Charlie Hawken, an Exercise Specialist at the Better Body Group looks at the physical qualities needed to succeed in sport.
Testing is quite literally a process of checking someone or something to find out as much information as possible and helps to reveal a person’s capabilities at different tasks. In a sporting sense, performance testing is a battery of tests that are used to measure the physical qualities that are important to succeed in a sport or activity.
Why do you need to test before you start a programme?
To put it simply, if you do not know where you are in terms of your physical capacity, then you cannot be certain that your training meets your individual and sporting needs.
At Better Body Group, we make sure we pre-screen and test every athlete that walks through the door no matter their age, level, or sporting background, to ensure every session meets their specific individual needs as well as the needs of their sport/ activity.
We complete testing for a number of reasons:
• Identify Strengths and Weaknesses – Completing a testing battery will allow you to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and allow you to tailor your training
programme to both target the areas in need of improvement and to continue developing your strengths.
At Better Body Group we use normative data to analyse your results to compare them to athletes of the same age, level and sporting background to make informed decisions in regard to your training.
• Goal Setting – After analysing your results we then provide quality data to help decision making and to set achievable short-, medium- and long-term goals you would like to achieve both within your physical training and sport. This results-based approach ensures the programme is tailored to your goals but also finds the right balance between goals that
are realistic but not easy to achieve.
• Track Progress – A test/re-test approach allows you to determine the effectiveness of your training programme and allows you to track your progress to make sure you are on target for all the goals you set. An initial test finds your baseline and re-testing shows the level of improvement made.
• Injury prevention – At Better Body Group we use testing to screen our clients to help to identify any potential issues in mobility, stability or muscular imbalances that may impact you at some point in your sport or training. A movement screening will help to identify
whether your programme needs to include rehabilitation exercises that may hinder or be currently hindering your performance.
How is it done at Better Body Group?
At Better Body Group we have state-of-the-art testing equipment to nullify the effect of human error and to ensure that we can assess with exact precision based on your individual and sporting needs. Through extensive research and trials, our team have put together specific testing batteries for every sport, meaning no matter your background, you will leave with relevant and reliable data to implement into your training.
Our staff all come degree backed and with specific Strength and Conditioning training to ensure your tests are specific, reliable, and valid. Meaning you can be comfortable knowing you will get the most accurate results possible.
To summarise, testing is an absolute necessity before starting any programme, it allows you to identify where you are to accurately set goals and determine where you want to be. Testing will help you to reduce the risk of injury and will ensure your training is suited to your goals.
Right now, at Better Body Group we are giving away free testing days for you, or your team, so please get in touch and make sure you are on the right track to reach your goals! Assess, don’t guess!
• Make an appointment with the Better Body Group by calling them on 01732 451979 or email them at info@betterbodygroup.co.uk.
