EXSS 376L PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE LAB 2 ANAEROBIC POWER FIELD ASSESSMENTS Methods Reference Source Adams Chapters SP and VP 1 To become familiar with field tests used to assess anaerobic capacity 2 To learn about absolute vs relative power and gender differences PURPOSE EQUIPMENT NEEDED Vertec Stopwatch Measuring tape Medicine Ball INTRODUCTION 55 yard minimum track flat running surface Energy for short term powerful bursts of exercise comes primarily from two systems The ATP PC system provides ATP very rapidly but can only sustain activity for a few seconds After this point the body begins to rely on anaerobic glycolysis These two energy systems can combine to provide energy for up to 90 seconds of exercise It is becoming more common for sports performance centers to test an athlete s ability to generate force quickly in order to determine if that athlete is well suited for a sport in which requires power Physiological profiling is therefore conducted at high performance centers for sports such as basketball football soccer track and field tennis and other sports However there are a variety of field tests that can be utilized each depending upon the sport and they do not necessarily all measure that same thing Hence it is critical to appreciate the utility and applicability for various anaerobic tests The ultimate goal of this lab is to allow you to critically compare three specific anaerobic tests the vertical jump the 40 yard sprint and the ballistic medicine ball pass The results of these various tests can be used to estimate individual s absolute and relative peak anaerobic power Factors associated with higher scores include greater phosphoric creatine PC stores greater concentration of Type II muscle fibers motivation technique and a greater tolerance for discomfort In addition the body s ability to buffer lactate can also contribute to higher scores 1 2 1 Maximal Vertical Jump Vertical Power Maximal vertical jump ability is a measure of lower body power because the velocity of movement is very high Although height and power in the maximal vertical jump can be performed in several manners such as using a force platform or chalkboard hung high on a wall use of a Vertec is quite simple and accurate The Vertec is a piece of equipment with vanes also called slats or rungs that can be raised or lowered depending on the subject s vertical jump ability Although several types of vertical jumps can be measured using the Vertec a no step countermovement jump and a three step countermovement jump are perhaps the most common types of vertical jumps measured Following is a brief description of how to perform vertical jump tests using a Vertec Warm Up Allow the subject to perform several minutes of warm up activity including several vertical jumps Only ballistic or dynamic stretching should be included before the workout Standing Reach Height 1 Standing reach height refers to the maximal height that can be reached with the dominant hand while standing flat footed with the feet approximately hip width apart 2 Adjust the height of the Vertec so that the lowest vane is lower than the subject s standing reach height 3 The subject stands directly below the Vertec s vanes with the feet approximately hip width apart The subject then reaches as high as possible with the dominant hand and pushes aside as many of the Vertec s vanes as possible 4 Determine the highest height reached Starting Position and Jump for No Step Countermovement Jump 1 The subject stands directly below the Vertec s vanes with the feet approximately hip 2 Subject then performs a maximal vertical jump by bending at the knees and hips and using the arms in a normal jumping motion 3 Subject reaches as high as possible with the dominant hand and pushes aside as many width apart vanes as possible Maximal vertical jump height is determined by subtracting the standing reach height from the maximal vertical jump height Typically measurement of maximal height reach height needs to be performed only once per testing session Maximal reach height can also be used for successive training sessions if the subject did not grow taller Normally three vertical jumps are performed with a minimum of 30 seconds rest between each attempt Because the goal is determining maximal vertical jump height once the subject has reached a certain height the vanes up to that height can be left aside If more vanes are reached on successive jumps more vanes will be pushed aside However if on successive jumps no more vanes are pushed aside you have determined the subject s maximal vertical jump height 3 2 40 yard dash Speed Speed is displacement per unit time and is typically quantified as the time taken to cover a fixed distance Tests of speed are not usually conducted over distances greater than 200 m because longer distances reflect anaerobic or aerobic capacity more than absolute ability to propel the body at maximal speed Class procedure for 40 yard dash 1 Practice the test and warm up by performing two submaximal sprints one at roughly 50 maximal effort the other at roughly 75 maximal effort 2 The individual being tested should stand with his her dominant foot just behind the starting line toe The non dominant foot should be roughly 8 12 inches behind the dominant foot The knees should be slightly bent with a bit of forward lean at the hip 3 The tester will count down 3 2 1 Go On the Go command sprint 40 yards in a straight line at maximal speed Be sure to run all the way through the timing lights 4 Rest roughly two minutes and then perform a second test 5 Repeat for a third test 6 Use the best trial as your time 3 Medicine Ball Throw Upper body power Because of the fast velocity at which it is performed and the relatively light resistance supplied by the ball the medicine ball throw is considered a measure of power Many types of medicine ball throws are possible Standing type throws can be considered total body throws because of their reliance on both the upper and lower body The seated medicine ball throw is used when testing the upper body because it minimizes the use of the lower body in the throwing motion Following are general guidelines for all medicine ball throw tests and a description of the seated two hand chest pass medicine ball throw General Procedure for Medicine Ball Throws 1 Medicine balls ranging in the weight from 5 to 15 pounds 2 3 to 6 8 kg can be used depending on the strength and power of the person tested 2 The