1. Testing our fitness

2. Why? To identify levels of fitness
To evaluate ourselves compared with norms
To evaluate risks to our health
To set goals for improvement
To monitor improvement
To build good practice for a healthy life

3. Fitness There are several components to fitness. These are:
Aerobic Endurance, Agility,
Balance, Coordination
Flexibility, Psychology
Reaction Time, Core Muscle Strength
Elastic Strength , General Strength
Speed and Power

4. Importance Each has importance for sportsmen
It improves their performances
Each helps us avoid injury and or illness
E.g. Circulatory and respiratory diseases
Poor recovery after accidents or operations
Injury after falls
Damage to the muscular skeletal system as a result of awkward movements.

5. 1. Aerobic Endurance (stamina)
The Harvard Step Test
Really good measure of total cardiovascular fitness
Step for five minutes
Measure pulse at 1,2 & 3 minutes after exercise. Sum these. Divide number of seconds exercised (300) x 100 by the sum of the three pulse readings
Reading of greater than 90 is excellent

6. Evaluating the results
Gender
Excellent
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Poor
Male
>90.0
<55
Female
>86.0
<50

7. Shuttle Run Test Tests agility
Blocks placed 10m from starting line. Time taken to collect each of them separately and place them on the starting line
Measure the time to complete the task
Fastest time of three taken
Blocks must be placed not dropped at each turn or test is invalid.
An agile person is less prone to injury if they trip fall or bend

8. Balance Standing stork test
The athlete stands comfortably on both feet with their hands on their hips
The athlete lifts the right leg and places the sole of the right foot against the front of the left kneecap
The assistant gives the command “GO”, starts the stopwatch and the athlete raises the heel of the left foot to stand on their toes
The athlete has to hold this position for as long as possible
The assistant stops the stopwatch when the athlete’s left heel touches the ground or the right foot moves away from the left knee
The assistant records the time

9. Norms
Gender
Excellent
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Poor
Male
>50 secs
secs
secs
secs
<20 secs
Female
>30 secs
secs
secs
secs
<10 secs
A person with good balance is less likely to fall and injure themselves

10. Coordination Hand-eye coordination test
This test your reflexes and your ability to respond quickly.
It is very important
for many ball games
Competitive sport is
good for physical and
social health

11. Method The athlete stands two metres away from a smooth wall
The assistant gives the command "GO" and starts the stopwatch
The athlete throws a tennis ball with their right hand against the wall and catches it with the left hand, throws the ball with the left hand and catches it with the right hand. This cycle of throwing and catching is repeated for 30 seconds
The assistant counts the number of catches and stops the test after 30 seconds

12. Norms Age High Score Above Average Average Below Average Low score
15-16 years
>35
<20

13. Flexibility Sit and reach test Flexibility is important because it
prevents us from
injuring ourselves
It allows us to bend and twist without damaging ourselves

14. Sit and reach test
Secure ruler to the box top with tape so that the front edge of the box lines up with the 23cm (9 inches) mark on the ruler and the zero end of the ruler points towards the athlete
Athlete sits on the floor with legs extended, bare feet against the box
Athlete places one hand on top of the other, slowly bends forward and reaches along the top of the ruler as far as possible holding the stretch for two seconds.
The assistant records the distance reached by the athlete’s finger tips
The athlete performs the test three times
The assistant calculates and records the average of the three distances and uses this value to assess the athlete’s performance

15. Norms Gender Excellent Above average Average Below average Poor Male
>37
<27
Female
>38

16. Reaction time Ruler drop test
Reaction time is a useful measure of fitness.
It increases when you are tired

17. The ruler is held by the assistant between the outstretched index finger and thumb of the athlete's dominant hand, so that the top of the athlete's thumb is level with the zero centimetre line on the ruler
The assistant instructs the athlete to catch the ruler as soon as possible after it has been released
The assistant releases the ruler and the athlete catches the ruler between their index finger and thumb as quick as possible
The assistant is to record distance between the bottom of the ruler and the top of the athlete's thumb where the ruler has been caught.
The test is repeated 2 more times and the average value used in the assessment

18. Norms Fast reactions are important for sport
Excellent
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Poor
<7.5cm cm cm cm
>28cm
Fast reactions are important for sport
They are useful for everyone as they help us to protect ourselves and keep out of danger because we can respond quickly to situations.

19. Strength (core) Start position
If you can complete the test then you have good core strength.
If not repeat regularly until you can!
Good core strength will protect you from injury and will help you to undertake physically demanding tasks when you need to.

20. The score is the stage you reached
Start Position as in Figure 1 above
The athlete is to hold this position for 60 seconds
Stage 2
The athlete lifts their right arm off the ground and extends it out in front of them parallel with the ground
The athlete is to hold this position for 15 seconds
Stage 3
The athlete returns to the Start Position, lifts the left arm off the ground and extends it out in front of them parallel with the ground
Stage 4
The athlete returns to the Start Position, lifts the right leg off the ground and extends it out behind them parallel with the ground
Stage 5
The athlete returns to the Start Position, lifts the left leg off the ground and extends it out behind them parallel with the ground
Stage 6
The athlete returns to the Start Position, lifts the left leg and right arm off the ground and extends them out parallel with the ground
Stage 7
The athlete returns to the Start Position, lifts the right leg and left arm off the ground and extends them out parallel with the ground
Stage 8
The athlete returns to the Start Position
The athlete is to hold this position for 30 seconds
Stage 9
End of test
The score is the stage you reached

21. Elastic leg strength Standing long jump This explosive strength
Is very important for many
athletes such as rugby
and football players.

22. Method – warm up first!!
The athlete places their feet over the edge of the mat, crouches down and using the arms and legs jumps horizontally as far as possible landing with both feet on the mat.
Measure and record the distance from the edge of the pit to the back of the athletes feet
The athlete repeats the test 3 times
The assistant uses the longest recorded distance to assess the athlete's leg strength

23. The following table is for 15 to 16 year old athletes:
Gender
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below average
Poor
Male
> 2.01m m m m
< 1.65m
Female
>1.66m m m
< 1.35cm
The following table is for adults:
Gender
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below average
Poor
Male
>3.0m
2.7m - 3.0m
2.5m - 2.6m
2.0m - 2.4m
<2.0m
Female
>2.8m
2.5m - 2.8m
2.2m - 2.4m
1.7m - 2.1m
<1.7m

24. Underlying strength Grip strength test Uses a dynamometer
Use your dominant hand
Do it three times
Take the highest reading in Kg

25. Norms for 16 – 19 year olds Gender Excellent Good Average Fair Poor
Male
>56
51-56
45-50
39-44
<39
Female
>36
31-36
25-30
19-24
<19

26. Power and speed Ten stride test
Mark out a 20 metre straight with cones
Athlete sprints as fast as possible over the 20 metres
Record the time for the athlete to complete 10 strides starting the stopwatch on the athlete's 1st foot strike after starting and stopping the stopwatch on the landing of the 10th stride
2nd assistant marks where the 10th stride lands, measures and records the distance to the start line
The test is conducted 3 times

27. Targets Calculate speed by dividing distance by time
Target speed is 7.5 m/s
Calculate stride length by dividing distance by 10
Target stride length is 1.5 m
Calculate strike rate by dividing  time by 10
Target strike rate is 4.5 stride per second
Power and speed are vital for most sporting activities. They help us when we have to move things quickly.

28. Match sportsperson to most important fitness attribute(s)
Aerobic Endurance, Agility
Balance, Coordination
Flexibility, Psychology
Reaction Time, Strength – Core Muscle Strength
Strength – Elastic, Strength – General
Speed and Power

29. Match health problem or hazard with lack of each fitness attribute
Attribute lacking
Emphysema
Broken bones
Muscle strains
Poor sporting performance
Heart disease
Tiredness
Injuries from lifting
Back injuries from bending
Falling over
Aerobic Endurance, Agility
Balance, Coordination
Flexibility, Psychology
Reaction Time, Strength – Core Muscle Strength
Strength – Elastic, Strength – General
Speed and Power