Abstract

 This study evaluated several physical fitness characteristics in high-level field hockey players using an adapted, non-specific fitness test battery (Eurofit) in order to establish its feasibility and to test the hypothesis that such a method is able to discriminate between players of different competitive level. Thirty one competitive Spanish field hockey players of national and international calibre (age 18-28 years), who belonged to two senior competitive teams of different category (“Honor Division”, HD, n=16; and “First Division”, PD, n=15) participated in the study: 3 goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 9 halves, and 9 forwards. 12 players were also members of the National Spanish senior or under-21 teams, and 5 players were members of the Spanish Olympic team who competed in Barcelona 1992 (5th place), and  Atlanta 1996 (2rd place). The following tests and measurements from the Eurofit fitness test battery (Council of Europe 1988) were used: anthropometry, endurance shuttle-run 20 m x 1 min, standing broad jump, right and left-hand plate tapping, sit-ups in 1 min, shuttle run 10 x 5 m, and sit-and-reach. Sit-ups in 30 s, as well as 30 and 50 m sprints were performed in addition. The elite players (DH) were older and more muscular, and showed higher levels of aerobic endurance, explosive strength, abdominal muscular strength, and running speed (30 and 50 m sprints) as compared with the sub-elite players. The aerobic endurance level of our elite players was comparable to that of the Dutch National team in 1990 (Geijsel 1991). From these results, we conclude that the test battery used is a feasible procedure and, even if not specific to field hockey, it has been able to differentiate elite from sub-elite players and may be useful in establishing baseline reference data for field hockey players.