Field Tests and Easy Functional Trials

Exercise Physiology

Field tests

Disadvantages:

Advantages

- have been already discussed

- practical, inexpensive, less-time consuming, easy to administer to large groups (school)

Based on:

- walking, running, cycling, swimming, bench stepping, knee-bending

- measurement of time, distance and mainly HR

Heart rate - belongs to main cardiovascular fitness parameters

HRmax – generally decrease in trained or no change

- exercise causes increase, after exercise - decrease

- HRrest – measurement in the morning after waking up - before getting up

HRrest × HRexercise × HRpostex.

HRrest – 70 beats/min (average) ↑ 90 beats/min (tachycardia)↓ 60 beats/min (bradycardia)

Heart rate - Measurement

- by tough of artery on wrist, neck, etc. (easy but inaccurate)

- EKG very accurate but unpractical in sport

- Monitor of heart rate – based on distance between R-R (chest belt – transmitter and watch - receiver )

Easy functional trailsMonitoring of HR (rest, exercise, post-exercise)

Problem: reliability (lots of different designs)

There are many functional trails

For example:a] Ruffier trialb] Step-test

Ruffier test

1] monitoring of resting HR – real HRrest !!! [HR1]

2] 30 knee-bends in 30 seconds

3] sitting down and immediate monitoring of HR [HR2]

4] monitoring of HR 1 minute after exercise [HR3]

Fitness index =(HR1+HR2+HR3) -200

10

Ruffier test Evaluation

Index of fitness Level of fitness

< 0 excellent

0.1 – 5 good

5.1 – 10 average

10.1 – 15 under average

> 15.1 poor

Test is not suitable for elderly and persons with illnesses of lower limbs and joints.

Step-test

Based on decrease of pos-exercises HR

Many of modification: Astrand-Ryhming step test protocol, Queen’s College step test protocol, Chester’s step test protocol

We need:- bench (chair)

- stop-watch- metronome (time keeper)- monitor of HR

Chester’s step-test protocol

1] bench: 50 cm ♂, 40 ♀, 30 children

2] duration: 5 minutes if possible

3] frequency: 30 steps/min

4] movement: exchange of legs on the top of bench

5] immediate sitting down after termination of exercise

6] monitoring HR in recovery:- 1 min (HR1), 2 min (HR2), 3 min (HR3) after exercise

Chester’s step-test protocol

Fitness index =duration of exercise (s)*100

(HR1+HR2+HR3)*2

Evaluation

Index of fitness Level of fitness

< 90 poor

90 – 110 average

> 110 good

Field tests

Walking testBased on achievement (duration) and reaction of HR

The task is:

We need:- stop-watch- monitor of HR- flat and direct path

To walk as fast as possible 2 km long way, but NO RUN!(It should takes 12 – 16 min)

Walking testMeasurement:

BMI (body mass index) =

- duration in min (45 s = 0.75 min)- HR in finish (immediately)

Calculation of: - age- BMI

weight (kg)

height2 (m)

normal = 20 – 25 (♀ 19 – 24)

below weight = < 20 (♀ 19)

above weight = 25 – 30 (♀ 24 – 29)

obesity = > 30 (♀ 29)

male = 434-(duration-11.6)-(HR*0.56)-(BMI*2.6)+(age*0.2)

Evaluation

Index of fitness Level of fitness

< 70 poor

71 - 89 under average

90 – 110 average

111 – 130 good

> 131 excellent

Walking test (fitness index)

female = 431-(duration-11.6)-(HR*0.56)-(BMI*2.6)+(age*0.2)

VO2max = 132.85-(0.016*weight)-(0.39*age)+(6.32*G)-(3.26*duration)-(0,16*HR)

Walking test

Estimation of VO2max

kg years gender♂ = 1♀ = 0

minutes

The test is suitable for almost everyone, mainly for old persons.

The test is not suitable for very well trained.

Shuttle ran test (Leger’s test)Purpose:

To estimate the maximum aerobic power.

The task is:

We need:- recorder with tape with pacing sounds on it - stop-watch- clear area with two parallel lines (20 m spacing)

On the signal from tape to move from behind of one line behind the second line and back as long as possible

Shuttle ran test (Leger’s test)

Speed - start: 7.5 km/hour

Increase of pace: 0.5 km/hour for one minute

Termination: 1] feelings of inability to continue

2] inability to reach the line two times in sequence

20 m

Shuttle ran test (Leger’s test)

Evaluation:

poor average good age

< 5:30 > 7:30 10

< 7:30 > 9:00 14

< 8:30 > 10:30 20

< 7:00 > 8:00 30

< 5:00 > 7:30 40

problem: sliding – shoe sole

Cooper test12 minutes run test on 400-meter track

The task is:

To run as far as possible

The test is based on positive correlation between the run distance and VO2max

VO2max = 22.36 * (km) – 11,29

Estimation of VO2max

Cooper test

The test is suitable for healthy and better trained

Highly dependent on motivation!!!