Fitness Testing

Key Points

• Importance of Initial Evaluation:
• The initial evaluation of the player is crucial for understanding how their body moves, their athletic abilities, and how they perform in a match
• This step is essential for planning the athlete's progress in terms of strength, power, and conditioning
• Testing Methods:
• Use of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) or the Reconditioning HQ screen to assess the athlete's movements
• Identifying any issues with joint movement, muscle imbalances, or strength differences between the left and right sides
• Physical Testing:
• Conducting tests such as 10-meter sprints, 20-meter sprints, long jumps, and high jumps to assess speed and power
• Performing a star drill on the court to evaluate agility
• Video Analysis:
• Analyzing match play videos to identify deficits in the athlete's performance, such as issues with jumping, changing direction, or explosive movements
• Program Design:
• Designing a tailored program based on the initial evaluation and testing results to address specific needs and enhance athletic abilites
• Common Weaknesses:
• Observing common weaknesses in junior players, such as lack of strength and power due to insufficient physical development
• Emphasizing the importance of lower body strength through exercises like squats, split squats, and lateral lunges
• Key Areas for Improvement:
• Ensuring proper mobility in the ankles and hips for effective change of direction
• Developing lower body strength for deceleration and acceleration
• Enhancing power to improve explosive movements out of corners and quick retrieval of the ball
• Assessing and Addressing Weaknesses:
• Using gym-based tests and match play video to identify and address weaknesses in the athlete's performance
• Strengthening lower body and core to improve overall athletic ability and on-court performance