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Home / Exercising / Fitness tests / Explosive tests / Sprint tests / Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test
Running-based anaerobic sprint test
Introduction
The Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test - RAST - is an effective tool to measure anaerobic capacity.
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What is the point?
Developed at the University of Wolverhampton, the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) is used to test an athlete's anaerobic performance. Coaches like it because the results can be interpreted to provide information on both power and fatigue.
This is particularly useful for testing runners, or those games players who need excellent anaerobic endurance (e.g. soccer player).
What do you need?
- 400 metre track - with a 35 metre marked section on the straight
- Two cones
- Stop watch
- An assistant
How do you do the test?
- The athlete is weighed prior to the test
- Warm up for ten minutes
- Recover for 5 minutes
- Complete six x 35 metre runs at maximum pace, with 10 seconds between each sprint for turnaround
- The assistant records the time taken for each sprint
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What results you'll get :
Perform the test at regular intervals to assess the effectiveness of the training program.
Calculations
Power output for each sprint is found using the following equations
Velocity = Distance ? Time
Acceleration = Velocity ? Time
Force = Weight ? Acceleration
Power = Force ? Velocity
OR
Power = Weight ? Distance ? ? Time ?
From the six times calculate the power for each run and then determine:
Maximum power - the highest value
Minimum power - the lowest value
Average power - sum of all six values ? 6
Fatigue Index - (Maximum power - Minimum power) ? Total time for the 6 sprints
Example:
Athlete weight = 76 Kilograms
| Sprint |
Time (secs) |
Power (watts) |
| 1 |
4.52 |
1008 |
| 2 |
4.75 |
869 |
| 3 |
4.92 |
782 |
| 4 |
5.21 |
658 |
| 5 |
5.46 |
572 |
| 6 |
5.62 |
525 |
Maximum Power = 1008 watts
Minimum Power = 525 watts
Average Power = 736 watts
Fatigue Index = 483 ? 30.48 = 15.8 watts/sec
So what does all of this mean? The different results indicate the following:
Maximum Power: Is a measure of the highest power output and provides information about strength and maximal sprint speed.
Minimum Power: Is the lowest power output achieved and is used to calculate the Fatigue Index.
Average Power: Gives an indication of an athlete's ability to maintain power over time. Thus the higher the score, the better the athlete can maintain anaerobic performance.
Fatigue Index: The rate at which power declines for the athlete. The lower the value, the better the athlete can maintain anaerobic performance. Athletes with a high fatigue index value (>10) may need to focus on improving their lactate tolerance.
What is being measured again?
This is a test of anaerobic capacity.
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