1. FITNESS ASSESSMENT
Week 3

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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)

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

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