30m Sprint Fatigue Power Maintenance Test

Testing and measurement are the means of collecting information upon which subsequent performance evaluations and decisions are made but in the analysis we need to bear in mind the factors that may influence the results.

Objective

In sports such as basketball, hockey, rugby and soccer, players often have to reproduce sprints in quick succession. The ability to recover between sprints and produce the same level of power repeatedly is a measure of your sprint fatigue.

Required Resources To undertake this test you will require: 40 metre section of a track 12 Cones to mark out the course (see diagram) Stop watch Assistant How to conduct the test Set up a course as per the diagram opposite The athlete sprints from A to B between the cones deviating 5m sideways in the middle of the sprint The assistant records the time for the athlete to complete the sprint from A to B The athlete jogs slowly back to point A (taking no longer than 30 seconds to do so) following the route on the diagram When the athlete reaches point A repeat the sprint to point B The athlete is to complete a total of 10 sprints

Analysis

Analysis of the result is by comparing it with the results of previous tests. It is expected that, with appropriate training between each test, the analysis would indicate an improvement.

Sprint Fatigue

Using the 10 recorded sprint times subtract your fastest time from your slowest time. For example if your slowest sprint was 7.8 seconds and your fastest sprint was 6.9 seconds your sprint fatigue is 0.9 (7.8 - 6.9).

Power Maintenance

Determine the average speed of the first three trials and divide it by the average speed of the last three trials. So if your times were...

• 7.1 seconds, 6.9 seconds, 6.9 seconds
• 7.0 seconds, 7.2 seconds, 7.1 seconds, 7.3 seconds
• 7.3 seconds, 7.4 seconds, 7.5 seconds

The average of the first 3 times (7.1, 6.9, and 6.9) is 6.97 seconds and the average of the last 3 times (7.3, 7.4, and 7.5) is 7.40 seconds.

Power Maintenance = 6.97 ÷ 7.40 = 0.94 (Excellent)

• Excellent 0.9
• Good 0.85 to 0.899
• Average 0.80 to 0.849
• Poor <0.799

Target Group

This test is suitable for active athletes but not for individuals where the test would be contraindicated.

Reliability Test reliability refers to the degree to which a test is consistent and stable in measuring what it is intended to measure. Reliability will depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual's level of motivation to perform the test.

Validity

Test validity refers to the degree to which the test actually measures what it claims to measure and the extent to which inferences, conclusions, and decisions made on the basis of test scores are appropriate and meaningful. This test provides a means to monitor the effect of training on the athlete's physical development.

Associated Pages

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

• Articles on Performance Evaluation
• Evaluation and Performance Tests