutes, and it is free with a clear recommendation at the end — no signup required to start.
Are you a coach? Turn quizzes into leads.
Create your own coaching quiz — freeMore Fitness Coach / Personal Trainer quizzes
Fitness Level Assessment — How Fit Are You Really?
A free 5-minute fitness test scoring your cardio, strength, flexibility, body composition, and lifestyle — with a radar chart of what to train next.
Take the quiz
Runner Type Quiz — Discover Your Running Personality
A free 8-question runner type quiz that reveals your running personality — Zen, Competitor, Social, Explorer, or Data-Driven — and how to train in a way that actually fits you.
Take the quiz
What's Holding Back Your Fitness Results? Free 5-Minute Scorecard
Training hard but not seeing results? This free 5-minute scorecard finds which fitness pillar — training, nutrition, recovery, or mindset — is stalling you.
Take the quiz