How To

How to recognise improvement

Nigel Hetherington explains how to assess training and competition performance

Both the assessment of progress in training and the measurement of competitive performance are two potentially difficult quantities to determine in a reliable and meaningful way. While on the surface it may appear obvious that someone who scores their highest innings, runs their quickest time or lifts their greatest weight has performed to their best it may not necessarily be the case.

Are the results meaningful?

While there is a battery of test measurements most athletes and their coaches can undertake to measure or evaluate progress against set targets and while some sports offer specific performance measurements by virtue of the sport itself, how can we be sure that the measurement itself is meaningful and how do we know if the result represents an improvement? Let us look at an example to help us work through a few points:

Our athlete has been working on improving their hamstring flexibility
They are aiming to improve it by 5cm, as measured by the sit and reach test, over a 6-week period
Their initial measurement gave a reach of 25cm
After 6 weeks of performing a specific stretching program their measurement is now 27cm.

Questions: Have they improved? Have they achieved their goal?

You probably answered 'yes' and 'no'. Less useful, but more accurate answers may be 'it depends' and 'may be'

What factors may influence the results?

The following factors may have an impact on the results of a test (test reliability):

The ambient temperature, noise level and humidity
The amount of sleep the athlete had prior to testing
The athlete's emotional state " Medication the athlete may be taking
The time of day
The athlete's caffeine intake
The time since the athlete's last meal
The test environment - surface (track, grass, road, gym)
The athlete's prior test knowledge/experience
Accuracy of measurements (times, distances etc.)
Is the athlete actually applying maximum effort in maximal tests
Inappropriate warm up
People present
The personality, knowledge and skill of the tester

Unless we take control of most of these variables the actual measurement itself may not be valid and we may never know where we are.

Accuracy and precision

We also need to consider or at least be aware of accuracy and precision when taking measurements and assessing their validity. Accuracy means it is the right answer - would we arrive at the same answer using a different but compatible measurement system? Precision means we can get the same or similar result every time - but, it may not necessarily be the right one!

For example, if I shoot three arrows at a target aiming for the centre, then I am accurate if I hit the centre but not accurate if I do not. If all of the arrows hit the centre then I am accurate and precise. If all of the arrows miss the centre but land in a tight cluster, say, on an outer edge, then I have excellent precision but poor accuracy. If the arrows land all over the place then my performance is neither accurate nor precise. If I do not have control of something e.g. such as a variable wind then I will probably lose accuracy and precision.

If I set my sights incorrectly then I will probably be precise but not accurate. I have to get everything right and know what all these factors are in order to be accurate and precise. Quite a challenge!

Finally …..

In constructing tests it is important to make sure that they really measure the factors required to be tested, and are thus objective rather than subjective. In doing so all tests should therefore be specific (designed to assess an athlete's fitness for the activity in question), valid (test what they purpose to test), reliable (capable of consistent repetition) and objective (produce a consistent result irrespective of the tester).

About the Author

Nigel Hetherington is the National Performance Manager for Scottish Athletics. He is a UK Athletics (UKA) level 4 performance coach and senior coach tutor and assessor trainer. He is a chartered chemist with 26 years' experience in scientific research. Nigel is also an experienced athlete in sprint and endurance events.

Article Reference

Hetherington N. (2005), "How to recognise improvement", Brian Mackenzie's Successful Coaching (ISSN 1745-7513), Issue 26

101 Performance Evaluation Tests

Periodic testing and measuring is the only way to get the up-to-date, accurate and objective information you need to assess current performance, then make informed decisions about future training and competition goals.

This workbook, 101 Performance Evaluation Tests, is the largest, most complete and authoritative collection of sports performance evaluation tests there is. It is an essential tool for anyone wanting to predict athletic performance or evaluate current level of fitness.

Select this link for more information on "101 Performance Evaluation Tests".

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page: