Coaching the Coaches Fitness Testing Protocol For GAA

Coaching the Coaches Fitness Testing Protocol For GAA Squads Saturday 16 th January 2010 Lavey GAC, Derry

Test Battery The following is the list of tests used as best practice throughout minor & senior inter-county GAA teams in Ulster; 1. Personal Details; 2. Height; 3. Weight; 4. 5. 6. 7. Sit & Reach; Hand Grip; Vertical Jump; Medicine Ball Throw; 8. 20 Metre sprint; 9. 20 Metre shuttle run / Bleep test.

Personal Details 1. Personal Details recorded should include; • Name; • Date of birth; • Position; • Club; • School / College; • Contact details (email & mobile); • Any other important info. This detail should, where possible, be gathered prior to the testing session.

Height & Weight 2. Height; • Should be measured in cm; • Various height measures available; • Simplest option is a basic measuring tape; • Best equipment is Leicester Height Measure - £ 50; 3. Weight; • Should be measured in Kg; • Basic set of scales costs as little as £ 15; • Seca scales are most relaible and durable - £ 200.

Conditioning Tests 4. Sit & Reach; • Meausure lower back and hamstring flexibility in Cm; • Requires a sit and reach box - £ 80; • Can be home made using a solid box and measuring tape. 5. Hand Grip; • Measurement of upper body strength in Kg; • Requires a hand grip dynamometer - £ 100. 6. Vertical Jump; • Measures lower body strength / power; • A variety of options for measurement; • Can be as simple as a measuring tape and a piece of chalk; 7. Medicine Ball Throw; • Measures upper body power output; • Requires 5 kg medicine ball and measuring tape.

Performance Tests 8. 20 m Sprint; • Measures player speed over 20 m in seconds; • Best performed with infra red sensor gates; • Can be performed with a stopwatch. 9. 20 m Shuttle run / Bleep test; • Measure player cardio-vascular endurance; • Needs a CD player and test cd - £ 20.

Organisation Test Order • The order the tests are performed in should be as presented above and as per the 3 distinct groups below; 1. Height & Weight; 2. Conditioning Tests; 3. Performance Tests. • • Height and weight should be performed by each player as they arrive; Followed by the entire group carrying out conditioning tests; A brief group warm-up should precede the 20 m sprint test; And all test sessions should finish with the bleep test.

Organisation Repeatability • The key to all test sessions is that the same protocol is maintained when retesting; 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. All the same equipment is used; The same order of tests is used; The same facility, where possible is used; The testing session is at the same time of day; & Players have had a similar build up to test day with regard to training load over previous 2 -3 days etc. • Coaches can only take useful info from fitness tests if repeat tests are carried out under similar conditions to the initial test.

Organisation General Organisation • Effectiveness of testing sessions is helped greatly by advance preparation; 1. Gather personal details in advance; 2. Prepare results recording sheets including names; 3. Ensure you will have sufficient support to record results / oversee tests (4 -5 people); 4. Organise the group to arrive at realistic intervals – typically 15 players can be fully tested in 1 hour. 5. Prepare the testing session equipment at least 15 minutes prior to 1 st arrivals.

Recording Results

Equipment Cost Equipment Max Potential Cost (£) Min Potential Cost (£) Weighing Scales £ 200 £ 15 Height Measure £ 50 £ 0 Sit & Reach Box £ 80 £ 10 Hand Grip Dynamometer £ 150 £ 0 Vertical Jump £ 300 £ 5 Medicine Ball Throw £ 25 30 m Measuring Tapes x 2 £ 20 20 m Sprint £ 1, 000 £ 5 Bleep Test £ 20 £ 1, 845 £ 100 Total Expense

Summary • Test selection; • Order of tests; • Equipment ; • Consistent and repeatable; • Organisation.

Fitness Testing Questions?