1. Fitness Testing and Conditioning in Athletics
Core Concepts in Athletic Training and Therapy
Susan Kay Hillman

2. Chapter Objectives
Identify ways in which information from fitness testing can help the athletic trainer.
Discuss the rationale for conducting fitness testing at various times before, during, or after the sport or training season.
Explain the method of establishing the 1-repetition maximum in weightlifting.
Define aerobic and anaerobic with reference to energy systems and relate each to various activities.
Define isotonic, isometric, and isokinetic exercise and give an example of each.
Compare and contrast the two types of muscle contraction: concentric and eccentric.
Discuss factors to consider in designing an exercise prescription.
Define the overload principle and explain how it applies to conditioning and strength techniques.

3. Introduction
Individual working with team should be familiar with different aspects of strength and conditioning
Coaches, S & C specialist, athletic trainer
Attention to proper warm up, stretching and exercise prescription
Careful planning and exercise selection can help improve performance and decrease risk of injury

4. Fitness Testing Procedures
Conditioning program requires knowledge of baseline of fitness
Fitness test can help identify weaknesses, movement dysfunctions, body composition, flexibility, cardio respiratory function
Preseason Participation Evaluation
Used to assess individuals level of conditioning
Determine weaknesses and establish conditioning/training program
Ongoing Evaluations
Determine effectiveness of program
Evaluation of program could allow the person implementing program to better individualize lifting program of each participant
Indicate individuals progress toward fitness goals
Postseason Fitness Evaluations
Establish specific areas to address during off-season
Better understanding of goals to to reach during off-season

5. Fitness Testing Parameters
Muscle Function
Muscle strength
Maximum amount of force that a muscle or muscle group can generate during specific movement pattern at a specified velocity
Muscle Endurance
Ability of muscle or group of muscles to perform repetitive actions
Sports like cross country , some events in track and swimming require great amount of endurance
Repeated movement can cause trauma in weak or unconditioned muscles

6. Fitness Testing Parameters
Muscle Power
Work during a unit of time
Weight lifted (force) x Range of movement (vertical distance)/time required to perform lift.
Develop power by lifting same (or greater) amount of weight the same distance in shorter period of time

7. Fitness Testing Parameters
Evaluating Muscle Strength
1RM: amount of weight lifted 1 time
50%-75%-90%-100% of predicted weight
Add weight until person unable to complete lift
Repetition maximum: maximum # of repetitions person can lift at particular weight
# of repetitions at specific weight can also measure strength, but also endurance
Testing Muscle Endurance and Evaluating Muscle Power
Endurance uses different energy source
Sport specific evaluation or general endurance evaluation
Squat at given weight to test leg endurance=specific
Sit up test (# in 60 sec)= general test
Power
Maximal force in short period of time
Vertical jump

8. Fitness Testing Parameters
Cardiorespiratory Function
Function of Heart and Lungs working together
Measuring Anaerobic Power: “ Without Oxygen
Activities of short duration=uses source of energy that does not require as much O2
Sprints/Explosive Movements
Shuttle run, vertical jump
Evaluating Aerobic Power: “With Oxygen”
Athletic events that require O2 consumption during performance
Longer duration. Energy source that is dependant on O2
1.5 mile run=standard for measuring aerobic power
Table 2.2
SIDEBAR: Aerobic Tests

9. Fitness Testing Parameters
Agility and Speed
Agility: ability to start, stop and change direction
Useful in most sports
Testing Agility
Rapid acceleration, deceleration, change of direction, and acceleration
T-test, Edgren Side Step Test
Measuring Speed
Important for sports with short burst of activity to reach a position or location
40 yard dash

11. Fitness Testing Parameters
Flexibility
Ability to move a joint(s) smoothly through a full range of motion (ROM)
Effect of Muscle Size on Flexibility
Bulk (hypertrophied muscles) can limit movement
Include stretching program for muscles exercised
Strengthen agonist and antagonist muscles
Effect of Ligament and Tendon Composition on Flexibility
All connective tissue made up of combination of collagen and elastin
Some people have more elasticity in ligaments and tendons =Hypermobile
Decreased elasticity=Hypo mobile

15. Fitness Testing Parameters
Effects of Age and Sex on Flexibility
Generally thought females are more flexible than men though this is not absolute
Activities that encourage flexibility will increase their ability to stretch regardless of sex
As we age we decrease in flexibility
Can delay or reverse effects of aging with continued stretching program
Active people have better flexibility than sedentary people

16. Fitness Testing Parameters
Testing Flexibility
Evaluating flexibility important to fitness program.
Decrease in ROM at a joint may play role in causing injury
Manual stretching test: compare to normal values
Sit and Reach Test: General test for hamstring flexibility
Functional Movement Test
Can identify shortened (overactive/tight) muscles and/or lengthened (inhibited(weak) muscles

17. Fitness Testing Parameters
Height, Weight, and Body Composition
Anthropometry: measurement of body size
Body composition: amount of fat in relation to lean tissue in body
Levels of fat that are to high affect ability to move optimally
Also associated with heart disease high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers
Measured by skin caliper test, BMI, test, hydrostatic weighting test and electric impedance

19. Exercise Prescription
Needs Analysis- Specificity
Muscle Groups
Demands of the sport and the abilities of the individual
Physiology and mechanics of the sport and sport skills is essential for designing the exercise program
Energy Systems
Aerobic vs. anaerobic or both
Train accordingly
Muscle Activity
Concentric, eccentric and isometric
Injury Patterns
Understand teams injury history or evaluate baseline testing
If individual has pre-existing injury must have clearance from physician before beginning exercise program

21. Exercise Prescription
Goal Setting
Critical role within exercise prescription
Program without objectives and goals will lose interest of athlete
Short-Term Goals
Immediate (daily) and short range (monthly
Contribute to long term goals
Long-Term Goals
People take responsibility for establishing own goals motivation is more likely
Identify specific goals and exact outcomes
Relate to needs analysis: strength endurance and cardiorespiratory
Limitations to the Plan

22. Exercise Prescription
Exercise Plans
Training volume
Amount of work performed during a workout, during a week, and during a season
Repetitions or total weight lifted
If increasing muscle mass is the goal volume will increase as program progresses
Exercise order
The station approach
Maximize overload on one muscle group before moving on to another
More intense load on muscle group, but need to manage rest time between sets
Circuit training
Perform one set of exercise and then move on to another
When circuit is complete start at first station again
Theory is to work a muscle group to near fatigue or fatigue and then moving on to next exercise keeping heart rate elevated
Muscle groups get rest period while doing other exercises

23. Developing the Strength Training Program
Necessary to incorporate 2 essentials into every program
Resistance to muscle actions
Gravity, dumbbells, cables, elastic bands, etc.
Overload
Stress or load on the muscle that is greater than what the muscle is accustomed to moving

24. Developing the Strength Training Program
Exercise Intensity:
Intensity refers to % of 1RM
Hypertrophy method
Hypertrophy=general increase in bulk of muscle through increase in size of individual muscle fiber
5-12 repetitions at 70-85% of 1RM
High-intensity training method
Improve recruitment of existing muscle fibers rather than increase size of fibers
Greater the load on muscle fibers the more fibers are used
1-4 repetitions at % 1RM

26. Developing the Strength Training Program
Periodization
Gradual increase in type, intensity and amount of training
Achieve peak performance
Decrease injuries and overtraining
Program that spans various seasons
Modify program relative to athlete’s
General to specific training throughout the cycles of competitive season

27. Periods or Phases Transition period:
Follows last competition (early off-season)
Unstructured (escape rigors of training)
Preparatory period:
Off-season
Hypertrophy/endurance phase (Low intensity with high volume)
Allows for development of endurance base
Lasts several weeks to 2 months
Strength Phase
Power Phase (High intensity/ pre-season)

28. Periods or Phases Preparatory period (continued) Strength Phase
Intensity and volume increase to moderate levels
Power Phase (High intensity/ pre-season)
Volume is decreased to allow adequate recovery
Competition period:
May last a < week or several months for seasonal sports
High intensity, low volume, skill training sessions
May incorporate weekly training cycles (1-7 days)
Designed to ensure peak on days of competition

29. Developing the Strength Training Program
Progressive Overload
Gradual increase in stress placed on a muscle as it gains strength or endurance
Rest periods and Training Frequency
Rest Periods
Rest between sets or exercises
Crucial component to strength training
Depends on training volume and exercise order
Higher volume=longer rest period vice versa
If circuit training 1:1 ratio in rest to exercise can increase strength and aerobic endurance

30. Developing the Strength Training Program
Training Frequency
Weight training on alternate days to allow sufficient recovery periods
Early in exercise program athlete may experience muscle soreness or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
May require longer recovery periods
Sessions of multiple joint exercise require more recovery than single joint exercises
When using 1Rm or near maximal loads individuals will require more recovery time
Lower training volume in between heavy training volume days can allow for more frequent lifting sessions
Persons who have weight lifted on a regular basis for a long time may benefit from more frequent training sessions

31. Types of Strength Training
Isometrics
Contraction where muscle length remains unchanged
Muscle generates force without joint movement
Resistance greater than participant is able to move, thus no movement occurs
Muscle contraction that lasts 10 seconds and should be performed 5-10 times/daily
Pro: quick, effective, cheap, good for rehab
Con: only works at one point in ROM, produces spiking of blood pressure due to Valsalva maneuver, not often applicable to sport performance

32. Types of Strength Training
Isotonic Training
Moving a joint through range of motion with a set amount of resistance
Strength curves: points in the range of every joint where the muscle is at its weakest
Middle of range usually the strongest

33. Types of Strength Training
Variable Resistance
Started in 1970’s by nautilus company who developed an offset cam to deliver a variation in the resistance to the movement
Maximize strength at various points in the range of motion
Sliding lever bar systems and elastic tubing developed later

34. Types of Strength Training
Isokinetics
Muscle action performed at constant velocity
More often used in rehabilitation

35. Types of Strength Training
Concentric and Eccentric Training
Concentric Muscle Activity
shortening of muscle with contraction in an effort to overcome more resistance
Eccentric Muscle Activity
lengthening of muscle with contraction because load is greater than force being produced

37. Types of Strength Training
Plyometrics
Rapid stretch, eccentric contraction followed by a rapid concentric contraction to create a forceful explosive movement
Mimics most sport movement
Rate of stretch vs. magnitude
Jumps, bounds, medicine ball throws
Very technical training - skills must be learned with appropriate technique
Often develop muscle soreness as a result of extensive eccentric loading

38. Integrating Cardiorespiratory and Flexibility Parameters
Aerobic Endurance Training
Nearly every sport activity requires some degree of cardiorespiratory , or aerobic, endurance
Develop rational program with understanding of persons current fitness level
ACSM recommends intensity of 60-90% of maximal HR 3 days a week for minutes
Be person and sport specific
Use overload and specificity training principles
Vary Program to keep participants motivated

39. Integrating Cardiorespiratory and Flexibility Parameters
Anaerobic training
Energy production of the body in the absence of O2
Training requires short, intense burst of activity
Should be sport specific
High intensity near maximal exercise is impossible to sustain for long periods of time
Must use rest periods
Interval training can be useful
Not appropriate for those with low level fitness
Events that take 1-5 minutes require aerobic and anaerobic systems
Important to train both systems

40. Integrating Cardiorespiratory and Flexibility Parameters
Flexibility and Stretching Programs
Thought that flexibility and stretching will decrease risk of injury
Not well supported by research
Though many injuries occur when joint is forced beyond its ROM
Flexibility important, however proper warm up proven to be more important
Passive Stretching
Entails no work by individual
Someone takes limb through ROM
Requires training and experience
Active Stretching
Individual uses own body to produce a stretch of particular area
Contract–Relax Stretching
PNF stretch: Uses passive and active participation from individual

41. Integrating Cardiorespiratory and Flexibility Parameters
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
Specialized technique of therapy that incorporates muscle spindle stretch and specific movement patterns
Uses 3 movements
Flexion-extension
Abduction-adduction
rotation
Stretching Methods
Static stretching
Joint moved to point where stretch is felt and position is held
30-60Seconds Holds

42. Integrating Cardiorespiratory and Flexibility Parameters
Stretching Methods
Ballistic stretching
Involves bouncing movements
Difficult to perform safely because bouncing fires Golgi Tendon Organs in muscle
Causes muscle to reflexively contract
Can cause damage to muscle
Dynamic Stretching
Stretching through specific movements
Shown to be best method of warm up
Stretches muscles
Activates other muscles
Addresses balance and coordination
Increases body and intramuscular temperature
Addresses neuromuscular system