Dr.BHOOMI SHAH

1. PHYSICAL FITNESS
ASSESSMENT IN ATHLETES
BY :DR BHOOMI P SHAH (MPT CARDIO )
AASISTANT PROFESSOR
VINAYAKA INSTITUTE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY
ANAND

2. introduction
• Definition
• Physical fitness
• Importance of fitness
• Fitness Testing
• Principles of athletes Testing
• Various Tests
• Body Fat Percentage
• Flexibility
• Strength and Power
• Speed and Agility
• Repeat sprints
• Aerobic Fitness

3. • Definition of Athletes
• a person who is trained in or good at sports
,games or exercise that require physical skill and
strength.
• marridm wbster since 1828

4. Introduction
• Different sports require different fitness components.
Athletic must be able to perform prolonged intermittent
exercise (endurance), exercise at high-intensity, sprint,
and develop high levels of power (force) when kicking
and tackling. Good levels of agility and coordination are
also necessary and distinguish between elite and average
players.

5. Physical fitness
• Physical fitness is generally defined as “the ability
to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness
,without undue fatigue ,and with ample energy to
enjoy leisure time pursuits and to meet unforeseen
emergncies”(USDHHS,1996)
• Fitness may be described as a set of attributes that
an individual has or has acquired which help in
their ability to perform physical activity.

7. What is the importance of fitness
• Elite players also stand to lose something even
more valuable than money – playing time – if they
show decreased performance on endurance testing
measures when training camp begins.
• When taken together, these facts serve to highlight
the importance of physical and physiological testing
for elite level of athletics .

8. • hockey are in action for nearly two hours and a
little more if they have to take penalty kicks which
is the most difficult part for all players when they
are extremely tired, maybe injured and under lot of
pressure.
• At ussen bolt, coming into training camp 5lbs
overweight can cost $5000. In fact, in most
professional first and even second division teams,
players are fined between $100 - $1000 per pound
of extra weight gained in the off-season.

9. • Coaches must continuously focus on skill and
technique development. Proper skill development
promotes good function of body mechanics and this
helps to avoid players injuries.
• During the preseason period, players normally do
fitness testing in order to determine each players
physiological condition. From the results of the
testing, the coaches can identify the strengths and
weaknesses of the players and train them accordingly.

10. • It is important for the player to develop proper
motor skills (brain to muscle communication) for
long term development.

11. Fitness Testing
• Monitoring and evaluating progress are integral parts of
a fitness program. Conditioning sessions provide
feedback on performance, whereas athletes (player )-
related fitness tests measure the levels of conditioning
and reconditioning after injury.
• A formal fitness test can be administered at the
beginning of a training program or phase and repeated
periodically. All elements of conditioning should be
measured to provide feedback for setting targets and
designing

12. the training program Initial test results can be used to
compare players and to identify their strengths and
weaknesses.
• Periodic retests assess progress and provide
information for manipulating the training program.
• Coaches such as usain bolt at Juventus, are big
believers in individual fitness programs as every
player has different needs. This is important as well
when training women and youth players.

14. Principles of Testing
• To develop an individual physical profile
• To evaluate objectively the effect of a specific
training program
• To monitor progress during rehabilitation.
• To monitor the health status of a player.

15. Key Points
• Training status-the type and intensity of training
the player
• Medical history-recurrent and long-term injuries,
conditions such as asthma and diabetes
• Level of ambition-the player's aspirations in
relation to athletes.
• Exercise techniques-the techniques the player is
familiar with, such as the lifting technique for
loaded and Olympic lifts

16. whole body
• Basketball
• Boxing
• Hockey
• Gymnastic
• Football
• Swimming
• wrestling
• Runner
• Polo vault
• Karate
• Cycling

17. Upper limb
• Badminton
• Golf
• Discuss throw
• Shooting
• Javeling throw
• kayak
Lower limb
• Long jump
• High jump

18. Various Tests
• Body Fat Percentage:
• The percentage of body fat can be used as an
independent measure or to determine other values
such as fat-free mass. Fat free mass includes muscle,
and as a player it is useful to know about body
composition.
• For those who have access to measures of body
composition, skin-fold calipers will probably be a
common sight.
• More laboratory based measures include air
displacement Plethysmography (or BODPOD),
hydrostatic weighing and dual X-ray absorptiometry.

19. • Due to the cost and lack of access to such
methods, a commonly used field measure of body
composition is Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis
(BIA); a procedure which involves sending a low
and safe electrical current through the body via
small electrodes placed on the hands and feet. The
current passes freely through the fluids contained
in muscle tissue, but encounters
difficulty/resistance when it passes through fat.
This resistance of the current is termed
'bioelectrical impedance', and is accurately
measured by BIA machines.

20. • Excess body fat would affect the player's ability to
move freely around the field, and the extra weight
will increase fatigue.

21. Flexibility test
Trunk n lower body
• Sit and reach test
(general procedure and
guide to variations )
• 90/90 hamstring test
• Straight leg raise
• Modified thomas test

22. flexibility
• Flexibility is defined as the static maximum range of
motion (ROM) available about a joint.
• The well-established general rule is that insufficient
ROM, or stiffness, will increase muscle-strain risks.
• More specifically, player in athletes have varying
flexibility profiles and thus varying flexibility needs in
order to avoid injuries.
• Gleam et al. (1997) review various studies relating
flexibility measures or stretching habits to sports injury
and performance.

23. • Studies of athletic players show that flexibility may
be important for preventing injuries like players
who had tight muscles suffered more groin-strain
injuries and a third showed a relationship between
tightness and knee pain.
• Good hamstring flexibility is important for football,
high jump ,long jump basketball players. (in the ball
kicking skill.)

24. • 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 loardosis , forward pelvic tilt
and lower back pain. This test was first described
by Wells and Dillon (1952)

25. • The Sit and Reach Test is conducted as follows:
• The athlete warms up for 10 minutes and then 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.

26. 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

27. • The following table is for 16 to 19 year olds (Davis
et al. 2000, p. 126)
Gender Excellent
Above
average
Average Below average Poor
Male >14 14.0 - 11.0 10.9 - 7.0 6.9 - 4.0 <4
Female >15 15.0 - 12.0 11.9 - 7.0 6.9 - 4.0 <4

28. Strength test
• 1 RM tests (also 1 RM bench press)
• Muscle fiber RM test
• Isokinetic strength test
• Handgrip strength test
• Abdominal strength test
• Trunk lift
• Straight leg ab strength test
• Isometric back strength

30. • Isometric leg strength
• Isometric leg extension
• Push n pull strength test
• Upper back test
• Lower back test

31. • Strength and Power :-
• Strength forms the basis for power and speed.
players also need strength to hold off challenges
from opponents.
• Too much bulk would hinder their agility and speed
off the mark. Aerobic and strength endurance play
a more substantial role in soccer.
• Strength (and power tests) should also be done to
determine strength levels and to monitor strength
changes in conjunction with training programs.

32. • 1-RM Tests (Repetition maximum tests)
• procedure: One repetition maximum tests (1-RM)
is a popular method of measuring isotonic muscle
strength. It is a measure of the maximal weight a
subject can lift with one repetition. It is important
to reach the maximum weight without prior
fatiguing the muscles. After a warm up, choose a
weight that is achievable. Then after a rest of at
least several minutes, increase the weight and try
again. The athletes chooses subsequent weights
until they can only repeat one full and correct lift of
that weight.

33. Jumping n running test
1. Vertical jump test
• Vertical jump variance :using timing mat ,test at home
,off one step ,with arm up (basket ball)
• Vertical jump in the water (for water polo player)
2.Max touch
3. Bosco ergo jump test (squat jump ,squat jump with
extra weight ,counter movement jump )
4. Standing long (board )jump test
5. 3 hop test

34. • Vertical Jump: Vertical jump tests measure the
maximal lower body explosive power and are directly
applicable to players in situations when jumping to head
a ball.
• The player stands side on to a wall and reaches up with
the hand closest to the wall. Keeping the feet flat on the
ground, the point of the fingertips is marked or recorded.
This is called the standing reach height.

35. Vertical jump 3 hope test

36. • The player then stands away from the wall, and
leaps vertically as high as possible using both arms
and legs to assist in projecting the body upwards.
Attempt to touch the wall at the highest point of
the jump. The difference in distance between the
standing reach height and the jump height is the
score. The best of three attempts is recorded.

37. Speed test
• Spring tests
30 yard dash ,20 meter dash ,30 meter dash
,40 yard dash ,40 meter sprint ,50 meter sprint ,60
yard dash ,60 meter sprint
spring from home to first base for basket ball
sprint ¾ count for basket ball players

38. • Using radar for speed test
• Accelerometer and GPS can be used to measure
speed
• Cycling 40 m sprint test
• Swimming 100m test
• Upper body speed :plate tapping test
• Punching speed

40. Speed /Agility test
• 1oX5 m shuttle test
• Speed and Agility :-
• Another significant component of a player fitness program
is speed and agility training. The speed of play in today's
game is said to be quicker than ever.
• Sprint or speed tests can be performed over varying
distances, depending on the factors being tested and the
relevance to the sport. The 40 Yard (36.6 meters) Dash is
part of the SPARQ rating system for players.
• (SPARQ –speed,power,agility,reaction ,quickness)

41. • The test involves running a single maximum sprint over
40 yards, with the time recorded.
• A thorough warm up should be given, including some
practice starts and accelerations. Start from a
comfortable stationary 3-point stance position, a
position. The front foot must be on or behind the
starting line. This starting position should be held for 3
seconds prior to starting, and no rocking movements
are allowed. continue running hard past the finish line.
• Two trials are allowed, and the best time is recorded to
the nearest 2 decimal places.

42. Agility
• 20 Yard Shuttle Test :-
• Three marker cones are placed along a line five
yards apart. The player straddles the middle line
and puts one hand down in a three-point stance.
The player can start by going either to the right or
left direction.
• The time to complete the test in seconds to the
nearest two decimals is recorded. The score is the
best time of three trials.

43. Repeat spring test
• Spring fatigue test
• RAST (running based anaerobic spring test )
• Phosphate recovery test
• AFL sprint recovery test
• FIFA interval test 1
• Henman shuttle test

44. Upper body
• Arm crank
• Quick strike punching
test
Other test
• Conconi test
• Blood lactate test

45. Repeat sprints:-
• Sprint Fatigue Test :-
• Repeat sprint tests are designed to measure not only
anaerobic power, but also the ability to recover from short
bursts of high intensity exercise.
• marker cones and lines are placed 30 meters apart to
indicate the sprint distance. Two more cones placed a
further 10 meters on each end. At the instructions of the
timer, the subject places their foot at the starting line, then
on 'go' two stopwatches are started simultaneously, and the
subject sprints maximally for 30m, ensuring that they do not
slow down before reaching the end.

47. • One stopwatch is used to time the sprint, the other
continues to run. Record the time. The subjects use the 10
meter cone to slow down and turn, and return to the 30m
finishing point. The next sprint will be in the oposite
direction. The next 30 meter sprint starts 30 seconds after
the first started. This cycle continues until 10 sprints are
completed, starting at 30 sec, 1 min, 1.5 min, 2 min etc after
the start of the first sprint
• Soccer players are required to continually produce short
bursts of high intensity work interspersed with lower
intensity activity.

48. Aerobic Fitness
• Beep Test:-
• The 20m multistage fitness test is a commonly used
maximal running aerobic fitness test. It is also known as the
20 meter shuttle run test, beep or bleep test among others.
• Aerobic fitness is a very important component of fitness for
football. Players need to be able to maintain a high intensity
throughout the 90 minute game.

49. • This test involves continuous running between two lines
20m apart in time to recorded beeps. For this reason the
test if also often called the 'beep' or 'bleep' test.
• The test subjects stand behind one of the lines facing the
second line, and begin running when instructed by the cd
or tape.
• The speed at the start is quite slow. The subject
continues running between the two lines, turning when
signaled by the recorded beeps. After about one minute,
a sound indicates an increase in speed, and the beeps
will be closer together.

50. • The player then stands away from the wall, and leaps
vertically as high as possible using both arms and legs to
assist in projecting the body upwards. Attempt to touch the
wall at the highest point of the jump. The difference in
distance between the standing reach height and the jump
height is the score. The best of three attempts is recorded.

51. • Aerobic fitness is a very important component of fitness for
football. Players need to be able to maintain a high intensity
throughout the 90 minute game.

52. Throwing and Hitting test
• Seated medicine test
• Overhead medicine ball throw
• Overhead powerball throw (kneeling)
• Standing medicine ball throw
• Underhand medicine ball throw
• Overhead power ball throw
• Power ball chest lunch

53. • Shot put back throw
• Cricket ball or baseball throw test
• Softball throw test
• Punch power

54. Seated medicine test Soft ball throw

55. Punch power Overhead power ball throw

56. References
• Advanced fitness assessment and exercise
prescription ;vivian h. heyward ,Aan L.gibson
(seventh edition)
• ACSM’s Resource manual for guidelines for Exercise
testing and prescription (seventh edition)

57. Thank you