pERFORMANCE TESTING AND ANALYSIS
What is performance testing?
In simple terms, sports performance testing is the systematic assessment and structured evaluation of an athletes physical, physiological and movement capabilities using standardized tests. The aim is to assess performance levels, identify strengths and weaknesses, monitor training adaptations, injury prevention, asymmetry, and also return to play strategies.
Testing involves variables such as strength, speed, power, endurance and movement qualities to name a few. This helps evaluate the athletic capacity and guide evidence based training interventions.
why should we be testing?
Who is testing for?
Simply put, everyone. Anyone who is involved in sport from recreational sport participation to elite athletes.
Sports performance testing is used across all levels of sport and physical activity to support performance, health and development.
''If your not testing then you are guessing'' Brett Falconer
WHAT TESTING ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Sports performance testing is a fundamental component of modern sport science and athlete development. It allows practitioners to make objective, evidence-based decisions that enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and support long-term athlete development.
1. To establish baseline performance
Testing provides an initial benchmark of an athlete's physical and physiological capacities (e.g., strength, speed, power, endurance, and mobility). This baseline is essential for:
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Comparing future performance changes
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Identifying performance gaps
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Understanding an athlete's readiness for training or competition
Without baseline data, it is difficult to determine whether an athlete is improving or declining.
2. To identify strengths and weaknesses
Performance testing highlights specific qualities that contribute to success in a sport, as well as limiting factors. For example:
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A sprinter may show high power but poor acceleration
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A team-sport athlete may have good aerobic fitness but low repeated sprint ability
This information allows training to be targeted and individualised, maximising efficiency and effectiveness.
3. To inform training programme design
Testing results guide:
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Exercise selection
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Training intensity and volume
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Periodisation strategies
By matching training demands to test outcomes, coaches can ensure programmes address the athlete's needs while avoiding unnecessary or inappropriate loading.
4. To monitor adaptation and training effectiveness
Repeated testing across a season helps determine whether training interventions are producing the desired adaptations. Changes in performance data can indicate:
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Positive adaptation and readiness
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Plateaus in development
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Signs of overtraining or fatigue
This allows timely programme adjustments to optimise performance.
5. To reduce injury risk
Movement screening and strength assessments can identify:
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Muscular imbalances
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Poor biomechanics
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Asymmetries between limbs
Early identification allows corrective strategies to be implemented, reducing the likelihood of injury and supporting long-term athlete health.
6. To support rehabilitation and return-to-play decisions
After injury, performance testing helps determine whether the athlete has regained sufficient capacity to safely return to sport. Objective data ensures return-to-play decisions are based on functional readiness rather than subjective judgement alone.
7. To evaluate sport-specific readiness
Testing can be tailored to the physiological and biomechanical demands of a particular sport or position. This ensures athletes are prepared for:
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Competition intensity
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Positional demands
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Match-specific workloads
8. To enhance athlete motivation and accountability
Objective results provide clear goals and feedback, helping athletes:
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Understand performance expectations
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Track improvement over time
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Take ownership of their development
