Fitness Tests for Specific Populations

Many of the tests described on this site are designed for testing the fitness of sports people, though they can be used as they are or modified to cater to specific groups.

Specific Sports

• Sport-Specific Testing — see our list of many testing protocols for over 25 sports such as basketball, soccer and tennis.

Specific Groups

• Workplace Fitness Assessments — a general discussion and list of tests performed (protocols) for workplaces such as the armed forces and similar groups - Navy, Army, Marines, Police and Fire Service, as well as for sports officials and students.
• Sports Referees & Umpires — about fitness tests for the specific demands of sports officials.
• Scouts - Scout's Personal Fitness Merit Badge.

Testing for Specific Age Groups

There are specific requirements for testing young people and the elderly population. Read the Guide to Age Group Testing, Testing for the Elderly and Testing Children for more information about fitness testing such groups. Below are some of the testing protocols for specific age groups.

Children / School Age (Fitness Testing for Childrenmore)

• FitnessGram — fitness assessment for school age children
• Presidents Challenge — a test battery for primary school age children.
• International Physical Fitness Test — developed for Arab youth aged 9 to 19 years.
• National Physical Fitness Awards — fitness testing program for Singapore's schools.
• Connecticut Physical Fitness Test — fitness assessment given annually to all students in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10 in the US state of Connecticut.
• ALPHA-Fit — designed to assess the health-related fitness status in children and adolescents of the EU.
• Eurofit — European test battery for children.
• Personal Fitness Merit Badge — a fitness test battery conductd by Scouts
• Kraus-Weber Test — a test from the 1950's in the USA which started the school testing regimes.

Adult Test Protocols (Fitness Testing Protocols for Adultsmore)

• Eurofit for Adults — European test battery for the adult population.
• ALPHA-Fit (Adults) — designed to assess the health-related fitness status of those aged 18-65.

It's important to keep fit as you age

Testing the Elderly (Testing the Elderlymore)

• Groningen Fitness Test for the Elderly (GFE)
• The Senior Fitness Test also known as the Fullerton Functional Test.
• AAHPERD Functional Fitness Test, another test battery designed for testing the older population.

Testing the Overweight

• Testing the Obese — a discussion about appropriate tests for overweight participants and how to modify tests if needed.

Testing People with Disabilities (Fitness Tests for People With Disabilitiesmore)

In addition to the many of the regular fitness tests, there are some tests that have been adapted specifically for people with a disability. Read more about Testing the Disabled.

• Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT) — a series of health-related tests of physical fitness, appropriate for use with youngsters with disabilities.
• Wheelchair tests:
  • A Multistage Field Test (MFT) for wheelchair users
  • 12 minute Wheelchair Aerobic Test
  • Wheelchair Shuttle Ride Test designed for wheelchair bound children with CP.
  • Seated Push-up — extend the arms and raise the body out of the wheelchair, and hold this position for as long as possible.
• Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test — for disability evaluation.
• 10m beep test designed for children with cerebral palsy (CP).