Testing

First we have to establish an athlete's baseline (a place an athlete is at). This is done by evaluating strengths and weaknesses an athlete posseses.

In order to use sport tests data efficiently testing must be:

• Valid. The test should resemble the sport
• Reliable. Its the consistency of a test. An athlete should produce the same result if performance is the same
• Accurate.. Its highly dependent on the equipment being used and the objectivity of evaluators

The more data is collected the more accurate an athlete profile is created. Flexibility, stability, body composition, strength, power, speed and endurance can be measured.

BODY COMPOSITION

• Establish lean mass and fat
• Very accurate and objective
• A sport car that pulls additional 1 tonne is not a sport car anymore

FLEXIBILITY

• The ability of a joint or a group of joints to move through a range of motion unrestricted in conjuction with muscles
• In sports its important to use strength from variuos positions
• Restricted range of motion or tigth muscle in certain ways could result in pain
• Even thoug mobility and flexibility itself does not decrease the chance of injury it lets you train in a way that changes muscular architecture which decreases chance of injury

STABILITY

• Ability to control joint movement within the proper range of motion
• Stability is needed in every sport
• Part of injury prevention

STRENGTH

• The main muscular system function is to allow movement.
• Greater muscular strength is strongly associated with improved force and time characteristics which contribute overall performance of an anthlete
• The better relative strength is the more force an athlete can apply into the ground and run faster or jump higher
• Strength is linked to reduced injury rates
• Athletes should atleast have adequate strength levels

POWER

• Power is the ability to exert as much force as possible in the shortest amount of time
• Take-off power is one of the limiting factors in sports where lower body is needed
• Testing gives you the ability to see changes and focus on the most important variables in training

SPEED

• Speed is a complex physical ability
• In sports speed could be expressed as the ability to move the body from point A to B in a short period od time
• Testings is simply measuring how fast a distance is covered

ENDURANCE

• The ability to resist fatigue
• The less strength, speed or power decrease during training/match the better
• Testing cardiovascular syste should resemble the sport (change of direction, rest periods etc.)