Physiologic Testing: Does It Help the Athlete?

In brief: Physiologic testing represents one of the "high tech" parts of many contemporary sports programs. Some think it gives a big advantage to the Eastern Bloc countries; others think it is nothing more than fluff. Physiologic testing provides some good ways for coaches to identify talent or measure progress. It also helps them to view athletes in a unique way and provides a context for understanding recent scientific findings so that those might be used to enhance the athletes' performance.