Discuss with your group
• What are the areas that a physical fitness test evaluates?
• How many of you can test your own fitness?
• What are the criteria that you will employ to test your own fitness?
• What is the aim of testing for physical fitness?
• Have you heard of motor fitness? What is it? How is it tested?
• Have you heard about broad jump?
• Test protocol is the correct procedure for carrying out a test.
If a test is done incorrectly, it might affect the results.
• Valid A test is valid if it measures what it sets out to
measure e.g., a test for upper body strength should not
measure leg strength.
• Motor fitness refers to the neuromuscular components of
fitness, which enable a person to perform successfully at a
particular motor skill, game, or activity. Specific motor fitness
components include agility, balance, coordination, power,
reaction time, and speed. Motor fitness is sometimes
referred to as skill-related fitness.
Measurement of Cardio-Vascular
Fitness
• Harvard Step Test
• Harvard step test was developed by Brouha in 1943 for the purpose of
measuring physical fitness for work and the ability to recover from
work. The test was originally designed for young men of college age.
In the original validation of the step test Brouha tested 2200 males.
• Purpose: To determine aerobic fitness
• Objective: To perform step test continuously without break for 5
minutes or until
• Equipment: Bench or wooden block 20 inches in height; stopwatch;
metronome.
• Procedure: Student will start test at the command “Go” and will step
up and down, on and off the wooden block or bench at the rate of 30
steps per minutes for 5 minutes. Participant is given instructions that
on the command ‘up’ or the first sound of the metronome, he/she
should place one foot on the bench; on the second command ‘up’ or
the second sound of the metronome, he/she should place both feet
fully on the bench with the body erect straightening the legs and
back.
• Exactly five minutes of steps, on the signal ‘stop’, the participant immediately sits
down on the bench. If the student is unable to maintain the pace, then she/he is
considered to be exhausted and the test is brought to an end before completion
of 5min.
• The tester will note the duration of the exercise in seconds and use short formula.
• Pulse Count
• After completion of the test, the student sits down and the tester takes the hearts
beats between 1 to 1½ minutes.
• Scoring: Fitness Index score will be determined by applying following equation:
Duration of the Exercise in Seconds x 100 = Fitness Index score
5.5 x Pulse count of 1 − 1.5 min after Exercise
Norms for Harvard Step Test
UP TO 90 POOR
50-80 AVERAGE
81 ABOVE GOOD
Computing Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
• The Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories needed to maintain
body function and resting condition. In another words BMR is the number of
calories burnt by the body while performing basic life sustaining functions. That
is, a person, who does not engage in any work, still requires energy for the
functioning of their internal organs. This energy is called Basal Metabolic Rate.
Unit of BMR is calculated in Kcal. There are factors that may affect BMR like
Muscle Mass, age, state of mind, Gender, Genetics, Body composition etc.
Environment changes like change in heat and cold may change the requirement
of the body.
• Purpose: determine Basal Metabolic Rate
• Equipment: Stadiometer, Weight machine, Pen and paper
• Procedure: method to measure height and weight is given at BMI
• Formula used: The mifflin-St Jeor BMR Equation
• Male calculation = (10 * weight(kg.)) + (6.25 * height(cm)) – (5 * age) + 5
• Female calculation = (10 * body weight(kg.)) + (6.25 * height(cm)) - (5 * age) – 161
Extension Activity
Every student will prepare their own profile of fitness testing as per below format.
Fitness Index
(Harvard step
test)
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
50M standing start
600 M Run/ walk
Sit and reach Test
Push-ups
Partial Curl Up
Rikli and Jones Senior Citizen Fitness Test
• The senior citizen’s fitness test (SFT) was developed by Rikli
and Jones for older people aged between 60 to 94 years.
• The purpose of the test was to evaluate functional ability and
monitor the physical fitness status of older people and to
identify problems and work on the weakness.
• This test should not be practiced by those who have any
medical conditions like chest pain, dizziness, high blood
pressure, heart problems etc.
This test is economical and easy to
administer.
• The test includes the following items:
• 1. Chair Stand Test for lower body strength
• 2. Arm Curl Test for upper body strength
• 3. Chair Sit and Reach Test for lower body flexibility
• 4. Back Scratch Test for upper body flexibility
• 5. Eight Foot Up and Go Test for agility
• 6. Six Minute Walk Test for aerobic endurance Source of all Pictures4
A)30 SECOND CHAIR STAND
TEST
• Purpose: To determine lower body strength.
• Objective: To complete maximum stands in 30 seconds
• Equipment: Straight back chair without arms; stopwatch.
• Procedure: The chair should be placed against the wall or somewhere
where it gets stabilized.Initially, the individual will sit on the chair, back
straight, arms crossed and feet firmly on the floor, shoulder width
apart.On the command “Go” the individual will stand up completely,
then return back to the initial position. This will be counted as one
stand. The individual should be motivated to do maximum stands in 30
seconds.
• Scoring: Maximum number of complete stands will be counted as score.
If the individual is in half way of the stand and time is over, then it will
be counted as a full stand.
2 ARM CURL TEST
• Purpose: To determine upper body strength.
• Objective: To complete maximum arm curls in 30 seconds.
• Equipment: Straight back chair without arms; Dumbbell for men- 8
pounds (3.6kgs) and women- 5 pounds (2.3kgs); stopwatch.
• Procedure: The chair should be placed against the wall or somewhere
where it gets stabilized.The individual sits on the chair with back
straight, feet on floor, holing dumbbell with dominant hand using
handshake gripOn the command “Go” the individual flexes the elbow
or curls the arm with full range of motion then returns back to its
initial position. In the down position dumbbell will return to
handshake grip. The individual can perform as many arm curls as
possible in 30 seconds. Scoring: Maximum number of correct arm
curls in 30 second will be counted.
CHAIR SIT AND REACH TEST
• Purpose: To determine lower body flexibility.
• Objective: To stretch the lower body as far as possible.
• Equipment: Straight back chair without arms; 18 inches ruler.
• Procedure: The chair should be placed against the wall or somewhere
where the chair gets stabilized. Participant sits on the chair with one foot
flat on the floor and the other leg extended forward with the knee straight,
heel on the floor, and ankle bent at 90°.The participant, then, tries to touch
the toe of that foot by bending at the hip and sliding her/his hands towards
the toes. To clock score, participant must hold that position for 2 seconds.
• Scoring: Measurement will be taken between extended long finger and tip
of the toe and minimum to .5 inches will be recorded as score. If fingers
cross the toe, then + will be indicated before the score and if the
participant is unable to touch the toe, then – sign will be indicated.
BACK STRETCH
• Purpose: To determine upper body flexibility
• Objective: To touch or overlap the finger of the both hands behind the
back.
• Equipment: 18 inches ruler
• Procedure: In standing position participant will place one hand over the
shoulder and one hand middle of the back and try to touch or overlap
each other.
• Scoring: Measurement will be taken by measuring the distance between
the tips of the middle fingers. If the fingertips touch, then the score is
zero. If they do not touch, measure the distance between the finger tips
(a negative score), if they overlap, measure by how much (a positive
score).
EIGHT FOOT UP AND G0
• Purpose: To determine physical mobility (power, speed, agility and balance).
• Objective: To stand and walk 16 feet and sit back as fast as possible (without
running).
• Equipment: Straight back chair without arms; cone; stopwatch,
• Procedure: A chair should be placed against the wall or somewhere where the
chair get stabilized. The participant sits on the chair with both feet on the floor.
At the command “Go” he/she walks as fast as possible (not running) and returns
back after walking to and around the cone which is placed 8 ft away from the
chair. There should be enough space around the cone from where participant
can take an easy turn.
• Scoring: Two attempts will be made and the best score will be taken for record.
Fastest time taken between command “Go” and return to the chair will be
recorded.
6 .MINUTE WALK TEST
• Purpose: To determine aerobic endurance
• Objective: To walk maximum distance in 6 minutes.
• Equipment: Walking area of 20 yards each between parallel lines
connected with 5 yards lines making rectangles; stopwatch; cone.
• Procedure: Participant will start walking after the command “Go” and
continuously walk on the track for 6 minutes. He /she has to cover
maximum distance in 6 minutes but without running.
• Scoring: Maximum distance covered in 6 minutes will be recorded as
score
7. SIX MINUTES STEP TEST
• Purpose: To determine aerobic endurance
• Objective: To count maximum number of steps in 2 minutes. This test is performed as
an alternative to the 6- minute walk test for people who use orthopedic devices when
walking, as well as in the case of people who have difficulty balancing.
• Equipment: tape for marking the wall; stopwatch; wall.
•
• Procedure: The participant up straight next to the wall while a mark is placed on the
wall at the level corresponding to midway between the patella (knee cap) and iliac
crest (top of the hip bone).The participant then marches in place for two minutes,
lifting the knees to the height of the mark on the wall. Resting is allowed, and holding
onto the wall or a stable chair is allowed. Stop after two minutes of stepping.
• Scoring: The total number of times the right knee reaches the tape level in two
minutes is recorded.
