Fitness Testing
You cannot manage what you do not measure. These tests establish your baseline and track your progress. Run them every 6–8 weeks and record every result.
I have believed in fitness testing for thirty years. Not because it is fashionable — most people will never bother — but because a number does not lie. It tells you exactly where you are, removes the guesswork, and gives you something concrete to beat. You do not need a lab or a sports scientist. You need a stopwatch, a flat surface, and the honesty to find out. Whatever people may think about testing, I believe that if you are given the chance to do it, you should take it. The results will surprise you — and that is always the point.
— oldschoolPT
Fitness Test Library
A growing library of standardised fitness tests covering every component of physical fitness. Full protocols, diagrams and normative data are being added progressively. Retest every 6–8 weeks and record every result.
Bleep Test (Multi-Stage Fitness Test)
The standardised field test for estimating VO₂ max. Run 20 metre shuttles in time with audio beeps that increase in speed every level. Used by sports teams, the military, and fitness professionals worldwide. All you need is a smartphone and two cones.
5-10-5 Shuttle Run (Pro Agility)
Three cones, 20 yards, a stopwatch. Sprint right 5 yards, plant and sprint left 10 yards, plant and sprint back through centre. One of the most widely used tests of lateral speed and change-of-direction ability in professional sport.
Illinois Agility Test
A comprehensive agility course: 10m long, 5m wide, four corner cones and four central slalom cones. Start face-down at the bottom-left, sprint up, slalom down, slalom back up, and finish at the opposite corner. One of the most widely used agility tests in sport.
60 Metre Sprint Test
The standard field test for maximal linear speed and acceleration. Covers both the drive phase and top-end velocity in one effort. Directly comparable to athletics standards. Honest, simple, and impossible to bluff.
T-Test
Four cones arranged in a T-shape. Sprint forward, shuffle laterally, shuffle back, sprint to finish. A well-validated field test of multi-directional agility used across team sports.
Tottenham Hotspur 1km Test
A 1km time trial used historically by Tottenham Hotspur FC as a benchmark for pre-season aerobic fitness. Simple to administer and directly comparable across retests.
1-Minute Press-Up Test
Perform as many full press-ups as possible in 60 seconds. A reliable measure of upper body muscular endurance requiring no equipment.
Women — Excellent: 30+ | Good: 20–29
Sit-and-Reach Test
Seated forward reach with legs extended. A standard measure of hamstring and lower back flexibility used in clinical and field settings.
Resting Heart Rate
Measured before getting out of bed. A declining resting heart rate over weeks is one of the clearest objective signs of improving cardiovascular fitness.
1-Mile Walk Test
Walk 1 mile as briskly as possible without running. Record time and immediate post-test heart rate. Safe for all fitness levels including absolute beginners.
Women 40–49 — Excellent: Under 13:30 | Good: 13:30–15:00
30-Second Chair Stand Test
Stand and sit from a chair as many times as possible in 30 seconds. A functional measure of lower body strength, particularly useful for older adults.
Women 60–64 — Above Average: 15+ | Average: 12–14
Plank Hold Test
Forearm plank held for maximum time with good form. A direct measure of core endurance — one of the most functionally relevant strength qualities.
Broad Jump (Standing Long Jump)
A two-footed horizontal jump for maximum distance from a standing position. A direct measure of lower body explosive power. Used at the NFL Combine and in professional sports testing globally.
Vertical Jump Test
Maximum jump height from a standing position. A fundamental measure of lower body explosive power used across sports science and professional scouting. Pairs naturally with the broad jump.
Sergeant Jump Test
The original vertical jump test, developed by Dudley Sargent at Harvard in the 1880s. Stand side-on to a wall, mark maximum standing reach with chalk, jump and mark the highest point. One of the oldest standardised athletic performance tests in existence.
Grip Strength Test
Maximal handgrip force measured by a dynamometer. Underrated as a fitness test — grip strength is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health outcomes, functional capacity and all-cause mortality in the research literature.
3-Minute Step Test
Step up and down on a 30cm bench at a set cadence for 3 minutes. Measure heart rate immediately after. A submaximal aerobic fitness test requiring no specialist equipment and suitable for all fitness levels.
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test
A shuttle run test with active recovery periods between each shuttle. Sprint 20m and back, jog to the 5m cone and recover for 10 seconds, then sprint again at increasing speeds. Developed by Danish physiologist Jens Bangsbo in 1990.
Harvard Step Test
Step up and down on a 50cm bench for 5 minutes at a set cadence. Measure heart rate at three recovery intervals and calculate your Physical Fitness Index. Developed at the Harvard Fatigue Laboratory in 1943 for military fitness testing.
Single-Leg Balance Test
Stand on one leg for as long as possible, eyes open then eyes closed. A simple and revealing test of proprioception and balance — declines significantly with age and is directly relevant to injury prevention and functional fitness.
Use these fitness tests alongside the General Athletic Development programme — the agility drills and sprint tests connect directly to Day 2 of that programme.
