The Apex Human Performance H-FIT Assessment

In January of 2022, Apex Human Performance, a private health club in Manhattan, announced that its H-FIT (Human Functional Index Testing), would become available to non-club members for the first time ever. The H-FIT goes well beyond an annual physical – it is a full body and health audit tool which serves as the gold standard of assessing total body health and performance.

According to the AARP, approximately one-fifth of American adults get an annual physical,  which equates to about 51 million people. While this leaves the majority of people without any assessment of their health, annual physicals performed by general practitioners only cover the basics.

An average physical will measure vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate, as well as evaluate your body using observation, palpitation, percussion, and auscultation. This means that your doctor will look into your eyes, ears, nose, and throat. Your skin color, lesions, and hygiene will be examined. If symptoms or medical history indicates the need, other parts of your body may be inspected.

Your doctor will check for unusual lumps and organ size and shape. The doctor will use percussion to determine organ location, identify blockages, and potentially identify any problem areas. Reflexes are checked with a small rubber hammer. The final step will be using a stethoscope to listen to your heart, lungs, and bowels. The entire process takes about 30 minutes.

“While individuals are advised to get a yearly physical, physicians provide very few actionable insights to improve health. H-FIT is the pinnacle of annual checkups for physical fitness and metabolic health” said Andrew Malkiel, owner of Apex Human Performance. “VO2 max is a great predictor of all-cause mortality risk. Visceral fat has implications for metabolic syndrome and musculoskeletal pain can be treated and prevented with proper orthopedic analysis and treatment. Knowing, understanding, and improving the data is true preventative health.”

According to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, over 290 million Americans do not meet the criteria for optimal metabolic health – they are at high risk for developing diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more. Maintaining at least three key criteria such as healthy blood pressure and weight, good cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as a low fasting glucose level, greatly reduces the risk for developing metabolic syndrome.

Modern technology gives us the ability to more readily assess things like metabolic health. The H-FIT assessment from Apex Human Performance is a detailed “executive physical” of fitness that provides a clear insight into the quality and competency of physiological and mechanical function. It also serves as an actionable wellness plan to achieve any body or health-related goal. It goes far beyond the average physical, as well as giving a plan of action.

Each H-FIT Assessment is administered by a staff of Doctors of Physical Therapy and personal trainers with Master’s Degrees or Doctorates in Exercise Science. At Apex, all personal trainers must have a master’s degree or doctorate in exercise science, so the entire staff is prepared to administer H-FIT assessments.

The test consists of three parts: Structural Integrity which includes several movement screens and a detailed joint-by-joint orthopedic analysis. In addition, clinical-grade lab equipment assesses cardiopulmonary function, body fat, visceral fat, lean mass, and resting metabolic rate for the Metabolic Profile. Lastly, the body’s primal and gross movement and motor patterns that include walking and running mechanics are examined.

“We want to make fitness, body care, and nutrition easy by providing a comprehensive, all-inclusive game plan for your body, based on clinical-grade testing, and administered by a team of verifiable experts you can trust,” adds Malkiel. “Our services have a high bio-individuality quotient, which requires proper testing and benchmarking so that the solutions are customized for each client.”

Adhering to a consistent sleep, nutrition, and exercise plan specific to each individual can serve as a key preventative measure against developing metabolic disease while also improving or preserving metabolic health.

Apex is well-equipped to offer advice on all aspects of health and wellness; in addition to the education requirements for personal trainers, nutritional needs are entrusted to those with knowledge of metabolism and biochemistry because the staff nutritionists are also required to have a master’s degree in their field.

Malkiel acquired Apex Human Performance in the Fall of 2020, completing a multi-million dollar deal despite the bleak fitness landscape caused by COVID-19. Malkiel saw great potential in the “fully coordinated care from their personal trainers, nutritionists, and physical therapists, who all work with one another to create complete hyper-personalized plans to improve their member’s health.”

Apex has thrived since the acquisition, rapidly recognized by peers throughout the health and fitness industry as a leader in the marketplace and growing by 25% in its first year – despite the pandemic. It boasts an extremely high-level clientele, including well-known celebrities. Malkiel credits this to their ability to adapt to the times.

“The pandemic highlighted the importance of what we fundamentally do – which is to help its members control what they can,” says Malkiel, who is also a nutritionist and strength and conditioning coach with over seven years of experience in exercise science, sports nutrition, fat loss, and competitive bodybuilding. “We have little control over how long we live. But we have tremendous control over how we feel, move, perform, and think during the time we are here.”

Even before the pandemic, Apex Human Performance members offered virtual services anywhere in the world through video conferencing because its members often maintain multiple residencies and travel frequently. The company even outfitted members’ home gyms so they can get the best possible workout from the privacy and comfort of their home or apartment.

The availability of Apex’s H-FIT assessment is the latest way that Apex is bringing health to the next level. However, non-member visits, including assessments and tours, are not allowed without scheduling ahead of time. If you’re interested in scheduling your H-FIT assessment, you can visit www.apex-hp.com or call (212) 233-0633 for more information.