Unit 6

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Unit 6 Fitness Testing for Sport Exercise
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Introduction

• This unit will introduce you to health screening
  and fitness testing for sport and health
  purposes. You will learn how to select and
  administer specific fitness tests relevant to a
  sport of your choice. After familiarising
  yourself with a number of tests, you will develop
  the skills to examine and interpret the results,
  enabling you to suggest changes to training to
  develop certain aspects of fitness to enhance
  your sports performance
• You will experience a range of fitness tests that
  could be used to test elite performers.
• After completing this unit you will be able to
• Understand a range of laboratory based and
  field based fitness tests
• Understand the practice of health screening
• Be able to prepare for, and conduct, appropriate
  fitness tests
• Be able to analyse the results of fitness tests

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Components of fitness

• Fitness is important to an athlete for the
  following reasons
• It can improve your physical performance
• You can recover from training and competition
  more quickly
• You will be less likely to pick up an injury
• You may have better technique as you will not
  become tired so quickly
• You will enjoy having lots of energy and being
  able to train and compete successfully

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Introduction to fitness testing

• There are several reasons why fitness testing may
  be performed. The main aim of fitness testing is
  to develop knowledge and understanding of the
  exercise capabilities of humans. Fitness testing
  is common practice in many sports.
• Fitness testing can be used in several ways
• Identify strengths and areas for improvement
  relative to the physical demands of your sport
• Modifications to training programmes can be made
  using the fitness testing data
• Provide feedback to coaches and athletes
• To educate athletes of the effects of training
• Setting short term goals for the improvement of
  fitness, the testing is used as a motivating tool
  

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Environmental factors

• Fitness testing outdoors can be problematic if
  the weather conditions are poor. This type of
  testing often requires a back up plan if
  conditions are extreme such as heavy rain or high
  winds. High temperatures combined with high
  humidity can impair endurance performance and
  pose health risks. If tests are completed under
  different conditions this will affect the results
  and any changes in your results could be due to a
  fitness change or the testing conditions. It is
  important to note down the conditions such as
  temperature, wind and surface conditions so there
  is a written record of the testing session.
• The surface used to test on can significantly
  affect results. If the test is performed outside
  on a football pitch for one session and then the
  re-test in administered in a sports hall with a
  concrete surface the results will be very
  different, even if there is no change to an
  individuals or teams fitness level.

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Capability of testers and testing error

• Tester experience and ability can have a large
  impact on the test results. It is essential that
  testers assist qualified experienced testers
  until they are proficient in the testing
  protocols. Inaccurate recording or interpreting
  of data affects the reliability of the test.
• One significant factor for laboratory and field
  testing is an athletes level of motivation.
  During maximal tests a player is required to push
  himself/herself to exhaustion, often feeling
  extremely fatigued and nauseous. There may also
  be external factors that could affect athletes
  such as coaches being present during the test.

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Test Criteria

• For fitness testing to be accurate you need to
  think about the following
• Reliability
• Can the test be repeated and reproduced exactly
• A test is reliable if the results are consistent
  and repeatable over time. Reliability refers to
  the precision of a test which should have a high
  level of accuracy. Fitness tests can become
  unreliable if there are variations within the
  test that affect the result rather than the
  changes in an individual
• Validity
• Validity refers to whether a test actually
  assesses what is intended. The following points
  should be considered
• Does the test measure exactly what you want it to
  measure For example, a 10m sprint will not give
  you an indication of a persons top speed
• The fitness test must reflect the form of
  exercise that is being assessed. If you are
  fitness testing a rugby player the tests must
  reflect the demands of the game
• The muscle groups that are used during a sport
  and range of movement should be reflected in the
  fitness test
• The energy systems required for a sport
• The speed of movement and duration of the event

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Criteria Continued

• Relevance
• Does the test give the information specifically
  wanted For example an endurance test performed on
  a treadmill is more relevant to a footballer than
  a swimmer
• Tests must be sports specific relevant to the
  sport you play

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Fitness tests

• Anthropometric tests
• Stature
• The common method for measuring the height of an
  individual is by using a stadiometer.
• Aim To measure the height of an individual
• Equipment
• Stadiometer
• Protocol
• Individuals are required to be bare foot and
  stand with their feet together with their heels,
  buttocks and upper part of the back touching the
  scale. The tester must ensure the subject is
  looking straight forward. The tester then lowers
  the head board and places it firmly on the
  subjects head. The floor surface must be hard and
  level.
• Advantages Reliable test that can be repeated
  with minimal testing error
• Disadvantages Need to perform the test at the
  same time as the spine shrinks slightly during
  the day

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Body Mass

• Aim To assess body mass
• Equipment
• Balance beam or electronic scales
• Protocol
• Body mass must be assessed with minimal clothing.
  This means underwear only.
• The most accurate method is nude weighing
  however this is often not practical. To overcome
  these clothes that are going to be worn can be
  weighed prior to the test and their weight
  subtracted from the mass of the subject.
• Body mass fluctuates throughout the day so the
  test must be administered at the same time of
  day.
• Advantages Minimal inexpensive equipment.
• Disadvantages Body mass can fluctuate throughout
  the day the test needs to be administered at the
  same time.

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Problems with BMI

• The BMI scale is
• old,
• inadequate,
• invalid for most individuals.
• BMI is based on the assumption that
• everyone is of the same frame size, which
• is obviously not the case.
• This is not to say that body fat is not
• important, because it is, but you shouldnt
• use the BMI scale to decide a target weight.

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Body Composition

• Body composition provides an indication of
  individuals fat levels. There are a number of
  methods to assess body composition.
• Skinfold measurements this method requires the
  tester to use callipers to take measurements on
  different locations around the body. The tester
  locates these points from specific bone and joint
  definitions. These points are called landmarks.
  The accurate locating of the landmarks requires a
  good knowledge of anatomy to be able to locate
  the same point on the body for each test. Using
  the callipers the tester pinches the skin and fat
  beneath the surface and places the callipers over
  this fold to take the reading.

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Skin Fold Measurements

• Aim To assess how much of the body mass is fat.
• Body fat is vital to daily body functions it
  cushions the joints and protects the organs,
  helps regulate body temperature, stores vitamins
  and helps the body sustain itself when food is
  scarce. Everyone needs some body fat to be active
  and healthy.
• Most people think that body weight, and not body
  fat, is a direct indication of fitness. Yet
  during a diet and exercise regime, whilst a
  persons weight may vary their body fat will
  decline in a slow but steady rate to the desired
  level.
• Equipment
• Skinfold calipersTape measure
• Advantages Quick test to administer with
  relatively inexpensive equipment
• Disadvantages Large degree of measurement error
  in the tester is inexperienced

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Bioelectrical Impedance

• Aim To assess fat mass and lean muscle tissue
• This method measures body composition by sending
  a low, safe electrical current through the body.
  The current passes freely through the fluids
  contained in muscle tissue, but encounters
  difficulty/resistance when it passes through fat
  tissue. This resistance of the fat tissue to the
  current is termed 'bioelectrical impedance'.
• Protocol
• The subject lies on his/her back on a
  non-conducting surface, with legs apart and arms
  away from the body.
• A pair of electrodes is placed on the hand and
  wrist, and another pair placed on the ankle and
  foot (usually opposite sides of the body). The
  equipment is generally quite expensive but a good
  alternative to skinfolds, especially if the
  tester is not very experienced. It is important
  to follow the exact instructions of the
  bioelectrical impedance machine as models and
  instructions vary slightly.
• Advantages Non-invasive test and easy to
  administer with minimal training or experience
  required
• Disadvantages Results can be affected by the
  hydration status of an individual

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Anaerobic Power

• Vertical jump
• Aim to assess leg power
• Equipment
• A wall mounted board marked in centimetres
  ranging in height from 150cm to 350cm
• A piece of chalk Jump mat if available
• The subject stands with the preferred body side
  to the wall with the soles of the feet remaining
  on the floor and reaches as high as possible up
  the wall, making a short horizontal mark with the
  chalk
• Still holding the chalk/magnet and standing side
  on to the wall, the subject then crouches, and
  jumps as high as possible - the chalk mark is
  placed at the highest point.
• Arm swings, prior to jumping, are allowed.
• A total of 3 attempts is made, each being
  recorded
• Total height jumped is the difference in cm
  between the first mark and the highest mark after
  the jump.
• Advantages Easily administered, inexpensive
  portable equipment
• Disadvantages Not always sports specific action,
  technique can affect the results

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Vertical Jump Test
- Using Chalk
Using Jump Mat
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Strength

• Handgrip strength test
• Aim To measure hand grip strength
• Equipment
• Handgrip dynamometer
• Procedure
• The subject grips the dynamometer vertically
  above the head. When ready the subject grips as
  hard as possible while moving the arm forward to
  the count of three.
• The arm remains locked and straight at the elbow
  throughout the grip manoeuvre. Repeat test with
  other hand.
• Advantages Quick to administer with minimal
  inexpensive equipment
• Disadvantages May not be sports specific

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Speed

• 40 Metre sprint test
• Aim To measure speed
• Equipment
• A measured 40 metre flat running surface. Two
  stopwatches or automated timing lights
• Procedure
• Arrange subjects on the starting line. It may be
  best to test individually rather than as large
  groups. Infra-red beam sensors are available for
  automatic timing which will allow accurate timing
  of larger groups of people.
• Subjects use a standing start with leading foot
  behind the starting line.
• The starting command is "Ready"..."Go"!
• On the command "Go", the subject sprints as fast
  as possible through to the finish line.
• For hand-held timing the timer starts the watch
  on the arm movement of the starter and stops the
  watch as the subject's chest crosses the
  finishing line. Automatic timing lights should be
  aligned so that they are exactly 40m apart.
• Time is measured to at least one hundredth of a
  second.
• Subjects should have two attempts with
  approximately 2 - 5 minutes recovery period.
• Advantages Sports specific test and easy to
  administer
• Disadvantages Can be affected by weather
  conditions if performed outdoors. Timing
  systems can be very expensive

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Flexibility

• Sit and reach test
• Aim To measure flexibility of the lower back and
  hamstrings.
• Equipment
• A sit and reach boxA ruler
• Set-up
• Rest the sit-and-reach box against a wall.
• Advantages Easily administered with inexpensive
  equipment
• Disadvantages Measures specific hamstring and
  lower back, and does not indicate where an
  individual may have a potential problem

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Muscular Endurance

• Sit-up test
• Aim To assess the muscular endurance of the
  trunk and hip flexors.
• Equipment
• A gymnastic mat or carpeted floor
• Starting position
• Hook lying position (knees 90 degrees), fingers
  beside the ears. Feet are held to the floor by
  the tester.
• Modified sit ups
• Aim To assess the endurance of the hip and trunk
  flexor muscles. It is suitable for subjects who
  are unable to perform the standard sit-up test.
• Advantages Can be performed with minimal
  equipment
• Disadvantages Measures specific core muscles and
  this may not be sports specific

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Muscular Endurance

• Press up test
• Aim To assess the muscular endurance of the
  elbow extensors and shoulder flexors.
• This test is suitable for those aged over 15
  years old.
• Starting position
• Arms straight, hand directly under the shoulders,
  legs straight, feet together with toes supporting
  the legs. The body is straight from the
  shoulders, through the hips to the heels.
• Procedure
• Lower the nose or chin to the mat, keeping the
  straight body position. Return to the starting
  position (no other part of the body is to touch
  the floor). This counts as one repetition.
• Count the number of repetitions performed in 60
  seconds.
• Advantages administered with inexpensive
  equipment
• Disadvantages Can not be performed with junior
  athletes

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Aerobic Endurance

• The multi-stage 20 metre shuttle run test (Beep
  Test)
• Aim To measure endurance and maximum oxygen
  uptake
• Equipment/facility
• A flat non-slip surface of at least 22 metres in
  length - tennis courts are useful for this test
  Measuring tape (gt 20 metres) Masking tape
  Marker cones Stopwatch Cassette / CD player
  Multi stage fitness test tape or CD
• Advantages Sports specific for football and easy
  to administer with large groups
• Disadvantages Individuals need to be highly
  motivated to push themselves to exhaustion

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Aerobic endurance

• 2.4k run
• Aim To measure endurance and maximal oxygen
  uptake
• Equipment
• A 200 to 400 metre athletic track or suitable
  firm, even running surface (preferably
  grass)Stopwatch. Several assistants may be
  required.
• Protocol
• The subject should complete pre-exercise
  screening questionnaire and consent forms.
• Allow 10 minutes to warm up and include
  stretching exercises.
• Encourage subjects to do their best but also
  watch for signs of distress, when subjects need
  to slow down and possibly walk for a while.
• Time subjects as they complete the 2.4 km
  distance.
• Advise subjects to keep walking for 5 minutes as
  soon as they finish the test followed by
  stretching exercises.

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Treadmill VO2 max Test

• Objective
• To monitor the development of the athlete's
  general endurance (VO2 max).
• Required Resources
• To undertake this test you will require
• Treadmill where speed and grade of slope can be
  adjusted
• Stop watch
• An assistant
• How to conduct the test
• The athlete runs on a treadmill to exhaustion. At
  timed stages during the run the slope of the
  treadmill is increased as detailed in the table
  below.
• Time At minute intervals during the test the
  slope of the treadmill is adjusted.
• The assistant starts the stopwatch at the start
  of the test and stops it when the athlete is
  unable to continue - this ideally should be
  between 9 and 15 minutes.
• "Time" is the total time of the test expressed in
  minutes and fractions of a minute.
• Example
• The athlete stopped the test after 13 minutes 15
  seconds of running (13.25 minutes).
• VO2 max 42 (13.25 2)
• Vo2 max 68.5 mls/kg/min
• Target Group
• This test is suitable for endurance athletes and
  players of endurance sports (e.g. football,
  rugby) but not for individuals where the test
  would be contraindicated.
• Reliability