5 test to control your sport evolution

15 January 2015Updated on January 15, 2015

6 reading minutes

The assessment tests, either over one or several seasons, are a very good tool to obtain reliable data that provide us with a more objective knowledge about our progression.

Our collaborator Personal Running, 5 tells us in this article practical tests to check our sport evolution

It is convenient to perform field test especially in the first part of the season, once we have done the first phase of general training or preseason and we have reached an adequate level of our physical form.

At the same time, It is convenient to repeat them after a few months of specific preparation, and in this way to be able to compare the results with those obtained at the beginning of the season to determine if the training is being effective and the stipulated objectives are being met. For example, in our triathlon season, two good periods to perform these tests are, in the month of December, after having completed the adaptation period or pre-season and in May or June, after having completed the first phase of specific training. and before starting (most likely) with the second training macrocycle towards a main objective at the end of the season.

The data obtained in the tests will help us to train properly according to our parameters and thus continue with the training plan initially planned, or make some adjustments in case the data is not what was expected.

In addition, the tests serve as an intrinsic motivation for the athlete, since it is a competition against oneself, measuring their progress in key phases of the season.

Next, 5 very effective tests are exposed with which we can obtain very interesting data to be able to subsequently train reliably in terms of rhythms and training zones:

1.- Test of 2km in CARRERA (Evaluation of the maximum aerobic speed (VAM)).

2.000 m will be performed. of the race to the maximum capacity that the athlete can, measuring the average speed of said test. In this way we determine the VAM.

The maximum aerobic speed is the stroke speed reached when the oxygen consumption is maximum.

Determine this speed will be useful to be able to accurately perform personalized training rhythms, since all the rhythms are worked at a certain% of the VAM. For example, it has been determined that by carrying out a proper training, a race of 10 km around the 85% of the VAM, a half marathon around an 80% and a marathon around an 75% can be made.

2.- Test of 5km in CARRERA (Determination of the Anaerobic Threshold (UAn).

5.000 m is performed. of running at a constant maintained speed, trying to obtain the shortest possible final time. To determine the UAn, the average speed and the average HR will be measured, which will give us the HR and the rhythm corresponding to our Anaerobic Threshold.

The anaerobic threshold is the point at which our body is producing more CO2 than our body can compensate with the oxygen provided by our respiration, which makes it begin to accumulate waste products (lactic acid) in our blood and that our yield drop.

For this reason, knowing our Anaerobic Threshold will help us not to exceed our race pace, preventing our performance from falling.

3.- 20 'test in CYCLING (Determination of Functional Power Threshold (FTP))

20 'must be performed at the maximum capacity of the athlete. The average Watts of the 20 'will be measured and 0,05 / w will be subtracted.

The Functional Power threshold is the average power that a cyclist can develop during 60 'without great variations in their effort.

Through this test we can determine what is the correct power that we can carry during a relatively long period of time to have optimal performance.

4.- Test 7x200m / 30 '' in SWIMMING (Determine the anaerobic threshold (UAn))

This test consists in the realization of 7 series of 200 m. progressively, with a recovery of 30 '' between series. After each series we must measure the time and the FC, obtaining the UAn after the fifth series.

We would start doing the first series at a rate of about 20 '' - 25 '' slower than our best mark in 200 m, the second one 16 '' - 18 '', the third one 12-15 '', the fourth ones 8-10 '', the fifth one 4 '' - 6 '', the sixth rhythm of our best brand and the last one to try to improve that brand.

As in the race, this test will be very useful to be able to determine our swim rhythm in a stable state of lactate (without excess of lactic acid), and therefore, with an optimum stable performance.

5.- Olbrecht or 30 'test in SWIMMING (Determination of the extensive swimming rhythm (AEL) and the average rhythm (AEM) for swimmers)

30 'continuous swim, where the meters made in that time will be counted. Based on the meters performed, the scales of the following table are established to determine the light aerobic rhythm (or speed) (AEL) and the average aerobic rhythm (AEM) to be able to perform fractional training through series of 100, 200 and 400 m.

Through this test, we can determine both the speed of training in all areas of work and our swim speed at Anaerobic Threshold, since a higher speed than that obtained in this test would mean being above this anaerobic threshold, and a lower speed would mean being below.

Therefore, this test is very useful to be able to perform series trainings at a reliable pace, with recoveries around 10 "in the case of the AEL and around 30" in the case of the AEM.

For example, for a girl, who has managed to make 2000 m. in this test, a correct AEM training would be, for example, 7x200m / 30 '' (Rhythm: 2'55 '' / 200m).

application times in aerl and aerm jobs based on the results in the T30 10 "in AEL and 30" in AEM (Olbrecht, 2000)
girls							chicos
Distance	100		200		400		distance	100		200		400
Swim	aerl	aerm	aerl	aerm	aerl	aerm	swim	aerl	aerm	aerl	aerm	aerl	aerm
1825	1,38	1,33	3,22	3,10	6,50	6,27	1850	1,44	1,37	3,41	3,28	7,25	7,03
1850	1,37	1,32	3,20	3,07	6,45	6,22	1875	1,42	1,36	3,36	3,23	7,16	6,54
1875	1,36	1,31	3,17	3,05	6,41	6,17	1900	1,41	1,35	3,31	3,18	7,07	6,45
1900	1,35	1,30	3,15	3,03	6,36	6,12	1925	1,39	1,33	3,23	3,14	6,58	6,36
1925	1,34	1,29	3,13	3,01	6,32	6,08	1950	1,38	1,32	3,19	3,11	6,54	6,30
1950	1,33	1,28	3,10	2,59	6,28	6,04	1975	1,36	1,30	3,16	3,07	6,46	6,22
1975	1,32	1,27	3,08	2,57	6,23	6,00	2000	1,35	1,29	3,12	3,04	6,38	6,14
2000	1,31	1,26	3,06	2,55	6,19	5,56	2025	1,33	1,27	3,07	3,00	6,32	6,08
2025	1,30	1,25	3,04	2,53	6,15	5,52	2050	1,32	1,26	3,04	2,57	6,26	6,02
2050	1,29	1,24	3,02	2,51	6,11	5,48	2075	1,30	1,25	3,02	2,55	6,19	5,56
2075	1,28	1,23	3,00	2,49	6,07	5,44	2100	1,29	1,24	3,00	2,52	6,14	5,51
2100	1,27	1,22	2,58	2,47	6,03	5,40	2125	1,28	1,23	2,58	2,50	6,10	5,47
2125	1,26	1,21	2,57	2,45	5,59	5,36	2150	1,27	1,22	2,56	2,48	6,06	5,43
2150	1,25	1,20	2,55	2,43	5,56	5,33	2175	1,26	1,21	2,55	2,46	6,02	5,39
2175	1,24	1,20	2,53	2,41	5,52	5,29	2200	1,26	1,20	2,54	2,44	5,58	5,35
2200	1,23	1,19	2,52	2,40	5,48	5,26	2225	1,25	1,20	2,52	2,43	5,55	5,31
2225	1,22	1,18	2,50	2,38	5,45	5,23	2250	1,23	1,19	2,49	2,41	5,51	5,27
2250	1,21	1,17	2,48	2,37	5,42	5,22	2275	1,22	1,18	2,47	2,39	5,47	5,23
2275	1,20	1,16	2,47	2,35	5,39	5,19	2300	1,21	1,17	2,45	2,38	5,43	5,19
2300	1,19	1,16	2,45	2,33	5,35	5,16	2325	1,20	1,16	2,43	2,36	5,39	5,15
2325	1,19	1,15	2,43	2,32	5,32	5,12	2350	1,19	1,15	2,41	2,33	5,35	5,11
2350	1,18	1,14	2,42	2,30	5,29	5,09	2375	1,18	1,14	2,39	2,31	5,31	5,08
2375	1,17	1,13	2,40	2,29	5,26	5,06	2400	1,17	1,13	2,37	2,29	5,27	5,04
2400	1,16	1,13	2,39	2,27	5,23	5,03	2425	1,16	1,12	2,35	2,27	5,23	5,00
2425	1,16	1,12	2,37	2,26	5,20	5,00	2450	1,15	1,11	2,33	2,25	5,19	4,56
2450	1,15	1,11	2,36	2,24	5,17	4,57	2475	1,14	1,10	2,31	2,23	5,15	4,52
2475	1,14	1,10	2,35	2,23	5,14	4,54	2500	1,13	1,09	2,29	2,22	5,12	4,49
2500	1,14	1,10	2,33	2,22	5,12	4,51	2525	1,12	1,08	2,28	2,20	5,08	4,45
2525	1,13	1,09	2,32	2,20	5,09	4,48	2550	1,11	1,07	2,26	2,18	5,05	4,42
2550	1,12	1,08	2,31	2,19	5,06	4,44	2575	1,10	1,06	2,24	2,16	5,01	4,38
2575	1,12	1,08	2,29	2,18	5,04	4,41	2600	1,09	1,05	2,22	2,15	4,58	4,35
2600	1,11	1,07	2,28	2,16	5,01	4,38	2625	1,09	1,04	2,21	2,13	4,54	4,31
2625	1,10	1,06	2,27	2,15	4,58	4,35	2650	1,08	1,03	2,20	2,11	4,51	4,28