Fitness Testing
It is important to test an athletes fitness to help you determine if
their training program is working and to know what goals to set next!
Test before the start of a program and at regular intervals to see
their improvements. This will also help keep them motivated.
Reasons for fitness testing
There are numerous reasons to test an individuals fitness levels:
to show a starting level of fitness
to motivate or set goals
to vary an existing training programme
to monitor improvement
compare to national averages
identify strengths or weaknesses
to re-evaluate needs in training
Limitations to fitness testing
Despite all good intentions, fitness testing is quite hard to gain 100%
realistic results. This could be due to:
tests are not sports specific
uncompetitive nature of some tests
reliability issues with tests
performer lacking in motivation
not carried out in correct conditions eg same facilities, same
time of day etc.
Measuring components of fitness
Before any period of testing, it is important to remember the
following:
What equipment is needed to set up a fair test?
What rules and procedures need to be followed?
How will you score the tests and which measurements will you
use?
Which conclusions will you make from the results
Methods of fitness testing
Testing health-related components of fitness
Strength - Hand grip dynamometer
Grip with dominant hand
Apply maximum force while arm is straight in front of the body
Repeat three times while non-participant records the maximum
force reading
Strength – One rep max test
Select the body part that is to be tested and use the weight
lifting technique for that body part – for example quadriceps a
leg extension, pectorals – bench press
Lift a weight that is more than the training weight
Rest for 5 – 10 minutes then select a heavier weight
Repeat the process until a weight is selected that can only be
lifted successfully for one rep
Usually measured in kilograms
Cardiovascular endurance - Multi-stage fitness test
Mark out a 20 m course
Participants must arrive at end line on the beep or wait for the
beep before running back
Participants must run until total exhaustion prevents
completion of two to three shuttles
Cardiovascular endurance – Twelve minute Cooper run or swim
Measure the specific distance around a pitch or track (could be
distance in the swimming pool)
Participants run or swim as far as possible in the twelve
minutes
The exact distance covered is recorded and compared to
normative scores
Flexibility - Sit and reach test
Remove shoes and position sit and reach box against the wall
Keep knees completely locked and reach forward with one
hand on top of the other
Stretch and hold position for two seconds while non-participant
records score
Speed - 30 metre sprint test
Mark out a 30 metre distance on an even, firm surface
Participant takes a rolling start so that they are running at full
speed as they hit the start line
Ensure accurate timing by using two timers
Muscular endurance - 60 second press-up test
On a cushioned surface the participant performs as many full
press-ups as possible in 60 seconds
Elbows moving from the locked, straight position to 90 degrees
of flexion
Non-participant counts the completed actions and judges that
all actions are full
Muscular endurance - 60 second sit-up bleep test
On a cushioned surface the participant performs as many full
sit ups as they are able to in time to set beeps over 5 minute
period
Lying on the back, elbows bent and hands by the ears, knees
bent, the participant moves from a lying position to sitting up
with their elbows touching their knees and then returns to the
ground
Non-participant holds the participants feet on the ground,
counts the completed actions and judges that all actions are full
Measured in complete number of sit-ups performed
Testing skill-related components of fitness
Agility - Illinois agility test
Mark out the course to the exact measurements required
Participant starts in a face-down lying position at the start line
Ensure accuracy of timing with two timers at the finish line
Coordination – Alternate hand wall toss test
Participant stands exactly two metres from a smooth-surfaced
wall
Participant throws the ball with one hand and catches with the
other and repeats
Non-participant counts number of successful catches in 30
seconds
Reaction time - Ruler drop test
Hold a 30 cm ruler above the open hand of the participant
The 0 cm mark must be directly between the thumb and index
finger
Non-participant drops the ruler with no warning and
participant catches
The score is taken from where the top of the thumb hits the
ruler after three tests provides an average
Balance - Standing stork test
Participant places their hand on hips and one foot on inside
knee of the opposite leg
Participant raises their heel and holds the balance for as long as
possible
The score is taken as the total time the participant held the
balance successfully
Power - Vertical jump test
Participant stands sideways onto wall and measures height
with an up-stretched arm
Participant jumps as high as possible and marks wall at peak of
the jump on three occasions
The average distance between the standing and jumping height
is taken as the score
Validity and reliability
With all of these tests it is essential to judge both the validity and
reliability of the process. Validity refers to the test measuring what is
claimed to measure. It is difficult to justify whether the handgrip
dynamometer test measures whole body strength rather than just
arm strength. Likewise, the multi-stage fitness test is a more
appropriate test for distance runners compared to swimmers or
cyclists.
Reliability requires that the test should produce similar results each
time the test is taken unless there has been a significant change in
the fitness level of the participant. It is essential that fitness tests be
completed with the scientific rigour found in experimental practices,
especially with regard to the accuracy of timing and measurement.
