Fitness Testing
Fitness Testing For Rugby
Introduction
Fitness testing is a very important area of preparation for optimal performance in rugby. For any player looking to develop and improve to be the best he can be correct testing is of paramount importance.
Why is testing so important?
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Key Points for Fitness Testing
1.Ensure reliability and specificity.
A reliable test is one that can be repeated in identical conditions with all variables remaining the same for re-testing. E.g. a 3km time trial must be completed on the same track in similar weather conditions each time.
What components should be tested?
Rugby is a multi-activity, high intensity, power game which involves 60% of the aerobic energy system, 30% of the lactic energy system, and 10% of alactic energy system. Due to the wide range of physiological demands the following capacities should be tested to establish a complete conditioning profile of the player.
Body Mass and Composition
In order to improve strength, speed, power and agility a player must be striving to lose any excess fat. The leaner the muscle mass of the player the more efficient they will be.
Aerobic Capacity - cooper test, 3km run, bleep test
Building a strong aerobic base is very important for a player. It forms a foundation for the development of other conditioning components. The more oxygen that can be transported to the muscles during recovery times, the quicker the excess lactic acid can be metabolized to reproduce ATP, which is needed for muscle contractions. The aerobic capacity of a player is measured as his VO2max .The higher the VO2max the better!
Anaerobic Capacity
The anaerobic capacity of a player will have two main components.
1. Alactic
2. Lactic Acid
It is important that players are therefore tested for both.
Strength Testing
There are two types of strength testing. Maximal strength testing, often called 1RM, measures the maximum amount of weight you can lift one time. Sub-maximal repetition testing uses a lighter weight, more repetition and then a formula to estimate maximum strength.
Power Testing
The most common test used for power in rugby is the vertical jump test. It is an excellent test. It is simple to do and accurate for testing power output and for the anticipation of acceleration and jumping power. It can be calculated with electronic devices or by simply using a piece of chalk and a wall. The 10m sprint is also a good indicator of explosive power.
Muscle endurance testing and norm tables
Maximum push up test
Procedure
The player assumes the push up position with arms fully extended and back straight. He has one minute to complete as many full push ups (chest to touch a fist or tennis ball on the ground and full arm extension) as possible. The player may rest in between repetitions, only correctly completed push ups to count. One maximal attempt only.
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