Components of Fitness

Physical fitness is a broad term that is used widely to describe someone’s ability to complete daily tasks without undue fatigue. However, an elite athletes daily tasks differ significantly to the average person on the street, therefore their physical fitness levels must be much greater out of necessity. The same applies for the ROAR academy’s athletes when compared to the average student. One way of looking at physical fitness is to break the general term into components. There are 11 components across two categories; health and skill related.

There are five health-related components of fitness that generally determine a person’s general level of health. Although essentially physical fitness, these components aid in general wellness and wellbeing contributing to a person’s quality of life.

There are six skill-related components of fitness are more of an extension to the health related components as they tend to assist with a person’s sporting performance than the everyday health needs of an individual.

Over time, a wide variety of tests have been developed to measure aspects of fitness and

human performance. The information gained from such testing can provide valuable guidance to coaches and athletes about levels of fitness, standard of fitness against other population groups and improvements in performance over time. Some can also provide indicators for overall health status

The information can also give very clear data about an athlete’s capabilities, particularly in sports where specific components are vital to performance, such as endurance in Australian rules football, speed in 100-metre sprinting and strength in weight lifting. Good tests can also be very informative in picking up information about injury, for example, testing the muscle strength of agonist and antagonist muscles to determine joint stability.

However fitness testing can also have negative outcomes if used to embarrass or scare people into action. Simple tests such as measuring weight or skinfolds can impact negatively if done in a public place where it may humiliate the person being tested. In The ROAR program we avoid using tests to embarrass our athletes, hence we do not perform body composition measurements.

Health-Related Components

Cardiovascular Endurance

This is a measure of an athlete’s aerobic capacity. That is, how well their heart, lungs and circulatory system work to transport oxygen around the body to the working muscles and remove waste products left over from muscle contractions. It is also a measure of how well the working muscle cells of the body can uptake the oxygen and use it by converting fuel sources to Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) the only compound capable to provide energy to the muscles.

Developing a good aerobic base level of fitness is crucial for athletes participating in team sports such as Rugby league, soccer and Australian Rules. For athletes in endurance events including Triathlon, marathon, cycling and cross country skiing an excellent aerobic fitness is required making use of the bodies systems in the most efficient manner. For everyday activities, from climbing stairs to walking around at work, cardiovascular endurance is beneficial to prevent undue tiredness and fatigue from completing menial tasks.

To measure cardiovascular endurance, the ROAR program utilises the multistage fitness test as our first activity after our warm-up of each benchmarking session. Other tests include the 12 minutes run, the 1600m run, critical swim test and the Harvard step test.

However the most accurate test is a maximum oxygen uptake test or VO2 max. This requires the athlete to be hooked up to a heart rate monitor and respiratory analysis equipment in a laboratory while they run, ride or swim at various workloads. These tests are very

expensive and unsuitable for testing large groups such as the ROAR academy all at once.

Muscular Strength

Muscular strength is a health related component of fitness as it contributes to a person’s ability to participate in life’s activities that require lifting, carrying or moving. It is referred to as the body’s ability to apply force to an object through the use of a muscular contraction.

Muscular strength is a crucial component in physical activity particularly in team sports such as Rugby league and Olympic events such as weightlifting. Muscular strength generally relies on the muscles storage of ATP and CP for contraction and application of force in a single movement. Therefore, muscular strength is usually used for specific moments in events and not sustained for long periods. For example, a rugby league defender holding a attacker up over the try-line, or a soccer player shooting for goal. Strength is also used in acceleration, hitting ability and the maintaining balance. Strength and speed combine to generate power.

To measure muscular strength, the ROAR program utilises the max chin-up test to determine bicep strength of the athlete. Testing muscular strength provides a minimal analysis as the tests generally target specific muscles and therefore muscular strength requires multiple tests to get a true indication. Other tests would include the dominant hand grip dynamometer test which focuses on forearm strength or the 3 rep max bench press.

Muscular Endurance

Muscular endurance is defined as the ability of the muscles to perform repeated contractions against a load or resistance. In any single day some muscles may contact countless numbers of times in activities such as walking. The ability to keep going without muscle fatigue is important to overall health. The level of resistance that muscles have to work against is an important feature in determining muscular endurance. A person who continually walks up hills or trains muscles using lots of repetitions with light weights may build up high levels of muscular endurance.

Some examples of sports requiring high levels of muscular endurance are middle to long distance running, swimming, rowing, canoeing and cycling. There is also a range of team sports where athletes have to play for extended periods, such as 4 x 15-minute quarters, or 2 x 30-minute halves, which require a high level of muscular endurance to ensure that athletes are able to continually move and create space. Athletes who compete in sports such as tennis or squash, require specific muscular endurance in their legs, wrist, forearm and upper body in order to compete in long rallies and games.

To measure muscular endurance, the ROAR program utilises the 60 sec push-up test and the 60 sec sit-up test. These are activities that athletes are able to train at home without the need for equipment. Other tests include the wall squat test, Burpee test, the 40m multiple sprint test and the core stability test.

Flexibility

Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint and can make an important contribution to the way people feel. Stiffness and tightness in joints can limit an individual’s freedom of movement and contribute to injury of bones, tendons and muscles. As mentioned earlier a joint is where two or more bones meet, the tendons and ligaments and muscles encapsulating the joint can restrict this range of movement and limit the effectiveness of movements. Flexibility decreases with age, but can be maintained with regular exercise and stretching routines. Good flexibility aids in mobility and helps to reduce the chances of muscle fibre tears and ligament strains.

While maintaining flexibility is important in daily life, it has a particular significance in some sports. Competitive gymnastics and dancing require high levels of flexibility, so that the performer is able to undertake the skill of the required movement patterns. While a high level of general flexibility is vital in performing well in these activities, many movements can be enhanced by high flexibility. For instance, a tennis player with good shoulder flexibility would be able to take the racquet back further and generate more speed in the serve; an athlete with good hip flexibility would have a longer stride length when running; and a spin bowler with good wrist flexibility would be able to impart more spin on the ball when bowling in cricket.

To measure flexibility, the ROAR program utilises the sit & reach test. Other tests of flexibility include trunk flexion test. Note: the sit & reach test requires specialised equipment.

Body Composition

The human body is composed of bones, muscle, fat and other essential internal organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and liver, all of which have specific functions. The balance between fat, muscle and other components is important for health and wellbeing. The body needs a certain level of fat for metabolism and energy storage, but if a person has too much fat (or adipose tissue) it can impair their fitness levels and impact on their overall status of health.

There are genetic differences in the body composition of males and females, there is strong evidence that females with over 20% body fat and males with over 10% body fat are at significant health risk. Poor body composition has been linked to conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many forms of cancer.

Currently the ROAR program does not test athlete body composition due to possible embarrassment issues for some members within the group and being tested publicly.

Skill-related Components

Power

Muscular power can be defined as the ability to exert maximum force in the shortest possible time. It is the combination of strength and speed. Power is a significant part of throwing events such as discus, shot put and javelin. Team sports such as volleyball, basketball and Australian rules require powerful jumping movements at regular intervals throughout the game. Even in endurance events, athletes may be required

to use the component of power when performing such as sprinting up a hill or to the finish line.

To measure power, the ROAR program utilises the standing long jump and Standing vertical wall jump. Note: the standing vertical wall jump would be better completed with the appropriate specific testing tool however this equipment is expensive.

Speed

Speed can be defined as the ability of the muscles to contract quickly. This translates into fast movement of body parts. An individual’s speed is often determined by the muscle fibre they are born with. Human beings have a combination of fast-twitch muscle fibres and slow-twitch fibres. One way to understand the two fibre types is to compare them with those found in a chicken. The fast-twitch fibres of the wings of a chicken look very different from the slow-twitch fibres in the breast. There is a strong genetic influence on an athlete’s speed. An athlete who was born with a high percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibres has the genetic potential to be quicker than an athlete who has a high percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibres.

Speed can be improved with training, but this will be the result of improving technique and skill, which improves muscle memory. Often better results and times will be misinterpreted as increases in speed; whereas increased strength gains are actually making the athlete more powerful.

To measure speed, the ROAR program utilises the 40 metre sprint test. Other measurements would be a longer sprint test.

Agility

Agility is the ability to change direction or body positions quickly while still maintaining balance. Agility contains a number of skill-related components. Power, speed, balance, coordination and even reaction time are important components of agility. Most team sports that focus on space and possession require athletes to be agile. Some examples of individual sports that require agility include snow skiing, gymnastics, tennis, dancing and ice skating. A range of contact sports such as boxing, wrestling and martial arts also require high levels of agility.

To measure agility, the ROAR program utilises the Illinois agility run. Other tests would include the hexagonal obstacle agility test and the lateral change of direction test.

Coordination

Coordination is the result of the interaction between the body’s sense of perception and the central nervous system. A good level of coordination results in movements that appear to be smooth and flowing. Movements can be practised so that the neural pathways between the brain and body parts are established, which lead to learnt movement memory patterns. Once these movement patterns have been established, the athlete can concentrate on piecing other areas of the skill or movement together. Different sports and activities may require different types of coordination. For example, passing and catching in rugby, netball and basketball require high levels of hand-to-eye coordination. Soccer, Australian rules football and recreational games, such as ‘hackeysack’, require high levels of foot-to-eye

coordination. Activities such as dance and aerobics need good levels of coordination between body parts in order for movements to appear smooth and aesthetically pleasing.

To measure coordination, the ROAR program utilises the alternate hand wall toss

Balance

Balance is the ability of the body to maintain its equilibrium. Equilibrium is lost when a person falls over or loses control of their body parts momentarily. Balance is an important component of both agility and coordination. Balance can be static or dynamic. Static balance is when the body’s equilibrium is held in a fixed or stationary position. Some examples of static balance are a handstand in gymnastics and the ‘set’ position at the start of 100 metre-sprint. Dynamic balance is when an athlete can maintain their equilibrium while moving. In its simplest form, running is an example of dynamic balance. Balance is very significant in activities where the environment in which the movement is performed is unpredictable. Some examples of activities where dynamic balance is required are surfing, water skiing and running with the ball in football.

Currently the ROAR program does not include balance as a component that is tested due to time constraints.

Reaction time

Reaction time is the time it takes to react to an external stimulus. The external stimulus could be a starting gun or whistle but could be a ball pitched or bowled at a batter in softball, cricket or baseball. The start of a swimming race provides a good example of gauging

different reaction times because there is a time lag between the starting gun and entry into the water. Skilled athletes develop good reaction times and may also possess some inherent skill in this area. A combination of factors such as speed and perceptual ability contribute to strong reaction times.

The completion of benchmarking and the prescribed components of fitness tests currently occurs during the first session of each term for students in the ROAR academy.

Results are collected electronically and stored from year to year using an excel document allowing us to enter data offline. This data is then analysed at the end of each year to determine the student’s progress and growth throughout the year. This growth can be compared to the students previous results and also to previous students results, essentially creating our own specific normative data that suits our group.

The following pages outline the method for conducting the prescribed tests for the ROAR program along with the tables detailing the normative data found for each test and the ROAR records of best results in each test.

Multi-stage Fitness Test

The beep test is a shuttle run of 20 metres that progressively increases in intensity. The test is run using audial beeps that set the pace that athletes must achieve between each end of the shuttle. Athletes start on the beep and must cover the 20 metres before the track beeps again. The level and stage is announced after each beep. Each level lasts 1 minute with the number of stages increasing in each level. Hence the greater the distance required to be covered each minute.

Athletes run until exhaustion prevents them from completing a stage before the beep sounds. The athlete is required to listen and record the level and stage number of their last successful lap. Students can then compare their results using the table below or online calculators to gain an indication of their VO2 max.

To undertake this test you will require:

− Flat non-slip surface − Trundle wheel − Marking cones − The Multi-Stage Fitness Test audio

track − Mp3 player − Recording document − Assistant

This test requires the athlete to run 20m in time with a beep from a Mp3 track. The athlete must place one foot on or beyond the 20m marker at the end of each shuttle.

− If the athlete arrives at the end of a shuttle before the beep, the athlete must wait for the beep and then resume running

− If the athlete fails to reach the end of the shuttle before the beep they should be allowed 2 or 3 further shuttles to attempt to regain the required pace before being withdrawn

− The assistant records the level and number of shuttles completed at that level by the athlete when they are withdrawn

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

14 - 16 L12 S7 L11 S2 L8 S9 L7 S1 < L6 S6 17 - 20 L12 S12 L11 S6 L9 S2 L7 S6 < L7 S3

Cooper 12 Minute Run

A simple test to measure cardiovascular endurance; athletes run to cover as much ground as possible in 12 minutes. Due to its simplicity this test can be adapted to suit all populations. One draw-back for the ROAR program is the lack of facilities to adequately measure the distance covered by our athletes due to having an unmarked ground. 12 minutes of a single test can also pose a problem for motivation within the group.

To gain a VO2 measurement for this test the athlete enters their distance in kilometres into the the following equation:

VO2max = (22.35 x kilometres) – 11.29

To undertake this test you will require:

− 400 metre track − Stopwatch − Whistle − Assistant

This test requires the athlete to run as far as possible in 12 minutes.

− The assistant gives the command “GO”, starts the stopwatch and the athlete commences the test

− The assistant keeps the athlete informed of the remaining time at the end of each lap (400m)

− The assistant blows the whistle when the 12 minutes has elapsed and records the distance the athlete covered to the nearest 10 metres

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

13-14 >2700m 2400-2700m 2200-2399m

2100-2199m <2100m

15-16 >2800m 2500-2800m 2300-2499m

2200-2299m <2200m

17-19 >3000m 2700-3000m 2500-2699m

2300-2499m <2300m

Harvard Step Test

First developed as an aerobic test by Brouha et al. (1943) in the Harvard Fatigue Laboratories during WWII, this simple test became popular due to the minimal equipment required to conduct it, and its variations. The advantage for the ROAR athletes is that it can be self-administered, therefore can be conducted at home with ease.

The disadvantage to this test as an accurate test for aerobic fitness is the difference in exertion for people of a taller statue to those who are shorter.

To undertake this test you will require

− Gym Bench (45cm height) − Stopwatch − Assistant

The test requires the athlete to step up and down off a gym bench at a rate of 30 step/minute

− The assistant gives the command "GO" and starts the stopwatch

− The athlete steps up and down onto a standard gym bench once every two seconds for five minutes (150 steps)

− The assistant stops the test after 5 minutes

− The assistant measures the athlete's heart rate (bpm) one minute after finishing the test - Pulse1

− The assistant measures the athlete's heart rate (bpm) two minutes after finishing the test - Pulse2

− The assistant measures the athlete's heart rate (bpm) three minutes after finishing the test - Pulse3

Using the three pulse rates (bpm) an estimate of your level of fitness can be determined as follows:

− Result = 30000 ÷ (pulse1 + pulse2 + pulse3)

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

13- 14 >90.0 80.0-90.0 65.0-79.9 55.0-64.9 <55 15 - 18 >96.0 83.0 – 96.0 68.0 – 82.0 54.0 – 67.0 <57

1.6 Kilometre Run

Another test for cardiovascular endurance and also leg muscular endurance; this test can be seen as more advantageous for testing conditions than the 12 minute run. Used by the talent identification testing program, the aim is to run the 1600 metres in the shortest possible time.

To undertake this test you will require

- Stopwatch - 400 metre track - Assistant

The test requires the athlete to run as fast as possible over 1.6 km.

- The assistant gives the command “GO” and starts the stopwatch

- The athlete runs 1600 metres - When crossing the finish line

the assistant stops the watch and gives the time.

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 <6:50 6:51 – 7:04 7:05 – 7:50 7:51 – 8:40 >8:41 13 <6:30 6:31 – 6:50 6:51 – 7:35 7:36 – 8:25 >8:26 14 <6:19 6:20 – 6:35 6:36 – 7:18 7:19 – 8:01 >8:02 15 <6: 15 6:16 – 6:30 6:31 – 7:03 7:04 – 7:49 >7:50 16 <6:12 6:13 – 6:25 6:26 – 6:58 6:59 – 7:44 >7:45

Chin-Up Test

This test measures upper body muscle strength and endurance and requires the use of a chin up bar of adequate height that the athlete can hand arms extended and feet not touch the ground. Reliability depends on how strict technique is monitored. The ROAR program conducts this test in front of coordinators and requires students to full extend the arm on each repetition. At the moment the program does not have access to a specialised chin up bar, however make use of security bars around the school. Athletes with shoulder injuries may be contraindicated by this test and thus must sit out. It is expected that with adequate and sustained training during each term than the athletes results should improve consistently in this test.

To undertake this test you will require :

• Chinning bar • Assistant

The test requires the athlete to perform as many correct chin ups as possible before exhaustion.

• The athlete hangs from the bar with the palms of their hands facing them and arms straight (start position)

• The athlete, using the arms, pulls the body up until the chin is above the bar and then lowers the body to the start position

• The athlete continues with the pull ups until they are unable to continue or let go of the bar

• The assistant counts and records the number of successfully completed pull ups

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 9 4 2 0 0 13 10 5 3 1 0 14 12 7 4 2 0 15 15 9 6 3 0

16 - 17 15 10 7 4 1

Grip Strength Test

A simple field test to determine forearm strength that can be conducted just about anywhere with a dynamometer. Currently Merriwa Central does not have access to hand grip dynamometer, hence making this test unsuitable. The disadvantage to this test, obviously, being the requirement of specialised equipment.

Handgrip strength is an important factor in sports that require catching, throwing or lifting. As a general rule people with strong hands tend to be strong elsewhere, so this test is often used as a general test of strength.

To undertake this test you will require:

− Dynamometer − Assistant

The test requires the athlete to complete the test three times.

− The athlete using their dominant hand applies as much grip pressure as possible on the dynamometer

− The assistant records the maximum reading (kg)

− The assistant uses the highest recorded value to assess the athlete’s performance

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 - 15 >52 48 - 52 42 - 47 36 - 41 <36 16 - 18 >64 52 - 64 48 - 51 40 - 47 <40

Push-Up Test

An quick and easy test to measure the body’s strength and endurance of the upper body requiring no specialised equipment. This test is ideal for the ROAR program as it allows for the testing of large numbers at once. Testing upper body strength is particularly important for rugby league players.

To undertake this test you will require:

− Non-slip surface − Assistant

This test is performed over 60 seconds and requires the athlete to perform as many repetitions as possible. Athletes flex at the

elbow until their upper arm is parallel to the ground.

− The athlete lies on the ground, places their hands by the shoulders and straightens the arms - see Figure 1 (start position)

− The athlete lowers the body until the elbows reach 90° (see Figure 2) and then extends the arms to return to the start position

− The athlete continuous this press-up action, with no rest, until they are unable to continue

− The assistant counts and records the number of correctly completed press-ups

Normative data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 34 25 18 13 7 13 40 30 23 16 9 14 42 32 25 18 11 15 44 35 30 25 15 16 46 37 32 27 18 17 55 45 36 30 22

Sit-Up test

A test to measure the athletes abdominal strength, which is important for core stability and back support. This test last for 60 seconds and requires the athlete to perform as many sit-ups as possible with the time limit.

To undertake this test you will require:

• Non-slip surface • Exercise mat • Stopwatch • Assistant

This test requires the athlete to perform as many sit-ups as possible in 60 seconds.

• The athlete lies on the mat with the knees bent, feet flat on the floor and their hands on their ears where they must stay throughout the test

• The assistant holds the athlete’s feet on the ground

• The assistant gives the command “GO” and starts the stopwatch

• The athlete sits up touching the knees with their elbows, then returns back to the floor and continues to perform as many sit-ups as possible in 30 seconds

• The assistant keeps the athlete informed of the time remaining

• The assistant counts and records the number of correct sit-ups completed in the 30 seconds and uses this recorded value to assess the athlete’s performance

Normative data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 56 46 39 31 19 13 58 48 41 35 25 14 59 49 42 36 27 15 60 50 44 38 38 16 61 51 45 38 28 17 62 52 46 38 25

Sit & Reach

The sit and reach test is a common measure

of flexibility, and specifically measures the

flexibility of the lower back and hamstring

muscles. This test is important as because

tightness in this area is implicated in lumbar

lordosis, forward pelvic tilt and lower back

pain. This test was first described by Wells

and Dillon (1952) and is now widely used as a

general test of flexibility.

The most logical measure is to use the level of the feet as recording zero, so that any measure that does not reach the toes is negative and any reach past the toes is positive.

To undertake this test you will require:

− Box − Metre Ruler − Tape − Assistant

The Sit and Reach Test is conducted as follows:

− The athlete removes their shoes − The assistant secures the ruler to the

box top with the tape so that the front edge of the box lines up with the 15cm (6 inches) mark on the ruler and the zero end of the ruler points towards the athlete

− The athlete sits on the floor with their legs fully extended with the bottom of their bare feet against the box

− The 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 (cm)

− 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

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 35 29 26 21 13 13 36 30 26 21 13 14 39 33 28 23 13 15 41 34 30 24 13 16 42 36 30 25 14 17 45 40 34 28 15

Standing Long Jump

The Standing long jump, also called the Broad Jump, is a common and easy to administer test of explosive leg power. It is one of the fitness tests in the NFL Combine. The standing long jump was also once an event at the Olympic Games.

To undertake this test you will require:

• Long Jump pit • 30 metre tape measure • Assistant

To conduct this test

• The athlete places their feet over the edge of the sandpit, crouches down and using the arms and legs jumps horizontally as far as possible landing with both feet into the sandpit

• The assistant measures and records the distance from the edge of the sandpit to the nearest impression made by the athlete in the sand pit

• The athlete repeats the test 3 times • The assistant uses the longest recorded distance to assess the athlete's leg strength

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 198 cm 180 cm 165 cm 152 cm 127 cm 13 213 cm 190 cm 175 cm 157 cm 132 cm 14 228 cm 203 cm 187 cm 167 cm 142 cm 15 243 cm 218 cm 203 cm 185 cm 157 cm 16 248 cm 228 cm 213 cm 198 cm 165 cm 17 254 cm 236 cm 215 cm 198 cm 165 cm

Vertical Jump

This test measures the athlete’s elastic leg strength.

To undertake this test you will require:

• Wall • Tape measure • Step Ladder • Chalk • Assistant

To conduct this test

• The athlete chalks the end of his/her finger tips

• The athlete stands side onto the wall, keeping both feet remaining on the ground, reaches up as high as possible with one hand and marks the wall with the tips of the fingers (M1)

• The athlete from a static position jumps as high as possible and marks the wall with the chalk on his fingers (M2)

• The assistant measures and records the distance between M1 and M2

• The athlete repeats the test 3 times • The assistant calculates the average of

the recorded distances and uses this value to assess the athlete’s performance

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

12 – 15 >54 cm 50 – 53 cm 40 – 49 cm 33 – 39 cm <32 cm 16 -19 >65 cm 65 – 65 cm 50 – 55 cm 49 – 40 cm <40 cm

50 metre Sprint

To undertake this test you will require:

• Flat non-slip surface • Measuring tape • Stopwatch • Cones • Assistant

How to conduct the test

This test requires the athlete to conduct 3 x 40 yard time trails.

• The assistant marks a 40 yard straight section with cones

• The athlete takes up a sprint start position

• The assistant gives the commands “On Your Marks, Set, GO” and starts the stopwatch

• The athlete sprints the 40 yards • The assistance stops the stopwatch

when the athlete’s torso crosses the finishing line and records the time

• The athlete conducts 3 x 40 yard sprints with a 5 minute recovery between each sprint

• The assistant uses the fastest time to assess the athlete’s performance

Normative Date

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

15 - 16 < 5.8 s 5.80 – 6.09 6.10 – 6.29 6.30 – 6.60 >6.60

Illinois Agility Run

Agility is an important component of many team sports, though it is not always tested, and is often difficult to interpret results. The Illinois Agility Test (Getchell, 1979) is a commonly used test of agility in sports.

This is a simple test to administer, requiring little equipment. Also, the players ability to turn in different directions and different angles is tested. However, choice of footwear and surface of area can effect times greatly. Results can be subject to timing inconsistencies, which may be overcome by using timing gates. Cannot distinguish between left and right turning ability. Changing the starting and finishing sides can be swapped to overcome this short coming.

To undertake this test you will require:

• Flat non-slip surface • 8 cones • Stopwatch • Assistant

This test requires the athlete to run the red line route in the diagram below as fast as possible.

• The athlete lies face down on the floor at the “Start” cone

• The assistant gives the command “GO” and starts the stopwatch.

• The athlete jumps to his/her feet and negotiates the course around the cones following the red line route shown in the diagram to the finish

• The assistant stops the stopwatch and records the time when the athlete passes the “Finish” cone

Normative Data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

d 14 - 15 < 17 17.9 – 17.0 21.7 - 18 23 – 21.8 >23 16 – 19 < 15 . 2 16.1 – 15.2 18.1 – 16.2 18.3 – 18.2 >18.3

Coordination

Another simple test used in the ROAR program aimed at measuring an athlete’s physical fitness and predicted movement efficiency. The alternate hand wall ball toss measures hand eye coordination and directly relates to sports that require fine movements and catching of objects, such as rugby league.

To undertake this test you will require:

• Tennis Ball • Stopwatch • Smooth Wall • Assistant

To conduct this test

• 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

• The assistant records the number of catches

Normative data

Age

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

Poor

15 – 16 > 35 30 - 35 20 - 29 15 - 19 < 15

References

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SydneyBoysHighSchool. (2015). PD/Health/PE – Physical Fitness Assessment. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com/curriculum/subjects/pd-health-pe?start=2

Wood, R. (2008). Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test. Topend sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/wall-catch.htm

Wood. R. (2008). Beep Test Instructions. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/20mshuttle.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Cooper Fitness Test. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/cooper.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Hand grip Strength Test. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/handgrip.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Harvard Step test. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/step-harvard.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Mile Run test. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/1mile-run.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Pull-Up or Chin-up test. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/pullup.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Push-Up test/Press-Up Test. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/push-up.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Sit and Reach Test. Topend sports. Retrieved August 8th, from, http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/sit-and-reach.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Sit Up Test: Testing your fitness at home. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/home-situp.htm

Wood, R. (2008). Standing Long Jump Test. Topend Sports. Retrieved August 8th, 2015, from http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/longjump.htm