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Name _________________________ Section _______________ Date ______________________________

Lab A5-1 Shoulder, Trunk, and Ankle Flexibility Assessment

Equipment
1. Two yardsticks (or a flexomeasure)
2. Wall
3. Chair
In addition to the person being tested, these assessments require one or two people to take measurements
and ensure proper technique. It may be easiest to perform these tests in groups of three. Record all measure-
ments to the nearest 1/4 inch.

Shoulder and Wrist Elevation Test

1. Have a partner measure the length of your arm, as it hangs down, from the top of the shoulder (acromial
process) to the middle fingertip.
Arm length: _____ in.
2. Lie face down on the floor with your arms fully extended overhead. Grasp a yardstick, with your hands
shoulder-width apart. Your partner should place the second yardstick perpendicular to the floor (and to
the yardstick you are holding), with the 0 end on the floor.
3. Keeping your chin on the floor, raise the yardstick up as far as you can. Have your partner record the high-
est point the yardstick reaches. Perform three trials.
Trial 1: _____ in. Trial 2: _____ in. Trial 3: _____ in.
4. To calculate your score, subtract your best trial from your arm length. Obtain your rating from the table at
the end of the lab.
Score: __________ – __________ = __________
(arm length) (best trial)

Rating: ________________________

Trunk and Neck Extension Test

1. Sit in a firm chair with your chin level. Have a partner measure the distance from the tip of your nose to
the seat of the chair.
Neck and trunk length: _____ in.
2. Lie face down on the floor with both hands on your lower back. Have one helper hold your hips down on
the floor. The other helper should place a yardstick near your head, perpendicular to the floor, with the 0
end down.
3. Lift your trunk as high as possible off the floor. Have a partner record the distance between the floor and
the tip of your nose. Perform three trials.
Trial 1: _____ in. Trial 2: _____ in. Trial 3: _____ in.
4. To calculate your score, subtract your best trial from your trunk length. Obtain your rating from the table
at the end of the lab.
Score: __________ – __________ = __________
(trunk length) (best trial)

Rating: ________________________

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Fahey/Insel/Roth, Fit and Well, Seventh Edition. © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies.
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LAB A5-1 (continued)

Ankle Flexion Test

1. Have a partner measure your height, while you are standing, from the floor to your chin.
Floor-to-chin height: ________ in.
2. Stand facing the wall. Keeping your heels flat on the floor, lean into the wall. Your hands, chin, and chest
should touch the wall.
3. Push your feet as far away from the wall as you can while keeping your heels on the floor, chest in contact
with the wall, and body and knees fully extended. Have a partner measure the distance between your toes
and the wall.
Distance: ________ in.
4. To calculate your score, subtract this distance from your floor-to-chin height. Obtain your rating from the
table at the end of the lab.
Score: __________ – __________ = __________
(floor-to-chin height) (distance)

Rating: ________________________

Rating/Score (in inches)

Men Poor Fair Average Good Excellent
Shoulder and wrist
elevation test 12.75 or more 12.50–11.75 11.50–8.50 8.25–6.25 6.00 or less
Trunk and neck
extension test 10.25 or more 10.00–8.25 8.00–6.25 6.00–3.25 3.00 or less
Ankle flexion test 35.50 or more 35.25–32.75 32.50–29.75 29.50–26.75 26.50 or less

Women
Shoulder and wrist
elevation test 12.00 or more 11.75–11.00 10.75–7.75 7.50–5.75 5.50 or less
Trunk and neck
extension test 10.00 or more 9.75–8.00 7.75–6.00 5.75–2.25 2.00 or less
Ankle flexion test 32.00 or more 31.75–30.50 30.25–26.75 26.50–24.50 24.25 or less

Source: Johnson, B. L., and J. K. Nelson, Practical Measurement for Evaluation in Physical Education, 4th ed, Minneapolis, Minn.: Burgess
Publishing Co. Copyright © 1986 by Macmillan Publishing Company. Reprinted by permission of Pearson Education, Inc.
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Name _________________________ Section _______________ Date ______________________________

Lab A5-2 Core Muscle Endurance and Stability Test

Equipment
1. A stopwatch, clock, or watch with a second hand
2. Mat or comfortable floor surface
3. Partner (optional)

Preparation
Warm up your muscles with a low-intensity activity such as walking or easy jogging. If you are unfamiliar with
the basic plank position, practice the position before trying the test. Also read through the sequence of positions
in the test to familiarize yourself with them.

Instructions
This assessment involves a sequence of positions, held for a specified amount of time with no rest between the
positions. Your score will depend on how far you get in the sequence while maintaining proper form. Your
partner can time you, call out the next position, and watch your form. If a partner isn’t available, place the stop-
watch, clock, or watch directly beneath you so that you can monitor your time while performing the sequence
of positions.
Begin in the basic plank position (see photo): Support your body with your toes and forearms; your elbows
should be directly below your shoulders with your forearms and fingers extending straight forward. Keep your
neck neutral so that your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels. From the starting position,
maintain good form as you work through the sequence of variations to the basic plank without resting between
positions. Breathe regularly throughout the test; do not hold your breath. Your score is the point total listed next
to the position in the sequence you reach before losing form or needing a rest. You must hold a position for the
entire specified time period in order to earn the points for that position in the sequence.

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LAB A5-2 (continued)

Cumulative Points for

Completion of Stage in
Sequence of Positions Sequence of Positions
10 1. Assume the basic plank position; hold for 60 seconds.

15 2. Lift your right arm off the ground; hold the position for 15 seconds.

20 3. Return your right arm to the ground and lift your left arm; hold the posi-
tion for 15 seconds.

25 4. Return your left arm to the ground and lift your right leg; hold the posi-
tion for 15 seconds.

30 5. Return your right leg to the ground and lift your left leg; hold the position
for 15 seconds.

40 6. Lift both your left leg and your right arm off the ground; hold the position
for 15 seconds.

50 7. Return your left leg and right arm to the ground. Lift both your right leg
and your left arm off the ground; hold the position for 15 seconds.

70 8. Return to the basic plank position; hold for 30 seconds.

Enter your score in the chart below, noting the date you performed the test.

Using Your Results

If you want to improve your core muscle endurance and stability, develop a program that includes exercises
specifically designed to build core fitness (refer to your text for ideas). You can also practice the sequence of
positions described in this test, as this activity also builds core fitness. Retake the test every week or two to track
your progress.

Date Score/Points

Source: Adapted from Sports Coach (Brian Mackenzie), Core Muscle Strength and Stability Test
(www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/coretest.htm; retrieved November 1, 2005).
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Name _________________________ Section _______________ Date ______________________________

Lab A5-3 Self-Treatment: Visualization and Expressive Writing

There are many nondrug self-help options for mild symptoms or as an adjunct to medical treatment for various
chronic conditions. Two that you might consider trying are visualization and expressive writing.

Imagine Yourself Well

To practice visualization, set aside 10–30 minutes of quiet, undisturbed time. Wear loose, comfortable cloth-
ing. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie on a pad or carpeted floor with a pillow under your head. Do whatever you
can to enhance your comfort. Dim the lights and put on soft music if you like. Practice the technique at least
three or four times a week; it will likely take several weeks of practice before you really start to notice benefits.
You can engage in a general visualization exercise for relaxation by imagining yourself in a special place that
you enjoy and where you feel safe, such as a beach, a beautiful garden, or a mountain trail. Although imagery
most often uses your sense of sight, you can also include the experiences of your mind’s other senses—smells,
tastes, sounds, and other sensations such as a breeze on your face or sand beneath your feet—to make the ex-
perience more vivid and powerful.
You can also use imagery to focus on alleviating specific symptoms or illnesses. Use any image that is strong
and vivid for you (this often involves using all your senses to create the image), and one that is meaningful to
you. The image does not have to be physiologically accurate for it to work. Just use your imagination and trust
yourself. The following are examples of images that some people have found useful:
• Tension and stress: a tight twisted rope slowly untwists; wax softens and melts; tension swirls out of your
body and down the drain
• Healing of cuts and injuries: plaster covers over a crack in a wall; cells and fibers stick together with su-
perglue; a shoe is laced up tight; jigsaw puzzle pieces come together
• Pain: all of the pain is placed in a large, strong metal box, closed, sealed tightly, and locked with a huge,
strong padlock; you grasp the TV remote control and slowly turn down the pain volume until you can
barely hear it, and then it disappears entirely; the pain is washed away by a cool, calm river flowing through
your entire body
• Infections: white blood cells with flashing red sirens arrest and imprison harmful germs; an army equipped
with powerful antibiotic missiles attacks enemy germs; a hot flame chases germs out of your entire body
• Allergies, asthma, and lung diseases: the tiny elastic rubber bands that constrict your airways pop open; a
vacuum cleaner gently sucks the mucus from your airways; waves calmly rise and fall on the ocean surface;
hyper alert immune cells in the fire station are reassured that the allergens have triggered a false alarm, and
they can go back to playing their game of cards; the civil war ends with the warring sides agreeing not to at-
tack their fellow citizens
• Depression: your troubles and feelings of sadness are attached to big colorful helium balloons and are float-
ing off into a clear blue sky; a strong, warm sun breaks through dark clouds; you feel a sense of detachment
and lightness, enabling you to float easily through your day
• Diabetes: small insulin keys unlock doors to hungry cells and allow nourishing blood sugar in; an alarm
goes off and a sleeping pancreas awakens to the smell of freshly brewed coffee
• Behavior change: if you are somewhat shy, imagine a vivid, detailed picture of yourself walking up to peo-
ple and chatting with them confidently; if you want to be more physically active, see yourself walking in the
park, riding a bike, taking a dance class, or joining a sports team

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LAB A5-3 (continued)

Symptom/condition targeted: ________________________________________________________________

Imagery used (one of the previous examples or something you develop for yourself): ____________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
How did you feel before and after your session of visualization? _____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
After several weeks of practice, did you notice any effects? __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Expressive Journal Writing

Writing down feelings and thoughts about stressful life events has been shown to help people with chronic
conditions improve their health. Use the space below to get started. Set aside a special time and write in a place
where you won’t be interrupted or distracted. Choose a life event that you found particularly stressful, and
write about your very deepest thoughts and feelings. You may find the writing exercise to be distressing in the
short term—sadness or depression are common when dealing with feelings about a stressful event—but most
people report relief and contentment soon after writing for several days.

Source: Visualization instructions and examples from Sobel, D. S., and R. Ornstein. 1997. Mind and Body Health Handbook. Los Altos,
Calif.: DRx. Reprinted by permission.