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Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual
A Health-Related Assessment for Youngsters With Disabilities
by Joseph P. Winnick and Francis X. Short
160 Pages
The Brockport Physical Fitness Test revolutionized fitness testing for youngsters with disabilities when it first came out in 1999. This significantly updated edition takes up where the original left off, offering adapted physical education teachers the most complete health-related fitness testing program available for youngsters with physical and mental disabilities.
This new edition of Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual: A Health-Related Assessment for Youngsters With Disabilities comes with an online web resource with reproducible charts and forms as well as video clips that demonstrate assessment protocol for the tests. The text helps teachers understand these aspects:
• The conceptual framework for testing
• How to administer tests to youngsters with various specific disabilities
The text also supplies a glossary and many appendixes, including a body mass index chart, guidelines on purchasing and constructing unique testing supplies, conversion charts for body composition and PACER, data forms, and frequently asked questions.
Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual: A Health-Related Assessment for Youngsters With Disabilities is compatible with Fitnessgram 10. The text’s updates include standards and language that help teachers use Brockport and Fitnessgram side by side in providing youngsters and parents or guardians with the best possible individualized education programs (IEPs).
Through Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, adapted physical education teachers can do the following:
• Rely on research-based assessments and standards for people with disabilities.
• Provide youngsters with disabilities the same opportunities as other students to have their health-related fitness assessed.
• Apply a unified approach for all students based on the test’s compatibility with Fitnessgram.
• Create appropriate IEPs for students with disabilities.
Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual: A Health-Related Assessment for Youngsters With Disabilities has been adopted by the Presidential Youth Fitness Program as its assessment program for students with disabilities. Its online resources include reproducible forms and tables that help teachers administer the tests. Included in the online resources are video clips that demonstrate assessment protocol for the tests.
This text provides teachers with all the information and tools they need for assessing students with disabilities, evaluating their readiness for inclusion in nonadapted PE classes, and generating and assessing IEPs for students.
Chapter 1. Introduction to the Brockport Physical Fitness Test
Chapter 2. The Conceptual Framework
Chapter 3. Using the Brockport Physical Fitness Test
Chapter 4. Profiles, Test Selection Guides, Standards, and Fitness Zones
Chapter 5. Test Administration and Test Items
Chapter 6. Testing Youngsters With Severe Disabilities
Joseph P. Winnick, EdD, is a distinguished service professor of physical education and sport at the College at Brockport, State University of New York. He received master’s and doctoral degrees from Temple University. Dr. Winnick developed and implemented America’s first master's degree professional preparation program in adapted physical education at Brockport in 1968 and since that time has secured funds from the U.S. Department of Education to support the program. He continues to be involved in research related to the physical fitness of persons with disabilities. Dr. Winnick has received the G. Lawrence Rarick Research Award and the Hollis Fait Scholarly Contribution Award and is a three-time recipient of the Amazing Person Award from the New York Association for SHAPE America ─ formerly known as the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). He has also received a Career Achievement Award from the College at Brockport and is a fellow in the Research Consortium of AAHPERD.
Francis X. Short, PED, is professor and dean of the School of Health and Human Performance at the College at Brockport, State University of New York. Dr. Short has been involved with adapted physical education programs for over 40 years. He has coauthored numerous journal articles related to physical fitness and youngsters with disabilities. He also has authored and coauthored books and chapters related to adapted physical education. Dr. Short has served as project coordinator for three federally funded research projects pertaining to physical fitness and youngsters with disabilities and is a recipient of the G. Lawrence Rarick Research Award. He is a member of SHAPE America — formerly known as the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)—and the National Consortium for Physical Education and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities.
All ancillary materials are free to course adopters and available at www.HumanKinetics.com/BrockportPhysicalFitnessTestManual. Web Resource. Includes reproducible charts and forms as well as video clips that demonstrate assessment protocol for most of the tests.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
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http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
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Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480914_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480915_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480916_ebook_Main.jpg
Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
General Procedures for Testing and Evaluating Physical Fitness
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities.
The most common way of using the BPFT is for testers to adopt the parameters recommended for use with youngsters who have specific disabilities. Though such an approach may not follow the practice of personalization in the strictest sense, it offers a number of advantages. First, because the parameters were developed with specific target populations in mind, they are likely to be relevant for a young person in a particular group. Second, each test item included in the battery is considered a valid and reliable health-related measure for members of the target population. Third, standards and fitness zones are recommended partly on the basis of field testing of subjects from the various target populations. Finally, adopting recommended parameters saves the tester time in personalizing the test.
Testers who choose to use the BPFT in this fashion follow a four-step process when administering the test:
- Accurately classify or subclassify each young person.
- Select appropriate test items.
- Administer the chosen test items to measure physical fitness status.
- Evaluate health-related physical fitness against recommended standards.
The tester's first responsibility is to accurately classify the young person to be tested according to the relevant disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, blindness). For youngsters with physical disability, the tester must also subclassify them according to the nature and extent of their disability. In order to complete this task, testers will probably need to consult the Target Populations section in chapter 1.
Once the young person is classified (and, as necessary, subclassified), the tester undertakes the second major step of the process - using the test-item selection guides (see the relevant tables in chapter 4) to choose test items. When selecting test items in this manner, the tester is implicitly adopting the desired profile written for a specific disability group, because the items were derived from the profile statements.
Some test items are recommended, whereas others are optional. A recommended test item relates to a particular component of physical fitness and a specific profile statement and is generally believed to be the best test of those parameters for a particular class of youngsters. Thus a recommended item is considered the first choice - but not necessarily the only choice - in test selection. Optional items also address specific components and profile statements, and they provide additional choices for testers. A tester might select an optional item over a recommended item for any number of reasons, such as equipment availability, facility requirements, the young person's individual characteristics, and the specific purpose for testing.
Regardless of whether a tester chooses recommended or optional items, the test battery ordinarily consists of four to six test items: one for aerobic functioning, one for body composition, and two to four for musculoskeletal functioning. Table 3.1 summarizes recommended and optional test items, as well as available standards, for each target population.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/151/E6141_480882_ebook_Main.png
The tester's third responsibility is to measure the individual's physical fitness status by administering the chosen test items appropriately. This process is addressed in detail in chapter 5, which provides recommendations for test administration, including necessary equipment, scoring, trials, test modifications, and safety guidelines and precautions. After administering the chosen test items, the tester records the results; experienced testers may develop recording systems that work best for them.
The tester's final responsibility is to evaluate the health-related physical fitness level of each young person. Individuals are evaluated by comparing their results on recommended or optional test items with criterion-referenced standards and fitness zones appropriate for them. The standards themselves appear in Fitness Zone tables 3 through 12 in chapter 4.
Both general and specific standards may be available to testers evaluating the physical fitness of youngsters with specific disabilities. General standards are available for almost all test items and are recommended when expectations for performance are typical of those for the general population - that is, when it is believed that a disability does not result in a unique physical fitness need and does not significantly alter performance expectations for the young person. Specific standards are available only for selected items where it is believed that a particular disability dictates an adjustment of general standards for a particular test (or when the test item is unique to a particular disability).
Testers should not assume that general standards are unattainable by a young person in a specific disability category. In fact, testers are encouraged to pursue general standards, even if specific standards are available, when the general standards are believed to be most appropriate or attainable by a particular young person.
Evaluating health-related fitness involves interpreting results and identifying unique needs, if any. Identified needs may be incorporated into a young person's individualized education program (IEP). For example, figure 3.1 presents a physical fitness profile sheet that might be developed for a young person, and figure 3.2 presents a sample summary of physical fitness data and a profile for a 14-year-old with an intellectual disability. Testers should compare past and current test results to track changes over time. Chapter 2 should be consulted for an explanation of standards and fitness zones.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480883_ebook_Main.png
From J. Winnick and F. Short, 2014, Brockport physical fitness test manual: A health-related assessment for youngsters with disabilities (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480884_ebook_Main.png
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Youngsters With Intellectual Disability and Mild Limitations in Physical Fitness
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population.
Health-Related Concerns
Health-related needs and concerns of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness include those of youngsters in the general population. Additional concerns relate to inability to sustain aerobic activity and musculoskeletal functioning within acceptable levels and incapacity for independent living and participation in daily living activities (including sport and movement activities).
Desired Profile
Boys and girls aged 10 to 17 years with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness should possess, at minimum, levels of aerobic behavior consistent with the ability to sustain moderate physical activity or progress toward a level of aerobic capacity consistent with positive health; body composition consistent with positive health; healthful levels of flexibility or range of motion (especially of the lower back); and levels of abdominal and upper-body strength and endurance appropriate for independent living, participation in physical activities, and progress toward performance levels of peers in the general population.
Components of Physical Fitness
Test items to assess aerobic functioning, body composition, and musculoskeletal functioning for this population appear in table 4.2.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/127/E6141_480889_ebook_Main.png
Standards and Fitness Zones
The physical fitness of youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using both general and specific standards. Youngsters attaining HFZs based on general standards related to body composition, aerobic behavior, and flexibility meet acceptable health-related levels of physical fitness for the general population. Youngsters meeting AFZ levels based on specific standards for test items attain target levels of physical fitness adjusted for the effects of impairment. AFZ levels represent attainable steps in progressing toward acceptable levels of health-related physical fitness for the general population. Standards and fitness zones for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in fitness can be found in Fitness Zone tables 3 and 4, located at the end of the chapter.
Aerobic Functioning
Aerobic capacity in youngsters with intellectual disability is evaluated using AFZs and HFZs based on specific and general standards associated with the PACER. AFZs represent target levels of aerobic capacity adjusted for youngsters with intellectual disability. They reflect a 10 percent downward adjustment from the HFZ standards for V\od\O2max recommended for youngsters in the general population. General standards and HFZs for V\od\O2max represent levels of aerobic capacity consistent with minimizing potential risk for future health problems and with adequate functioning for daily living. Aerobic behavior is measured by the TAMT, in which performance for 15 minutes at level 1 is an HFZ based on a general standard representing ability to sustain moderate physical activity. The same standard exists for all levels of the test. Level 1 is the minimal test level recommended for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness.
Body Composition
The HFZs based on general standards are recommended for evaluation of body composition of youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. No adjustments are made for disability.
Musculoskeletal Functioning
HFZs and AFZs based on general and specific standards are used for evaluating dominant grip strength, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, bench press, and flexed-arm hang for youngsters with intellectual disability and mild limitation in physical fitness. The AFZs reflect levels of strength or endurance adjusted for intellectual disability. Specific standards for youngsters with intellectual disability represent the following percentages of the performances of students in the general population: dominant grip strength, 65 percent; extended-arm hang, 75 percent; isometric push-up, bench press, flexed-arm hang, and modified curl-up, 50 percent.
Youngsters with intellectual disability can also be evaluated using general standards. For dominant grip, extended-arm hang, isometric push-up, and bench press, the general standards represent approximately the 20th percentile of performance by a Project Target sample of youth from the general population. General standards for flexed-arm hang and modified curl-up represent minimal standards for youth from the general population (Cooper Institute, 2013). It is recommended that HFZs based on general standards reflecting positive levels of physical fitness be used for evaluation of the back-saver sit-and-reach, trunk lift, and shoulder stretch.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
Testing a bench press
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
This test item and its procedures were modified from Johnson and Lavay (1989). In it, participants perform as many bench presses as possible (to a maximum of 50 for males and 30 for females). The test is designed as a measure of upper-extremity (particularly elbow-extension) strength and endurance.
The participant lies supine on a bench with knees bent and feet on the floor or on rolled mats placed on either side of the bench. Individuals who are unable to assume this position should lie on the bench with knees flexed and lower extremities secured or supported. For safety, the tester acts as a spotter or assigns spotters (figure 5.6a). The participant grasps a 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell with both hands directly above the shoulders and with elbows flexed; this is the ready position (figure 5.6b). Hands on the bar should be about shoulder-width apart with thumbs wrapped around the bar.
On command, the participant raises the barbell to a straight-arm position at a 90-degree angle to the body (figure 5.6c), then returns to the ready position. The participant repeats this action without rest until he or she can no longer raise the barbell or has successfully completed 50 repetitions for males or 30 repetitions for females. One repetition should be completed every 3 to 4 seconds at a steady pace. Spotters stand beside and adjacent to the rib cage, rather than behind the participant, so that the participant is encouraged to lift the barbell straight upward. Although a bilateral action with both arms is encouraged, the participant is credited with a successful repetition if the barbell touches the chest and both arms eventually end up in a straight-arm position without rest. The tester encourages the participant through praise and counting of repetitions.
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Bench press: (a) setting an upward target, (b) ready position, and (c) up position.
Equipment
Required equipment includes barbells and weights that together weigh 35 pounds (15.9 kilograms). A sturdy bench is recommended; the bench may be placed on a mat (optional).
Scoring and Trials
One correct bench press involves bringing the barbell from the chest to the straight-arm position. Record the number of correct bench press repetitions performed. Participants stop when they can no longer lift the weight completely or when they complete the required number of correct repetitions (50 for males, 30 for females).
Test Modifications
Be certain that participants with intellectual disability and mild limitations in physical fitness understand how to perform the test. Take whatever time is necessary for the participant to learn the test. Subjects should have the upper-body ability to perform the test. Provide those who have lower-body disability with safe and stable support while they assume the supine position on the bench. Participants can be held or secured as necessary and appropriate for stability.
Suggestions for Test Administration
- Conduct practice sessions with participants to help them understand the proper method for performing the bench press. Stress safety in a positive manner through demonstrations.
- Demonstrate and let participants experiment with the proper method of performing the bench press - first with a broomstick, then the bar only, then the bar and lighter weights, and finally the 35-pound (15.9-kilogram) barbell. At the same time, demonstrate and let participants experience the proper position for lying on the bench, proper hand position on the bar, proper leg and foot position, and correct arm movement. Setting an upward target enhances proper upward movement of the bar (figure 5.6c). Give positive reinforcement for properly executed positions and movements. Do not test a participant who does not understand how to complete a properly performed repetition of the bench press.
Learn more about Brockport Physical Fitness Test Manual, Second Edition.
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