Quadrathlon

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.

The Quadrathlon was devised in 1982 to test for explosive power improvement of the Great Britain National Throws Squad (Jones 1992)^[2]. The Quadrathlon is easy to carry out and is an excellent way to test an athlete's fitness and progress during the winter months.

Required Resources

To undertake this test you will require:

• Flat non-slip surface
• Cones
• Shot (competition weight)
• Tape Measure
• Long Jump Pit
• Stopwatch
• Assistant

How to conduct the test

This test requires the athlete to undertake 4 exercises: Standing long jump, Three jumps, 30 metre sprint and Overhead shot throw.

Standing Long Jump

• The athlete warms up for 10 minutes
• The athlete stands with their their feet over the edge of the sandpit and jumps horizontally as far as possible into the sandpit.
• The assistant measures and records the distance from the edge of the sandpit to the nearest point of contact in the sand made by the athlete

Three Jumps

• The athlete stands with the feet comfortably apart with the toes just behind the take-off mark.
• The athlete, from a static position, takes three continuous two footed jumps aiming to jump horizontally as far as possible
• The assistant measures and records the distance covered

30 Metre Sprint

• The assistant marks with cones a 30m section on the track
• The athlete sprints from a stationary position as fast as possible to the 30 metre finish line. Spikes allowed.
• The assistant stands at the finish line and starts the stopwatch from the moment the athlete contacts the ground on the first stride and stops the stopwatch when the athlete’s torso crosses the line
• The assistant records the time

Overhead Shot Throw

• The athlete holds the shot cupped in both hands
• The athlete stands on the shot stop-board, facing away from the landing area, with the feet a comfortable distance apart.
• The athlete crouches, lowering the shot between the legs, then drives upwards to cast the shot back over the head to achieve maximum horizontal distance. There is no penalty for following through, but the athlete must land feet first and remain upright.
• The assistant marks the where the shot landed, measures and records the distance from this point to the inside edge of the stop-board

Quadrathlon Tables

Points are allocated from the Quadrathlon tables depending on the distance or time achieved for each activity. Scores should be compared with the athlete's previous activity scores to determine the level of improvement. Competition can be based on the improvement from the previous test for each activity. The Quadrathlon tables can be obtained from Jones (1992)^[2]. A copy of the Quadrathlon tables, in pdf format, are available via this link.

The number of points for each event can be calculated using the following equations:

where D is the distance in metres and T is the time in seconds

The following tests results, (Jones 1993)^[1], indicate an athlete may mature into a high standard club athlete.

The following tables, Jones (1992)^[2], are the British top results in 1992. There are no details for women's hammer so I have included the women's top heptathlon result.

Analysis

Analysis of the test result is by comparing it with the athlete's previous results for this test. It is expected that, with appropriate training between each test, the analysis would indicate an improvement in the athlete's level of fitness.

Target Group

This test is suitable for all athletes especially throwers (e.g. javelin, discus, shot, hammer) 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. The following link provides a variety of factors that may influence the results and therefore the test reliability.

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.

Advantages

• Minimal equipment required
• Simple to set up and conduct

Disadvantages

• Specialist equipment required
• Specific facilities required
• Assistant required to administer the test

Free Calculator

• Quadrathlon Points Calculator - a free Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that you can download and use on your computer.

Referenced Material

1. JONES, M. (1993) Age Laws for beginning specialisation in Athletic events. Athletics Coach, 27 (2), p. 5-13
2. JONES, M. (1992) Revision of the Test Quadrathlon Tables. Athletics Coach, 26 (1), p. 27-29

Page Reference

The reference for this page is:

• MACKENZIE, B. (1997) Quadrathlon [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/quad.htm [Accessed

Associated Pages

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

• Articles on Performance Evaluation
• Evaluation and Performance Tests