Assessment of Fitness

1
Chapter 9

• Assessment of Fitness

• Text Sources
• Nelson Physical Education VCE Units 34 4th
  Edition Malpeli, Horton, Davey and Telford
  2006.
• 2. Live It Up 2 2nd Edition Smyth, Brown,
  Judge, McCallum and Pritchard 2006.

2
Assessing Fitness

• Assessment of Fitness

3
Reasons for Fitness Testing

• Identify the athletes capability to perform
  certain tasks
• Identify athletes strengths and weaknesses,
  which can be used to develop/evaluate a training
  program
• Tests should be re-tested every 8-12 weeks to
  give coach-athlete feedback (one-off testing is
  pointless)
• Testing can motivate athletes to strive for
  improvement in their fitness.
• Performance Evaluation
• Laboratory Tests Assessment from expensive and
  sophisticated equipment in laboratories.
  Performed usually only at elite level (Sports
  institutes), but are very accurate (Eg. Maximal
  tests)
• Field Tests Commonly carried out, as they are
  simple and results are instantaneous. Commonly
  carried out in individual and team sports to
  gauge ones fitness levels and can are specific to
  the fitness components required in particular
  sports.
• Maximal and Sub-maximal Testing
• See table 9.1 p.195

4
Direct and Indirect Testing

• There are two broad approaches to testing
  direct, maximal testing and indirect sub-maximal
  testing. Each has its advantages and
  disadvantages
• Direct lab equipment, HR monitor, etc
• Indirect predictive measures/ equations
• Direct testing tends to be confined to
  laboratories
• Indirect sub-maximal testing tends to be used
  most often because it is easy to administer,
  requires less expertise and requires minimal
  effort.

5
The Evaluation Process

1. Select the fitness components to be tested (Via
   game analysis)
2. Select a suitable fitness test
3. Collect the data scientifically
4. Analyse the data to determine strengths and
   weaknesses
5. Make decisions as to what to do with the test
   results
6. Design a training program to work on an athletes
   weaknesses and maintain their strengths

6
Checkpoints

• Complete questions 1-5 page 195 of Nelson
  Physical Education VCE Units 3 4.

7
Test Selection Criteria

• Each fitness test should be
• Relevant Selected fitness should assess the
  performance capabilities of the relevant major
  muscle groups, and also the patterns and speeds
  of movement performed.
• Specific The predominant energy systems and
  fitness components utilised in an activity should
  form the basis for the selection of tests.
• Valid An appropriate fitness test must be valid
  in that it should measure what it claims to
  measure. For example, if a test claims to measure
  aerobic capacity it should be of sufficient
  duration to test the capacity of this energy
  system.
• Reliable Fitness tests must be able to be
  repeated with consistently accurate results.
  Reliability is dependent upon a number of factors
  remaining constant.
• The same warm-up should be performed.
• The same sequence of tests should be conducted.
  
• The same recovery period between tests should
  be provided.
• The athlete should be tested at approximately
  the same time of day.
• The athlete should be in a similar fluid and
  nutritional state.
• The environmental conditions of heat, humidity
  and air movement should be
• similar.

8
Pre-testing procedures

• The following is a checklist of recommended
  procedures and precautions that should be
  followed before undertaking any form of fitness
  testing.
• The individual should be fully informed and
  familiarised with the procedures and format of
  the test(s).
• No food should be consumed immediately before
  the testing session. (approx 2hrs)
• Appropriate clothing and footwear should be
  worn.
• Heavy or intense exercise should be avoided on
  the day prior to testing.
• The individual should give their consent and
• appropriate medical clearances should have been
  obtained.
• Untrained individuals should work at maximum
  intensities for short periods only, and their
  responses should be closely monitored. This is to
  ensure that they do not injure themselves or run
  the risk of overtaxing themselves.

9
Standards and Norms

• Where available, an athlete may make use of
  norms (standards that are normal or typical
  for a group) but caution should be exercised in
  referring to these norms.
• Where norms are not available, the athlete should
  use personal bests (PBs) as a guide.

10
Checkpoints

• Complete questions 1-3 page 197 of Nelson
  Physical Education VCE Units 3 4.

11
Fitness Tests

• Assessment of Fitness

12
Aerobic Capacity

• Aerobic Capacity
• Coppers 12 minute run
• Harvard Step Test
• Critical swim speed test
• 20m shuttle run test
• 1.6km jog test (1 mile)

13
Anaerobic Capacity

• The two measures of anaerobic capacity include
• measurement of the capacity of the ATPPC system
  and measurement of the capacity of the anaerobic
  glycolysis (lactic acid) system.
• Tests to assess the capacity of the ATPPC system
  need to include activities of short duration
  (010 seconds) and maximum intensity (100 per
  cent effort).
• Tests to measure the capacity of the anaerobic
  glycolysis system need to be performed at maximal
  or near-maxima intensity (95-100 per cent) and be
  sustained for a period of time between 30-90
  seconds.

14
Anaerobic Power/Speed

• Phosphate recovery test
• Anaerobic sprint test (RAST)
• Repco peak power test
• Sprint standing starts
• 50m sprint test

15
Coursework 9.1 and 9.2

• Complete the data analysis task on page 205 and
  208 of Nelson Physical Education VCE Units 3 4.

16
Muscular Endurance, Strength and Power

• Muscular Endurance
• Sit ups
• Push ups
• Modified/pull ups

• Muscular strength
• Grip strength
• Core muscle strength
• Muscular Power
• Standing Long Jump
• Vertical Jump

17
Coursework 9.3

• Complete the data analysis task on page 217 of
  Nelson Physical Education VCE Units 3 4.

18
Flexibility

• Flexibility
• Sit and reach
• Shoulder wrist elevation
• Trunk and neck extension
• Shoulder rotation
• Ankle extension / flexion
• Shoulder rotation

19
Agility

• Agility
• Illinois agility test
• Semo agility test

20
Body Composition

• BMI
• Skinfold test
• underwater weighing (hydrodensitometry),
• waist-to-hip ratio.

21
Fitness Profiles and Batteries

• Assessment of Fitness

22
Fitness Profiles and Batteries

• Grouping of fitness tests targeted at particular
  groups eg. Schools.
• Battery tests provide a fitness profile for
  athletes
• Examples ACHPER Australian Fitness Education
  Award, Sport Search Fitness Program
• Advantages Reliable and valid, norm/criterion
  referenced standards (With percentiles and
  ratings), a final score is achieved.
• Disadvantages Not sport specific.

23
Checkpoints

• Complete questions 3 page 221 of Nelson Physical
  Education VCE Units 3 4.

24
Peak Performance

• Complete the chapter questions on page 63-70 of
  Nelson Peak Performance Physical Education VCE
  Units 3 4.

25
Test Your Knowledge

• Complete the review questions 1-5 page 191 of
  Nelson Physical Education VCE Units 3 4.

26
PHYS ED Notes

• Read the summarised information of pages 98-115
  of PHYS ED Notes and complete the revision
  questions.

27
VCAA Questions - 2006
28
Web Links Chapter 9

• Peak Centre for human performance (Canada)
  http//www.peakcentre.ca/faq.htm
• Sport Specific (encyclopedia of sports
  performance enhancement) http//www.sportspecific
  .com/
• Sports Coach UK evaluation http//www.brianmac.
  demon.co.uk/eval.htm
• Sports Coach UK conditioning
  http//www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/conditon.htm
• ExRx Fitness Testing http//www.exrx.net/Testing.
  html
• Go For Your Life http//www.goforyourlife.vic.gov
  .au
• RobWoods guide to fitness testing
  http//www.topendsports.com/testing/