Assessment
What this domain tests
Assessment covers collecting valid baseline data and using it to drive programming. Items may ask about posture, movement screens, performance tests, and when to refer out.
Core rules and concepts
- Screen before you prescribe: gather subjective history, then objective measures: static posture, overhead squat, single-leg squat, pushing/pulling, core, balance, and sport-specific performance tests.
- Reliability and validity: use consistent setup, warm-up, cueing, and rest so re-tests compare fairly. A test that changes daily is a poor progress marker.
- Baseline and re-test: record results, set targets, and re-test at planned intervals.
- Compensation, not diagnosis: note foot pronation, knee valgus, excessive forward lean, or asymmetric weight shift, then choose mobility/stability work. Pain, joint locking, or neurological signs require referral.
- Performance testing: vertical jump, broad jump, sprint, repeated-effort test, and grip/strength measures should reflect the fighter's demands.
Worked example
An overhead squat shows feet flattening and knees moving inward as the athlete descends. Reasoning: the feet flattening suggests ankle dorsiflexion limitation or poor foot stability; knee valgus suggests hip abductor/external rotator control deficits. The response is not “stretch everything”-screen ankle mobility and glute medius function, then prescribe calf/ankle mobility and hip stability in the warm-up, and re-check the squat.
Traps
- Testing after a fatiguing session and treating the result as baseline.
- Confusing a compensation with a medical diagnosis.
- Using only one test; assessment is a battery, and the interview matters.