B2, B4 Fitness test methods and interpreting results for physical fitness GapFill

Components of fitness should be carefully monitored and measured to assess the progression of an individual. This can be achieved by fitness testing. There are often a number of different fitness tests available for the different components of fitness, with some being more suited to certain groups of participants than others. 

Flexibility:

• The  wall toss testsit and reach testIllinois agility test30 m sprint test, which requires subjects to flex at the hips while keeping the legs straight, and reach forward over a box as far as possible to test the extensibility of their hamstrings and lower back muscles
• The  pectoralcalfhamstringgluteal muscle test, where the performer attempts to touch a wall with their knee while the foot is planted
• The  shoulderarmbackupper-body flexibility test, where the performer reaches around their back in an attempt to connect both hands

Muscular endurance:

• The one-minute press-up or  prone pullbent-over rowsit-uppull-up test, which involves performing as many reps as possible of each respective exercise in one minute
• The plank test, which involves holding the plank position for as long as possible, to test the endurance of the  lower-bodyupper-bodybackcore muscles

Speed:

• The  30 m sprint testIllinois agility testgrip strength dynamometer testone-rep max test, where the individual is timed from a static or flying start.

Aerobic endurance:

• The Cooper  141201220-minute run, in which the individual must run as far as they can in the specified time. Those who demonstrate greater aerobic endurance will cover a greater distance.
• The   Illinois agility test30 m sprint teststanding jump testmultistage fitness test, also known as the 'bleep' test, owing to a protocol whereby the individual must cover a 20 m distance to keep in time with the ‘bleeps’ given on an audio track. The time between the bleeps gets shorter as the test progresses; thus, the individual has to run faster. The performer continues until they cannot keep up with the pace of the bleeps, and they are given a level as indicated by the audio track.
• The  Margaria–KalamenTCooperYo-Yo, which is similar to the bleep test in that shuttles of increasing speed are performed between two cones placed 20 m apart. The most common version is the intermittent test, where participants perform blocks of 40 m running, followed by 10-second breaks of active recovery.
• The   standing jump testHarvard step testone-rep max testIllinois agility test, which involves stepping up and down off a bench every two seconds for five minutes. Heart rate is measured at one, two and three minutes upon completion to determine recovery rate. The quicker the recovery, the better the aerobic endurance.

Strength: 

• The grip  dynamometerstadiometerhydrometerkilometer, which requires subjects to hold a specially designed instrument and squeeze it as hard as possible, displaying a score in kilograms
• The   one-rep max teststanding jump testwall throw test30 m sprint test, where the subject builds up the weight for a given exercise until they reach a weight that they can no longer lift in one repetition. Common exercises include the  shoulder pressbent-over rowlat pull downsquat to measure the strength of the quadriceps, and the  bench presscalf raiseshoulder pressleg press to measure the strength of the pectorals.