Special Olympics Fitness Evaluation: Fitness and Health Assessments

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.

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? 
• 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!