Why not testing is holding you back!

It doesn't matter whether you're training for your first triathlon, a World Cup tournament, the Race for Life, to drop half your bodyweight or to lean up, if you're not testing regularly as part of your fitness program then you are holding yourself back.

There is a saying in the strength and conditioning field that if you're not assessing you're guessing, and this applies whether you are training under a coach (in which is case it is your coach's responsibility) or by yourself (in which case it's yours).



Obviously the tests you use will depend very much on what your goal is. For example, one of the members at Phoenix Pro who I tested last night had her bodyfat %, measurements and weight assessed, because her goal is to lean up and drop 2 dress sizes. The athlete I will be retesting tomorrow morning will have 1RM squat, anaerobic sprint test, T (agility) test and standing long jump in her battery, because those are relevant to her goal of speed development in the run up to the next World Cup. Tomorrow afternoon, one of our older members will have his monthly functional movement screen and kinetic chain assessment, as his goal was to relieve back pain and gain mobility.

Whilst goals must be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-specific), there is no point in having smart goals if you do not test to a) see if you are moving towards achieving them and b) see if the program designed to help you reach your goal is actually working.

There is no problem in testing and finding that progress in the direction you had hoped for is not evident. Indeed, that is the very point of testing. If gives us, at regular intervals, an opportunity to assess what is working, what isn't, and adjust accordingly.

If you have a coach already, then hopefully they are keeping a close eye on your progress and testing regularly. If not, then spend a few minutes selecting one or two key tests that are relevant to you and your goal. Below are some examples of easy to implement tests that you can do on your own or with the help of a partner..

Fat/weight loss:
Body composition tracking: weight, bodyfat%, girth measurements

Aerobic Endurance:
20m bleep test

Agility:
T-Test

Speed:
30m sprint

Strength:
1RM testing *assuming technical proficiency and the presence of an experienced spotter*

Whichever tests you choose, make sure you use them regularly and record your results. It may seem like a little effort, but in the long run it will have a huge impact on your results.