WHAT IS YOUR PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVEL?

DID YOU KNOW?

PHYSICAL FITNESS (in Spanish “condición física”) is a good measure of the body’s ability to perform physical
activity and exercise, and it also provides an important indicator of your health.

HEALTH-RELATED PHYSICAL FITNESS “(in Spanish “condición física relacionada con la salud”) is defined as a
person's ability to perform daily living activities vigorously, and refers to those components of physical fitness that are
related to health: aerobic capacity (cardiorespiratory capacity), musculoskeletal capacity, motor capacity, and body
composition.

In adults, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and musculoskeletal fitness (MSF) are strongly associated with mortality
and cancer.

In children and adolescents, favorable associations have been reported linking cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and
musculoskeletal fitness (MSF) to cardiometabolic disease risk, adiposity, mental health and cognition as well as
musculoskeletal fitness (MSF) to bone health. Direct evidence has also emerged indicating that low CRF and MSF in
adolescence are significantly associated with all-cause mortality later in life.

In addition to the health implications, physical fitness is an important determinant of success for many popular youth
sports and athletic events (for example: basketball, football, running, swimming or rugby).

ASSIGNMENT GOAL: TO KNOW YOUR MUSCULOSKELETAL AND

CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS

The level of physical fitness can be objectively assessed by laboratory tests and field tests. Laboratory tests have the
advantage of being carried out under very controlled conditions, however their use is limited when it comes to
assessing physical fitness in the school context. That is why field tests are a good alternative to laboratory tests
because they are easy to perform.

There are more than 15 test batteries (a battery test is a group of tests) for assessing physical fitness in children and
adolescents. There are also numerous tests for assessing each of the components of physical fitness (for example, there
are more than 15 different tests for assessing aerobic capacity).

In Physical Education we have used tests from two different Batteries:

• ALPHA FITNESS TEST BATTERY
• EUROFIT TEST BATTERY

Both batteries try to study and assess health-related physical fitness in European children and adolescents.

1. ALPHA-FITNESS TEST BATTERY

The ALPHA (Assessment Levels of Physical Activity) fitness test battery was developed by the University of Granada to provide
a set of valid and reliable fitness tests for the assessment of health-related physical fitness in children and adolescents within the
European Union.
 1.1. Speed/Agility: 4x10m shuttle run test

• Purpose: To measure speed of movement, agility and coordination.

• Health relation: Improvements in speed/agility seem to have a positive effect on skeletal health.

RESULT (seconds) =

Speed/Agility: 4x10m shuttle run test (seconds)

Very low Low Average High performance Very high
performance performance performance performance
Boys (years)
13y >13.0 12.3 -12.9 11.8 - 12.2 11.2 - 11.7 <11.1
14y >12.6 11.9 - 12.5 11.4 - 11.8 10.9 - 11.3 <10.8
15y >12.1 11.5 - 12.0 11.0 - 11.4 10.5 - 10.9 <10.4
16y >11.8 11.1 - 11.7 10.7 - 11.0 10.2 - 10.6 <10.1
17y >11.8 11.1 - 11.7 10.7 - 11.0 10.2 - 10.6 <10.1
Girls (years)
13y >13.9 13.1 - 13.8 12.5 - 13.0 11.9 - 12.4 <11.8
14y >13.8 13.0 - 13.7 12.4 - 12.9 11.8 - 12.3 <11.7
15y >13.7 13.0 - 13.6 12.4 - 12.9 11.8 - 12.3 <11.7
16y >13.6 12.9 - 13.5 12.3 - 12.8 11.7 - 12.2 <11.6
17y >13.5 12.9 - 13.4 12.4 - 12.8 11.8 - 12.3 <11.7

Compare and analyze your result with the values showed at the table

1.2. Standing long jump

• Purpose: To measure lower body explosive strength.

• Health relation: Musculoskeletal fitness is inversely associated with established and emerging cardiovascular
disease risk factors, back pain and with bone mineral content and density.

RESULT (cm) =
 Lower-limb explosive strength: standing long jump test (cm)

Very low performance Low Average performance High performance Very high
performance performance
Boys (years)
13y <135 136 - 152 153 - 167 168 - 184 >185
14y <151 152 - 169 170 - 183 184 - 200 >201
15y <165 166 - 182 183 - 196 197 - 212 >213
16y <175 176 - 192 193 - 206 207 - 221 >222
17y <184 185 - 201 202 - 215 216 - 229 >230
Girls (years)
13y <118 119 - 133 134 - 147 148 - 163 >164
14y <121 122 - 137 138 - 151 152 - 167 >168
15y <123 124 - 138 139 - 151 152 - 167 >168
16y <126 127 - 141 142 - 154 155 - 169 >170
17y <129 130- 144 145 - 157 158 - 172 >173

Compare and analyze your result with the values showed at the table

1.3. 20m shuttle run test

• Purpose To assess cardiorespiratory fitness.

• Health relation: High cardiorespiratory fitness during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with a
healthier current and future cardiovascular health.

RESULT (stages) =
 Cardiorespiratory fitness: 20m shuttle run test (stages)

Very low Low Average Very high

High performance
performance performance performance performance
Boys (years)
13y <3.0 3.5 - 4.5 5.0 - 6.0 6.5 - 7.5 >8.0
14y <3.5 4.0 - 5.5 6.0 - 6.5 7.0 - 8.5 >9.0
15y <4.0 4.5 - 5.5 6.0 - 7.0 7.5 - 8.5 >9.0
16y <4.0 4.5. - 5.5 6.0 - 7.0 7.5 - 8.5 >9.0
17y <4.5 5.0 - 6.0 6.5 - 7.5 8.0 - 9.0 >9.5
Girls (years)
13y <2.0 2.5 - 2.5 3.0 - 3.5 4.0 - 4.5 >5.0
14y <2.0 2.5 - 3.0 3.5 - 4.0 4.5 - 5.0 >5.5
15y <2.0 2.5 - 3.0 3.5 - 4.0 4.5 - 5.0 >5.5
16y <2.0 2.5 - 3.0 3.5 - 4.0 4.5 - 5.0 >5.5
17y <2.0 2.5 - 3.0 3.5 - 4.0 4.5 - 5.0 >5.5

Compare and analyze your result with the values showed at the table

2. EUROFIT TEST BATTERY

Eurofit Physical Fitness Test Battery is a set of 10 tests established for school-age children by the Council of Europe
in 1987 used to assess the physical fitness of European children.

2.1. Sit and Reach Flexibility Test

• Purpose: to measure back and leg flexibility

RESULT (cm) =
 Sit and reach test: flexibility (cm)
Very low Low Average High performance Very high
performance performance performance performance

Boys &
<-7 -7 a -1 0a6 7 a 13 >13
Girls

Compare and analyze your result with the values showed at the table

2.2. Bent-Arm Hang Test

• Purpose: to measure upper body relative strength and endurance.

RESULT (seconds) =

Bent-Arm Hang Test (seconds)

Very low Low Average High performance Very high

performance performance performance performance
Boys (years)
13y <2.0 2.1-4.0 4.1-7.0 7.1-10.0 >10.1
14y <2.5 2.6-5.0 5.1-8.0 8.1-11.0 >11.1
15y <3.0 3.1-6.0 6.1-11.0 11.1-15.0 >15.1
16y <4.0 4.1-8.0 8.1-16.0 16.1-20.0 >20.1
17y <5.0 5.1-9.0 9.1-17.0 17.1-22.0 >22.1
Girls (years)
13y <1.0 1.1-3.0 3.1-6.0 6.1-10.0 >10.1
14y <1.5 1.5-3.0 3.1-6.0 6.1-10.0 >10.1
15y <1.5 1.5-3.0 3.1-6.0 6.1-10.0 >10.1
16y <1.5 1.5-3.0 3.1-7.0 7.1-12.0 >12.1
17y <1.5 1.5-3.0 3.1-7.0 7.1-12.0 >12.1

Compare and analyze your result with the values showed at the table

3. Answer the following question according to all the data gathered in the previous
pages.

How would you describe your general physical fitness? (Excellent, good, poor, very low…). Justify your
answer.

Which physical capacity or capacities (endurance, strength, flexibility, agility/speed) you should focus on?
Justify your answer.

What could you do to improve your physical fitness weaknesses? Set two goals or intentions to improve
your physical fitness this school year.

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