Calculating results: The better of two trials for each hand is recorded, with at least 15 seconds recovery between each effort. The values listed below give a guide to expected scores for adults. They are the average of the best scores of each hand. Other protocols will just use the score from the dominant hand.
Advantages: This is a simple and commonly used test to measure general strength levels. This exercise is good because Handgrip strength is important for any sport in which the hands are used for catching, throwing or lifting.
Disadvantages: The dynamometer must be adjusted for hand size, how successfully this is done will affect the accuracy of the measurement.
My result
The hand grip test was very quick and easy to perform. I only had one try and that one try was recorded. My score was 52.9, which is considered above average, of course I could done better if I followed every day exercise, which is push ups, pull ups and weight lifting and resistance training which all strengthen the forearm.
Aerobic Endurance
Aerobic means with oxygen. During aerobic work, the body is working at a level that the demands for oxygen and fuel can be meet by the body's intake. The only waste products formed are carbon dioxide and water. These are removed as sweat and by breathing out.
Aerobic endurance can be sub-divided as follows:
- Short aerobic - 2 minutes to 8 minutes, lactic.
- Medium aerobic - 8 minutes to 30 minutes, mainly aerobic.
- Long aerobic - 30 minutes, aerobic.
- Aerobic endurance is developed using continuous and interval running.
Continuous duration runs to improve maximum oxygen uptake Interval training to improve the heart as a muscular pump.
Aerobic endurance - This is an important component of fitness for baseball, so that players can reduce the effect of fatigue during long periods of play. Fitter players will cope with the heat stress of playing all day in the sun.
20m Shuttle
The multistage fitness test is a commonly used maximal running aerobic fitness test. It is also known as the 20 meter shuttle run test, beep test or bleep test.
Equipment required: Flat non-slip surface, marking cones, 20m measuring tape, cd or pre-recorded audio tape, CD or tape recorder, recording sheets. You will need to use a big hall or a park with a big field and flat space so money shouldn’t be a problem since parks are free to use and so are schools, the cones can be bought for around £3 and the measuring tape can be bought for around £12-£15, the pre-recorded tape shouldn’t cost more than £1-£2, and the tape recorder would cost around £15-£30. these stuff can be bought at any high street retail market.
Description: This test involves continuous running between two lines 20m apart in time to recorded beeps. The test runners 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 runner continues running between the two lines, turning when signalled by the recorded beeps. After about one minute, a sound indicates an increase in speed, and the beeps will be closer together. This continues each minute. If the line is not reached in time for each beep, the runner must run to the line turn and try to catch up with the pace within 2 more beeps. Also, if the line is reached before the beep sounds, the subject must wait until the beep sounds. The test is stopped if the subject fails to reach the line for two consecutive ends.
Scoring: The athletes score is the level and number of shuttles reached before they were unable to keep up with the recording.
Reliability: Reliability would depend on how strictly the test is run, and the practice allowed for the persons.
Advantages: Large groups can perform this test all at once for minimal costs. Also, the test continues to maximum effort unlike many other tests of endurance capacity.
Disadvantages: Practice and motivation levels can influence the score attained, and the scoring can be subjective. As the test is often conducted outside, the environmental conditions can affect the results.
Speed
- Speed: is the time a person can re-act to certain exercise or sport, certain sports like boxing need speed, or the 100 metre sprint, or swimming because if you swam slow then you would ultimately sink.
- Most people increase their speed by training, example boxers hit a punching bag for hours, and they do skipping these 2 exercises are crucial, and help develop their speed, sprinters in Olympics train on treadmills and on the track, the more they train the faster they get.
Speed in sport - maximum running speed and acceleration are very important in football, speed is needed for midfielders or strikers because they run with the ball and often they have players on their tail which they need to out pace, or reach a ball that has been miss passed to them
50 meter dash
Sprint or speed tests can be performed over varying distances, depending on the factors being tested and the relevance to the sport. The 50 Meter Sprint is part of the International Physical Fitness Test.
The aim of this test is to determine acceleration and speed.
Equipment required: measuring tape or marked track, stopwatch, cone markers, flat and clear surface of at least 70 meters. All these items can be bought for very cheap, the cones are usually £2-£3, the stopwatch is £1-£3 and the surface can be found at any park where it will be longer than 70 metres, so there shouldn’t be any doubt on finding a place to perform the test.
Description: The test involves running a single maximum sprint over 50 meters, with the time recorded. A thorough warm up should be given, including some practice starts and accelerations. Start from a stationary standing position, with one foot in front of the other. The front foot must be behind the starting line. Once the subject is ready and motionless, the starter gives the instructions set then go. The tester should provide hints for maximizing speed and the participant should be encouraged to not slow down before crossing the finish line.
Results: Two trials are allowed, and the best time is recorded to the nearest 2 decimal places. The timing starts from the first movement (if using a stopwatch) or when the timing system is triggered, and finishes when the chest crosses the finish line and/or the finishing timing gate is triggered.
Advantages: This exercise will help with cardiovascular endurance.
Disadvantages: A racing track will be needed for this exercise.
Power
Power - the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements. The two components of power are strength and speed.
For example
An 80 kg athlete can run up a set of stairs, vertical height 3 metres, in 1.5 seconds
Sports like javelin, shot put and high jumps, all need power, the more power a person can build up and release the better he would be, for instance, If I were to be javelin thrower, I would need a lot of power to throw the javelin far, the further I throw, the more chance I have of winning. A shot put has 3 sets, light, medium and heavy, the heavy shot put needs to be throw far with lots of power, the further it goes the better the chance of winning.
Power in 400metre swim - Power is crucial, because the arms need it to get the body moving forward, the legs apply balance so they don’t need any power. The arms carry the body in water, the more power the more burst of energy you will have.
40 meter sprint
This test measures your ability to accelerate to full speed quickly, as well as reaction time:
1. Set out two markers 40 yards apart.
2. On a signal of marks - set - go sprint from one cone to the other as quickly as possible.
3. Have a training partner record your time with a stop watch.
4. Perform 2 trials and take the average time to the nearest 0.1 seconds.
Equipment needed is a stop watch and one member to record the time, the stop watches can be found at any supermarket or shop and shouldn’t cost any more than £2. The area needed to perform the task can be found at any open field or park.
To undertake this test you will require:
400 metre track - with a 40 metre marked section on the straight, Starting Blocks, Stop watch and A assistant.
Reliability would depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual's level of motivation to perform the test.
Validity: There are no published tables to relate results to potential performance in competition.
Advantage: this exercise needs short burst of power, and the distance isn't long so its very tiring while you run to one end
Disadvantage: you need a big space to perform the test. One disadvantage when I was doing it was, we did it in a hall, and the distance between wasn’t enough for me to get a running start.
Muscular endurance
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. Like toning, if a person were to tone their arm they would do light weights with lots of reps and sets of 5 or maybe 6. In boxing muscular endurance is needed, because a match can go on for at least 36 minutes and opponents must keep punching and dodging and moving about, if for instants if muscular endurance is poor in a boxer, after 7 minutes he wont be able to throw hard punches and block his opponents punches, and end up in a bad shape.
Muscular Endurance in sport - A boxer will throw hundreds of punches throughout a fight, so poor muscular endurance will lead to defeat. You need to be able to keep your hands up and keep fighting right to the end.
Crunches, Squat Thrusts and push ups
Crunches: begin by lying on your back, with knees flexed to 90o, feet flat on the floor. Partner should kneel next to your knees, and extend the fore-arm across your knees. The partner should apply no downward pressure which could assist the player in movement. Upon the go command, you should extend arms in front of the body, and curl the trunk forward until the palm of the hand touches your partners fore-arm, and return to the starting position, this counts as 1.
The aim is to achieve the highest score possible in 1 minute. you should not bounce from the hips or the shoulder. Movements which are not full-range should not be counted.
Squat thrusts: you should begin in the press-up position. The squat thrust movement involves bringing the knees forward to a point level with the elbow, and then returning to full trunk extension. Movements not in this range are not counted. The aim is to complete as many movements as possible in 1 minute.
Push ups: Be sure you know how to perform a push-up correctly. Position yourself on the floor so that your body is straight and your weight is on the hands and feet. Be sure your hands are flat on the floor and directly under your shoulders. Lower your chest until it touches the floor, and then push yourself back up to the starting position. Exhale each time you push your body up; do not hold your breath. Keep your body straight, and fully straighten your arms at the end of each push-up.
Body composition
In physical fitness, body composition is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone and muscle in human bodies. Because muscular tissue takes up less space in our body than fat tissue, our body composition, as well as our weight, determines leanness. Two people at the same height and same body weight may look completely different from each other because they have a different body composition.
Endomorph
A predominantly endomorphic individual typically has short arms and legs, as well as a large amount of mass on their shorter than normal frame. This hampers their ability to compete in sports requiring high levels of agility or speed. Sports of pure strength, like power lifting, are perfect for an endomorph. Size benefits sports such as rugby and hammer, where size is useful providing it can be moved powerfully.
Mesomorph
A predominantly mesomorphic individual excels in strength, agility, and speed sports. Their medium structure and height, along with their tendency to gain muscle and strength easily makes them a strong candidate for a top athlete in any sport. They respond well to cardiovascular and resistance training due to their adaptability and responsive physiology.
Ectomorph
A predominantly endomorphic individual is long, slender and thin, and therefore power and strength sports are almost totally out of the question. Their slight build also leaves them susceptible to injuries. While they can easily get lean and hard, their lack of musculature severely limits their chances in sports requiring mass. Typically, Ectomorphs dominate endurance sports and gymnastics.
Body fat in sport - Excess body fat would affect the baseballer's ability to move freely around the field, and it would also increase fatigue during training and game play as the excess weight does not benefit the sport.
Skin fold Measurement
Description: Estimation of body fat by skin fold thickness measurement. Measurement can use from 3 to 9 different standard anatomical sites around the body. The right side is usually only measured. The tester pinches the skin at the appropriate site to raise a double layer of skin and the underlying adipose tissue, but not the muscle. The callipers are then applied 1 cm below and at right angles to the pinch, and a reading in millimetres taken two seconds later. The mean of two measurements should be taken. If the two measurements differ greatly, a third should then be done, then the median value taken.
Equipment required: skin fold callipers. These should be calibrated for correct jaw tension and gap width.
Advantages: Skin fold measurements are widely utilized to assess body composition. It is a lot simpler than hydrostatic weighing and many of the other body composition techniques. After the original outlay for callipers, the daily tests costs are minimal
Balance
Balance is an ability to maintain the center of gravity of a body within the minimal.
Keeping balance requires integration of inputs from multiple senses, equilibrioception, vision and perception of pressure and proprioception with the motor system responsible for muscle actions. The senses must detect the change of the body position with respect to the base .The limit of stability of an individual standing quietly upright is defined as the amount of postural sway at which the balance is lost and the corrective actions are required. The limit of stability may be described by an irregular cone above the support base.
In humans, equilibrioception is mainly sensed by the detection of acceleration, which occurs in the vestibular system.
The visual system is the part of the central nervous system which allows organisms to see.
Proprioception is the sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body.
Standing Balance Test
This is a simple balance test that can be modified to suit your situation.
equipment required: flat, non-slip surface, stopwatch
how to do the test: the person stands on one leg for as long as possible. Give the person a minute to practice their balancing before starting the test. The timing stops when the elevated foot touches the ground or the person hops or otherwise loses their balance position. The best of three attempts is recorded. Repeat the test on the other leg.
scoring: time the total length of time person can stay in the balance position.
variations: to increase the degree of difficulty, the test can be conducted with the person having their arms either by their sides, held out horizontally, or on their head. You could also conduct the test with their eyes closed for each of these variations too.
Co-ordination
Eye-hand coordination can be defined as “the ability to guide with the eyes the movements of the hand.” This skill is often demonstrated through activities such as stringing, lacing, and cutting.
Purpose: to measure hand-eye coordination
Equipment required: tennis ball or baseball, smooth and solid wall, marking tape, stopwatch which is optional. A tennis ball can be bought for around £2-£3 from any shop, a marking tape can be bought for £3 and a stop watch can be bought for around £2 and any type of smooth solid wall can be found on streets or house sides.
How to perform the test: A mark is placed a certain distance from the wall (e.g. 2 meters, 3 feet). The person stands behind the line and facing the wall. The ball is thrown from one hand in an underarm action against the wall, and attempted to be caught with the opposite hand. The ball is then thrown back against the wall and caught with the initial hand. The test can continue for a nominated number of attempts or for a set time period (e.g. 30 seconds). By adding the constraint of a set time period, you also add the factor of working under pressure. scoring: The table below lists general ratings for this test, using the score of the number of successful catches in a 30 second period.
Advantages: minimal equipment and costs are involved in conducting this test, and it can be self-administered.
Disadvantages: the ability to catch the ball can be affected by how hard and straight the ball is thrown to the wall. You may want to draw a target on the wall to help with throwing accuracy. The test results may be skewed if the subject 'flukes' a few catches, so repeating the test a few times may result in more accurate results.
Tennis ball test
I had two practice turns which I managed to get 24 bounces and second try 29 bounces, on my recorded go, I started off slow and towards the end I managed to go faster and I reached 32 bounces off the wall, which is good. Although I don’t really have much knowledge on developing the hand and eye coordination skill, I think practicing this test and others could up your skill levels on coordinating your eyes with your hand and legs.
Reaction time
Reaction time is the elapsed time between the presentation of a sensory stimulus and the time it takes for the subject to respond. RT is often used in experimental psychology to measure the duration of mental operations, known as mental chronometry. The behavioral response is often a button press but can also be an eye movement, a vocal response, or some other observable behavior.
Catch the ruler
Equipment required: 30cm ruler, it is very cheap to buy and this test can be performed in any place.
How to perform the test: One person holds the ruler near the 30cm mark and lets it hang vertically, the other person places their thumb and index finger either side of the 0cm mark ready to catch it when it falls - their fingers shouldn’t touch the ruler. Without warning the person holding the ruler lets go and the subject tries to catch the ruler as soon as possible.
The level (in cm) just above the subject’s first finger where the ruler was caught is recorded. The same person is tested 5 times and then calculate the mean average of their results (add all five numbers together and then divide by five). Before starting the test I really tried to get my mind focusing on the fact that I have to catch a ruler, then I had my 5 goes, the first one was good, I caught it at 170, my second go I was determined to get better, I got managed to catch it at 156, third go I caught it at 180, fourth go I caught it at 167 and my final go I caught it at 123. then I added them and divided them by 5, my total average came to 159, which I believe is really good, although if I could keep my focus up I believe I could do better.
