The Complete Guide to Sports Performance Testing
Whether you're a weekend warrior, competitive high school athlete, or professional player, understanding sports performance testing can be the difference between plateauing and reaching your full potential. At Elite Performance Clinic, we've conducted over 500 comprehensive performance assessments across every sport imaginable—from track and field to football, basketball to swimming.
Sports performance testing isn't just for elite athletes. It provides objective data that reveals your strengths, exposes weaknesses, tracks progress over time, and helps prevent injuries before they happen. Most importantly, it removes the guesswork from training.
What Is Sports Performance Testing?
Sports performance testing is a systematic evaluation of an athlete's physical capabilities using standardized protocols. Unlike a regular fitness assessment at your local gym, performance testing measures sport-specific qualities that directly impact athletic success.
The Five Categories of Performance Testing
Comprehensive sports performance testing typically covers five main categories. Here's what we measure in each, and why it matters.
1. Movement Quality & Mobility
Before we test how strong or fast you are, we need to know if you can move correctly. Poor movement patterns are the foundation of most non-contact injuries.
What We Test
- Functional Movement Screen (FMS) — 7 movement patterns scored 0-3
- Y-Balance Test — Dynamic balance and stability
- Hip mobility — Internal/external rotation, flexion
- Ankle dorsiflexion — Critical for squatting, jumping, running
- Shoulder mobility — Overhead athletes especially
- Thoracic rotation — Essential for rotational sports
FMS Scoring Reference
| Score | Interpretation | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 14+ | Good movement quality | Clear for performance training |
| 11-13 | Acceptable with limitations | Address specific deficits |
| Below 11 | High injury risk | Corrective exercise priority |
| Any 0 or asymmetry | Pain or significant dysfunction | Medical evaluation needed |
2. Strength & Power
Strength is the foundation of all athletic qualities. But raw strength means nothing if you can't express it quickly (power) or maintain it through fatigue.
What We Test
- Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP) — Peak force production
- 1RM or estimated max testing — Back squat, bench press, deadlift
- Reactive Strength Index (RSI) — Force production speed
- Rate of Force Development (RFD) — How quickly you generate force
- Single-leg strength testing — Bilateral deficit assessment
- Grip strength — Total body strength indicator
Strength Standards by Sport (Relative to Body Weight)
| Athlete Level | Back Squat | Bench Press | Deadlift |
|---|---|---|---|
| High School (Male) | 1.5x BW | 1.25x BW | 1.75x BW |
| High School (Female) | 1.2x BW | 0.75x BW | 1.5x BW |
| Collegiate (Male) | 2.0x BW | 1.5x BW | 2.25x BW |
| Collegiate (Female) | 1.75x BW | 1.0x BW | 2.0x BW |
| Professional | 2.5x+ BW | 1.75x+ BW | 2.75x+ BW |
Note: Standards vary significantly by sport. A 150lb soccer player and 150lb powerlifter will have very different strength profiles—and that's appropriate for their sport demands.
3. Speed & Agility
Speed kills—in sports, at least. But "speed" isn't just straight-line sprinting. It's acceleration, deceleration, change of direction, and reaction time.
What We Test
- 10-yard dash — Acceleration
- 40-yard dash — Top-end speed (primarily for American football)
- Flying 10s — Maximum velocity
- Pro Agility (5-10-5) — Change of direction
- L-Drill / 3-Cone — Multi-directional speed
- Reactive agility tests — Decision-making under pressure
- Sprint force-velocity profile — Horizontal force application
Speed Benchmarks (High School to Professional)
| Test | High School | College | Professional |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Yard Dash | 1.70-1.85s | 1.55-1.70s | 1.45-1.55s |
| 40-Yard Dash | 4.8-5.2s | 4.5-4.8s | 4.3-4.6s |
| Pro Agility | 4.5-5.0s | 4.2-4.6s | 3.9-4.3s |
| L-Drill | 7.5-8.2s | 6.8-7.5s | 6.5-7.0s |
4. Power & Explosiveness
Power is strength expressed quickly. It's what separates good athletes from great ones—the ability to generate massive force in milliseconds.
What We Test
- Countermovement Jump (CMJ) — Vertical power with stretch-shortening cycle
- Squat Jump (SJ) — Concentric-only power
- Drop Jump — Reactive strength
- Broad Jump — Horizontal power
- Lateral Bound — Single-leg power + stability
- Medicine ball throws — Upper body power
- Force plate metrics — Peak force, RFD, contact time, asymmetry
Vertical Jump Standards
| Athlete Type | Good | Excellent | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male Team Sport | 24-28" | 28-32" | 32-40"+ |
| Female Team Sport | 18-22" | 22-26" | 26-30"+ |
| Male Basketball | 28-32" | 32-36" | 36-45"+ |
| Female Basketball | 22-26" | 26-30" | 30-36"+ |
5. Endurance & Work Capacity
Even power athletes need an aerobic base. Endurance determines how many high-quality reps you can perform, how quickly you recover between efforts, and whether you fall apart in the 4th quarter.
What We Test
- VO2 max testing — Aerobic capacity (gold standard: metabolic cart)
- Lactate threshold testing — Sustainable high-intensity pace
- Beep test / Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery — Sport-specific endurance
- Repeated sprint ability (RSA) — Power maintenance under fatigue
- Heart rate variability (HRV) — Recovery status
- Resting heart rate — Aerobic fitness indicator
VO2 Max Standards (ml/kg/min)
| Sport Category | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Power Sports | 50-55 | 40-45 |
| Mixed Sports | 55-65 | 45-55 |
| Endurance Sports | 65-85+ | 55-75+ |
| Elite Endurance | 75-90+ | 65-80+ |
How to Interpret Your Results
Raw numbers are meaningless without context. Here's how we actually use performance testing data:
Compare to Sport-Specific Norms
A 30-inch vertical jump is excellent for a distance runner but below average for a volleyball player. Always contextualize your numbers within your sport and position.
Identify Asymmetries
Bilateral differences greater than 10-15% significantly increase injury risk. If your left leg produces 220 watts of power and your right produces 180 watts, that's a red flag.
Find Your Limiters
Most athletes have 1-2 physical qualities holding them back. Are you strong but slow? Fast but fragile? Powerful but gassed after 5 minutes? Testing reveals the constraint.
Track Progress Over Time
Test every 8-12 weeks during the off-season, every 4-6 weeks in-season. Are your training adaptations moving in the right direction? If not, change the program.
Testing Protocols: Standardization Matters
For performance testing to be valid and reliable, protocols must be standardized. Here's what that means in practice:
Pre-Test Requirements
- 48-72 hours post-training — No heavy lifting or intense conditioning
- Well-hydrated — Dehydration decreases power output 10-15%
- Adequately fueled — Test at same time of day when possible
- Standardized warm-up — 5-10 minutes general, 5-10 minutes specific
- No acute injuries or illness — Reschedule if compromised
Testing Environment
- Same surface (turf, court, track)
- Same footwear
- Controlled temperature when possible
- Same equipment / calibrated devices
- Consistent instructions and demonstrations
Common Testing Mistakes
Testing Too Often
Testing creates fatigue. Don't test weekly—you're just measuring fatigue, not adaptation. 4-8 week intervals minimum.
Wrong Test Selection
A 40-yard dash is largely irrelevant for a soccer midfielder who rarely runs more than 20 yards at a time. Choose sport-specific assessments.
No Baseline
If you don't test pre-season or pre-training block, you have nothing to compare to. Always establish a baseline.
Ignoring Context
Numbers dropped after a heavy training week? That's expected. Numbers dropped after a taper? That's a problem. Context matters.
Testing in Isolation
Performance testing should inform training, not replace it. Don't spend 2 hours testing when you could be training.
What Happens After Testing
The test is just the beginning. Here's how we use the data:
Step 1: Comprehensive Report
Every athlete receives a detailed report comparing their results to sport norms, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and flagging injury risk factors.
Step 2: Individualized Program Design
We don't use cookie-cutter programs. Your training is built around your specific needs revealed by testing. Low RSI? More plyometrics. Poor FMS? Corrective exercise. Weak aerobic base? Conditioning emphasis.
Step 3: Retest & Adjust
Training should improve test scores. If it doesn't after 8-12 weeks, we change the program. The data guides everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does performance testing cost?
Comprehensive testing typically ranges from $150-400 depending on depth and equipment used. Our clinic charges $250 for a full assessment including force plate analysis, which is competitive for the LA market.
How often should I get tested?
Off-season: Every 8-12 weeks. In-season: Every 4-6 weeks for monitoring, or when returning from injury. Youth athletes: 2-3 times per year to track development.
Can I test myself?
Some tests (vertical jump, sprints) can be self-administered with proper equipment and protocols. However, movement screening and force plate analysis require trained professionals to ensure validity and interpretation.
What if my numbers are below average?
Most athletes have room for improvement—that's why you test. Below-average scores simply tell you where to focus training. We've seen athletes make massive improvements in 12-16 weeks with targeted programming.
Do I need to be in shape before testing?
No. We test where you are now so we know how to get you where you want to be. However, acute injuries or illness should be resolved before testing for safety and validity.
The Bottom Line
Sports performance testing removes the guesswork from training. It tells you objectively where you stand, what needs work, and whether your training is actually working.
At Elite Performance Clinic, we've tested hundreds of athletes across every sport and ability level. The pattern is always the same: athletes who test regularly and train based on data progress faster, stay healthier, and perform better when it matters most.
The question isn't whether you should get tested—it's whether you can afford not to.
Ready to get tested? Elite Performance Clinic offers comprehensive sports performance testing for athletes of all levels. Our 90-minute assessment includes movement screening, strength testing, power/speed evaluation, and a detailed report with training recommendations.
Call (818) 646-0040 Book Assessment