Maximum push up test
Procedure
The player assumes the push up position with arms fully extended and back straight. He has one minute to complete as many full push ups (chest to touch a fist or tennis ball on the ground and full arm extension) as possible. The player may rest in between repetitions, only correctly completed push ups to count. One maximal attempt only.
Maximum pull up test
Procedure:
The player hangs from the pull up bar with legs hanging straight down, not touching the ground, and arms fully extended. His hands must be shoulder width apart using a reverse grip, palms facing towards him. He must complete as many full pull ups as possible until failure is reached. A full pull up comprises of the player lifting himself from his fully extended position upwards until his chin is in line with the bar and then lowering himself to the original fully extended position again. The total number of correctly performed pull ups is his score. One maximal attempt only.
When should the tests be done?
Testing should be an integral part of a players conditioning plan. As mentioned earlier it will provide useful information for the coach and player about the conditioning components that need attention, as well as give feed back on past training programmes and guide future training. The first set of tests should be done after the transition period between two seasons.
This would mean testing as you are about to start preparing for the next season, at the beginning of the preparatory/ off-season phase. Ideally players should be tested again halfway through the preparatory phase to assess their preparation progress and make any necessary adjustments to the training programmes. Testing should definitely be done again just before the competitive phase / in season. In professional teams reassessment of players during the season is often done to check on conditioning maintenance and evaluate fatigue levels.
Another important time to test players is when they are returning from injury to make sure they are reconditioned enough to play again. Often a player returns from injury too quickly and re injures himself. This can be avoided by establishing a solid testing profile of the fit player and then analysing his post injury testing results to assess readiness.
Norms and guidelines to assess fitness testing results
General guidelines for high performance/professional players with all positions taken
into account.
|
TEST
|
AVERAGE
|
GOOD
|
EXCELLENT
|
|
Body fat percentage
|
12.5% to 15%
|
10% to 12.5%
|
<10%
|
|
10m acceleration
(seconds)
|
2.10 to 2.25
|
2.00 to 2.10
|
< 2.00
|
|
30m acceleration
(seconds)
|
4.20 to 4.40
|
4.00 to 4.20
|
< 4.00
|
|
Flying 30m
(seconds)
|
3.60 to 3.80
|
3.40 to 3.60
|
< 3.40
|
|
T test
(seconds)
|
10.7 to 11.7
|
9.7 to 10.7
|
< 9.7
|
|
Timed shuttle
runs (per run)
|
58 to 62
|
55 to 58
|
< 55
|
|
Vertical jump (cm)
|
30 to 35
|
35 to 45
|
> 45
|
|
Side ramp
(seconds)
|
60 to 75
|
75 to 90
|
> 90
|
|
3RM
(Kilograms)
|
110 to 120
|
120 to 135
|
> 135
|
Position specific norms for provincial standard junior and senior players on a specific battery of tests Junior Players (Age 18-21 years)
Junior Players (Age 18-21 years)
| Position |
Sum Of Skinfolds (mm) |
Max Pull-ups | Max Push-ups/ min | Power Vert. Jump | Speed 10m & 40m/sec | Repeated sprint test (m) | Aerobic bleep test | Strength bench press (1 RM) |
| Props | <80 | >8 | >45 | >50 |
<1.78 <5.6 |
>730 | 92 | 1.3 kg/ kg.bw |
| Hookers | <70 | >12 | >50 | >50 |
<1.75 <5.5 |
>740 | 100 | 1.3kg/ kg.bw |
| Locks | <65 | >10 | >45 | >60 |
<1.78 <5.5 |
>740 | 105 | 1.3kg/ kg.bw |
| Loose Forwards | <50 | >16 | >55 | >60 |
<1.75 <5.30 |
>760 | 112 | 1.4kg/ kg.bw |
| Inside backs | <45 | >18 | >55 | >60 |
<1.7 <5.15 |
>760 | 115 | 1.2kg/ kg.bw |
| Outside backs | <45 | >18 | >55 | >60 |
<1.7 <5.1 |
>760 | 118 | 1.2kg/ kg.bw |
Senior Players (Age 22 years +)
| Position | Body fat | Aerobic System | Lactate system | Upper body strength | Lower limb strength | Upper body endurance | Speed |
| Sum of 7 skinfolds | Bleep test | Repeated sprint test | 1RM Bench press | 5RM Squat | RG Chins | 10m & 40m/sec | |
| Props | Less than 80mm | 95+ | 730m+ |
155kg+
1.4 kg/kg.bw
|
240kg+
1.8 kg/kg.bw
|
8+ |
<1.78 5.6 |
| Hookers | Less than 70mm | 105+ | 740m+ |
145kg+
1.4 kg/kg.bw
|
220kg+
1.8 kg/kg.bw
|
12+ |
<1.76 5.5 |
| Locks | Less than 70mm | 105+ | 740m+ |
145kg+
1.4 kg/kg.bw
|
200kg+
1.6 kg/kg.bw
|
10+ |
<1.75 5.5 |
| Loose Forwards | Less than 55mm | 118+ | 760m+ |
135kg+
1.4 kg/kg.bw
|
200kg+
1.8 kg/kg.bw
|
16+ |
<1.72 5.3 |
| Inside backs | Less than 50mm | 118+ | 765m+ |
130kg+
1.3 kg/kg.bw
|
180kg+
1.6 kg/kg.bw
|
16+ |
<1.70 5.2 |
| Outside backs | Less than 50mm | 118+ | 765m+ |
130kg+
1.3 kg/kg.bw
|
180kg+
1.6 kg/kg.bw
|
18+ |
<1.70 5.1 |
Position specific norms for international standard players
| Test | Inside backs | Outside backs | Loose Forwards | Locks | Hookers | Props |
|
Body fat sum of 7 Skinfolds (mm)
|
<56 | <56 | <72 | <90 | <72 | <96 |
|
Vertical Jump (cm)
|
65 | 68 | 62 | 65 | 60 | 55 |
|
Sprint 10m (sec) conducted on grass
|
1.65 | 1.68 | 1.72 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.80 |
|
Sprint 40m (sec) conducted on grass
|
5.25 | 5.10 | 5.30 | 5.50 | 5.50 | 5.65 |
|
Max Bench Press (kg/kg of body
weight)
|
1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
|
Max Squat (kg/kg.bw)
|
1.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
|
Repeat Sprint Ability (m) conducted on
grass
|
780 | 780 | 760 | 750 | 750 | 720 |
|
Bleep Test (Level)
|
13.5 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 12.5 | 13.0 | 11.5 |
|
3km run (min/sec) on track or similar
surface
|
11.15 | 11.15 | 11.45 | 12.15 | 12.00 | 12.45 |
