Running Fitness Assessment
Vertical Jump Height
What This Test Measures: Explosive lower-body power and rate of force development.
Why It Matters: Running economy and sprint performance depend on how efficiently force is produced and transferred into the ground.
How to Perform: Complete 2-3 maximal countermovement jumps, record the best jump height, and use consistent arm-swing rules across attempts.
SL Squat Test
What This Test Measures: Single-leg strength, alignment control, and hip-knee-ankle coordination.
Why It Matters: Poor control in single-leg patterns can increase tissue load and reduce running efficiency.
How to Perform: Perform controlled single-leg squats on each side for quality reps while maintaining knee tracking and trunk stability.
Side Plank with Hip Abduction Hold
What This Test Measures: Lateral core endurance and hip abductor capacity under isometric demand.
Why It Matters: Strong lateral stability helps control pelvis position and reduce compensations during stance phase.
How to Perform: Assume a side plank, raise the top leg into abduction, and hold with stable trunk and pelvis; record hold time per side.
Single Leg Heel Raise
What This Test Measures: Calf complex muscular endurance and ankle stiffness control.
Why It Matters: The calf-ankle complex is critical for propulsion, cadence support, and load tolerance in runners.
How to Perform: Perform repeated full-range single-leg heel raises at a controlled tempo until form breakdown; record reps each side.
Y Balance (Anterior Reach)
What This Test Measures: Dynamic balance, single-leg stability, and mobility integration.
Why It Matters: Asymmetries or poor anterior reach can reflect deficits in control that influence injury risk and performance.
How to Perform: Balance on one leg, reach the opposite foot anteriorly to maximum control, and record best distance for each side.
Assessment Overview
Running Fitness Assessment combines five core tests to profile force production, single-leg control, trunk stability, and endurance qualities relevant to running performance.
Use this battery to establish baseline readiness, identify side-to-side asymmetries, and direct individualized training priorities.