Fitness Testing

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Push-Up Beep Test

The push up beep test measures upper body strength and endurance. In this test, the maximum number of push up are performed at a rate of 25 per minute. The following information describes the procedures as used for the NHL pre-draft testing combine. There is a similar cadence push up test used for the FitnessGram Program, the President's Challenge Fitness Awards and the Connecticut Physical Fitness Test.

• equipment required: floor mat, metronome (if a metronome is not available, you can call out at the set cadence using a stopwatch, or create an audio track using the Team Beep Test software.
• procedure: Athletes are required to perform 25 push-ups a minute (though set the metronome at 50 so that each click signals both the up and down movement). Start in the up position, with the hands positioned under the shoulders and the fingers pointing forward, elbows fully straightened, the body straight with the feet together. For one complete repetition, the athlete lowers the torso so that the elbows reach a 90 degree angle, then returns to the starting position.

• scoring: Record the number of correctly completed push-ups that were performed in time to the rhythm.
• variations: the cadence push up test is very similar, though it uses a slower cadence and slightly different technique. The NHL also use the cadence Bench Press Test, which assesses a similar muscle group.
• target population: This test is part of the NHL pre-draft fitness assessment, though it would be suitable for any sports in which upper body strength is important.
• advantages: this test is easy and quick to perform.
• comments: The subjects should be instructed to spend as little time in the starting position beforehand in order to reduce fatigue and increase the number of repetitions. The test is also sometimes called the press-up test.

Related Pages

• A similar test, the cadence Bench Press Test performed at 25 per minute at a set weight.
• Read about the general Push Up Test - with links to other variations such as a Simple Push-Up Test that can be done at home, push ups as performed in the US Army physical fitness test and push ups as performed in the US Navy PRT.
• see video of push up fitness tests
• alternative test for the President's Challenge and FitnessGram is the pull-up
• World Records for Push Ups
• list of other strength tests