ENGLAND ANAEROBIC ENDURANCE TEST

These tests are designed to measure rugby specific anaerobic performance (in terms of distances and times of work) – the ability to repeat bouts of high intensity activity with short recovery periods.

The test criteria are :

Total time taken to complete the test The fatigue index between first and last repetitions Players with higher levels of anaerobic endurance will show faster overall completion

times for the test Players with excellent speed will show good times for the first repetitions but may show

slower times overall and a higher fatigue index.

There are 2 separate tests, one for Forwards, the other for Backs.

Equipment

Marking tape Measuring tape Tall Marking Poles x 4 for each lane of the Forward’s test, and 5 for each lane of the

Back’s test Stop watches – one per tester + one for running clock Recording sheets

Forwards Test

Procedure

Mark floor with tape “X” with the centre being the exact distance, place pole on the

centre of “X”

Players are placed in positional groups of 5 (front row as one group, locks and back

row as another group) with one tester per player with stopwatch

Each player in an allocated lane

Course is as follows :

Each set of the test is a single or multiple combination of the same basic repetition.

The basic repetition is as follows :

Player starts on his front with chest in contact with the floor with head on starting line,

behind pole

He gets up and sprints out and around the pole at 5m, and runs backwards to the

start line – behind the start pole - where he drops down to contact his chest with the

floor

5m 10m 20mStart on

front

He then gets up and sprints out and around the 10m pole and back to the start pole

(always running forwards) where he drops down and contacts chest with floor

He then gets up and sprints out and around the 20m pole and back to the start

(always running forwards).

The test format is as follows :

1 x 1 repetition

1 x 2 consecutive repetitions

1 x 2 consecutive repetitions

1 x 4 consecutive repetitions

1 x 1 repetition

The recovery time between repetitions is dictated by the time taken to complete the required

repetition(s) i.e. the start of each section is fixed on a running clock so that the faster the

completion time, the more rest the player receives.

The table below indicates the times for the running clock and the estimated range of times for

each section of the test for the Front Row and Back Five Groups.

Front Row TestRunning Clock

Time

Event Estimated

Duration of

Repetition

Estimated End of

Event Time

Average

Rest time

0 Start of 1 x 1 repetition 20-25 sec 20-25 secs 20-25 secs

45 Start of 1 x 2 consecutive

repetitions

45-50 secs 1.30-1.35 mins 40-45 secs

2.15 Start of 1 x 2 consecutive

repetitions

45-52 secs 3.00-3.07 mins 53-60 secs

4.00 Start of 1 x 4 consecutive

repetitions

1.40- 2 mins 5.40- 6 mins 30-50 secs

6.30 Start of 1 x 1 repetition 22-27 secs 6.52-6.57 mins -

Back Five TestRunning Clock

Time

Event Estimated

Duration of

Repetition

Estimated End of

Event Time

Average

Rest time

0 Start of 1 x 1 repetition 20-25 sec 20-25 secs 20-25 secs

45 Start of 1 x 2 consecutive

repetitions

45-50 secs 1.30-1.35 mins 40-45 secs

2.15 Start of 1 x 2 consecutive

repetitions

45-52 secs 3.00-3.07 mins 53-60 secs

4.00 Start of 1 x 4 consecutive

repetitions

1.30- 1.40 5.30-5.40 35-45 secs

6.15 Start of 1 x 1 repetition 22-27 secs 6.52-6.57 mins -

The time for each repetition is recorded on the sheet for the individual being measured.

One person should be made responsible for administering the running clock and for

informing players and testers of the content of the next set and the rest time to go. This

person should also give all of the ‘start’ commands for the whole group.

10m

5m5m

20m

30m

5m

Backs Test

Procedure

Mark floor with tape “X” with the centre being the exact distance, place pole on the

centre of “X”

Players are placed in positional groups Back of 5 with one tester per player with

stopwatch

Each player in an allocated lane

Each set of the test is a single or multiple combination of the same basic repetition.

Course is as overleaf :

The basic repetition is as follows :

Player starts on his front with chest in contact with the floor with head on starting line

He gets up and sprints out and around the pole at 5m, and runs backwards to the

start line – behind the start pole - where he goes to down to contact his chest with

the floor.

He gets up and sprints again around the 5m pole, and runs backwards to the start

line – behind the start pole - where he goes to down to contact his chest with the

floor.

He then gets up and sprints out and around the outside of the 10m pole, on to and

around the outside of the 20m pole, on again to the 30m pole, runs around this and

then sprints straight back to the start line.

The test format for backs is as follows :

1 x 1 repetition

1 x 1 repetition

1 x 2 consecutive repetitions

1 x 2 consecutive repetitions

1 x 2 consecutive repetitions

1 x 1 repetition

Start on

front on

The recovery time between repetitions is dictated by the time taken to complete the required

repetition(s) i.e. the start of each section is fixed on a running clock so that the faster the

completion time, the more rest the player receives.

The table below indicates the times for the running clock and the estimated range of times for

each section of the test for the Backs test

Running Clock

Time

Event Estimated

Duration of

Repetition

Estimated End of

Event Time

Average

Rest time

0 Start of 1 x 1 repetition 20-22 secs 20-22 secs 28-30 secs

50 Start of second 1 x 1

repetition

20-23 secs 1.10-1.13 mins 27-30 secs

1.40 Start of 1 x 2 consecutive

repetitions

45-55 secs 2.25-2.35 mins 45-55 secs

3.20 Start of second 1 x 2

consecutive repetitions

45-55 secs 4.05- 4.15 mins 45-55 secs

5.00 Start of second 1 x 2

consecutive repetitions

47-57 secs 5.47-5.57 mins 33-43 secs

6.30 Start of 1 x 1 repetition 20-25 6.50-6.55 mins -

Backs Test

The time for each repetition is recorded on the sheet for the individual being measured.

One person should be made responsible for administering the running clock and for informing players and testers of the content of the next set and the rest time to go. This person should also give all of the ‘start’ commands for the whole group.

Floor Layout for Anaerobic Tests

Start Line

20m line - Forwards

10m line - Forwards

30m line - Backs

5m

5m line – both groups

BacksForwards