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.
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?
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)!!
yeah, and it probably depends on the club- real madrid players are going to need a higher fitness than scunthorpe players (no offence to any fans lol )
Yup I know that Gazza, at the peak of his fitness, only achieved 17 though. A kid my age can get 14. (This is definately the 20m course.) I think the fitness demand is obviously geting greater all the time.
So I guess if you wanna pass this test succesfully you have to be good at planning your speed for each stage (running slowly during the first stages I mean).
Thought you'all might be interested in this.. I've flicked through soccer conditioning by simon thadani. He's been working for Ipswich Town for 8 years, not sure if he's stil there. He seems to have a variety of test for soccer conditioning but there's one test that everyone can do. It's a 2 mile test. One mile, rest and then another mile run. For all professional players, the first mile must be run in 6 minutes and 30 seconds. You have a three minute rest Then you run another mile, as fast as possible. I've got some sample results form the book. Most players seem to run the 2nd mile in the mid 5 minute mark,5:40, 5:45 etc.
1. Even though you run the two miles separately, it is still just an aerobic test. 2. Its been 5 years since the last post in this thread.
Fitness test prior to playing a game typically refers to some type of medical/physical evaluation. i.e. if someone has an ankle injury before a game, the player is not given a fitness test, as in running, etc..... The player is checked to see that they can carry on at full game pace, without compromising their movement. That being said, while the beep test is popular in a group setting, most clubs tend to do more V02 testing, which is more specific and more exact.
Here is a great site that touches heavily on athletic training for soccer players. Talks about speed, strength training, injury prevention. http://www.empoweredathletes.com
it varies..its not necessarily the beep test though. for example if the player strains his groin, they want to put him through some type of fitness test to make sure he is fit to play on it. to be fit is used more as - to be fit to play. not exactly to be fit as in running wise.
thread zombie!!!!! great info nonetheless~ My friend who plays college soccer in the USA also have done the 2mile test. 1 mile timed and must be under a certain time (6min30secs in IPwich's case), then rest and do another one as fast as possible.
When I tried out for the University of Memphis freshman year, the fitness test to dress for the team was 2 miles in under 12 minutes. One of the players was like, can you do the "Cooper"? I asked him what it was and he informed me of the 2 mile test. Not even the whole team was able to do it at that point, and less than half the tryouts were able to complete it. Those who couldn't were eliminated immediately. Ha.
I'm 15 (yeah old bday on march 24) I got to level 16 on the beep test for my high preseason fitness evaluation.
So isn't an aerobic test a test of one's fitness? Or are you saying that its not a test of speed but of aerobic conditions?
Professional Fitness Tests usually consist of several different areas that must be met. 1) Endurance - hold a constant pace for an extended period of time. 2) Speed - cover a certain distance in a specified amount of time. 3) Strenghth & Power - most clubs use 4 exercises (squat, bench press, deadlift, cleans). 4) Flexibility - you would be suprised (most teams take this into heavy consideration). 5) Medical Condition - heart condition, blood levels, etc. The standard for each requirement usually varies for each position on the field. I mean you can't expect a goalkeeper to run as a fast as a Striker, right? What do you guys do for Fitness at your own clubs? - I've done the beep test (run back and forth, with increasing speeds, basically increased suicides) - Coopers Test - run 8 laps I believe it is in 12 minutes