CSEC Physical Education Lecture Series

Physical fitness can be tested and assessed through various ways.
Maximum Strength
1. The one repetition max test using free weights or multi-gym equipment. Add weight gradually to work to maximum you can lift. Allow recovery between each lift.
2. Hand grip dynamometer test is used to measure hand grip strength. The handle of the equipment is squeezed as hard as possible. The equipment will give readings of the strength of the grip.
Muscular Power
a. Standing Broad Jump - stand with feet comfortably apart behind a start line; bend knees, jump as far as possible. Measure the distance.
b. Sergeant Jump - stand next to a wall, reach up with arm nearest to the wall, and mark the highest point you can reach with both feet planted on the ground. Chalk your fingertips and leap upwards marking the wall at the highest point. Measure the distance between marks.
Muscular Endurance
1. Sit ups Test - measures muscular endurance of abdominal muscles. Lie on the floor with knees bent, hands across the chest and feet flat on the floor. Raise your trunk until your elbows are touching the knees. Then lower yourself to the floor again. Complete as many as possible within 30 seconds
Men Women
High Score >26 >23
Low Score <21 <17
      
2. Press-up Test – measures muscular endurance of chest and shoulder muscles. Complete as many as possible in 60 seconds.

Speed
30m speed test.
Mark the start line, then measure 30m from the start line, mark the finish line.
Stand 20m behind the start line, get a partner to record your speed in seconds from the moment you cross the start line to the finish line. At go sprint as fast as you can from there to the finish.
Men Women
High Score <7.2 seconds <7.8 seconds
Low Score >9.1 seconds >9.7 seconds
Agility
Illinois Agility 50m shuttle run test
An area is marked for a shuttle including a start and a finish. Lying face down on the floor behind a starting line, leap to your feet and complete the designated course which involves running around a series of obstacles in the shortest time.
Men Women
High Score <15.9 seconds <17.8 seconds
Low Score >18.8 seconds >23.4 seconds

Balance
Stork Stand
Stand comfortably on both feet with hands on hips. Lift one leg and place the toes on the knee of the other. Raise the heel of the planted foot and stand on toes for as long as possible.
High score - >49 seconds
Low score - <10 seconds
Coordination
Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test
Stand two metres from wall, toss a tennis ball from right hand to wall and catch it with your left hand. Repeat using alternate hand for 30 seconds.
High score - >35 catches
Low score - <20 catches

Reaction Time
This can be measured by computerised programmes that ask for a response as quickly as possible to a stimulus such as a sound or visual cue. Reaction time is a person’s speed of reaction to a stimulus. It depends on the efficiency of the nervous system (sensory and motor) and high percentage of fast twitch muscle fibres.
Flexibility
Sit and reach test for hamstring flexibility
Turn a bench on its side, tape a ruler on top, sit with feet flat against the bench, legs straight and slowly reach forward as far as you can. The distance the fingertips reached on the ruler is recorded.
                                   Male                           Female
High score                11cm and above          16cm and above
Low score                 Less than -5cm             less than 1cm

Shoulder hyperextension test for the chest and shoulders
Lie face down on the floor with arms stretched out in front, hold a metre rule with hands shoulder width apart. Raise your arms as high as possible, keeping your chin on the ground and stick parallel to the floor. The height is measured.
                       Male                             Female
High score     41cm and above            46cm and above
Low score      0-10cm                       0-15cm

Body Composition
Modern testing equipment can take skinfold measurement using calliper and reference tables. The BMI can also be used.
BMI=Weight (kg)/Height squared (m2)
Underweight - <20 Overweight – 25-30 Obese - >30