Exercise and Fitness Testing

 

Fitness testing has a wide range of formats, to suit the needs of the individual. Specific methods and protocols are used according to the circumstances and goals. Assessment using this approach is not just for the athletic individual – it has many uses in those who have medical conditions, and those who are simply ‘unfit’.

 

View 'Having an Exercise Test' Information Sheet

 

Fitness characteristics include:

• Aerobic / endurance fitness

• Heart and lung function at rest and with exercise

• Speed

• Power

• Strength

• Agility

• Balance and control

• Body composition

• Others – e.g. fitness to do specific occupational activities

Those who may be interested in undergoing one or more fitness measurements include:

• The sportsperson who is training for their sport(s)

• The individual who wants to get fit

• Those on weight loss programmes

• Cardiac and respiratory testing for those people with medical conditions who have symptoms, or who wish to commence an exercise programme

Tests can be done ‘in the field’, in the clinic, or in the exercise laboratory.

 

A - Endurance

 

i) Cardiorespiratory exercise testing:
Assessment of heart and lung response to exercise (the classical ‘exercise’, or ‘fitness’ test).
This can be done on a treadmill, bicycle, rowing ergometer or other equipment. Measures heart rate and rhythm, breathing, and ‘VO2max’ (a measure of aerobic fitness).Exercise tests can be ‘maximal’ (pushing the individual to their limit) or ‘submaximal ‘– where information is gathered to calculate health and fitness parameters.

 

ii) Bleep test (the multistage fitness test).

A commonly used and effective way of monitoring endurance, and speed

 

iii) Blood lactate testing.
Blood lactate testing is one of the most effective approaches to assess and monitor your endurance fitness and to improve your training programmes. The test measures lactate or anaerobic thresholds: the point at which blood lactate starts to accumulate exponentially in the blood. When this starts to occur, the athlete will soon fatigue. Knowing your Lactate Threshold will help to devise appropriate training strategies for your sport through established heart rate training zones. The test also gives an indication of how ‘fit’ you are in comparison to your previous lactate tests.

 

B - Strength
Can be assessed in many ways. Examples include Isokinetic testing, single repetition maximum lifts.

 

C - Power

The choice of test(s) depends upon the characteristics of the individual, their activity/sport and their goals. Examples include: jumping and running tests, hitting and throwing tests.

 

D - Speed
Tests include sprint tests (running, cycling, rowing, swimming, other.

 

E - Balance and Agility
These parameters are very important in many sports. Sport specific tests can be used to establish a baseline and to monitor your progress.

 

F – Body Composition

Good body composition is vital for health and for performance. We can measure and monitor your body composition in different ways. For example:

• Skin fold measurements using capliers

• Electrical impedence

• Full body composition assessment using a Dual Energy Absorptiometry (DEXA) Scanner. This is the ‘gold standard’ for assessment. It also as the advantage of checking your bone density.