Skill-Related Fitness Testing In Sports

What is fitness testing?

Any movement of the body resulting from the contraction of skeletal muscles that results in an important rise above resting energy expenditure is referred to as physical activity. Usually physical fitness has been characterized as a group of characteristics that are related to an individual’s ability for vigorous physical activity in Physiotherapy.

Movement of the body resulting from the contraction of skeletal muscles that results in an important rise above resting energy expenditure is referred to as physical activity. Usually physical fitness has been characterized as a group of characteristics that are related to an individual’s ability for vigorous physical activity.

Purpose of Fitness Testing

Motivation to help the client develop sensible exercise goals.

Informing clients about their current state of fitness at present,

Provides data information for creating an entire fitness program.

Identify strengths and weaknesses: Fitness evaluations are useful for athletes to identify their areas of strength and weakness as well as areas in where they need to improve.

Aspects of physical fitness come in two varieties. 1. Health-related fitness 2. Skill-related fitness

Health-Related Physical Fitness Components

• 1. Cardiovascular fitness: The capacity of the respiratory and circulatory systems to provide oxygen during prolonged physical exertion is known as cardiovascular fitness.
• 2. Body composition: the amount of bone, muscle, fat, and other important physiological components.
• 3. Muscular strength: muscle’s ability to utilize force.
• 4. Flexibility: an individual joint’s maximum range of motion.
• 5. Muscular endurance: ability to perform prolonged periods of work without any fatigue.

Skill-Related Physical Fitness Components

• 1. Agility: the capacity to move your body through space quickly and effectively.
• 2.Balance: maintaining a sense of balance if moving or static.
• 3.Speed: the ability to complete any task in a short period of time.
• 4.Power: The speed or capacity at which an individual can finish tasks.
• 5. Reaction time: The length of time that passes before the stimulus-induced reaction starts is known as the stimulus’s length.
• 6.Coordination: includes the ability to use bodily parts and senses, such as sight and hearing, for performing activities smoothly and correctly.

Purpose of Fitness Testing in physiotherapy

In physiotherapy the purpose of fitness testing it will explain to the players their overall physical fitness status.

• The purpose of fitness testing is to provide your current fitness level, and we will focus on improving it together. Physiotherapists and coaches will create a customized plan to enhance your strength, flexibility, and overall performance. They will address any specific areas that need attention, and they will support you through exercises and techniques to help you achieve your fitness goals safely and effectively.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses: Fitness evaluations are useful for athletes to identify their areas of strength and weakness as well as areas in where they need to improve.
• Athletes can use fitness testing to identify when they are sufficiently fit to return to competition after an illness or injury.
• Fitness testing is a useful tool for athletes to monitor their progress over time.
• Motivation to help the client develop sensible exercise goal.

Agility and Speed

The conventional approach of developing agility must be evaluated because of the multidimensional movement demands of field and court games. This requires a systematic, multi-factored planning that substantially improves game speed. It’s possible that by training agility in isolation and bypassing the underlying coordination and power, we have put the train before the horse. When coordination skills are fully developed, they offer repertoire of motor skills that may be altered to meet the needs of particular sports. Agility is not only sprint and accerlation but it is whole body movement.

DIfferent types of agility tests

• Hexagonal obstacle agility test
• Zig-zag test
• 505 agility test
• Illinois agility run test
• ‘T’drill test.
• Lateral change of direction test

Hexagonal Obstacle Test

The purpose of the hexagonal obstacle test is to evaluate the athlete’s agility.

Neccessary resources

• 66 cm draw on the floor
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

The hexagonal obstacle test is performed as follows: 

• The competitor faces line A as they approach in the hexagon’s center;
• The athlete must face line A at all times while the test; 
• The watch is started on the command GO, and the athlete jumps with both feet over line B and gets back to the middle; 
• Next, they jump over line C and return to the middle;
• At last, they jump over line D and return to the middle. This counts as one circuit.
• The participant must finish three circuits.
• The athlete rests before repeating the test.
• The watch is stopped after three circles, and the time is recorded. 
• After the second test is finished, determine the average.

Normal value for hexagonal obstacle test

Gender: Excellent Above Average Average Below Average Poor
Male: <11.2 secs 11.2-13.3 secs 13.4-15.5 secs 15.6-17.8 secs >17.8 secs
Female: <12.2 secs 12.2-15.3 secs 15.4-18.5 secs 18.6-21.8 secs >21.8 secs

Zig-Zag Test

The purpose of the zigzag test is to evaluate the athlete’s speed and agility.

Neccessary resources

• 5 cones
• Non-slip surface
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

Below is how the Zig-Zag Test operates out there:

• Place one additional cone in the middle of a 10-by-16-foot area after placing four cones to indicate the course.
• The athlete takes the grey route shown on the diagram.
• The participant makes one complete round of the course, beginning and ending at the cone marked “Start/Finish” on the diagram.
• The time it takes the athlete to finish the course is recorded by the assistance.

505 Agility Test

The purpose of the zigzag test is to evaluate the athlete’s speed and agility with a 180 degree turn.

Neccessary resources

• 6 cones
• Measurement tape
• Non slip surface
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

This is how the 505 agility testing is managed:

• Draw the path according to the preceding diagram. The athlete starts at the start line (A), runs from it to the 10 m line (B), turns around, and runs back towards the start line. 
• The athlete runs from B to C, which is located 5m away, and from A to B, which is 10m away. The assistant starts the stopwatch as the athlete passes through the 10 m line (B).
• When the athlete passes the 10-meter line (B) on their way back to the starting line, the assistant stops the stop watch.
• The superior trail is documented.

Ilinois Agility Run Test

Evaluating an athlete’s speed and agility is the goal of the Illinois Agility Run Test.

Neccessary resources

• 400-meter track on flat surface
• cones
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

The course measured 10 meters in length and 5 meters in width, or the distance between the start and finish lines. Five lanes could be used on the track.
Cones can be used for marking two turning points, the start and the finish line. The distance between each cone at the center is 3.3 meters.

How to start test

The following is how the Illinois Agility Run Test is administered:

• At the starting position, the athlete lies face down on the ground.
• The athlete gets up at the assistant’s command and navigates the track between the cones to reach the finish.
• The assistant keeps track of how long it takes the athlete to finish the course after giving the order.

T’ Drill Test

The purpose of this test is to measure the athlete’s speed development as it alternates in direction.

Neccessary resources

• Flat surface
• cones
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

Three cones have been placed in a straight line, five meters apart.

• 10 meters distance the center cone from the fourth cone, forming a ‘T’ with the cones.
• The athlete starts at the base of the ‘T’, at the cone. The runner goes to the middle cone and touches it after the coach signals, “Go,” and initiates the stopwatch.
• After that, the athlete sidestretches for five meters to the left cone and touches it.
• Athletes then sprint 10 meters backwards to the base of the ‘T’ and touch that cone. 
• The athletes then sidestep 10 meters to the far cone and touch that one. 
• Athletes then sidestep 5 meters back to the middle cone and touch that one.
• The examiner stops the watch and records the time..

Lateral Change of Direction Test

The purpose of this test is to measure the athlete’s speed development as it changes directions.

Neccessary resources

• Flat surface-track
• 3 cones
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

• The three cones are arranged five meters away in a straight path.
• Beginning at the middle cone, 
• After moving past the middle cone (start), contacting the far cone, and returning to the middle cone, the individual touches the first cone.
• The assistant signals for the athlete to start and points in either a right or left direction.
• When the participant touches the middle cone, the assistant stops the stopwatch. 
• The best score in each direction is utilized for scoring. The better of two trails in each beginning direction, left and right, are recorded.

Balance

The ability to maintain the body in equilibrium while moving or stationary to avoid falling is known as balance and is achieved by the coordinated use of our sensory organs, including hearing, vision, and proprioception.

Static balance refers to being able to hold one’s center of mass above the base of support when in a stationary position, whereas dynamic balance deals with the ability to maintain balance when one’s body is moving.

Standing Stork Test

The purpose of this test is to measure the progress of the participant’s ability to stay balanced in a fixed (static) position.

Neccessary resources

• Dry and warm location
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

• Assume a comfortable position with both feet
• Place your hands on your hips, 
• Lift one leg and press its toes against the knee of the other, 
• To stand on your toes, lift your heel as instructed by the person who assists you.
• Assistant starts the stopwatch 
• Maintains balance as long as possible without allowing the foot to move away from the knee or the heel to touch the ground.
• Coach records the amount of time you were able to maintain the balance.
• Perform the test again on the other leg.

Standing Stork Test Blind

The examination aims to assess how well the participant’s ability to maintain balance while in an immobile state has improved.

Neccessary resources

• Warm and dry location
• Stop watch
• Assistant

How to start test

• Assume a comfortable standing with both feet
• With your hands on your hips, 
• Elevate your other leg and press the toes of that foot up against the knee of your preferred leg while standing on your preferred leg with the foot flat on the ground.
• Close your eyes when asked by the assistant.
• The assistant starts the stopwatch.
• Try to maintain your balance as long as you can.
• The watch stops when you open your eyes, move your hands, remove your foot off your knee, or transfer your standing foot.
• The test is performed several times.
• The assistant records how long you were able to maintain your balance.

Speed

It is important to keep in mind that improving running moves is a difficult process that the brain and nervous system control. A runner requires the ability to contract their leg muscles more quickly in order to move more quickly, but their brain and nervous system also need to learn how to effectively control these faster motions. Your muscles and neural system will not lose the sensation of moving quickly if you continue speed training throughout the year. Additionally, the brain does not have to relearn proper control patterns later on.

• 30 Meter Acceleration Test
• Shuttle Run Test
• 40-Meter Sprint Test
• Multiple Sprint Test

30 Meter Acceleration Test

The purpose of this test is to measure how effectively an athlete improves their ability to accelerate from a standing start or from the starting blocks to their maximum speed.

Neccessary resources

• 400m track with a 30m marked part on the straight
• Stop watch
• Assistant

How to start test

A section of the exam consists of three separate 30-meter runs, one from a standing start and another from starting blocks, with complete recuperation times in between. The assistant needs to note how long it takes the runner to finish the 30-meter run.

Shuttle Run Test

The purpose of this test is to measure the athlete’s acceleration between assigned lines and quick direction changes.

Neccessary resources

• Draw 2 parallel lines 9.14m (30ft) apart
• Two blocks made of wood 5 x 5 x 10 cm
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

• Participants must sprint from the starting line and get a block, and they must then set down on the ground behind the line. After picking up the second block, the athlete runs toward the starting line.
• An attempt is not counted if the block is dropped rather than placed on the floor.
• The timer is started on the command “Go” and stopped when the athlete’s chest passes the line. Additionally, the block needs to be positioned behind the line rather than on it.
• Repeat the test three times.
•  Record the best time.

40-Meter Sprint Test

Testing the athlete’s increasing acceleration and rate of speed is the aim of this test.

Neccessary resources

• Track 400m
• Cones
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

The following is how the test is managed:

• Starting from a standing position, athletes place their front foot behind the starting line.
• A 40-meter portion of the track is marked with cones. – When the signal to start is given, the athlete dashes as quickly as they can to the finish line.
• The athlete should have two efforts with a recovery interval of two to five minutes each. 
• The assistant records the time.

Multiple Sprint Test

The purpose of this test is to measure how the athlete’s speed is improving.

Neccessary resources

• Track
• Marker cones
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

The following is how the test is managed:

• A 40-meter straight length of the track has cones to designate it.
• The racing completes six 40-meter sprints, resting for 30 seconds in between. 
• Tracking every 40-meter sprint is done by the assistant timer.

Power

As power is a measure of force provided rapidly, it makes it acceptable to use it in most sports requiring quick, dynamic motions, such weightlifting, running, jumping, and throwing. Power is also suitable for most field sports.

• 400-meter r Sprint Test
• 30 Meter Sprint Fatigue Power Maintenance Test
• The Wingate Anaerobic 30 Cycle Test
• 300-yard Shuttle Test

400-Meter Sprint Test

The purpose of this test is to measure an athlete’s speed, speed endurance, strength, and general endurance over a 400-meter circuit.

Neccessary resources

• 400m track
• Markings for cones at 150, 300, and 600 meters
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

The athlete does three separate runs of 150, 300, and 600 meters each, starting from a standing position and breathing fully in between. 

• The assistant times how long it takes the athlete to finish each distance.

400-meter control test calculations

• Speed endurance index = 300 m time minus (2 x 150 m time)

• Value of the target index is equal to -11.54156 + 1.1226216 x “150m time” + (150m time” x “150m time” x -0.015101).

• Strength & general endurance index = 600 m time – (2 x 300 m time)

• The intended index score is equal to -0.733763 + (0.2408302 x “300m Time”) + (“300m Time” x “300m Time” x 0.0008366).

30 Meter Sprint Fatigue Power Maintenance Test

Players in sports like rugby, soccer, basketball, and hockey sometimes have to repeat sprints rapidly after one another. Sprint fatigue test is measured by the ability to recover time between two sprints and repeat at the same power level.

Neccessary equipments

• 40m section of a track
• 12 Cones draw out the course
• Stop watch
• Assistant.

How to start test

• The athlete needs to finish 10 sprints in total.
• Between the cones, the participant runs from point A to point B, reversing course five meters along the way.
• The assistant times the athlete’s sprint from point A to point B. 
• The athlete jogs slowly back to point A, following the diagram’s route, taking no more than 30 seconds to do so. 
• After achieving point A, the athlete repeats the sprint to point B.

Power maintenance

Calculate the mean velocity of the initial three trials and divide it by the mean velocity of the following three trials. So if your times were:
7.1 seconds, 6.9 seconds, 6.9 seconds,
7.0 seconds, 7.2 seconds, 7.1 seconds, 7.3 seconds,
7.3 seconds, 7.4 seconds, 7.5 seconds,

The last three times (7.3, 7.4, and 7.5) have an average of 7.40 seconds, while the first three times (7.1, 6.9, and 6.9) have an average of 6.97 seconds.

• 6.97 ÷ 7.40 = 0.94
• 4 Excellent = 0.9
• 4 Good = 0.85 to 0.89
• 4 Average = 0.80 to 0.84
• 4 Poor = <0.79.

The Wingate Anaerobic 30 Cycle Test

Anaerobic capacity and peak anaerobic power are measured with this test. The ability to produce energy via the ATP-PC energy pathway is known as anaerobic power. The average power output throughout the test indicates the anaerobic capacity, which is the total generated energy capacity of the two anaerobic pathways.

How to start test

An ergometer for bicycles with mechanical brakes is the testing equipment. The athlete warms up for ten minutes before starting to pedal as quickly and resistance-free as possible.The athlete pedals “all out” for 30 seconds after a fixed resistance is introduced to the flywheel after 3 seconds. Flywheel revolutions are continuously recorded in 5-second intervals by an electronic or mechanical counter.

Resistance

The flywheel resistance is 0.075 kg/kg of body weight. The flywheel resistance for a 70 kg person would be 5.25 kg (70 kg x 0.075). When assessing power, resistance frequently rises to 1.0 kg x body mass or greater (up to 1.3 kg) for sprint athletes.

Calculations

Peak Power Output (PP)

The maximal power output, recorded in the first 5 seconds of exercise, reveals how much energy the immediate energy system (intramuscular high energy phosphates, or ATP and PC) can produce. PP is calculated in this way:

P = Force x Distance (number of revolutions x distance per revolution) /Time in minutes (5 seconds = 0.0833 minutes).

Reaction Time

Reaction time is the speed at which we can take in information and choose what to do. In many sports, our ability to react fast is important and sometimes decides our success. The interval of time between the beginning of the stimulus and the beginning of the movement response to it is known as reaction time. Reaction time in a sprint start is measured starting from the gun.

There are two  components related to quick performance:

1. Time OF MOVEMENT This is the amount of time needed to get from the start to the end of the movement. The sprinter’s time from when they first press on their blocks to when they cross the finish line is how it is depicted in the sprint start.
2. REACTION TIME This is the amount of time that passes between the stimulus’s beginning and the movement’s conclusion. It is the sum of the movement and reaction times. For example, it’s the duration of the gunshot.

Types of reaction time. 1 simple reaction time, 2. choice reaction time

Simple Reaction Time: relates to a single stimulus and a possible reaction.

Choice Reaction Time: There are multiple stimuli given, but only one must be chosen for a response. A person’s reaction time is recorded as being slower the more choices they have, the more information they must process, and the longer it takes!

Factors Affecting reaction time

• Age : when we are getting older , our reaction time will be reduced.
• Gender: male having great and more quick reaction time than female.
• Tall people: due to the longer distance information must travel from the performer’s brain to the working muscles, will react more slowly than shorter persons.

How to Improve Reaction Time

Mental rehearsal: analyzing the responses in your head.

Concentration: ignoring unnecessary signals

Practice: Reaction times remain shorter when a stimulus is responded to more frequently; with adequate repetition, the response becomes automatic.

Anticipation: starting a motion

COORDINATION

Definition: The capacity to collaborate with senses and bodily parts to create fluid, effective movements is known as coordination. It is essential in all sports, for example, in racket sports such as hand-eye coordination and the ability to use the opposite arm and leg when sprinting.”

coordinated may also be showing great timing. It is also a difficult ability to impart; rather, it must be gained via proper growth during early childhood. High degrees of strength, flexibility, and agility, among other fitness components, are necessary for the complex talent of coordination.

Coordination Tests

1. Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test

Purpose of this test to measure hand eye coordination

Necessary equipments : smooth and soil wall, base ball or tennis ball, measuretape and stopwatch

Procedure: A specific distance (e.g., 2 meters, 3 feet) away from the wall is marked. The individual faces the other person while standing behind the line. Next, the ball is thrown against the wall with one hand and caught with the first. The test may continue on for a certain number of tries or for a certain amount of time (for example, 30 seconds). One additional element that arises if you have a time limitation of a specified duration is working under pressures.

Scoring: depending on how many good catches are made during a 30-second wall toss test.

Rating Score rating based on 30 seconds

• Excellent : > 35
• Good : 30-35
• Average : 20-29
• Fair : 15-19
• Poor : <15

 2. Block Transfer Test

purpose of this test to measure a manual dexterity test or coordination test of fine motor abilities.

Necessary equipment: Two boards (56.5 X 23 X 2.4 cm), each punctuated with 40 holes ( diameter 4.4 cm, depth 1.1 cm), 40 blocks (height 2.2 cm , 3.5 cm diameter)

Procedure: The player starts by setting the two boards in front of them while seated at a table. When the player starts moving the 40 blocks from the first board to the second board—which is connected to the first board but farther away the timing starts. Using the preferred hand, the blocks must be pushed as fast as possible in the particular sequence. Before the trial, the individual should practice with five blocks.

Scoring: The task’s completion time (measured in seconds) is recorded.

3. Minnesota Rate of Manipulation Test / Manual Dexterity Test

purpose of this test is to measure the gross arm and hand movement speed by the quick eye-hand coordination test.

Necessary equipment: 2 folding boards, and 60 blocks. The wooden folding frame is 3 feet long, with 60 holes in four horizontal rows for placing the blocks.

Procedure: The entire test consists of five subtests: placing, turning, displacing, placing and turning with one hand, and placing and turning with two hands. Each test begins with a practice and trial, and it will be given three to five times. It is possible to test and compare both hands

Why is fitness testing essential for a sports person?

• Our ability to deliver power, flexibility, stamina, body fat percentages, and cardiovascular fitness to both athletes and non-athletes will come from our fitness.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses: Fitness evaluations are useful for athletes to identify their areas of strength and weakness as well as areas in where they need to improve.
• The length of the return to sports and daily work can be estimated by the therapist.
• therapist is able to prevent injury.
• Improved fitness is muscular as well as cardiac.
• Improve aerobic capacity
• Fitness tests can assist in prehabilitation and in identifying the risk of injury.
• Reduce the injury ratio and prevent further injuries.Athletes can use fitness testing to identify when they are sufficiently fit to return to competition after an illness or injury.

SUMMARY

Any movement of the body resulting from the contraction of skeletal muscles that results in an important rise above resting energy expenditure is referred to as physical activity. Usually, physical fitness has been characterized as a group of characteristics that are related to an individual’s ability for vigorous physical activity. There are two types of components. health-related fitness components; [2] skill-related fitness components. Health-related fitness includes muscle strength, muscle flexibility, and muscle endurance, body composition, and cardiovascular fitness. The components of fitness that are associated to skills including power, speed, flexibility, balance, and coordination, and response time. Agility is defined as an ability to change sudden changes in body direction and body movements during playing activity.

Balance, defined as the ability to maintain the body in equilibrium while moving or stationary—to avoid falling—is known as balance and is achieved by the coordinated use of our sensory organs, including hearing, vision, and proprioception. Speed defined as It is important to keep in mind that improving running moves is a difficult process that the brain and nervous system control. A runner requires the ability to contract their leg muscles more quickly in order to move more quickly, but their brain and nervous system also need to learn how to effectively control these faster motions. Your muscles and neural system will not lose the sensation of moving quickly if you continue speed training throughout the year.

Additionally, the brain does not have to relearn proper control patterns later on. The capacity to combine the use of one’s senses and body components to create fluid, effective movements is known as coordination. It is necessary for all sports, including racket sports where skills like hand-eye coordination and the capacity to sprint using the opposing arm and leg are crucial. Reaction time defined the speed at which we can take in information and choose what to do. In many sports, our ability to react fast is important and sometimes decides our success. The interval of time between the beginning of the stimulus and the beginning of the movement response to it is known as reaction time.

FAQ:

References:

• Image 1 Google Search: fitness image for spors (n.d.). https://www.google.com/search
• PhD, FACSM Walter R. Thompson (Ed.). (n.d.). ACSM’s eighth edition recommendations for prescribing and testing exercise.
• Apatel. April 19, 2021. Sports fitness testing. SlideShare. Fitness testing in sports https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/24643986,%202021
• Image2,3,4,5,7,9 Brian Mackenzie (Ed.). 101 Tests for Performance Evaluation. 101 Tests for Performance Evaluation.
• Image 8, 40 meter sprint. (n.d.). https://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/sprint-40meters.htm
• 6 image Test of Agility T. (n.d.). Agility Test: https://www.matassessment.com/blog/
• Dcalevelpe. (2016, January 26). Reaction time. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/dcalevelpe/reaction-time-57527519
• J. Sabigan (2015) 14 October. Sync. SlideShare. The link is https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/coordination-53916880/53916880.