Flexibility is important to achieve peak performance, to utilize the full length of the muscle to exhibit power and strength. If muscles are too tight, they may not be able to provide the necessary explosiveness for a particular movement. Tight hip flexors, for example, will not allow you to extend to a full stride while sprinting, thus inhibiting performance. Flexibility enhances movement and mobility for the athlete. Similarly, flexibility is an important physical factor for talent identification in specific sports such as gymnastics, ballet and dance.
The purpose of this test is to measure the maximum isometric strength of the hand and forearm muscles. Hand grip strength is important for any sport in which the hands are used for catching, throwing or lifting.
Coordination is the body’s ability to perform smooth and efficient movements. Good coordination requires the athlete to combine multiple movements into a single movement that is fluid and achieves the intended goal. Hitting and catching sports, as well as auto racing require great levels of eye-hand coordination.
Postural control (or balance) can be defined statically as the ability to maintain a base of support with minimal movement, and dynamically as the ability to perform a task while maintaining a stable position.
The assessment and the periodic monitoring of static and dynamic balance in athletes can be an important instrument in order to correctly define and change training programs; by taking into account the sport practiced, the rate of improvement in balance scores over time and each athlete's age.
Testing and monitoring athletes' sprinting speed is important for controlling training efficacy, talent identification and monitoring long - term athlete development. Sprint running performance is considered to be a fundamental component of success in a variety of competitive team sports (e.g., track and field, soccer, rugby, hockey).
Agility is the ability to move quickly and change directions while maintaining control and balance. Good agility requires a combination of speed, acceleration, balance, power and coordination, plus good reflexes. Agility is an important quality that required by team sports athletes. For example, the ability to make calculated decisions and maneuver into position, seems to be characteristic of some of the world’s best team sport athletes. Some of the sports that require high agility skills are basketball, volleyball, tennis, football and rugby.
Throwing a Medicine Ball for maximum distance, is a measure of upper body strength and explosive power in athletes. This test assesses the speed at which you can apply maximal force. Upper Body Power is an essential characteristic needed for successful performance in a large range of sports.
This is a test of athletic performance and assesses explosive leg power. It measures several important attributes. First, it evaluates the ability to use strength, because it takes a great deal of strength to jump forward or upward, and power; otherwise they won't be able to jump very far. Second, it tests the ability to apply strength in a horizontal or vertical direction, which is critical, since it underpins the ability to sprint, throw, jump and kick.
A test of foot speed and agility is an indication of the ability to move the feet quickly and accurately. It provides information on the presence of fast-twitch muscle fibre in the muscles involved in sprinting and indicates your potential to execute quick movements.
The endurance of the abdominals is a very important area for testing, as abdominal strength or abdominal muscle endurance is an indicator of core strength and therefore core stability and support of the lower back. Abdominal muscles are a key component in athletic ability and part of a well-balanced training program. Abdominal muscles support the upper and lower body increasing muscle control in running, twisting and turning motions used in all sports and other athletic competitions. It is an important assessment factor for the basic and healthy growth and development of children, as well as for identifying talented athletes.
Upper body strength and endurance is essential for athletes such as swimmers, climbers or golfers, who demand strength and power from their arms and shoulder to perform well and avoid injury.
The measure of cardiovascular fitness, a person's ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles, which is affected by many physiological parameters, including heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and maximal oxygen consumption. As well as the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max), which is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise. When used to compare the performance of endurance sports athletes it is expressed as a relative rate in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of bodyweight per minute (ml/kg/min). These parameters are important for endurance sports such as cycling, running, soccer, swimming and rowing.
Optojump Next measures flight and contact times during the performance of a series of jumps with an accuracy of 1/1000 of a second. OptoJump Next makes it possible to perform jump tests, reaction tests and running tests. Starting from these fundamental basic data, the dedicated software makes it possible to obtain a series of parameters connected to the athlete’s performance with the maximum accuracy and in real time.
