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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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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
Coordination	Hand Eye coordination
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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