fitness testing Flashcards
paper 1
what are the reasons for fitness testing before a training program (4)
- to identify strengths and areas for improvement
- identify training requirements
- to show a starting level of fitness
- to motivate and provide goals
what are the reasons for fitness testing during and after a training program (4)
- to monitor improvement
- to provide variety to a training program
- compare results against norms of the group
- to identify whether training has been successful
what are the limitations of fitness testing (7)
- tests are often general and not sport specific
- the movement required in the test is not the same as in the actual activity
- tests do not replicate the competitive conditions in sport
- some tests do not use direct measuring and are an estimate or a submaximal
- some tests need motivation because they are exhausting to complete
- some tests have questionable reliability
- tests must be carried out using the correct procedures to increase validity
what fitness test measures cardiovascular endurance
multi stage fitness test
who is the multi stage fitness test good for
- important for sports performers who perform long, enduring events and those who use the aerobic energy system
- e.g. games players, long distance runners/ swimmers
how to complete the multi stage fitness test?
- it is progressive
- individual runs 20m shuttle runs in time with ‘bleeps’
- the time between bleeps get shorter as the level increases
- individual keeps running until they can’t keep up with the bleeps (maximal)- given 2 attempts
- score is recorded as a level and bleep- can provide prediction of VO2 max
- need: cones, measuring tape, speaker and CD
what equipment is needed for the multi stage fitness test
- cones
- measuring tape
- speaker and CD
what is the measurement for the multi stage fitness test
score is recorded as a level and bleep- can provide a prediction of an individual’s VO2 max
what are the advantages of the multi stage fitness test
- simple to set up and conduct
- more than one athlete can conduct the test at the same time
- can be conducted indoors or outdoors
what are the limitations of the multi stage fitness test
- specialist equipment required- CD and CD player
- assistant required to administer the test
- due to the short sharp turns, it is perhaps not suitable for rowers, runners or cyclists
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures balance
stork balance test
who is the stork balance test good for
gymnasts and games players
how to complete the stork balance test?
- individual starts balanced on two flat feet
- hands are placed on hips
- one leg is lifted so that the toes of the lifted leg touch the inside of the knee of the planted leg
- the timekeeper tells the individual to raise the heel on the planted leg (stopwatch starts)
- individual balances for as long as possible
- equipment: stopwatch
- timed in minutes/ seconds
what equipment is needed for the stork balance test
what is the measurement for the stork balance test
what are the advantages of the stork balance test
- no equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- can be conducted almost anywhere
what are the limitations of the stork balance test
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures agility
illinois agility run test
who is the illinois agility test good for
performers who change direction quickly such as games players
how to complete the illinois agility run test?
- performer starts face down on the floor
- test involves running round the cones as fast as possible (maximal test)
- cones should be arranged in a 10mx5m rectangle with 4 cones down the middle
- equipment: 8 cones, measuring tape, stopwatch
- timed in seconds
what equipment is needed for the illinois agility run
- 8 cones
- measuring tape
- stopwatch
what is the measurement for the illinois agility run
timed in seconds
what are the advantages of the illinois agility run test
- minimal equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- test can be administered by the athlete
- can be conducted almost anywhere
what are the limitations of the illinois agility run test
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures speed
30m sprint
who is the 30m sprint test good for
100m sprinters and rugby players
how to complete the 30m sprint test?
- uses a flying start
- individual is timed running 30m as fast as they can can
- the assistant records the time the athletes torso crosses the 30m point and the 60m point
- cones should be arranged one at the start line, one at 30m and 60m
- equipment: cones, measuring tape, stopwatch
- timed in seconds
what equipment is needed for the 30m sprint test
- 3 cones
- measuring tape
- stopwatch
what is the measurement of the 30m sprint test
timed in seconds
what are the advantages of the 30m sprint test
- minimal equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- can be conducted almost anywhere
what are the limitations of the 30m sprint test
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures coodination
- wall toss test
- sometimes called the Anderson ball catch test
who is the wall toss test good for
badminton and cricket players
how to complete the wall toss test?
- tennis ball starts in one hand
- both feet together, 2m from the wall
- upon the command ‘go’ the time starts (30 seconds)
- individual throws the ball against the wall and catches with the opposite hand
- repeated as many times as possible in the time
- two attempts allowed
- equipment: tennis ball, flat wall, stopwatch, observer (count score/ time keep)
- every catch is one point
what equipment is needed for the wall toss test
- tennis ball
- flat wall
- stop watch
- observer (count score/ time keep)
what measurement is used for the wall toss test
every catch is 1 point
what are the advantages of the wall toss test
- minimal equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- can be conducted almost anywhere
what are the limitations of the wall toss test
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures reaction time
ruler drop test
who is the ruler drop test good for
basketball, rugby and badminton players
how to complete the ruler drop test?
- one person holds the meter ruler at the zero point (vertically)
- individual being tested places their thumb and index finger of their dominant hand around the ruler (not touching it) at 50cm
- without warning the ruler is released
- individual being tested must react to the drop and catch it as fast as they can
- 3 attempts
- measured and scored in cm
- equipment: metre ruler
what equipment is needed for the ruler drop test
metre ruler
what measurement is used for the ruler drop test
scored in cm
what are the advantages of the ruler drop test
- minimal equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- can be conducted almost anywhere
what are the limitations of the ruler drop test
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures flexibility
sit and reach test
who is the sit and reach test good for
gymnasts and high divers
how to complete the sit and reach test?
- individual adopts a sitting position on the floor with their legs straight
- shoes should be removed and feet should be flat against the sit and reach board
- the slider (if available) should be set to 14cm to be in line with the toes
- individual reaches forward and pushes the slider as far as possible, ensuring legs are straight
- equipment: sit and reach box, slider
- recorded in cm
what equipment is needed for the sit and reach test
- sit and reach box
- slider
what measurement is used for the sit and reach test
recorded in cm
what are the advantages of the sit and reach test
- minimal equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- can be conducted almost anywhere
what are the limitations of the sit and reach test
- specialist equipment required
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures power
- vertical jump test
- also known as sergeant jump test
who is the vertical jump test good for
sprinters, rugby players and long jumpers
how to complete the vertical jump test?
- feet flat, stand and push the wall ruler with the fingertips as high as possible (provides the ‘zero’ point
- apply chalk to the finger tips
- from a standing position, the individual jumps as high as possible marking the ruler with the chalk, ensuring they push the ruler up and have straight arms
- equipment: wall ruler (2m), chalk
- recorded in cm
what equipment is needed for the vertical jump test
- wall ruler (2m)
- chalk
what measurement is used for the vertical jump test
recorded in cm
what are the advantages of the vertical jump test
- minimal equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- test can be administered by the athlete
- can be conducted almost anywhere
what are the limitations of the vertical jump test
- specific facilities required
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what fitness test measures muscular endurance
sit up bleep test (abdominal curl test)
how to complete the sit up bleep test?
- individual lies on the mat in a sit up position, partner supports the ankles
- individual sits up on the bleep, and down on the bleep (staying in time)
- test is maximal and progressive (bleeps get faster)
- equipment: partner, CD and speaker, mat
- score is how many sit ups you can complete
who is the sit up bleep test good for
tennis and football players
what equipment is needed for the sit up bleep test
- partner
- CD and speaker
- mat
what measurement is used for the sit up bleep test
score is how many sit ups you complete
what are the advantages of the sit up bleep test
- simple to set up and conduct
- more than one athlete can conduct the test at the same time
- can be conducted indoors or outdoors
what are the limitations of the sit up bleep test
- specialist equipment required- CD and speaker
- assistant required to administer the test
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
what are the two fitness tests that measure strength
- hand grip dynamometer
- one rep max
who is the hand grip dynamometer test good for
performers like climbers (to lift body weight)
who is the one rep max test good for
performers such as power lifters, rugby players and boxers
how to complete the hand grip dynamometer test?
- dynamometer should be held in the individual’s dominant hand
- grip may need to be adjusted to size
- arm should be at 90 degrees with the elbow against the body
- squeeze with maximum effort and record score
- repeat three times
- equipment: handgrip dynamometer
- measured in KG
what equipment, and what is it measured in for the handgrip dynamometer test
- handgrip dynamometer
- measured in KG
how to complete the one rep max test?
- lift a weight once using the correct technique
- if completed, attempt a heavier weight until the heaviest weight the individual can possibly lift once is discovered (one correctly completed repetition)
- if weight cannot be lifted, a lighter one should be used to calculate the maximum weight that can be lifted
- best to use a bench press or leg press
- take maximum weight lifted and divide by body weight to get a score to compare to national averages
- equipment: weights, bar bell/ bench press, resistance machine
- measured in KG
what equipment and what is it measured in for the one rep max test
- weights
- bar bell/ bench press
- resistance machine
- measured in KG
what are the advantages of the strength fitness tests
- minimal equipment required
- simple to set up and conduct
- can be conducted almost anywhere (handgrip dynamometer)
what are the limitations of the strength fitness tests
- specialist equipment required
- assistant required to administer the test (and act as a spotter for the one rep max)
- reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual’s level of motivation to perform the test
after completing the fitness tests what should you do
record result and compare to a rating chart
