get to a track and try doing it, see how far short you are. All i do in the build up to the test is run 2600m circuits building my speed and fitness up until i can do it. It really isnt a test of fitness (although good fitness will obviously help), it's more a test of your ability to run at a quick pace for 12 minutes, a lot of it is in the mind.
Fitness tests
- Thread starter lincs22
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get to a track and try doing it, see how far short you are. All i do in the build up to the test is run 2600m circuits building my speed and fitness up until i can do it. It really isnt a test of fitness (although good fitness will obviously help), it's more a test of your ability to run at a quick pace for 12 minutes, a lot of it is in the mind.
Russell Jones
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Wouldn't that make it harder to run fast?
In all seriousness, interval training (alternating fast and slow) is a great bet as is practicing running on an incline as then flat seems really easy!
richard ramjane
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ooh no, that will slow you down surely ! sorry , poor joke
theres already some decent advice going thru this thread as it goes....
get out 2 to 3 times a week, run further than 2.6k when training, and importantly, vary your pace whilst doing so
what worked for me was a 5 minute warm up followed by half an hour of speed variation 3 times a week(in addition to a variety of other sports i do ) and you generally find your average pace naturally picks up over a few weeks.
obviously guage how you are getting on by actually doing a 12 minute run every now and again
richard ramjane
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A Freethinker
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Run faster than 2.599km in 12 minutes or around 2.6km per 12 mins pace.
WelshRef01
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Wow you guys are lucky!! Wish all we had to do was a 12 minute run. We have to do 3 different tests:
Change of Direction Ability - 10m sprint, 8 m side step (left) 8m side step (right), 10m sprint in less than 10.10 seconds.
Repeated Sprint Intervals: 30m sprint, 5 times, less than 4.8 seconds per run. 25 seconds recovery.
Interval test - 40 X 75m run/25m walk. Equates to 10 laps of a 400m track. Each run done in 15 seconds and walk done in 22 seconds.
Thats just for the specialist AR route!! Referees test only has 2 but the times are lower and the sprinting is further.
Change of Direction Ability - 10m sprint, 8 m side step (left) 8m side step (right), 10m sprint in less than 10.10 seconds.
Repeated Sprint Intervals: 30m sprint, 5 times, less than 4.8 seconds per run. 25 seconds recovery.
Interval test - 40 X 75m run/25m walk. Equates to 10 laps of a 400m track. Each run done in 15 seconds and walk done in 22 seconds.
Thats just for the specialist AR route!! Referees test only has 2 but the times are lower and the sprinting is further.
Only bell I worry about is the dinner bell!!! I can usually muster up a fast walk if there is a race!!!
Variation is best bet. Just doing the same over and over again is unlikely to produce any great results.
Do short high intensity runs and longer lower intensity runs. If you are literally just starting out go low intensity first this will help build up your aerobic threshold which in turn helps you run quicker at a lower heart rate. By low intensity you should be able to hold a conversation comfortably but your geart rate should be up.
As @Russell Jones says do some interval workouts and incorporate some inclines and declines into your run. I am not a fan of treadmill running myself, I only use it for low intensity as I can regulate my heart rate better on a treadmill and set a slow constant speed so I would say get out on the road/track and do your work there.
Alongside running you need to work on strength and mobility, There are lots of activities that can be done but you need to work on your legs (obviously) but also your core. Squats, situps, chair dips, calf raises etc. etc. There is literally piles and piles of resources available online detailing different strength and movement exercises you can do to make your running more efficient.
The single most important point is that you train on a regular basis whilst ensuring that you also have some rest and recovery between training and games. If you dont train regularly then you'll really struggle with the mental side of the test. If you can achieve it whilst training I guarantee you'll smash it on the day when factors such as adrenaline kick in..
Yampy
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There are loads of gyms these days, may of which are non-contract, offering rolling monthly payments. The majority will offer a schedule of classes FOC and I found that this summer, these classes were great for getting fit - circuits, abs, boxercise, spin - they're all there. If you aren't one for doing all the training solo and can't afford or don't want a personal trainer, these can help motivate and keep you interested.
One of the key things for me is not getting fit for the fitness test but staying fit for the fitness test.
Get fit to referee, not referee to get fit.
One of the key things for me is not getting fit for the fitness test but staying fit for the fitness test.
Get fit to referee, not referee to get fit.
A Freethinker
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But remember WelshRef01, you are at the higher end not junior/grassroots. What you do is the UEFA test which is done over here too, expected to perform the same as full time officials but paid a pittance in comparison.
WelshRef01
Member
Every referee going for promotion has to complete a fitness test over here. Not 100% on what the referees do at grassroots level for promotion, but ones on the Specialist AR complete the above fitness test, but get an extra .10 seconds.
Went along to a fitness test this year. I'm not up for promotion to 4, but not often you get on a track for free and wanted to see how I got on.
Did 2650m in 12 minutes and the sprints were fine. Last half lap was quite slow as I really felt it in my legs. I hadn't done too many training runs, so suspect I could go further with more prep, but nice to know that I'm not a disaster fitness wise!
Did 2650m in 12 minutes and the sprints were fine. Last half lap was quite slow as I really felt it in my legs. I hadn't done too many training runs, so suspect I could go further with more prep, but nice to know that I'm not a disaster fitness wise!
I believe that's the current football league assistant ref's fitness test more or less, except they have 10 seconds for the CODA test and have to do 40 metres sprints I think.
Personally i much prefer doing this rather than the 12 minute one, it just doesn't seem to be as boring!
WelshRef01
Member
Interesting - I like keeping my self fit, so fortunately its not too much of a problem, but if I had the choice to do a 12 minute run or that, I would choose the 12 minute run
Dutch Referee Blog
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When are the fitness tests fyour you all in 2018? In The Netherlands we usually do the tests in August, right before the season starts.
richard ramjane
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I've got a fitness test for the fire brigade coming up. It's tougher than the level 4 test so I'm glad of it !
Best of luck mate! Where have you been all this time?
richard ramjane
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Been off work since late October!
That's when I've had access to computer mostly and limited since .
Trying to take redundancy but they won't let me go easily so I've literally been stuck at home...
Dutch Referee Blog
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What does a fitness test for the fire brigade looks like?
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