Athlete Testing Webinar

Matt Casturo, CSCS

OVERVIEW
KEY CONCEPTS COVERED:
Terminology
Test Selection
Test Administration
Testing Order
Power Testing
Change of Direction/ Agility Testing
Strength Testing
Endurance Testing
Scoring
Test Interpretation
Validity, Reliability, and Interpretation
Why are we Assessment of Talent

testing athletes? Testing Baseline Levels of Performance

Goal Setting

Tracking Progress
Terminology Field Test vs. Lab Test:

Field Test: Test used to assess ability in a natural

environment without extensive equipment or
training needed.
Ex: Vertical Jump, T test, yo-yo test
- Typically performed by Strength Coaches

Lab Test: Test done in a lab setting requiring more

equipment
Ex: VO2 max test, Lactate threshold
- Typically performed by exercise physiologists and
researchers
Power Testing What is Power?

Vertical Jump Test

● Maximal muscle power test
● Best of 3 trials
● Can use chalk, Vertec, or contact mat
- Men: Roughly 15-22in
- Women: Roughly 10-16in

Static Vertical Jump Test

● No countermovement
● 2-3 sec hold with knee angle 110°

Reactive Strength Index (advanced)

● Countermovement measurement
● Obtain jump height AND contact time
● Reactive strength index = jump height / contact
time
Power Testing What is Power?
Power Testing:
Power Testing What is Power?
Max Muscular Power Test (high-speed strength)
● Vertical distance: 1.05m
○ 3rd - 9th step
○ Requires timing plates
 Agility/ Change of Direction Testing
Change of
Direction (Agility) Agility involves response to a stimulus
(not pre-planned)

However, pre-planned courses involving

change of direction are often broadly
categorized as agility tests although this is
not technically correct.
 Agility/ Change of Direction Testing
Change of
Direction (Agility) T-Test
- Men: ~10 sec
- Women: ~10-12sec
 Agility/ Change of Direction Testing
Change of
Direction (Agility) Hexagon Test
- 18 clockwise jumps in and out of hexagon
- Men & Women: ~12 - 13.5 seconds
 Agility/ Change of Direction Testing
Change of
Direction (Agility) Pro-Agility Test (5-10-5)
Men: ~4.5 seconds
Women: ~ 5 seconds
 Agility/ Change of Direction Testing
Change of
Direction (Agility) 5-0-5 Agility Test

- Sprint forward 15m

- Touch line with foot or hand
- Turn and sprint back
- Lack of normative data

Van Gelder LH, Bartz SD. The effect of acute stretching on agility performance. J Strength Cond
Res. 2011 Nov;25(11):3014-21. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318212e42b. PMID: 21904235.
 Strength Testing
Strength Testing Maximal force you can exert

1RM - One Repetition Maximum

*Generally considered good scores:

● Bench Press: 1x BW
● Power Clean: 1.25x BW
● Squat: 1.5x BW
 What is Muscular Endurance?
Local Muscular Endurance of a muscle group to sustain

Endurance contractions under submaximal loads.

Partial Curl-up Test

● 40 beats per minute metronome
● Curling up to touch tape line

50th Percentile 20-29 yo:

- Men & Women: 27

Push-up Test
● Hands and feet for men
● Contact with fists, army standards
● Max # in 2 minutes
● Rest in top position only
● Hands and knees for women (ACSM)

Good Score: Males: ~28

Females: ~20
 What is Anaerobic Capacity?
Anaerobic How well does your anaerobic system

Capacity (ex: anaerobic glycolysis) sustain energy production?

300 Yard Shuttle Run

Pair athletes of similar

skill/ ability

Sprint down, make foot

contact with line, sprint
back for 6 rounds

Average of 2 trials recorded

Aerobic Capacity 1.5 Mile Run
Steady state run in shortest amount of time possible

(Field Test) - 50th percentile:

- 20-29 yo Men: 11:58
- 20-29 yo Women: 14:04
- Scores may be okay for power sport
athletes
- Aerobic athletes would be expected
to have significantly shorter times

12 Minute Run
- Men: ~ 1.5 miles (non-endurance athlete)
- Women: ~1.4 miles
Aerobic Capacity Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test
- Common field test for team sports

(Field Test) -
-
Replicates demands of off and on efforts
Progressive increases of speed until athlete
quits
- Men: Very roughly 1500-2400m
- Women: Very roughly 800-1300m

Alternative: Less common MAS (max aerobic speed)

test
Aerobic Capacity VO2 Max
VO2 max is the maximal rate of oxygen

(Lab Test) consumption that you are capable of achieving.

VO2 max is typically measured with a progressive

exercise test on a treadmill with the use of a machine
that measures O2 and CO2 through a breathing tube.

50th percentile college-age:

- Men = 44 ml/kg/min
- Women= 38 ml/kg/min
Terminology Validity

How well the test measures what it is supposed to

measure

- Face: Does the test look like it’s measuring what

it’s supposed to?

- Construct: How well the test measures what it

should measure

- Content: How well the experts believe the test

covers relevant subtopics and component ability

- Concurrent: Scores comparable to other tests

that measure the same thing
- Convergent: Lines up with gold standard but
easier/ cheaper/ faster to perform

- Predictive: How well a test predicts future

performance
Question Validity

Question 1:

A cross country runner is performing a Wingate test in a

lab. This involves a 30 second maximal effort maximal
effort on a cycle ergometer. Since we as Strength and
Conditioning Professionals understand energy systems,
we determine that this will not provide a good measure
of the cross-country runner’s aerobic capacity. Therefore,
we would say this test has low ________
Question Validity

Question 1:

A cross country runner is performing a Wingate test in a

lab. This involves a 30 second maximal effort maximal
effort on a cycle ergometer. Since we as Strength and
Conditioning Professionals understand energy systems,
we determine that this will not provide a good measure
of the cross-country runner’s aerobic capacity. Therefore,
we would say this test has low ________

Answer: Construct Validity. This test does NOT measure

what it is supposed to measure (aerobic capacity) it
instead measures anaerobic capacity
Terminology Reliability

Repeatability of a test
- Interrater: Consistency of results between 2
testers
- Intrarater: Consistency of results on 2 occasions
with same tester
When to test? Examples of times to test:

Conditioning Test (yo-yo): At the start and end of off

season training
This could be done to show how the athlete’s
aerobic base improved

Strength Test (1RM test): This may be done at the

start and end of the preseason
Preseason is typically focused on improving
strength and power.
When to test? Examples of times to test:

Power (vertical Jump): At the start and end of pre

season training.

This could be done to show improvements in sport

specific movement patterns (vertical jump)

Anaerobic Threshold (300 yard shuttle run):

This may be done at the start and middle of the
season to ensure athletes are maintaining sport
specific conditioning
When to test? Examples of times to test Basketball:

Example from former Program Writing Mentee

Green are testing blocks

Ex: Testing 300 yard shuttle August-Nov

Ex: Testing Power Clean Sept-Nov
Ex: Testing Vertical Jump Nov-Jan
When to test? Effect Size:
Ex. Team T-Test Average Time
Start of Preseason: 12.5sec
End of Preseason: 11.25sec

Difference = 1.25sec
Standard Deviation = 0.4sec
*Provided or determined by research

Effect Size = 1.25/ 0.4 = 3.125

Small 0.2

Moderate 0.6

Large 1.2

Very Large 2.0

Testing Order Ideal Testing Order:

Determined based on energy systems to

minimize interference from one test to another

1. Non-fatiguing tests (ht, wt, girth, vertical jump)

2. Agility tests
(T-test, pro agility test)
3. Max power & strength tests (1RMs)
4. Sprint tests
5. Local muscular endurance tests
(push-up test)
6. Fatiguing anaerobic capacity tests
(300 yard shuttle)
7. Aerobic capacity tests (1.5 mile run)
 Kelly, 24 year old female soccer player
Athlete 1.5 Mile Run Time: 14:34

Examples! Power Clean: 120lbs

Vertical Jump: 16.5in

What does she need to improve?

 Kelly, 24 year old female soccer player
Athlete 1.5 Mile Run Time: 14:34

Examples! Power Clean: 120lbs

Vertical Jump: 16.5in

What does she need to improve?

Endurance/ aerobic capacity

 Chad, 18 year old male lacrosse player
Athlete T-Test: 10.1 seconds

Examples! Squat: 175 lbs (at 155lbs BW)

VO2 Max: 52 ml/kg/min

What does he need to improve?

 Chad, 18 year old male lacrosse player
Athlete T-Test: 10.1 seconds

Examples! Squat: 175 lbs (at 155 lbs BW)

VO2 Max: 52ml/kg/min

What does he need to improve?

Lower body strength

 Sam, 17 year old male cross country
Athlete runner

Examples! 12 Minute Run: 1.9 miles

Push-ups: 16

300 yard shuttle run: 66 seconds

What does he need to improve?

 Sam, 17 year old male cross country
Athlete runner

Examples! 12 Minute Run: 1.9 miles

Push-ups: 16

300 yard shuttle run: 66 seconds

What does he need to improve?

Local muscular endurance

 Arnaud, 22 year old male sprinter
Athlete BW: 77.3kg / 170 lbs

Examples! Squat: 250 lbs

5-10-5 Pro-Agility: 4.5sec

Bench Press: 175 lbs

What does he need to improve?

 Arnaud, 22 year old male sprinter
Athlete BW: 77.3kg / 170 lbs

Examples! Squat: 250 lbs

5-10-5 Pro-Agility: 4.5sec

Bench Press: 175 lbs

What does he need to improve?

Lower body strength

170 lbs x 1.5 = 255 lbs

 Vivek, 26 year old male basketball player
Athlete BW: 205 lbs

Examples! 300 yard Shuttle: 58 seconds

Power Clean: 260lbs

Vertical Jump: 15in

What does he need to improve?

 Vivek, 26 year old male basketball player
Athlete BW: 205 lbs

Examples! 300 yard Shuttle: 58 seconds

Power Clean: 260lbs

Vertical Jump: 15in

What does he need to improve?

Vertical Jump Height

Range: 15-22in

This is important for basketball.

 Bethany, 19 year old female volleyball
Athlete player

Examples! BW: 120lbs

Yo-Yo Test: 1300m

T-Test: 12.9sec

Squat 1RM: 185 lbs

What does she need to improve?

 Bethany, 19 year old female volleyball
Athlete player

Examples! BW: 120lbs

Yo-Yo Test: 1300m

T-Test: 12.9sec

Squat 1RM: 185 lbs

What does she need to improve?

T-Test

Range is 10-12 seconds.

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