Andrew D’Allaird

SER 311 01 Testing & Exercise Prescription Lab

Muscular Fitness and Miscellaneous Tests

4/25/23

Dr. Brian Larouere

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Background:

Musculoskeletal fitness refers to the health and functionality of your muscles, bones, and

joints. Musculoskeletal fitness consists of muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and

balance. Muscular strength refers to the force your muscles exert against an object. An example

of this would be a one-repetition max on back squats or bench press. Muscular endurance is the

ability to repeatedly exert a force on an object for an extended amount of time. For example,

doing 10-15 repetitions of an exercise with resistance. Flexibility refers to the range of motion

and ability of your muscles to stretch. This can best be shown by reaching down to touch your

toes. Finally, balance is described as the ability to maintain a stable position while standing or

performing a movement. An example of this would be standing on one foot while holding the

other in the air, showing minimal movement or errors.

We assess musculoskeletal fitness so that we can evaluate levels of fitness, identify

weaknesses in certain areas of the body, and monitor progress made by individuals. This is

important because it allows for an individual to have a healthy lifestyle. Having a healthy

lifestyle means they need to be able to meet these standards. Musculoskeletal fitness is important

because it supports physical activity, prevents injury, and can enhance an individual's quality of

life. Having a strong musculoskeletal system helps the body function easier and allows us to

remain healthier as we age.

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Data:

Age: 21

Sex: M

Height: 5’10

Weight: 208lbs

Resistance training History: extensive history of resistance training - lifts several times a week

Data Table 1: Test Results

Date Test Score Interpretation Confidence

4/11 Bench Press 37 Good I think this data

is quite accurate

4/13 Bench Press 44 Excellent I believe that

this is good data

4/20 Bench Press 30 Above Average Seems low and

below the
average for this
test

4/20 Bench Press 37 Good Consistent with

above

4/21 Bench Press 40 Good Consistent with

above

4/11 Grip Strength 112.1 Above Average Slightly below

Average

4/13 Grip Strength 122.1 Above Average Consistent with

Average

4/20 Grip Strength 116.14 Above Average Consistent with

Above

4/20 Grip Strength 119.4 Above Average Average and

consistent

4/21 Grip Strength 121.8 Above Average Consistent with

Average
 D’Allaird, 3

Data Table 1 Continued:

Date Test Score Interpretation Confidence

4/11 Push Up 26 Good Too Low, not

consistent

4/13 Push Up 35 Excellent Good and

Consistent

4/20 Push Up 37 Excellent Consistent with

Average

4/20 Push Up 30 Very Good Close to average

but still low

4/21 Push Up 37 Excellent Consistent with

Average

4/11 Sit Up 42 60th Percentile Consistent with

Average

4/13 Sit Up 38 40th Percentile Lower than

Average

4/20 Sit Up 45 70th Percentile Consistent with

Average

4/20 Sit Up 43 65th Percentile Consistent with

Average

4/21 Sit Up 44 65th Percentile Consistent with

Average

4/11 Shoulder R:+3 Pass Consistent with

Flexibility L:+2 average

4/13 Shoulder R:+5 Pass More flexible on

Flexibility L:+6 this test

4/20 Shoulder R:+4 Pass Consistent with

Flexibility L:+2 average

4/20 Shoulder R:+6 Pass More flexible on

Flexibility L:+4 this test

4/21 Shoulder R:+3 Pass Consistent with

Flexibility L:+3 average
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Data Table 1 Continued:

Date Test Score Interpretation Confidence

4/11 Sit and Reach 28 Good Good results that

are consistent

4/13 Sit and Reach 26 Fair Good results that

are consistent

4/20 Sit and Reach 28 Good Good results that

are consistent

4/20 Sit and Reach 28 Good Good results that

are consistent

4/21 Sit and Reach 26 Fair Good results that

are consistent

4/18 Y-Balance R-111% NA Very good

L-114% results

4/18 Bess test 5 Errors NA Confident, only

mistakes made
on one portion

4/11 RM Shoulder 130lbs NA Good amount of

Press 5 Reps weight moved
for 5 reps

4/11 RM Leg Press 310lbs NA Good amount of

5 Reps weight moved
for 5 reps
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Discussion:

When I performed the tests correctly, they assessed muscular strength, endurance, and

flexibility. I believe this because all of these test results came out to be consistent with one

another, no matter the administrator who tested me. This resulted in accurate measurements that

provide good data. In my case, being an athlete who works out several times a week, these tests

were suited to movements that I do on a regular basis. In general, it may be difficult for some

people to perform well in certain tests if they are not familiar with the movements. For example,

males may need to use the modified push-ups, however, there is no normative data for this. This

will cause the results to be skewed.

Table 2: How Tests can be Modified

Test Harder Modification Easier Modification

Bench Press Increase metronome speed Decrease metronome speed

Pushup Feet Elevated Modified (on knees)

Sit Up Slower when going up Curl Up

Hand Grip No Change No Change

Sit and Reach No Change No Change

Shoulder Flexibility No Change No Change

Y-Balance Unable to lean Able to lose balance for a

short time after push

BESS Test Eyes closed, hold longer Eyes open, arms able to move

RM- Shoulder Press No Change No Change

RM- Leg Press No Change No Change

Learning:
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The observations that my peers had given me were quite positive. I believe that, in their

eyes, I was very successful and good at administering the tests. I did not notice many negative

comments. Although, I do think that my peers were not as harsh on me as they probably should

have been. However, I do believe I performed well overall. Personally, I think that I administered

the tests correctly and made it easy for the clients to understand what the test was for and why it

is important. I do think I need to act more as a professional and know more about the concepts of

the test. I noticed a few times that I was asked a question that I did not know the answer to.

However, overall, I believe that I did very well when administering the tests to clients.

Three things I have learned in this course that will be helpful for me in senior synthesis

are the ability to behave as a professional, what these tests are used for and why, and that

confidence is everything when it comes to working with a client. Behaving as a professional is

not the hardest thing to learn and do, but acting as a professional helps clients believe that they

are in safe hands and that you are a respectable person. Being able to be knowledgeable in the

area is another benefactor to being a professional about the tests. This is done by being able to

answer the questions a client has and making them feel comfortable.

Knowing the ins and outs of the tests is very important for next semester. Working with

classmates and friends is a lot different than working with a stranger who is relying on you as the

administrator to properly perform the tests. Being able to run the test perfectly every time

without making mistakes is vital for senior synthesis. It is also important to know what the tests

are for because if I, as the administrator, cannot explain why the test is being run, then the client

will not understand why they are doing it. One test in particular comes to mind is the YMCA

Bike Test, which in my opinion was the hardest test to run perfectly. If I had not been able to
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practice that, I would not be confident in my ability to conduct that test. Having a background

with all the tests is going to benefit me greatly next semester.

Finally, the saying “confidence is key” comes to mind. Having performed these tests and

being tested myself, I realized that confidence is vital when running tests on a client. If the

administrator seems confident, it calms the client down, but if they are sporadic it can make the

client nervous, leading to false data. Being confident in yourself is one of the key ways to

comfort a client when nervous. Showing confidence makes them feel like the test is going to help

them and give good results in the process. Overall, I believe that this class has made me more

than prepared for the oncoming semester when I take senior synthesis. It has prepared me in

these three key areas which will help me with clients in a great way.