Fitness Testing

Sprint Fatigue Test

purpose: this is a test of anaerobic capacity, the ability to recover between sprints and produce the same level of power repeatedly.
equipment required: 2 stopwatches, measuring tape, marker cones, at least 50 meter track.
description / procedure: marker cones and lines are placed 30 meters apart to indicate the sprint distance. Two more cones placed a further 10 meters on each end. At the instructions of the timer, the subject places their foot at the starting line, then on 'go' two stopwatches are started simultaneously, and the subject sprints maximally for 30m, ensuring that they do not slow down before reaching the end. One stopwatch is used to time the sprint, the other continues to run. Record the time. The subjects use the 10 meter cone to slow down and turn, and return to the 30m finishing point. The next sprint will be in the oposite direction. The next 30 meter sprint starts 30 seconds after the first started. This cycle continues until 10 sprints are completed, starting at 30 sec, 1 min, 1.5 min, 2 min etc after the start of the first sprint.

scoring: The fatigue index is calculated by taking the average speed of the first three trials and dividing it by the average speed of the last three trials. This will give a value approximately between 75 and 95%. Use the table below to determine the rating.

target population: suitable for athletes involved in many multi-sprint sports such as basketball, hockey, rugby, soccer, AFL.