Professional player fitness tests

gpels · 17 Sep 2002, 01:03 PM

You hear about them all the time, a player gets sent to the reserve squad for failing a fitness test or a player's transfer is pending the results of a fitness test, etc. So what comprises a top level professional soccer player's fitness test?

My guess has always been that it's mostly a cardiovascular workout, with a distance run, sprints, and some sort of agility test, but I've never heard any details. I've had friends that played in college and had to meet very challenging standards, so I'm intrigued as to the level at which professionals must maintain their fitness.

htafc · 21 Feb 2005, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpels

You hear about them all the time, a player gets sent to the reserve squad for failing a fitness test or a player's transfer is pending the results of a fitness test, etc. So what comprises a top level professional soccer player's fitness test?

My guess has always been that it's mostly a cardiovascular workout, with a distance run, sprints, and some sort of agility test, but I've never heard any details. I've had friends that played in college and had to meet very challenging standards, so I'm intrigued as to the level at which professionals must maintain their fitness.

it is called the beep test. there is a series of levels e.g. on level 1 there is a long time inbetween each beep in which you have to reach a wall in a sports hall (etc.)there is a few beeps in each level and as the levels get higher the beeps get faster. you have to be around level 15 to become pro.

cazdaspaz · 21 Feb 2005, 02:36 PM

I do that at school sometimes. I'm 14 and have got 12 before. Haven't done it for a year though, I've got the beep test on CD, if you wanted it, gpels? Maybe we could sort something out?

htafc · 21 Feb 2005, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cazdaspaz

I do that at school sometimes. I'm 14 and have got 12 before. Haven't done it for a year though, I've got the beep test on CD, if you wanted it, gpels? Maybe we could sort something out?

OH MY GOD! WE EVEN HAVE THE SAME FITNESS LEVEL LOL

cazdaspaz · 21 Feb 2005, 02:45 PM

Something fishy is going on around here

htafc · 21 Feb 2005, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cazdaspaz

Something fishy is going on around here

something very weird

Paddy31 · 21 Feb 2005, 03:06 PM

A fitness test is often taken by a player with an injury, to assess whether he can play. For example, Shearer had a fitness test before the match against Chelsea on Sunday.

The test varies depending on what needs to be assessed, but often includes sprints and turns. The physio and the player are looking for any reaction to the workout (a twinge or tightness) to indicate whether it is safe to play. Obviously, these tests are relatively short but quite intense, so as not to deplete energy levels too much.

The "beep test" is a generic name for a variety of popular fitness tests. The tests are run continuously until the subjects can no longer continue or start to miss (arrive late at gates). The highest running pace and number of repetitions that the runner can accomplish successfully is then the players rating. The rating is translated, by some biometric wizardry, into an estimate of VO2Max, the amount of Oxygen that the athlete can consume per unit of body mass.

In the standard Beep Test (also known as the Leger Test), the runner covers a 20 meter interval at steadily increasing pace, with several iterations to be completed at each pace before moving on to the next. In the Birtwell Test, a 40 meter course is used. There are also tests for which the running pace varies randomly, in an attempt to more closely match game conditions. There are also variations that allow some recovery time between running intervals.

HumanKinetics recommends that a pro player reach a level of 21/6 on the Beep Test (thats level 21 and 6 reps)!!