FITNESS TESTING

KEY TERMINOLOGY

Reliability - how accurate the test is for the individual. Factors to consider:

human error - can the assistant make a mistake, e.g. mistiming the stopwatch in 35m sprint, miscounting in a press up test
weather - was the test completed in the same conditions e.g. 35m sprint in the wet, to dry will get different results.
surface - can the surface the test is completed on, affect results e.g. completing on concrete or grass for an Illinois Run

Practicality - is the test appropriate for the tester and the performer

cost - is the test expensive e.g. Bioelectrical impedance analysis requires specialist expensive equipment.
space - does the test need lots of space, e.g. grip test requires very little space to complete.
equipment - does the test need lots of equipment e.g. the multistage fitness test needs audio equipment, tape measure, stopwatch.

Validity - is the test valid or suitable for a performer or the component of fitness being tested.

the grip test measures strength, but would this strength be valid for a weightlifter that requires whole body strength?
a long distance swimmer requires aerobic endurance, but would the forestry step test be a valid measure?

PRE-TEST PROCEDURES

Informed consent or a par q - this is a medical questionnaire that will enable to the administrator to ensure the safety of the participant, for example finding out about any pre-existing heart conditions.
Warm up - this will ensure that the participant reduces the risk of injury, but will also perform better on the fitness tests.
Calibrate the equipment - this means ensuring the test is set up correctly. For example, using a tape measure or resetting the stopwatch, calibrating the grip test to zero, appropriately setting up the vertical jump test

FLEXIBILITY

sit and reach test (usually measured in cm or inches)

Equipment: Sit and reach box

Advantages: Easily repeatable, requires little space, not affected by weather, minimal human error.

Disadvantages: Sit and reach box costs approximately £60, only measures flexibility in the hamstrings and lower back.

Normative Data, The following table is for 16 to 19-year-olds. (from BrianMac.com)

MUSCULAR STRENGTH

Hang grip test (usually measured in KgW)

Equipment: Grip dynamometer

Advantages: Easily repeatable, requires little space, not affected by weather, minimal human error.

Disadvantages: Grip dynamometer costs approximately £60, only measures strength in the wrist, forearm and upper arm.

Normative Data, The following table is for 16 to 19-year-olds. (from BrianMac.com)

AEROBIC ENDURANCE

multi-stage fitness test, known as the bleep test (usually predicted in ml/kg/min)

Equipment: Audio equipment, tape measure and cones (to measure out 20m in distance)

Advantages: accurate measure of aerobic endurance.

Disadvantages: requires large amount of motivation, needs large space, can be expensive (needs audio equipment), can be affected by the weather if completed outside.

Normative Data, The following table is for 14 to 16 year-olds. (from BrianMac.com)

AEROBIC ENDURANCE

forestry step test (usually predicted in ml/kg/min) definition of VO2 max (ml/kg/min): the maximum amount of oxygen uptake, usually measured in ml of oxygen per kg of body mass per minute. It is a measure of cardiorespiratory endurance.

Equipment: 40cm bench (males), 31cm bench (females), stopwatch, metronome (audio equipment) calibrated to 90bpm

Advantages: does not require large amounts of space.

Disadvantages: not sport specific, can be expensive (needs audio equipment), can be affected by human error (miscounting heart beat)

SPEED

35m sprint (usually measured in s)

Equipment: cones, tape measure, stopwatch and assistant.

Advantages: cheap to run, accurate measure of speed.

Disadvantages: can be affected by the weather, needs a large space, can be affected by human error (mistiming the stop watch)

Normative Data, The following table is for 16 to 19-year-olds. (from BrianMac.com)

AGILITY

Illinois agility run test (usually measured in s)

Equipment: cones, tape measure, stopwatch and assistant.

Advantages: cheap to run, accurate measure of agility.

Disadvantages: can be affected by the weather, needs a large space, can be affected by human error (mistiming the stop watch)

Normative Data, The following table is for 16 to 19-year-olds. (from BrianMac.com)

POWER

vertical jump test (usually measured in kgm/s)

Equipment: vertical jump board, assistant and chalk.

Advantages: easily repeatable, requires little space, not affected by weather.

Disadvantages: can be affected by human error (without chalk) by misreading the board, needs to be calibrated correctly to be accurate.

Standing Broad Jump Test (measured in m and cm)

Equipment: Tape measure/standing broad jump mat

Advantages: easily repeatable, requires little space, not affected by weather.

Disadvantages: can be affected by human error by misreading the distance

Vertical Jump Test

Normative Data, The following table is for 16 to 19-year-olds. (from BrianMac.com)

Standing Broad Jump

Normative Data, The following table is for 15 to 16 year-olds. (from BrianMac.com)

MUSCULAR ENDURANCE

one-minute press-up, one-minute sit-up (usually measured in number of reps/minute)

Equipment: mat, stopwatch, assistant.

Advantages: cheap, requires little space, minimal human error.

Disadvantages: only measures endurance in specific muscles, requires athlete motivation.

Normative Data. 1 Minute Push Up Test for 16 - 19 year olds

Normative Data. 1 Minute Sit Up Test for 16 - 19 year olds

BODY COMPOSITION

Body Mass Index (BMI) (usually measured in kg/m²) - calculated by dividing weight in kg, by height x height (in metres)

Equipment: Scales, height measure, calculator

Advantages: quick and easy to do, not intrusive.

Disadvantages: does not measure body fat or percentage of muscle, therefore not a trustworthy measure of body composition

BODY COMPOSITION

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), used for prediction of percent body fat

Advantages: accurate, non intrusive

Disadvantages: requires specialist equipment, expensive.

BODY COMPOSITION

Skinfold testing via the Jackson-Pollock nomogram method for prediction of percent body fat (sites for males: chest, abdominal and thigh; sites for females: triceps, suprailiac and thigh)

Equipment: Callipers.

Advantages: cheap and easy to run. Measures percentage body fat.

Disadvantages: is intrusive, requires knowledge to carry out the test.

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