GCSE Fitness Testing Booklet

This booklet will provide you with the basic knowledge of a variety of different fitness tests. There will be tests for the health related components of fitness and skill related components of fitness. Follow the testing instructions to ensure your results are accurate and valid.

Fitness Testing

HEALTH is defined as ‘a state of physical mental and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease and infirmity’.

To ensure that we remain in a state of good health every pupil must take a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ).

You try to answer all the questions honestly to ensure your teacher is fully aware of any injuries or illnesses.

Fitness Tests

Push up test

This measures the muscular endurance of your pectoral and triceps muscles, by performing the maximum amount of push ups until exhaustion. The test should last for no longer than 3 minutes.
You should use the standard “military style” push up position with only the hands and the toes touching the floor, alternatively complete the push up with knees on the floor. To do this, kneel on the floor, hands on either side of the chest and keep your back straight. Do as many push ups as possible until exhaustion. Count the total number of push ups performed. Use the chart below to find out how you rate.

Equipment Required

• Mat
• Stopwatch

Record your Push Up Test result______________

Male Age	17-19	20-29	Female Age	17-19	20-29
Excellent	>56	>47	Excellent	>35	> 36
Good	47-56	39-47	Good	27-35	30-36
Above average	35-46	30-39	Above Average	21-27	23-29
Average	19-34	17-29	Average	11-20	12-22
Below average	11-18	10-16	Below average	6-10	7-11
Poor	4-10	4-9	Poor	2-5
Very Poor	< 4	<4	Very Poor	0-1

Abdominal ‘Curl up’ test

This measures the muscular endurance of your abdominal muscles, by counting the maximum number of sit-ups you can do in 1 minute.

Starting Position: Lie on a mat with your knees bent at approximately right angles, with feet flat on the ground. Your hands should be resting on your thighs.

Technique: Squeeze your stomach, push your back flat and raise high enough for your hands to slide along your thighs to touch the tops of your knees. Don’t pull with you neck or head and keep your lower

Equipment Required

• Mat
• Stopwatch
• Partner to record, motivate and support.

Record your Abdominal Curl Up Test result______________

Male-age	18-25	26-35	Female-Age	18-25	26-35
Excellent	>49	>45	Excellent	>43	>39
Good	44-49	40-45	Good	37-43	33-39
Above average	39-43	35-39	Above average	33-36	29-32
Average	35-38	31-34	Average	29-32	25-28
Below Average	31-34	29-30	Below Average	25-28	21-24
Poor	25-30	22-28	Poor	18-24	13-20
Very Poor	<25	<22	Very Poor	<18	<13

Alternate Hand wall toss test

This test is used to measure hand-eye coordination.
Equipment Required:

• Tennis ball
• Smooth and solid wall
• Marking tape,
• Stopwatch

How to conduct the test:

• A mark is placed a certain distance from the wall (e.g. 2 meters).
• 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 will continue 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.

Record your score for the test of hand eye coordination.

Starting with right hand

Starting with left hand

Rating	Score (in 30 seconds)
Excellent	>35
Good	30-35
Average	20-29
Fair	15-19
Poor	<15

30 metre sprint test

The purpose of this test is to determine acceleration, maximum running speed and speed endurance, depending on the distance run.

Equipment Required:

• Measuring tape
• Stopwatch
• Cone markers

How to conduct the test:

The test involves running a single maximum sprint over a set distance, with
time recorded. After a standardized warm up, the test is conducted over a
certain distance, 35meters.

• Partner starts stopwatch when your trunk passes the start line
• Stopping when the athlete’s trunk passes the finish line.
• The starting position should be standardized, starting from a stationary
• position with a foot behind the flying starting line, with no rocking movements.
• The athletes an adequate warm-up and practice first, and some encouragement to continue running hard past the finish line

30 meter sprint rating	Male	Female
Excellent	<4.0	<4.5
Above Average	4.2-4.0	4.6-4.5
Average	4.4-4.3	4.8-4.7
Below Average	4.6-4.5	5.0-4.9
Poor	>4.6	>5.0

Record your result for the 30m sprint test _______________seconds

Standing Broad Jump test

The Standing long jump, also called the Broad Jump, is a common and
easy to administer test of explosive leg power. The World Record for the
standing long jump is held by Norwegian Arne Tvervaag, who jumped
3.71 meters.

Equipment Required: Long Jump Landing Mats

How to conduct the test:

• The athlete stands behind a line marked on the ground with feet slightly apart.
• A two foot take-off and landing is used, with swinging of the arms and bending of the knees to provide forward drive.
• The subject attempts to jump as far as possible, landing on both feet without falling backwards.
• Three attempts are allowed.
• The measurement is taken from take-off line to the nearest point of contact on the landing (back of the heels).
• Record the longest distance jumped, the best of three attempts

		males		females
rating	(cm)	(feet, inches)	(cm)	(feet, inches)
excellent	> 250	> 8′ 2.5″	>200	6′ 6.5
very good	241-250	7’11”-8’2.5″	191-200	6′ 3″ — 6′ 6.5
above average	231-240	7′ 7″ — 7′ 10.5″	181-190	5′ 11.5″ — 6′ 2.5
average	221-230	7′ 3″ — 7′ 6.5″	171-180	5′ 7.5″ — 5′ 11″
below average	211-220	6′ 11″ — 7′ 2.5″	161-170	5′ 3.5″ — 5′ 7″
poor	191-210	6′ 3″ — 6′ 10.5″	141-160	4′ 7.5″ — 5′ 2.5″
very poor	< 191	6′ 3″	< 141	< 4′ 7.5″

1ST Attempt
2nd Attempt
3rd Attempt
Best

Harvard Step Test

This test uses pulse rates as an indicator of cardiovascular fitness as it
measures the athlete’s endurance capabilities.

Equipment Required

Gym Benches
Stopwatch
Calculators’

How to conduct the test

Athlete steps up onto the bench once every two seconds for a per
minutes (150 steps).

• Teacher will help with keeping pace and use music for motivation.
• After the end of the test sit down on the bench and find your pulse.
• One minute after the test take pulse and record= Pulse 1.
• Two minute after the test take pulse and record= Pulse 2.
• Three minute after the test take pulse and record= Pulse 3.
• Calculate the result by applying the following equation: 3000/the sum of the 3 pulse readings

Pulse 1	Pulse 2	Pulse 3	Total Pulse

Gender	Poor	Below Average	Average	Above Average	Excellent
Male	<55	55-64	65-79	80-90	>90
Female	<50	50-60	61-75	76-86	>86

Record your results. Harvard Step Test_______________

Stork Stand Balance Test

To assess the ability to balance on the ball of the foot.
The stork balance test requires the person to stand on one leg.

Equipment Required: Stopwatches

How to conduct the test:

• Remove the shoes and place the hands on the hips, then position the
• non-supporting foot against the inside knee of the supporting leg.
• The subject is given one minute to practice the balance.
• The subject raises the heel to balance on the ball of the foot.
• The stopwatch is started as the heel is raised from the floor. The stopwatch is stopped if any of the follow occur:

o The hand(s) come off the hips.
o The supporting foot swivels or moves (hops) in any direction.
o The non-supporting foot loses contact with the knee.
o The heel of the supporting foot touches the floor

Rating	Score (seconds)
Excellent	> 50
Good	40-50
Average	25-39
Fair	10-24
Poor	< 10

Record your results
Left Leg __
Right Leg _

Illinois Agility Test

Agility is an important component of many team sports, though it is not
always tested, and is often difficult to interpret results. The Illinois Agility Test (Getchell, 1979) is a commonly used test of running agility in sports.

Equipment Required:

• Cones
• Stopwatch
• measuring tape

How to conduct the test

• The length of the course is 10 meters and the width (distance between the start and finish points) is 5 meters.
• Four cones are used to mark the start, finish and the two turning points.
• Another four cones are placed down the center an equal distance apart.
• Each cone in the center is spaced 3.3 meters apart.
• Subjects should lie on their front (head to the start line) and hands by their shoulders.
• On the ‘Go’ command the stopwatch is started, and the athlete gets up as quickly as possible and runs around the course in the direction indicated, without knocking the cones over, to the finish line, at which the timing is stopped.

	Agility Run Ratings
Rating	Males	Females
Excellent	< 15.2	< 17.0
Good	16.1-15.2	17.9-17.0
Average	18.1-16.2	21.7-18.0
Fair	18.3-18.2	23.0-21.8
Poor	> 18.3	> 23.0

Record your results
1st
Attempt_________________
2nd Attempt______________
Best_________________

Results

Test and component of fitness	Result (including units)	Comparison to normative data

Evaluation

	Identify the strengths and areas for improvement highlighted from your testing results and explain how they affect your performance in your chosen sport
Strengths
Areas for improvement

Developing a training programme

Areas to improve	Method of training required
1)
2)

Example Session