Skip to content
Curtin University
School of Physiotherapy

Fitness Testing Assignment: Basketball

Fitness Testing Assignment: Basketball - by Derek Chan

Contents

Introduction

Basketball is one of the most popular team based sports played and watched throughout the world. It is played by both males and females of all ages and fitness levels. It is a game played by two opposing teams on a court measuring 29 x 15 metres. The aim of the game is for each team to defend a goal area while trying to score goals at the opposing end of the court. Each team consists of ten players of which only five may take the court at any one time during play.

For optimal performance during play at an elite level a variety of areas must be addressed. These include the high skill level, flexibility, muscular strength, endurance and importantly the specific use of both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems.

The following review aims to discuss the specific physiological requirements of basketball and review the variety of tests used as assessments of these requirements. The most relevant tests will be presented in greater detail discussing the specific procedures and normative data that exists.

Indications For Physiological Testing

Physiological testing provides an assessment of physiological status which can be used as a measure of sports performance. It must be noted that many factors contribute to the performance of the basketball athlete. This includes a combination of technical and tactical abilities as well as a high degree of physical fitness (Smith and Thomas 1991). Generally the coaching staff will handle the technical and tactical analysis while the fitness side is more relevant to sports medicine and exercise trained staff.

The critical factor in fitness testing is to test both the anaerobic and aerobic exercise systems but to importantly allow it to preferably involve the sports specific actions. Theoretically testing procedures and results should also possibly consider the different player positions and requirements.

In summary the main reasons for testing are:

  • to establish individual physiological data
  • for routine reassessment
  • to review effects of training programs
  • for identification of potential talent

To ensure that test results are all reproducible a set of standardised protocols should be followed (Ellis et al 1998).

Typical Body Type / Characteristics Of Basketball Player

Most elite basketballers have tall muscular, well balanced physiques (Smith and Thomas 1991) however the players do have varying anthropometric variables depending on the position of the player. To review team dynamics, the on court team of five players consists of 2 forwards, 2 guards and a centre with each player having to play in attack and defense.

In analysis the forwards tend to be taller and heavier compared to the guards who are shorter and lighter. The centre is however normally the tallest player in the side with the greatest arm span and reaching ability which is required in both the defensive and attacking roles. They are required to utilise their height to the greatest benefits of the team in such skills as rebounding, defensive blocking and jump shooting.

The guards tend to originate attacking patterns, requiring them to control and dribble the ball up the court. They generally stay further away from the basket than the forwards. The forwards perform some dribbling skills but are expected to help guards in setting up attacking patterns while also defending and rebounding close to the basket (Stone and Steingard 1993).

Mean heights recorded for elite senior female players is 189.0, 181.2 and 171.9 cm for the centre forwards and guards respectively. This indicates the obvious differences between positions. The average team heights for female and male AIS players is 180.4 and 198.5 cm respectively indicating significant differences not only between team players but between different genders. Such variations within and between teams can be viewed in table 1.

Table 1. Anthropometric data for senior female basketball players at 1994 World Championships and for junior Australian players.
Care of Australian Sports Commission (1998)
Group n Age (years) Height (cm) Mass (kg) Skinfolds(mm)
Aus Senior fem
centre 6 24.8 198.4 79.4 85.2
forward 2 24.5 188.7 76.2 89.1
guard 4 26.2 173.5 67.3 73
World Senior fem
centre 47 24.1 189 82.6 88
forward 57 25.1 181.2 73.3 75.8
guard 64 25.4 171.9 66.1 76.6
Aus Junior fem 139 178.4 69.2
Aus Junior male 95 198.4 94.4
AIS fem 362 17.9 180.4 72.5 91.7
AIS male 261 18.4 198.5 94.6 72

Height certainly appears to be a critical component of potential performance which is more relevant for the centre and forward positions. The guard position generally requires greater emphasis on ball handling skills including passing and shooting specifically (Millar and Bartlett 1996). The shorter and lighter stature of the guards gives them greater speed and agility to fulfil their requirements as a player. This is important to consider when reviewing fitness tests. Their is limited research relating anthropometric data to shooting performance apart from Millar and Bartlett (1996) who suggest that guards can more easily make kinematic shooting adjustments compared to the forwards and centres.

Body fat measurements of elite level basketballers suggest a leaner body type as compared to the normal population. Neiman (1986) notes a 7-11% body fat in males as compared to the average collage male and middle aged male of 15 and 23% respectively. Skinfold measures are the major determinant of body fat and is generally used as a basis for training and dietary interventions. As basketball is a sport requiring speed and explosive power, excess fat is undesirable as it will be detrimental to performance. Variations between individuals do exist however some set scores are provided in Table 1 above regarding the sum of seven skinfolds (Stapff 1998).

Energy Systems

Physiologically basketball requires energy from both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. This combination of energy requirements is often referred to as an integration of energy supply systems on a continuum over time.

The specific requirements does vary depending on the level of competition. In Australia the elite Men play 12 minute quarters which is fully timed while the females play twenty minute halves which are also fully timed. Both competitions entail a half time rest of between 10-15 minutes with the men also having a 5 minute rest at the end of the first and third period. Both competitions allow 4-5 time out periods per game lasting 3 minutes. These many time outs, short half breaks and stoppage in play all lead to better recovery time for the basketballers throughout the game.

As already indicated only 5 of the 10 players in a team play at any one time therefore a player can theoretically participate for a maximum of 48 minutes for males and 40 minutes for females. However it must be recognised that play is characterised by various intensities and durations. MacLean (1984) notes on average work to rest ratio of 1:1.7 ranging from 1:0.5 to 1:2. McInnes et al (1995) analyse the active time of play defining this as "live" time which is seen to be 54% of the total game time. There are several categories noted by McInnes (1995) revealing the varying levels of exercise intensity throughout a game. The varying levels of exercise intensity and duration relate specifically to the two energy systems providing energy to the athlete.

The anaerobic supply involves the delivery of energy for physical activity at a high rate, without oxygen but it only has a limited time of supply. This anaerobic system can be classified into the ATP-CP (adenosine triphosphate - creatine phosphate) and the lactate systems (McArdle et al 1996).

The ATP-CP system provides immediate energy for quick bursts of activity such as driving to the basket, jumping, shooting, dribbling and rebounding. McInnes et al (1995) also notes high intensity run efforts occurring on average once every 21 seconds during "live time" for a 1.7 second duration which is similar to the 1-4 sec reported by MacLean (1984). This short burst of energy (2-4secs) is provided by the breaking of high level energy phosphate bonds as ATP is changed to ADP. When used maximally however this system is limited to approximately 10-15 seconds ( McArdle et al 1996, Stone and Steinguard 1993, Sheller and Rask 1993). Basketball does often require high intensity periods of work longer than this and then uses the lactate or aerobic system.

A series of fast breaks or fast paced passages of play will result in the athlete calling on the anaerobic lactate metabolism (Stone and Steinguard 1993). This involves anaerobic glycolysis to release ATP and produce lactic acid. It also allows energy supply with the use of sufficient oxygen for at or near maximal exercise intensities over 30-60 seconds.

These anaerobic energy sources are rapidly replenished in the recovery periods. Recovery from maximal effort using the ATP-CP and lactic system can approximate 3 minutes and up to one hour respectively. The more prolonged recovery with the lactic system is due to the elevated levels of blood lactate (McArdle et al 1996, Stone and Steingard 1993). The more intense the work periods and the shorter the recovery periods the greater the aerobic contribution to maintain performance (McArdle et al 1996).

The Aerobic system replenishes ATP by aerobic metabolism of carbohydrate and fat. This oxidative system is called into use to meet endurance requirements of the game and aid in the recovery from the anaerobic efforts. The aerobic capacity is normally active in exercise of more than a few minutes duration and is seen as a very important aspect of basketball (McInnes et al 1995, Smith and Thomas 1991).

Basketball does involve an integration of these energy systems described and so the physiological tests used must aim to specifically focus on each of these systems. The test should also include task specificity as well as relate to the requirements of basketball.

Summary of skills and components of the game requiring different energy requirements:

ATP-CP
Moves involving speed, acceleration, explosiveness, changing direction eg. rebounding, lay ups, jump shooting, shot blocking, blocking out, holding position.
Lactic Anaerobic
Maximum anaerobic efforts of 30-60 seconds eg fats breaks, defensive presses, running offensive plays, continuous dribbling, repeated bouts of running with short periods of rest
Aerobic
Continuous play — Game lasting 48 minutes involves high aerobic component

Physiological Testing - A Review

Testing physiological requirements for basketball has become more specific over the past decade with further advances in both sports science technology and general understanding of the physiological requirements for testing basketball. However despite this progress in testing procedures and knowledge there still appears limited research regarding the analysis and critical appraisal of tests used specifically for basketball.

A multifaceted approach is generally utilised for elite basketball teams combining all aspects of the game.

Anthropometry is used to provide a basis for training and dietary interventions. This includes measurements of age, height, mass and skinfolds.

Anaerobic performance tests are used to assess speed, acceleration, explosiveness and repeated short bursts of efforts which as indicated are all important components of basketball. Variations of the vertical jump test (Isaacs 1998, Stapff 1998) are familiar tests within the literature to measure explosive power in the legs and also a skill which is highly functional to basketball.

Cycling tests are also used to measure anaerobic capacities. This includes a 10 second , 30 second and a 5 x 6 second repeated effort test which Telford et al (1989) recommend as a good combination of tests for the anaerobic ability. A more basketball specific test is the 20 metre sprint test which is relevant due to the court measuring 29 metres and 20 metres is normally the maximum distance run in one burst. Other measures used with testing elite basketball teams is the 10 metre and 30 metre sprint test as noted by Bridle (1999).

Aerobic power is another important component of basketball. Continuous periods of effort are required throughout a full length game and more so within a heavy training session which must utilise oxygen for performance.

The maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) test and the 20 metre multistage shuttle test are the common tests for assessment of aerobic power. The VO2max is a well established laboratory assessment utilising a treadmill and gas collection apparatus. It involves progressive increases until exhaustion. Scheller and Rask (1993) note the use of running as opposed to cycling tests due to the specific nature of the task. The test is very taxing on the athlete and requires high levels of motivation. Another more "functional" aerobic test is the shuttle run or "beep" test which it is often described as. This will be discussed further in analysis of specific tests.

Muscular strength is also regularly assessed due to it's importance within a game. Because basketball requires numerous skills which must be applied dynamically, explosively and repeatedly muscular strength of the arms and legs are both important to consider. The bench press and squat are the two most common tests used as the patterns of movement are very similar to aspects of the game (Bridle1999, Stapff 1998). Muscular flexibilty can be measured by a sit reach test but commonly musculoskeletal screening assessments are performed by team physiotherapists as a more specific measure. Olympic athletes undergo standardised screening at least twice a year with a physiotherapist. Other teams have developed their own standard forms of protocol.

Many different tests do exist within the literature however it is important to focus on those most relevant to basketball. The following section describes three tests and provides a critical review.

Aerobic Test

20-Metre Multistage Shuttle Run (MSR)

The shuttle run test estimates the aerobic power of the athlete or the maximum rate at which oxygen can be consumed. It is a commonly used measure of cardiorespiratory fitness in the basketball player.

Equipment

  • Tape recorder
  • "beep" tape
  • tape measure
  • markers
  • basketball court

Test Procedure

  1. The test requires a flat, even running surface. Preferably the basketball court. The markers used are set clearly with cones 20 metres apart with adequate space at each end allowed for an appropriate run through or turning as a part of the test. The tape recorder and tape is prepared with the pre recorded timed beeps.
  2. Once organised, the players are given a brief period to warm up with some running and stretching.
  3. The tape is then started and the players are asked to listen carefully to the instructions provided.
  4. The aim is to complete the 20m track in coordination with the "beep" sound from the tape recording. The frequency of the beep is increased every minute. The player needs to place one foot on or over the 20 metre line at the sound of each beep. The test is terminated when the player is no longer able to follow the set pace and did not reach the targeted line on three consecutive occassions.

Measurement

The score is the level and number of shuttles immediately previous to the beep on which the test was terminated. These levels allow a prediction of VO2 max to be made according to Ramsbottom et al (1988).

Normative Data

Table 2. Results of 20 m shuttle run testing.
Female
Senior		 Female
Junior		 Male
Senior		 Male
Junior
n= 99 126 44 89
Mean 11.08 9.73 11.61 12.05
SD 1.2 1.31 1.36 1.35
Minimum 8.18 5.78 8.2 8.18
Maximum 14.08 12.75 14.08 14.62

Table 3. Individual shuttle run test results from the wildcats basketball team pre season testing — 1993.
Player TT RG SD EW CC GL MC JB JC CJ SF AT
Shuttle level 14\7 14\1 12\2 13\4 13\7 11\10 14\0 14\2 13\2 13\6 16\2 13\5

Table 4. Expected test scores for 20 m shuttle run from Australian Sports Commission (1998).
Female Male
Junior Guards/Forwards 11 12
Centres 10 11
Senior Guards/Forwards 12 13
Centres 11 11

Table 5. Table of predicted maximal oxygen uptake values for the multistage shuttle run test.
Level Shuttle Predicted VO2 max
4 2 26.8
4 4 27.6
4 6 28.3
4 9 29.5
     
5 2 30.2
5 4 31.0
5 6 31.8
5 9 32.9
     
6 2 33.6
6 4 34.3
6 6 35.0
6 8 35.7
6 10 36.4
     
7 2 37.1
7 4 37.8
7 6 38.5
7 8 39.2
7 10 39.9
     
8 2 40.5
8 4 41.1
8 6 41.8
8 8 42.8
8 11 43.3
     
9 2 43.9
9 4 44.5
9 6 45.2
9 8 45.8
9 11 46.8
     
10 2 47.2
10 4 48.0
10 6 48.7
10 8 49.3
10 11 50.2
Level Shuttle Predicted VO2 max
11 2 50.8
11 4 51.4
11 6 51.9
11 8 52.5
11 10 53.1
11 12 53.7
     
12 2 54.3
12 4 54.8
12 6 55.4
12 8 56.0
12 10 56.5
12 12 57.1
     
13 2 57.6
13 4 58.2
13 6 58.7
13 8 59.3
13 10 59.8
13 13 60.6
     
14 2 61.1
14 4 61.7
14 6 62.2
14 8 62.7
14 10 63.2
14 13 64.0
     
15 2 64.6
15 4 65.1
15 6 65.6
15 8 66.2
15 10 66.7
15 13 67.5
     
     
     
     
     
Level Shuttle Predicted VO2 max
16 2 68.0
16 4 68.5
16 6 69.0
16 8 69.5
16 10 69.9
16 12 70.5
16 14 70.9
     
17 2 71.4
17 4 71.9
17 6 72.4
17 8 72.9
17 10 73.4
17 12 73.9
17 14 74.4
     
18 2 74.8
18 4 75.3
18 6 75.8
18 8 76.2
18 10 76.7
18 12 77.2
18 15 77.9
     
19 2 78.3
19 4 78.8
19 6 79.2
19 8 79.7
19 10 80.2
19 12 80.6
19 15 81.3
     
20 2 81.8
20 4 82.2
20 6 82.6
20 8 83.0
20 10 83.5
20 12 83.9
20 16 84.8

Review of Multistage Shuttle Run

The 20-metre shuttle run test was used as early as 1982 by Leger and Lambert (1982) to test aerobic power. It was found to be an accurate estimate of VO2max (Brewer et al 1988, Paliczka et al 1987, Ramsbottom et al 1988) and thus a good test to use due to its many advantages.

The main advantage of the test is it's simplicity. As outlined in procedures it requires minimal equipment and as a result is very inexpensive. The test is very versatile and can be performed indoors or out, however to aid reliability and specificity it is best tested on the basketball court. The fact that the shuttle run is a field test it does lack the reliability of the laboratory tests however the environment is more sports-specific making the test more valid (MacDougall 1991, Stapff 1998).

Another advantage is that the test can be performed in large groups which aims to stimulate competition and help establish a maximal effort (Ramsbottom et al 1988). The progressive nature of the test involving the slow starting speed allows an appropriate warm up within the test itself. The change of direction with turning and pushing off to accelerate is highly relevant to basketball due to the quick bursts of speed and change in direction required within the game (Stone and Steinguard 1993). This change in direction component of the test has created some discussion due to anaerobic component. Grant et al (1995) described the turning component of the test and the acceleration or anaerobic component contributing to the overall result and thus not indicating a true measure of pure aerobic power. He describes that a person with low anaerobic power may actually underperform in the MST relative to their aerobic power.

Despite this argument the correlation between the test and the direct measure of VO2 max is good amongst many studies ranging from 0.83-0.91 (Leger and Lambert 1982, Paliczka et al 1987, Ramsbottom et al 1988).

In summary the 20-metre multistage shuttle run has been regularly used as a measure of aerobic fitness in basketballers at the highest levels. The shuttle test scores are often however used more accurately for inter and intra athlete comparison rather than the comparison of this VO2 max gained from the scores.

Sport-Specific Test

Vertical Jump Test

The jump is an explosive motor task used commonly throughout the game of basketball in many different forms (Stone and Steingard 1993). The jump test is used as a measure of anaerobic power of the legs.

Equipment

Chalk, Vertical Board or Wall - marked in cm, tape measure, board cleaner

Test Procedure

  1. Adequate warm up of light jogging, some jumping and stretching is initially completed. The subject then stands sideways against the vertical board with feet flat on the floor and the body close to the board. Either the left or right side against the board is permitted for testing.
  2. The subject then chalks their fingertips and reaches upwards along the board as high as possible without the flat foot leaving the ground and makes a mark. This mark creates the baseline measure.
  3. For testing the subject can now take one step backwards with the other foot firmly grounded on the take off point. The athlete has now assumed a crouched position with the arms outstretched behind the body. The subject then brings both feet together and jumps up as high as possible, reaching with the hand leaving a chalk mark on the measuring board.
  4. Three attempt are allowed due the skill component and such allow for any familiaristion effect.

Measurement

The score is the distance between the initial chalk mark and the mark of the highest trial for the jump tests. The jump distance is then recorded in centimetres.

Normative Data

Results will vary amongst different ages, genders and levels of competition. Normative data for various squads collected between 1993 and 1996 is presented in table 6. Data from the Wildcats basketball team (1993) is presented in table 7. Expected scores are presented in table 8.

Table 6. Indicates results of vertical jump testing.
Female
Senior		 Female
Junior		 Male
Senior		 Male
Junior
Female Female Male Male
Senior Junior Senior Junior
n= 132 121 - 86
Mean 46.6 46.2 - 65.5
SD 5.6 5.6 - 7.1
Minimum 35 31 - 50
Maximum 60 60 - 85

Table 7. Indicates individual vertical jump results from the Perth Wildcats basketball team pre season testing — 1993.
Player TT RG SD EW CC GL MC JB JC CJ SF AT Average
Vert jump cm 70 74 58 57 69 61 80 70 76 72 69 70 68.83333

Table 8. Expected vertical jump scores as in Test methods manual (1998) (cm)
  Female Male
Junior 50 60
Senior 55 65

Review of Vertical Jump Test

The vertical jump test is a widely used laboratory test mainly due to the frequency of the jumping action seen within many sporting activities. It is a test that has existed for many years stemming back to 1921 with the Sargent's Jump test. Small modifications to procedures have been made since this time however ultimately the basic concept remains. The vertical jump test does have both advantages and disadvantages requiring discussion.

The vertical jump is another cost effective and simple test which is very specific to the requirements of basketball which require jumping in all aspects of the game. The main skills involving jumping include the lay up, jump shot, rebound, shot block and intercepting passes. McInnes et al (1995) notes that high intensity type activities like jumping occur approximately 15 % of the total active time. Therefore the vertical jump test can be used effectively as a measure to demonstrate changes from either jumping specific training or a specific lower limb strengthening exercise program (McArdle et al 1996).

One criticism of the test is that it suggests to measure the explosiveness of the leg musculature. The inclusion of the arm swing in the test procedures does complicate the specific testing of leg power as the arm swing is thought to contribute approximately 10% to the jump height(Luhtanen and Komi 1978). The extensor muscles of the hip, knee and ankle are still the main contributor to this action and Wilson and Murphy (1995) believe the vertical jump tests of muscular function are significantly related to dynamic performance levels.

To improve the specific measure of leg power an alternative test using the counter movement jump can be administrated as it eliminates the arm swing and places more focus on the leg muscles (Ellis et al 1998). This jumping action isn't very game specific and is not currently used by the Western Australian Institute Basketball or the Perth Wildcats basketball teams (Bridle 1999).

Young et al (1997) note the importance in establishing a test which is specific to the sport. The difficulty with basketball is the variety of jumps that exist including single and double leg take offs, with or without a run up. The vertical jump test used in this review is relevant due to the single step used which is often allowed during a rebound or jump shot task within a game. In contrast to this Young et al (1997) presented a board technique where the measuring board was placed on the basketball backboard and a similar test of vertical height was applied. The test appears more specific to basketball however some difficulties were established in the results. Some people found it difficult to achieve a vertical arm position when reaching up the board and others noted some intimidation or fear of injury when jumping to reach up onto the board with a run up. The test does indicate the need for more specific related tests for basketball jumping. Young et al (1997) also revealed that there is an optimum run up length and speed which was found as 3-5 strides within the study for the double leg take off. This information must be considered in the planning of future jump tests.

Another jump test commonly used is the "Vertec" which is a vertical pole to which is attached small markers placed 0.5 inches apart. This enables the athlete jump straight upwards and knock the highest possible marker to provide a score. This eliminates the need for chalking the fingers and takes away the potential interference of the nearby wall as used in the vertical jump test (Isaacs 1998, Young et al 1997). The interference of the wall is minimal but may be likened to game situation where the jump has to occur amongst opposition players. This may be looked at as another positive aspect of the test often overlooked.

Other more sophisticated tests are also used to calculate jump height and this involves the use of force platforms requiring technologically advanced equipment. Isaacs (1998) describes the "Just Jump" system which uses air time to calculate jump height using specific technology. When compared to the Vertec jump test they both produced acceptable measures of jump height but for time efficiency the Just Jump system was suggested.

Despite the variety of tests that exist to measure jump height the vertical jump test does provide a reliable and sport specific measurement for basketball.

Anaerobic Test

10-Second Tri-Level Test

This test is used to indicate the alactic ability of the athlete. It is a commonly used laboratory test to measure explosive power. Although the test appears non specific, it is shown that the test has the ability to identify anaerobic power across numerous sports including basketball (Telford et al 1989).

Equipment

Repco front access cycle ergometer, work monitor unit, stopwatch, scales to measure weights

Test Procedure

  1. The subject is allowed an adequate warm up involving cycle, stretch and practice in acceleration up to top speed over 2-3 seconds. Adequate rest of 60 seconds is then needed before testing can commence.
  2. The subjects feet are firmly strapped onto the pedal to enable maximal power output.
  3. The work rate monitor is set to "High" range and reset for the current test
  4. The subject stands on the pedals at an angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal. The preferred foot is started up and forwards.
  5. The subject is instructed on "three, two one, go" to pedal as fast as possible to reach maximum power and to maintain this for 10 seconds when they will be informed to stop.
  6. Verbal encouragement is given throughout pedalling to help ensure maximal measures
  7. At the completion of 10 seconds the Hold button is pressed as the subject continues to wind down the pedalling. This provides recording of specific measurements.

Measurement

The latest model recording units can report power and work output every second, with older units work output can be recorded manually at selected time intervals. The measurements gained are first a measure in kilojoules and then a measure in Watts to indicate the peak watts attained during the test.

The joule and watt value are then divided by the subjects body mass to give:

Work in joules/kg and Power in watts/kg

Normative Data

Table 9 and table 10 show the expected scores and ranges for female squad members, as reported in the test methods manual (Stapff 1998).

Table 9. Indicates results of 10 second cycle ergometer testing for female senior squad.
Work
joules/kg		 Peak Power
watts/kg
n= 79 89
Mean 111.5 13.8
SD 13.5 1.8
Minimum 76 9.3
Maximum 135 16.7

Table 10. Table indicates expected values of 10 second cycle ergometer testing for female senior squad.
Work
joules/kg		 Peak Power
watts/kg
11.5 15.5

Review of 10-Second Cycle Ergometer Test

As outlined previously basketball is a team sport requiring multiple high intensity sprint type efforts throughout the game and especially at training. McInnes et al (1995) notes the average duration of high intensity running is 1.7 seconds while MacLean (1984) notes 1-4 seconds. This emphasises the importance of the alactic energy system in supplying the athlete with these energy requirements. Stone and Steinguard (1993) add that the major performance skills of basketball are also anaerobic which further justifies the use of the 10 second ergometer test in the basketball player.

The test is a very simple design and doesn't require a large component of skill which makes it useful for many sports. It does require the use of large muscle groups similar to that in basketball. But a common criticism of the test noted is the non-specific nature possibly making it less relevant to running type sports. Telford et al (1987) do concede this criticism but indicate that the test is still sensitive to the physiological responses of the anaerobic energy system. They indicate that the test can identify alactic power across many sports and can also potentially identify appropriate talent from the profile attained.

Another limitation to the test is the dependence on athlete motivation to produce an accurate measure. This problem however exists for most testing procedures but may be more relevant here due to the short, intense effort required. This test is able to provide highly reproducible alactic peak power and work capacities (r = 0.91, McKenna et al 1987). This quality allows a relatively simple test to be used quite accurately for specific purposes.

As an addition to the 10 second cycle test Telford et al (1997) describes the use of the 30 second test to measure the "lactic" anaerobic capacity and thus give an accurate measure of the entire anaerobic energy system. A 5 x 6 second cycle ergometer is another test used to assess anaerobic capacity but this more specifically assesses the ability to perform repeated efforts and it also has advantages relating to the repeated efforts commonly used in basketball (Stone and Steinguard 1993).

Conclusion

Physiological exercise testing is important in basketball to help identify potential talent but also to provide a the players, trainers and coaching staff with some profiles for the players and a measure for evaluating training programs.

Many laboratory and field tests for physiological assessment do exist, however to be thorough in reviewing physiological status it is important to assess all components of the sport, specifically measuring each energy system. The other main component of the game not covered within this review is skill. These tasks can be assessed with testing procedures that exist but the coaching staff normally specialise in this area and thus generally will devise their own skill assessment.

It is important also to note the musculoskeletal screening assessments involving information regarding the players muscle balance, core stability and general flexibility. This testing is normally done separate to the fitness based testing and is performed by physiotherapists. Together all of this information provides a perfect combination to ensure analysis of every physical component of the game.

References

Bridle J (1999)
Personal Communication. Perth 3 November 1999.
Ellis L, Gastin P, Lawrence S, Savage B and Sheales A (1998)
Testing protocols for the physiological assessment of team sport players. In Gore J (Ed): Test Methods Manual (3rd Ed). Canberra: Australian Sports Commission.
Grant S, Corbett K, Amjad AM, Wilson J and Aitchison T (1995)
A comparison of methods of predicting maximum oxygen uptake. British Journal of Sports Medicine 29:147-152
Isaacs LD (1998)
Comparison of the Vertec and Just Jump system for measuring height of vertical jump for young children. Perceptual and Motor Skills 86:659-663.
Leger LA and Lambert J (1982)
A maximal multistage 20 m shuttle run test to predict VO2max. European Journal of Applied Physiology 49:1-12.
Miller S and Bartlett R(1996)
The relationship between basketball shooting kinematics, distance and playing position. Journal of Sports Sciences 14:243-253.
MacLean JC (1984)
Refinement of time-motion study procedures. Unpublished Masters Thesis, University of New Brunswick.
McInnes SE, Carlson JS, Jones CJ and McKenna MJ (1995)
The physiological load imposed on basketball players during competition. Journal of Sports Sciences 13:387-397.
McArdle WD, Katch FI and Katch VL (1991)
Exercise Physiology: Energy Nutrition and Human Performance. (3rd edn.) London: Lea and Febiger.
McKenna MJ, Green RA, Shaw PF and Meyer AD (1987)
Tests of anaerobic power and capacity. Australian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 19:13-17.
McDougall JD, Wenger HA, and Green HJ (1991)
The Purpose of Physiological Testing. In: Physiological Testing of the High Performance Athlete. Illinois: Human Kinetics Books, pp. 1-6.
Paliczka VJ, Nichols AK and Boreham CA (1987)
A multistage shuttle run as a predictor of running performance and maximal oxygen uptake in adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine 21:163-164.
RamsbottomR, Brewer J and Williams C (1988)
A progressive shuttle run test to estimate maximal oxygen uptake. British Journal of Sports Medicine 22:141-144.
Scheller A and Rask B (1993)
A protocol for health and fitness assessment of nba players. Clinics in Sports Medicine 12:193-206.
Smith HK and Thomas SG (1991)
Physiological characteristics of elite female basketball players. Canadian Journal of Sports Science 16:289-295.
Stapff A (1998)
Basketball players. In Gore J (Ed): Test Methods Manual (3rd Ed). Canberra: Australian Sports Commission.
Stone WJ and Steingard PM (1993)
Year-round conditioning for basketball. Clinics in Sports Medicine 12:173-191.
Wilson G and Murphy A (1995)
The efficacy of isokinetic, isometric and vertical jump tests in exercise science. Australian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 27:20-24.
Telford RD, Minkin BA, Hahn AG and Hooper LA (1989)
A simple method for the assessment of general fitness: the tri-level profile. Australian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 21:6-9.
Young WB (1994)
A simple method for evaluating the strength qualities of the leg extensor muscles and jumping abilities. Strength and Conditioning Coach 2:5-8.
Young WB, MacDonald C, Heggen T and Fitzpatrick J (1997)
An evaluation of the specificity, validity and reliability of jumping tests. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 37:240-245.

Exercise Physiology Educational Resources 1999