(this is an extract from the Fitness Testing Guide)
Prior to any fitness assessment, it is important to have the body prepared by following a warm-up procedure. The procedure should be standardized so that if the test is repeated, the same warm up can be repeated to help maintain consistency with the results.
The actual warm up conducted will depend on the test being performed. Certain tests, such as some variations of the sit and reach test, specifically require you not to do a warm up beforehand, while other testing regimens have tests in a particular order so that the earlier tests provide a warm up for the later tests.
General Warm Up Procedure
Here is a general warm up procedure that you can use as a basis for your testing. This is only a guide and you can adapt it based on the time and facilities that you have available. You may wish to include other stretches when a certain part of the body is to be specifically tested. See also the specific test warm-ups below.
- 5-10 minutes of light aerobic activity, such as jogging or stationary cycling.
- Stretches to include both upper and lower body. Here are some examples ...
Fitness Testing Guide
Download your free copy of the Topend Sports' Fitness Testing Guide — a guide for you to plan, conduct, analyze and interpret fitness testing of athletes.
Related Pages
- Sprint Test Warm-Up
- Guidelines for Preparing for Testing — physical and nutritional preparation
- Warming Up for Fitness Training
- Warm-ups for Sports
- Pre-Test Preparation — list of jobs that need to be done prior to fitness testing.
- Nutritional Guidelines for Preparing for Fitness Testing
- Guide to Conducting Fitness Tests