Named Fitness Tests

A test for every kind of fitness

Fitness is not one thing. A marathon runner, a weightlifter and a gymnast are all fit, but in very different ways, and each kind of fitness has its own named test. ⚠️ The exam wants the exact test names, matched to the right component. Saying a runner is fit is not enough; you need to know that the Cooper twelve-minute run test measures their cardiovascular endurance. This module pairs each component with its test and shows how a test is carried out. A few to know from the start: - Speed is measured by the thirty metre sprint test. - Flexibility is measured by the sit and reach test. - Agility is measured by the Illinois agility test. - Balance is measured by the stork stand test. Get the pairings right and this becomes some of the easiest marks on the paper.

Words for testing

Five terms about fitness testing you need before you use them. Learn what each one means.

Match the test to what it measures

Two tests for stamina

Cardiovascular endurance, the stamina to keep going, is the one component with two well known tests. Both are worth knowing.

Name the test

A performer squeezes a handheld device as hard as they can to measure how forceful their grip is. Which test is this, and what does it measure?

• the grip strength dynamometer, measuring strength
• the ruler drop test, measuring reaction time
• the sit and reach test, measuring flexibility
• the stork stand test, measuring balance

Spot the true testing facts

Tap the TWO statements that are true.

• The Illinois test measures agility
• The thirty metre sprint test measures speed
• The sit and reach test measures power
• The stork stand test measures reaction time

How to test fairly

A fitness test only means something if it is carried out carefully, and the same way every time. - Warm up first, so the performer is ready and less likely to be injured. - Follow the same steps every time, so two results can be fairly compared. - Record the result carefully as soon as the test ends. - Repeat it later to see whether training has made a difference. ⚠️ A result you cannot trust is worse than no result, because it can send training in the wrong direction. Doing the test the same way each time is what makes it worth doing.

Two of a kind

Select the TWO tests that both measure muscular endurance.

• the press-up test
• the sit-up test
• the thirty metre sprint test
• the sit and reach test

Time the run

The Cooper run test measures how far a performer can run or walk in a fixed time. For how many minutes does the Cooper run test last?

Choosing the right test

Here is how to pick a test, worked through for two performers. A long-distance swimmer needs stamina above all, so the component to test is cardiovascular endurance. A suitable test is the multi-stage fitness test, which pushes the swimmer harder and harder until they can no longer keep up. A netball player relies on changing direction quickly, so the component to test is agility. The Illinois agility test, a timed run through a set course of markers, measures exactly that. The lesson is simple: first decide which component matters most for the sport, then choose the test that measures that component. A test that does not match the sport tells the coach very little.

Order a fitness test

Put the steps for carrying out a fitness test properly in order.

• Warm up so the performer is ready and safe
• Carry out the test following its set steps exactly
• Record the result as soon as the test ends
• Repeat it later to compare and track any progress

Complete the testing facts

Doing a test the same way every time, so the result can be trusted, makes it _____. You should always _____ before a fitness test so the performer is ready and safe. Recording a first result lets you later see whether fitness has _____. The exact set of steps you follow to carry out a test is called its _____.

Build the pairing

Choose the words that correctly pair a test with what it measures.

Pick the test

Read each case and choose the best answer, then think about why.

• A coach wants to measure the cardiovascular endurance of a marathon runner. Which test is suitable?
• A gymnast wants to test their flexibility. Which test should they use?
• Why should a fitness test always be carried out the same way each time?

Explain fitness testing

A student in the year below cannot remember which test measures which component of fitness. Explain how fitness testing works using what this module has covered.

• Name three components of fitness and the named test used to measure each
• Explain what the Cooper run test and the multi-stage fitness test both measure
• Explain how to carry out a fitness test so the result can be trusted
• Explain why a performer should choose a test that matches their sport
• Finish with one worked example of matching a named test to a performer who would benefit from it