Special Olympics Fitness Evaluation: Fitness and Health Assessments
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Adult Fitness Assessment
Youth Fitness Assessment
Description: A series of in-person assessments used to determine improvements in health and fitness. The assessments are compiled in a manual with instructions for implementation (provided below).
Target audience: Use by Program staff, coaches, and fitness professionals to assess athletes and Unified Partners.
Length: The complete health and fitness assessment takes approximately 1 hour to complete. Each assessment in the manual ranges between 2 – 9 minutes.
NOTE
It is not necessary to measure every component of health and fitness. Choose tests that fit your teams’ sport and fitness goals!
Measures:
- Endurance: 6-minute Walk
- Muscular Strength: Push-up; Isometric Push-Up; Maximum Repetition Curl-Up; Timed Sit-to-Stand; Hand Grip Strength
- Flexibility: Modified Apley’s Shoulder; Sit and Reach
- Balance: Single Leg Stance (eyes open and closed)
- Speed: 10-Meter Agility Shuttle Run
- Power: Standing Long Jump
Health Tests:
- Blood pressure
- Height and Weight
- Waist to Hip circumference
Implementation Instructions:
- Review the Health and Fitness Assessment Manual (below) to select your assessments.
- When selecting tests, consider the following:
- What tests will best measure the components of health and fitness most relevant to an athlete’s sport performance and/or fitness goals?
- Which tests are most easily incorporated into practice time and require little equipment and/or space?
- Which tests are you most comfortable administering and scoring?
- When selecting tests, consider the following:
- Unsure what to assess: Complete the following Fitness Evaluation Request Form for evaluation support.
- Prepare for assessment: Additional preparation instruction provided in the manual (below).
- Review testing procedures and videos to understand assessments.
- Gather necessary equipment.
- Set up fitness and health assessment stations at your location.
- Prepare your athletes: Additional preparation instruction provided in the manual (below).
- Motivation is important. A participant must give their best effort for accurate measure of their fitness level.
- Instruct participants to dress in comfortable clothing and wear running shoes for fitness testing.
- Assess health and fitness on your first day of fitness programming.
- Record your health and fitness scores using the recording sheets in the manual.
- Assess health and fitness on your last day of fitness programming.
- Record your health and fitness scores using the recording sheets in the manual.
Results & Reports
Complete the following Fitness Evaluation Request Form if you would like data reports from SOI. If you want detailed analyses of your pre/post data, the Research and Evaluation team will create a summary report for you!
- Special Olympics Fitness Evaluation
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Special Olympics Fitness Evaluation: Lifestyle Survey
A survey created for athletes to determine improvements in health and health related behaviors. -
Special Olympics Fitness Evaluation: Fitness and Health Assessments
A series of in-person assessments used to determine improvements in health and fitness. -
Special Olympics Fitness Evaluation: Physical Activity Wearables
Physical activity wearables are the most accurate way to track changes in physical activity, sedentary time, sleep, and moderate to vigorous intensity activity. -
Special Olympics Fitness Evaluation: Attendance Tracking
Regularly monitoring attendance is essential for understanding engagement and adherence, which ultimately contributes to improved program effectiveness and outcomes.
Adult Fitness Assessment
Single Leg Stance
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Youth Fitness Assessment
Single Leg Stance
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2:34
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2:09
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1:58
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