BTEC
Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sport Development, Coaching and Fitness
Unit
7: Fitness testing for sport and
exercise
Assignment
1: laboratory and field based fitness test.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability of a joint to move through its full range of motion is defined as flexibility. Because each joint has a different potential range of motion, flexibility is joint specific. Sometimes being flexible in a particular area of the body requires a series of joints to have flexibility. The range of motion in the back that yoga practitioners strive to achieve, for example, requires the development of flexibility along the entire spine.
The types of poses that many yoga practitioners hold help increase their static flexibility. This describes the range of motion that can be achieved when a person is not in motion. Athletes may use static stretches after a work out to increase their overall ability to flex, but they also need to pay attention to their dynamic flexibility. Attaining flexibility is important because it helps reduce stress on muscles as they perform various tasks, thereby reducing injury rates. Additionally, good flexibility often helps improve posture and can reduce associated back pain. Flexibility exercises differ with a person’s particular needs. No matter the type of stretching to be done, it is important to warm up the muscles first. Warm up exercises vary by sport, but walking or gently pumping the arms are just as effective. “Flexibility, mobility and suppleness all mean the range of limb movement around joints. In any movement there are two groups of muscles at work” http://www.brianmac.co.uk/mobility.htm
This picture on the right shows a girl using an sit and reach equipment
to see how far she can go on it. Where her hands are numbers that shows how far
you can go. This is an advantage because this equipment is very beneficial and
it is also not expensive which is a good thing because it means that you can
spend money buying if you want. This
is the most commonly used test of flexibility, so there is lots of data for
comparison. Also, it is a easy and quick test to perform. Using the zero mark 9
inches before the feet means that most scores will be a positive number, easier
to compare and analyze.
The disadvantage for people who are not flexible or good at it
due to an injury. People might find using equipment like the sit and reach test
uncomfortable because it can hurt them and they might not like to use it. You
might also not like using this equipment because you might not be able to reach
the it, which could be a waste of time for you. People might say that the test
is unreliable because people might not be doing it in the correct way which
could harm them. Standard sit and
reach tests such as this one use a set reference point which does not allow for
variations in the length of arms and legs of the person being tested - people
with long arms and/or short legs would get a better result, while those with
short arms and/or long legs are at a disadvantage.
Strength
Strength is known to be as having the ability to generate
force at a given velocity of movement. It is also one of the five physical
components.
Strength is the force in your muscle that you can exert.
http://www.synergy-athletics.com/effective-strength-training/methods-of-strength-training-max-effort-method/
Sports wise you would use your strength in nearly every
sport but the main sports they would use it for is weight lifting. Through the
process of muscle contraction, tension is developed within muscle tissue, which
may or may not lead to movement of a part of the body. An great training that
would improve you strength would be weight training. Weight lifting is the
process of lifting items of great mass in order to increase the muscle size and
strength of person. This is typically done in a number of different ways to
target muscle groups in different parts of a person’s body, and can be done
specifically for the effects it has on the body. Weight lifting typically
utilizes special equipment such as dumbbells and similar items. These are often
designed as a simple bar with weights at each side of the bar. The bar can then
either be held in one hand or with both hands, depending on its size and the
nature of the training. The basic effect of weight lifting is the increase in
muscle mass and physical strength of a person. This is done by a person using
weights to cause himself or herself physical pain and minor damage to his or
her muscles. When the muscle is repaired by the body, it is made slightly stronger
than it was prior to the injury. The process is then repeated to create
stronger and stronger muscle.
An good test that works on strength is the grip dynamometer.
The purpose of this test is to measure the maximum isometric strength of the
hand and forearm muscles. Handgrip strength is important for any sport in which
the hands are used for catching, throwing or lifting. Also, 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. You would use an grp dynamometer to measure
your score. The two proteins that are responsible for muscle contractions are
acting and myosin. When myosin and acting interact, it results in a change in
the shape of the muscle cells. Strength is generally developed using resistance
training. This type of training typically aims to stimulate increased strength
on a number of physiological levels. “Strength is
defined as the ability to apply force against resistance” http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/in_the_gym/features/newsid_3200000/3200571.stm
The
advantages of the grip dynamometer is that this is a simple and commonly used
test of general strength level, well researched and many norms are available. Another
advantage is that you need: Minimal equipment required, Simple to set up and
conduct and Can be conducted almost anywhere
The
disadvantage is that the dynamometer must be adjusted for hand size, how successfully
this is done will affect the accuracy of the measurement. Another disadvantage
is that a: Specialist equipment required and Assistant required to administer
the test.
Power is to with speed and
strength. The main focus of power is to maximize
strength in the smallest amount of time. The most common sport that uses
explosive power is Olympic weight
lifting. However, many sports such as tennis, football, and basketball, or even
things like gymnastics, require explosive power. Power training enables an athlete to apply the
greatest amount of their maximal strength in the shortest period of time. This
procedure describes the method used for directly measuring the vertical jump
height jumped. There are also timing systems that measure the time of the jump
and from that calculate the vertical jump height. The equipment you would use
is measuring tape or marked wall, chalk for marking wall jump mat. The athlete
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. The athlete 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. The jumping technique can or
cannot use a countermovement see vertical jump technique. Attempt to touch the
wall at the highest point of the jump.
Most athletic activities involve far faster movements and
far higher power outputs than are found in maximal strength exercises; an
athlete can be very strong but lack significant explosive power if they are
unable to apply their strength rapidly. An you could do that involves no
equipment could be the push up clap. This is an example of adding a challenge
when your arm muscles are already in a state of contraction. It forces you to
put more power behind the actual push up to
attain enough height to clap. Muscular power is the ability for a muscle to
work effectively over short periods of time. It can also be thought of as the
capability of a muscle to rapidly exert force, or the explosiveness of the
muscle. An great example of this would be in tennis and I can also use a great
who has a lot of power. Rafael Nadal, whose bulging biceps and strong legs make
him an exceptionally explosive player, whether it be the force with which he
hits the ball or how fast he moves about the court. This is the advantages of
having a lot of power and how this can change in the sport you play in.
“Explosive exercise is often used
by elite athletes to improve their ability to generate power and strength” http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraining/a/PowerTraining.htm
The advantage of doing the vertical jump is that the test is
simple and quick to perform and also its good to assess how high a person can
jump. The disadvantages is that the technique plays a part in maximizing your
score, as the subject must time the jump so that the wall is marked at the peak
of the jump.
Aerobic Endurance
Aerobic capacity applies to all athletes, regardless of the
sport they are involved in. The more aerobic capacity you have, the more oxygen
your system is able to circulate through the circulatory system and the better
you will be able to perform. Speed exercises and endurance exercises make your
heart stronger and your muscles more efficient. You gain the ability to
acquire and process oxygen in greater volume and more efficiently, making all
of your metabolic functions operate more efficiently. In speed exercises and agility
training your oxygen cycling capacity is critical.
There are several different types of aerobic endurance
training - each with a different, specific outcome and suitable for different
events and sports.
The duration, frequency and intensity of sessions varies
with each form of training leading to different physiological adaptations
within the body.
Aerobic capacity applies to all athletes, regardless of the
sport they are involved in. The more aerobic capacity you have, the more oxygen
your system is able to circulate through the circulatory system and the better
you will be able to perform. Speed exercises and endurance exercises make your
heart stronger and your muscles more efficient. You gain the ability to
acquire and process oxygen in greater volume and more efficiently, making all
of your metabolic functions operate more efficiently. In speed exercises and
agility training your oxygen cycling capacity is critical.
The advantages of multi stage
fitness test is one of this tests most evident advantages lies in its
simplicity to perform. It does not require too much space or equipment and only
takes a short time to set up. Due to its flexibility with regards to its
implementation, it is possible to allow the majority (if not the entire) of the
team to undertake it simultaneously. This in turn leads to an additional
advantage as the competitors experience increased motivation to ‘beat’ their
team mates. The disadvantage is t is an indirect test, which means the scores
achieved are only predictions and not as acc urate as other tests, however, the
accuracy has been shown to be very high. Another disadvantage is that the
course has to be measured each time the test is done and if it is not measured
precisely the results will be inaccurate.
The disadvantages of aerobic endurance is that: Intervals are tough on your body. If performed too often they increase the risk of overtraining. Overtraining is uncomfortable and a set back and so it's important to prevent it by allowing time for recover and growth between sessions. I recommend at least two days of rest between sessions and even more if you suspect you are overtrained. Symptoms of overtraining are: loss of strength speed, endurance, or other elements of performance, loss of appetite and inability to sleep well,
The advantage of interval training is that your Fitness and
performance improves quickly with interval training, typically in just a few
weeks. I've known athletes who reported an improvement in speed after just two
interval workouts. Recovery time improves with interval training. Recovery is
critical for athletes in sports like tennis, basketball, soccer or hockey,
where the sport demands continuous stops and starts, or an endurance bike ride
or road race where you hit hills and need to catch up quickly at the top in
order to keep your pace. You'd never perform well if you sprinted all-out or
climbed a hill and then needed two minutes to recover (also known as sucking
wind). It would never work.
Speed
Speed is how fast
something is going. Another way to think of this is as how far you can go in a
certain amount of time. For example, if you're walking slowly, your speed is
probably about 2 miles per hour. This means that in one hour, you'll be able to
move 2 miles. If you're running quickly, your speed is probably closer to 7 or
8 miles per hour. An great example of Speed method training is interval
training. Interval training consists of a lot of sprints that happen in
intervals of 15 seconds.
By doing this it
allows the body to build up speed endurance where you can maintain a high speed
for longer amounts of time.
If you've ever looked at the speedometer of a car, you've seen that it measures speed in mph (or kph). MPH is short for miles per hour (and kph is short for kilometers per hour). So if your car says your speed is 50 mph, then you can go 50 miles in one hour if you keep going at that speed. Speed in fitness is how fast someone is.
Speed is the quickness of a limb.
“whether this is the legs of a runner or the arm of the shot
putter.”
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/speed.htm
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/speed.htm
Speed is measured in distance/time.
Speed is involved in all humans and animals on the way they
move
Depending on what animal you are you have a different
ability to reach different potentials
“Speed is an integral part of every sport and can be
expressed as any one of, or combination of, the following: maximum speed,
elastic strength (power) and speed endurance.” http://www.brianmac.co.uk/speed.htm
Here I am going to be
explain about sprint test and why speed is involve in that. I am going to also
explain in a 35meter test. The purpose for sprinting of this test is to
determine acceleration, maximum running speed and speed endurance, depending on
the distance run. Equipment required: measuring tape or marked track,
stopwatch or timing gates, cone markers.
procedure: The
test involves running a single maximum sprint over a set distance, with time
recorded. After a standardized warm up, the test is conducted over a certain
distance, such as 10, 20, 40 and/or 50 meters or yards, depending on the sport
and what you are trying to measure. The starting position should be
standardized, starting from a stationary position with a foot behind the
starting line, with no rocking movements. If you have the equipment (e.g.
timing gates), you can measure the time to run each split distances (e.g. 5,
10, 20m) during the same run, and then acceleration and peak velocity can also
be determined. It is usual to give the athletes an adequate warm-up and
practice first, and some encouragement to continue running hard past the finish
line. “Speed is the quickness of movement of a limb,
whether this is the legs of a runner or the arm of the shot putter” http://www.brianmac.co.uk/speed.htm
2. Recovery is a key contributor to the success of your fitness program. Unless your body is able to get back to its normal state quickly after every exercise session, you are not ready for the next session. And exercising when your body is not prepared can result in zero benefits and injury. Interval training helps reduce this recovery period to a minimum.
This is why, athletes, who have very little time to recover after a strenuous action, vouch for interval training and its benefits. Without exercise they would require a lot of time to recover and would never be able to excel at their particular sport.
The disadvantage on interval training is that Because it is
so tough on your body, it increases the risk of overtraining more than most
other exercises. And as you might know, overtraining is something you must
avoid at all costs.
Muscular Endurance
Not to be confused with muscular strength, muscular endurance is a measure of the ability to sustain muscular activity over time. While there is no clear distinction between cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance — both require muscular activity over extended periods — there are identifiable differences. The limiting factor of cardiovascular endurance is primarily the capacities of the heart and lungs, rather than the physiology of the muscles themselves. Muscular endurance typically involves a greater resistance, and generally cannot be sustained for as long as cardiovascular activities. The training method that you can use for muscular endurance is press ups. The objective of the Press Up test is to assess the strength endurance of the athlete's upper body muscles. This Is a simple training method because it doesn’t require equipments except a non-slip surface and an assistant just incase anything happens.
Muscular endurance training
can increase bone mineral density, improve tolerance to lactic acid
concentrations, and strengthen the integrity of muscular
connective tissue. Additionally, there is considerable crossover between muscular endurance
training and other aspects of muscle and cardiovascular conditioning. Training
to increase muscular endurance,
then, can benefit muscular strength and
cardiovascular endurance as well. “Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of
muscles to sustain repeated contractions against a resistance for an extended
period of time” http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/glossary/g/MuscleEndur_def.htm
The advantage on for press ups is
that the required equipment is readily available in most
gyms, and the test is simple to perform and its not hard to use at all. You
could do press ups anywhere because it doest really require any use of
equipment. The disadvantage on press ups is that this test should only be
performed by those experienced at performing the bench press and lift with
good technique. Good technique will also enable the lifter to maximize their
score.
Body Composition
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a healthy man's body should consist of between 8 and 17 percent fat, and women should strive for a 20 to 21 percent body fat maximum. If a person is more athletic or muscular, body fat percentage can be a bit lower, usually falling between 7 and 19 percent for men, and 10 and 25 percent for women.
There are a few ways that body composition can be measured. The most widely used method is with a set of calipers that measures the thickness of the fat below the skin. Commonly measured areas include the abdomen, thighs, and arms. These measurements are used to estimate how much total body fat is present, but the caliper test can have a margin of error of roughly 4 percent. Body composition is the body’s relative amount of fat to fat-free mass. http://weightloss.about.com/od/backtobasics/f/bodycomp.htm
http://users.hubwest.com/hubert/mrscience/science23.html
The advantages of using the skinfold method is that This method is currently considered the "gold standard" in percent body fat measurement and Repeat measures usually prove consistent, and can be used to chart progress. The disadvantages of using the skinfold is that: This method usually requires a lot of equipment and space, testing is time consuming and involved, requires in-depth knowledge to administer the tests and compute the calculations and being submerged under water may be difficult and produce anxiety for some
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