To help your students get active on their own, we’ve decided to release our Fitness Tests iPhone, iPad & Android app FREE. This app has been around since 2011 and was designed as a simple resource to support students through independent fitness test batteries.
The App
Fitness Tests is the quick, easy handbook guide for PE teachers, sports coaches, personal trainers or anyone looking to measure their fitness.
The app allows for swift reference of over 30 fitness tests from aerobic capacity, through to flexibility. Upon selecting your test you will be provided with the aim, equipment, procedure and the norm standards so that you can easily and accurately complete the tests you desire. (also available in PDF form)
How Can You Use It?
To help you roll out a self-directed Fitness Test with your students, we’ve prepared a task you can use with your students below.
Fitness Tests at Home Task
This activity is designed to introduce you to a variety of fitness tests so that you can get an estimate of your overall fitness through the various components.
What Tests?
The Fitness tests at Home task includes the following tests that you can complete at home include. Use the instructions from Fitness Tests app/PDF to explain how each test is conducted.
Planning the Tests
Use the weekly table to plan out your Fitness Test, by recording which days you will do what tests. Make sure you consider ample rest between tests of the same component.
Test Specific Resources
You might find the following apps & resources useful for certain tests inside of the battery
12 Minute Run
Download the Runkeeper app & Sign up for a FREE account, place your mobile phone in your pocket and run on a flat even surface for 12 minutes.
The app will track your distance automatically. Compare the distance you accumulated in 12 minutes to the norms for your age in the Fitness Tests app.
Harvard Step Test
Visit the Resources section of the Fitness Tests app and locate the 120 BPM audio track. Play this back while completing the steps as described.
20M Shuttle Run (Beep Test)
Visit the Resources section of the Fitness Tests app and locate the 20M Shuttle Run audio track. Play this back while completing the steps as described in the test description.
Vertical Jump
Download the ‘What’s my Vertical’ app and use it to automatically determine your vertical jump results via short video recording.
Recording Results
As the students work their way through the various fitness tests they are required to record the test, result & how this placed in against the normative scores (found in the Fitness Tests App).
Ratings
Using the information obtained in your Fitness test battery complete the following table. Simply place a dot inside the box that represents the average of your norms from the various fitness components and connect the dots together to form your overall fitness rating.
Eg if you completed two tests in the Aerobic Power section and scored “Good” & “Very Good” you can place your dot in the middle between both columns.
Discussion
The activity also includes a collection of questions that your students can answer related to the Fitness Tests from Home activity that you are FREE to expand on.
1. How did you enjoy participating in the Fitness Testing Battery?
2. What fitness components did you achieve a high result for?
3. For the components that you performed well in, do you participate in a sporting activity where these are important?
4. Referring to data available, what areas of your fitness would you like to improve?
5. Why do you think it’s important to measure your baseline fitness via fitness testing such as this?
6. What should be the next step after determining your fitness testing results?