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New Zealand Junior Team Fitness Testing |
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Written by Jason Ruddell
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Thursday, 07 February 2013 |
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| The Plank Test |
On Monday the 4th of Feb following the Billabong Grom Series event held at Mount Maunganui, the New Zealand Junior Squad came together for a comprehensive fitness and strength testing camp.
The selection camp is the first of two fitness and strength testing sessions
that are part of the build up programme to the ISA World Junior Championship in
Nicaragua in June. Building on the database of results from the 2012's
squad the grommets were put through their paces with a series of tests designed
by team Head Coach Jason Ruddell. The tests are specific to the athletic
demands the surfers face whilst training and competing and give the selectors a
comprehensive picture of each individuals specific strengths and weaknesses.
The squad assembled at the Papamoa School pool 8am sharp for a 400m, 50m and
underwater swim test. U16 surfer Abby Falwasser-Logan (Gis) put the boys to
shame with an outstanding 400m swim time of 5.35. And it was the girls shining
again in the underwater swim with Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis) knocking out an
impressive 57m.
With the swim tests completed the squad relocated to the Bay Park Arena for the
rest of the tests. These included:
- sit & reach for flexibility
- one legged squats for lower body strength and balance
- vertical and broad jumps for explosive power
- push ups for upper body strength endurance
- prone hold for core abdominal strength endurance
- beep test for anaerobic
threshold fitness
- agility test (25 burpees
with a hurdle jump in between each burpee)
With each individual test being designed to measure a specific component of
surfing, the grommets were really put under pressure by the sequence of tests
progressively fatiguing them both physically and mentally. Added to this was
the pressure of having their fellow squad members performing some of the tests
side-by-side and with the competitive nature of the groms, no one was giving in
easily.
Notable results included Mac Christie (Mnt) with a massive 60 single leg
squats, local Mount surfers Kehu Butler and Kea Smith smashing out 80 and 47
push ups respectively, a 5min 18sec prone hold from Levi Stewart (Waihi Beach),
a level 13.7 on the beep test by Jules Craft (Gis) and Manu Scott-Arietta (Sandy
Bay) was the quickest in the agility tests with a time of 56sec.
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| The Beep Test for the boys |
Pool Testing |
Following on from the testing the squad relocated once more to Tay Street for a
few quick heat drills. Met with dismal 1-2ft onshore surf conditions the groms
were once again put through their paces with a series of quick-fire drills to
test wave selection and manoeuvre completion.
It was a tired looking bunch that departed for home at the end of the day, and
no doubt there will be a few sore muscles to be worked over this week.
Team selector Lee Ryan, Head Coach Jason Ruddell and Assistant Coach Warren
Asplin were all impressed with not only the level of performance shown in the
tests which were all bettered from last year, but also the attitude and
commitment shown by all squad members. “The level today was outstanding and
makes our selection decisions even harder as all the groms showed they have
relatively good levels of conditioning, but it also showed them where their
weaknesses are physically” said Ruddell adding “With the conditioning
programmes we have put in place for the squad members they can now go away and
work on themselves in preparation for the re-testing camp after the Billabong
Grom Series event at Piha in early March.
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