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Sport Specific Performance Tests

With so many tests to choose from it can be confusing when trying to select appropriate tests for a sport. Below I have identified a selection of sports and suggested a possible test to evaluate each of the athlete's fitness components.

Suggested evaluation tests are available for the following sports:

Basketball	Boxing	Badminton	Cricket
Cycling	Hockey	Golf	Rowing
Rugby	Running	Squash	Soccer
Swimming	Tennis	T&F - Jumps	T&F - Throws
T&F - Sprints	USA Football

Basketball

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Multistage Fitness Test or Bleep test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Lateral Change of Direction test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Vertical Jump Test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	40 metre multiple Sprint Test

Boxing

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Quick Feet test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Burpee Test
Speed and Power	60 metre speed test

Cricket

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Quick Feet test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	60 metre speed test

Cycling

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Quick Feet test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	Wingate ANaerobic 30 cycle test

Field Hockey

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Multistage Fitness Test or Bleep test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Illinois agility run test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Wilf Paish Rugby Football Tests
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Burpee Test
Speed and Power	40 metre multiple Sprint Test

Golf

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Illinois agility run test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	40 metre multiple Sprint Test

Rowing

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Illinois agility run test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Burpee Test
Speed and Power	Concept 2 Rowing Step test

Rugby

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Multistage Fitness Test or Bleep test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Illinois agility run test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Wilf Paish Rugby Football Tests
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Burpee Test
Speed and Power	40 metre multiple Sprint Test

Running - Endurance

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Cooper VO₂ max test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Quick Feet test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	60 metre speed test

Racket Sports (Badminton, Squash, Tennis)

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Multistage Fitness Test or Bleep test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Lateral Change of Direction test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body-Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Burpee Test
Speed and Power	300 yard shuttle test

Soccer

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Illinois agility run test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Wilf Paish Rugby Football Tests
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Burpee Test
Speed and Power	40 metre multiple Sprint Test

Swimming

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Critical Swim Speed
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Lateral Change of Direction test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	300-yard shuttle test

Track & Field - Jumps

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Quick Feet test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Jumps Decathlon
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	60 metre speed test

Track & Field - Throws

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Quick Feet test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Medicine Ball Javelin Quadrathlon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	60 metre speed test

Track & Field - Sprints

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Queens College Step Test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Quick Feet test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Quadrathon
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Squats Test
Speed and Power	60 metre speed test

USA Football

Fitness Component	Evaluation Test
Aerobic Endurance	Multistage Fitness Test or Bleep test
Anaerobic Endurance	Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Agility	Illinois agility run test
Balance	Standing Stork Test Blind
Body Composition	Body Fat Percentage
co-ordination	Hand-Eye co-ordination
Fitness General	Wilf Paish Rugby Football Tests
Flexibility	Sit and Reach test
Psychology	Sport Competition Anxiety Test
Reaction Time	Ruler Drop Test
Strength - Core	Core muscle strength and stability test
Strength - Elastic	Standing Long Jump test
Strength - General	Burpee Test
Speed and Power	40 metre multiple Sprint Test

Related References

The following references provide additional information on this topic:

NOAKES, T. D. (1988) Implications of exercise testing for prediction of athletic performance: a contemporary perspective. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 20 (4), p. 319-330
HOPKINS, W. G. (2004) How to interpret changes in an athletic performance test. Sportscience, 8, p. 1-7
HOFFMAN, J. R. et al. (1996) Relationship between athletic performance tests and playing time in elite college basketball players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 10 (2), p. 67-71

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

MACKENZIE, B. (2011) Sport Specific Performance Tests [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/evalsports.htm [Accessed

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