Tests you can utilise to Measure and Enhance Your Athletic Skills:

Leaving a positive impression is important when interacting with USA College coaches. Every facet of your profile should be carefully chosen to give them a reason to choose you, including your academics and community involvement. When it comes to highlighting your athletic capabilities, finding an accurate way to demonstrate your skills and stats can be tricky and sometimes inaccurate. To avoid leaving your future in a friend’s hands, we have put together a list of tests that many of our athletes used to get a head start.

Functional Movement Screening
Functional movement screening works on a ranking system which keeps track of your movement patterns that are key to body function. It helps to identify all the limitations and asymmetries that your body is harbouring. This score is used to track your progress and targets your weak areas. This test is great for athletes at any level of fitness and is often used by Biokineticists to create a treatment plan for musculoskeletal injuries and pain reduction.

VO2max Testing
VO2max testing is linked to aerobic endurance and measures the maximum amount of oxygen that you can utilise during intense exercise. Oxygen is used by your body to convert food into energy. Your VO2max is usually tested on a bicycle set-up. Good test results depend on your, fitness, sport and your body characteristics. If you can achieve the below scores, you are well on your way to peakfitness.

• Men (18-25): a score of 60 and over
• Women (18-25): a score of 56 and over

Body Composition Assessments
There are two tests to determine your body composition, namely; Hydrostatic Weighing and               Air Displacement Plethysmography. Both measure your body density but are slightly different in process.

• Hydrostatic Weighing: Submerging your body under water to measure your mass per unit of volume. On average your body weight under water should be 1/3 of your body weight above water.
• Air Displacement Plethysmography: Sitting in a computer controlled BOD POD which determines your density by dividing your mass by your volume. It only uses air and your tidal breathing, whereas hydrostatic weighing uses maximal breathing.

Fitness Tests

• 60-yard beep test (shuttle run)
• A 1 mile run in 6 minutes or less
• Jump-reach test
• Broad jump test​

By using these tests in combination with your highlights reel, you will be able to demonstrate your value to a potential USA Coach. The Sports Science Institute of South Africa is leading the way in training for certain sports. Check out their website for a closer look or contact Monique at Sci-Fit Performance Centre for a full fitness assessment. Contact: Monique.sports@gmail.com.

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