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Coordination Tests

Coordination is the ability to move two or more body parts under control, smoothly and efficiently. Coordination is typically measured using tests of hand-eye or foot-eye coordination such as throwing, catching or bouncing a ball, or hitting an object. Manual dexterity tests, or tests of hand-eye coordination also fall into this category.

rhythmic gymnastics

Coordination tests are not commonly used in a fitness test battery for athletes, though coordination itself plays a big part in the performance of agility tests, and many other fitness tests such as the vertical jump and throwing power tests.

What is Coordination?

Coordination is a complex skill that requires good levels of other fitness components such as balance, strength and agility. On a sporting field, someone who appears to be well coordinated may also be displaying good timing. It is also a difficult skill to teach, rather it is something that is achieved through proper development throughout early life development. As such, coordination tests are often used in a test battery for monitoring a young person's development or lack thereof.

Usually people have better coordination on one side of the body than the other - not many people can throw and catch equally well with either hand! As an example of a coordination test, the Wall-Toss Test of hand-eye coordination is described on this site. See the box for other coordination tests too.