Planning your Training Programme

Before starting your training programme it is vital that you have completed all of the fitness tests and a profile assessment of your fitness to establish components that you want to focus on.

You should all work on cardio endurance using FARTLEK and CONTINUOUS TRAINING. Then you should choose 2 others to focus on. Below is an example of a training programme template. You may use this to help you plan your programme. REMEMBER to include 2 rest days and think carefully about where you place them. Complete week one and show me before replicating for weeks 2-6:

The template for your programme can be downloaded here:

Summarise you Fitness

Once you have completed all of the posts you should download and complete this template of a spreadsheet and summarise your results and include the validity and reliability of the tests you did and how they were administered on the day you did them (you will need to extend these boxes when you type in them).

You should then begin to build a fitness profile of yourself based upon your fitness test results and the sports that you play the most.

Remember, you can Click here to see test results

Once you've completed the table, here is an example of what you Fitness Profile might look like:

"I am 15 years old and enjoy playing most sports. I belong to a football club and train twice a week and play on Sundays. I also take part in PE lessons 3 times a week. My fitness test results have given me some interesting information and could indicate ways in which I could improve my performance as a footballer.

Firstly, my cardiovascular fitness score after the 12 minute run was just above average. I am a midfielder and this component of fitness is crucial. Therefore, this is an area I would be keen to improve in the coming weeks.

My agility and speed scores were good. these too are important for footballers to get to the ball before your opponent and to dodge past them when dribbling. Whilst these do not need to be improved too much I would like to ensure that they do not get worse (reversibility).

My score for power was 28cm which is below average. This is an essential component in football which could help improve my shooting. I have only scored 2 goals this season so would be keen to build on this.

Whilst my coordination score was average, I feel that the test did not offer a true reflection of my performance as a footballer. The validity of the test was questionable as we had to throw a tennis ball against the wall and catch it with alternate hands. In football, I feel my coordination is very good as I am able to use different parts of my body simultaneously to receive and deliver passes as well as when I dribble with the ball. None of these skills really involves my hands so I do not wish to address this issue in my training plan.

Finally, I struggled to even reach the board on the sit and reach test and need to improve my flexibility a great deal. This would help to prevent injuries which could be crucial as my team gets close to the end of the season. Also, I have missed a number of  matches due to strained muscles."

Fitness Test Checklist

You should have posts on the following Fitness Tests:

• Strength - Hand Grip Dynamometer
• Flexibility - Sit and Reach
• Agility - Illinois Agility Run
• Cardio Endurance - 12 min Run
• Speed - 30m Sprint
• Power - Vertical Jump
• Muscular Endurance - Press Up Test
• Coordination - Alternate Ball Toss

You should ensure that you have included the following information on each post; description of protocol, diagram/video, normative data, your result (and a partner's), analysis of result, validity & reliability

Once you have completed all of the posts you should download and complete this template of a spreadsheet and summarise your results and include the validity and reliability of the tests you did and how they were administered on the day you did them.

Coordination and Muscular Endurance Tests

We are on the last 2 fitness tests, which we will complete during tomorrow's practical lesson.

You need to prepare 2 more posts for the following tests (click on the component to be taken to the Top End Sports website for that test):

Muscular Endurance
Co-ordination

Remember to include in your write up of each test:

• Description of the protocol for the test in your own words
• Diagram/Video
• List of Equipment
• Normative Data (Table of Results)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You should also copy and paste the following text and fill this section in once we have completed the tests and got our results:

My result =

My Classification = 

Partner's result = 

Partner's Classification =

Compare and Contrast (Relate to Sport) - 

Validity - 

Reliability -

Fitness Tests so far

Click here to see test results

Here are the posts that need to be completed by next Wednesday. You can also see what information is needed for each post:

Next Fitness Tests

You should have completed your post on the Illinois Agility Run. Now you need to complete a post for each of the following:

Complete the description of the Vertical Jump Test (see post from last week)
Flexibility - Sit and Reach Test
Strength - Hand Grip Test

Remember to include in you write up of each test:

• Description in your own words
• Diagram
• List of Equipment
• Normative Data (Table of Results)

You should also copy and paste the following text and fill this section in once we have completed the tests and got our results:

My result =

My Classification = 

Partner's result = 

Partner's Classification =

Compare and Contrast (Relate to Sport) - 

Validity - 

Reliability -

The Fitness Tests - AGILITY & POWER

You need to create 2 posts entitled:

• Fitness Test - Agility - Illinois Agility Run
• Fitness Test - Power - Vertical Jump

Here are the details below that need to be put into your own words. You may copy and paste the results charts (normative data and personal results).

Illinois Agility Test

Agility is an important component of many team sports, though it is not always tested, and is often difficult to interpret results. The Illinois Agility Test (Getchell, 1979) is a commonly used test of agility in sports, and as such there are many norms available.

• purpose: to test running agility
• equipment required: flat non-slip surface, marking cones, stopwatch, measuring tape, timing gates(optional)
• procedure: The length of the course is 10 meters and the width (distance between the start and finish points) is 5 meters. Four cones are used to mark the start, finish and the two turning points. Another four cones are placed down the center an equal distance apart. Each cone in the center is spaced 3.3 meters apart. Subjects should lie on their front (head to the start line) and hands by their shoulders. On the 'Go' command the stopwatch is started, and the athlete gets up as quickly as possible and runs around the course in the direction indicated, without knocking the cones over, to the finish line, at which the timing is stopped. (see illinois test video examples)
• Results

Illinois Agility Test Norms

The Illinois Agility Test is a commonly used test of agility in sports, and as such there are many norms available. Here is one such table giving ratings scores from poor to excellent for males and females, the target group is national level 16 to 19 year olds.

Rating	Males	Females
Excellent	< 15.2	< 17.0
Above Average	16.1-15.2	17.9-17.0
Average	18.1-16.2	21.7-18.0
Below Average	18.3-18.2	23.0-21.8
Poor	> 18.3	> 23.0

My result =

My Classification = 

Partner's result = 

Partner's Classification =

Compare and Contrast (Relate to Sport) - 

Validity - 

Reliability -

=======================================================================

Vertical Jump Test (Sargent Jump, Vertical Leap)

his procedure describes the method used for directly measuring the vertical jump height jumped. There are also timing systems that measure the time of the jump and from that calculate the vertical jump height.

• equipment required: measuring tape or marked wall, chalk for marking wall (or Vertec or jump mat).
• procedure (see also variations below): the athlete stands side on to a wall and reaches up with the hand closest to the wall. Keeping the feet flat on the ground, the point of the fingertips is marked or recorded. This is called thestanding reach height. The athlete then stands away from the wall, and leaps vertically as high as possible using both arms and legs to assist in projecting the body upwards. The jumping technique can or cannot use a countermovement (see vertical jump technique). Attempt to touch the wall at the highest point of the jump. The difference in distance between the standing reach height and the jump height is the score. The best of three attempts is recorded.
• variations: The vertical jump test can also be performed using a specialized apparatus called the Vertec. The procedure when using the Vertec is very similar to as described above. Jump height can also be measured using a jump mat which measures the displacement of the hips. To be accurate, you must ensure the feet land back on the mat with legs nearly fully extended. Vertical jump height can also be measured using a timing mat. The vertical jump test is usually performed with a counter movement, where there is bending of the knees immediately prior to the jump. The test can also be performed as a squat jump, starting from the position of knees being bent. Other test variations are to perform the test with no arm movement (one hand on hip, the other raised above the head) to isolate the leg muscles and reduce the effect of variations in coordination of the arm movements. The test can also be performed off one leg, witha step into the jump, or with a run-up off two feet or one foot, depending on the relevance to the sport involved. For more details see vertical jump technique.

• scoring: The jump height is usually recorded as a distance score. See the vertical jump norm table to rate scores. For more information, see a selection of vertical jump test results. It is also possible toconvert jump height into a power or work score.

The table below categorizes the vertical jump height in centimeters and inches for adult men and women. This ranking scale is based on my observations, and will give a general idea of what is a good score.

Results

	males		females
rating	(inches)	(cm)	(inches)	(cm)
excellent	> 28	> 70	> 24	> 60
very good	24 - 28	61-70	20 - 24	51-60
above average	20 - 24	51-60	16 - 20	41-50
average	16 - 20	41-50	12 - 16	31-40
below average	12 - 16	31-40	8 - 12	21-30
poor	8 - 12	21-30	4 - 8	11-20
very poor	< 8	< 21	< 4	< 11

My result =

My Classification = 

Partner's result = 

Partner's Classification =

Compare and Contrast (Relate to Sport) - 

Validity - 

Reliability -