Think you’ve got what it takes to be an Olympic athlete?
Pedal, jump and push-up: So you think you could be an Olympic athlete? Start by excelling in these speed, power, strength and endurance tests:
■ Six-second bike sprint: Athletes pedal flat out for six seconds on a stationary bike while staying seated. An ergometer measures the peak wattage and a second calculation factors in the athlete’s weight to get to watts per kilogram. This is a key test for sprint disciplines in track cycling and speedskating.
■ Vertical jump: The athletes step on the mat and jump up as high as they can. A sensor device measures their height and time in the air. It measures explosive power; the higher athletes can jump, the more power in their legs.
■ Single broad jump: From a standstill, the athlete jumps as far forward as possible, taking off and landing with two feet. This is an important power test for all running-based sports, like rugby and athletics.
■ Standing triple jump: This test requires hopping like a rabbit: With both feet placed parallel, the athlete jumps forward three times. It is a test of general power and a good indicator of acceleration ability.
■ Cadence push-up test: Athletes do push-ups to a metronome (one second down, one second up) at a rate of 30 push-ups per minute.
When athletes break form or can’t keep up with the rhythm, they’re done. This measures upper body strength and endurance.
■ Arm leg bike: On a stationary bike with moving arms, athletes must hit set revolutions-per-minute targets. The test ends when an athlete is too exhausted to hit the targets. This endurance test measures aerobic capacity and an athlete’s ability to maintain power, making it a particularly predictive test for rowing and paddling.