Sprint Fatigue Test

The purpose of this test is to measure a client’s anaerobic capacity, their ability to recover between sprints and to produce the same level of sprint power repeatedly.

Equipment required: 2 stopwatches, measuring tape, marker cones, at least a 50 metre running track.

Description / procedure: Marker cones and lines are placed 30 meters apart to indicate the sprint distance. Two more cones placed a further 10 meters on each end. At the instructions of the timer, the subject places their foot at the starting line, then on 'go' two stopwatches are started simultaneously, and the subject sprints maximally for 30m, ensuring that they do not slow down before reaching the end.

One stopwatch is used to time the sprint, the other continues to run.  Record the time. The subjects use the 10 meter cone to slow down and turn, and return to the 30m finishing point. The next sprint will be in the opposite direction. The next 30 meter sprint starts 30 seconds after the first started. This cycle continues until 10 sprints are completed, starting at 30 sec, 1 min, 1.5 min, 2 min etc after the start of the first sprint.

Scoring: The fatigue index is calculated by calculating the average speed of the first three trials and dividing it by the average speed of the last three trials. This will give a value approximately between 75 and 95%. Use the table below to determine the rating.

Advantages: This test is cheap and easy to perform on most flat surfaces

Disadvantages: The client needs to be relatively fit while the environmental conditions could affect performance along with the client’s motivation levels on any given day.