FITNESS ASSESSMENT Week 3

What you need to know… Reasons for fitness testing Criteria for selecting fitness tests Norm and criterion referenced standards Pre-test procedures Fitness tests How to develop a fitness test battery

Introduction Fitness assessment/fitness testing measures an individual’s ______________ responses to exercise in a ______________ environment Fitness levels can be assessed in the different fitness components using specific tests

Reasons for Fitness Testing (Rationale) Identifying specific attributes May help coach/athlete to choose sport/event/position Identifying strengths and weaknesses Helps to design an individual training program Monitoring progress Regular fitness testing needed to assess effectiveness of training program Providing motivation and incentive Helps to continue training and strive for improvement

Criteria for Selecting Fitness Tests There are many tests available to assess each fitness ______________ It is important to select tests carefully and the following criteria can be used Relevance and specificity Validity and reliability Interpretable and comparable results

Criteria for Selecting Fitness Tests (cont.) Relevance and specificity Relevant and specific to the sport/activity Look closely at Energy systems Fitness components Major muscles

Criteria for Selecting Fitness Tests (cont.) Validity and reliability Valid: it must measure what it claims to measure Reliable: if repeated it must be able to show consistent, accurate results

Criteria for Selecting Fitness Tests (cont.) Interpretable and comparable results The athlete should receive information about: What the results represent (good, average, poor performance) How the results compare with previous results How the results compare to those of other athletes in the same age, sport The consequences and implications of the results (what to train, how to train)

Fitness Test Batteries “A selection of tests that have been grouped to provide a comprehensive fitness profile”

Norm and Criterion Referenced Standards Norm referenced fitness standards Standards that are considered to be statistically ‘normal’ or ______________ for a particular ______________ Tables of norm referenced standards (based on percentiles) allow ______________ between the subject and other athletes Criterion referenced fitness standards Do not provide ratings, rather they indicate a base (minimal) standard that should be ______________ Comparison with others is discouraged

Pre-Test Procedures The individual is fully informed about and familiar with the procedures and format of the test(s) No food is consumed within two hours of testing Wearing appropriate clothing and footwear Avoided heavy or intense exercise the day before testing Have given ______________ and obtained appropriate medical clearances

Testing the Components of Fitness Aerobic power VO2 max (maximal lab test) Harvard step Cooper’s 12min run Multi-stage 20m shuttle run (‘beep test’) Anaerobic power/speed Phosphate recovery Repco peak power 400m run Sprints: 15, 40, 55m

Testing the Components of Fitness (cont.) Muscular strength Grip strength 1RM Local muscular endurance Timed sit-ups Timed push-ups Muscular power Vertical jump Basketball throw

Testing the Components of Fitness (cont.) Agility Semo agility Illinois agility Flexibility Modified sit and reach Shoulder elevation Body composition Body Mass Index (BMI) Skinfold measurement

Developing a Fitness Test Battery - Basketball What fitness components are important? What energy system(s) are predominant? So, which fitness tests should be chosen?