Referee Chris Kendall in major first as he reveals the arduous fitness test necessary to officiate a Super League game

Love them or hate them, referees are essential for rugby league – without them the game just could not go ahead.

And, people probably don’t think about the rigorous tests that officials have to go through to just make it onto the field.

Well, in the world of social media, referee Chris Kendall has documented the physical struggle necessary to pass the tests to step onto the field.

It’s the first time ever that a referee has been this open about the difficulties that officials need to go through to be match ready for Super League.

Kendall posted on Twitter: “Vo2 max testing @LJMUNutrition this morning. Thanks @doc_jockey for the set up and getting me through it.”

Vo2 max testing @LJMUNutrition this morning. Thanks @doc_jockey for the set up and getting me through it 😰 pic.twitter.com/Lo46zjZHBM

— Chris Kendall (@KendallRef) March 7, 2022

To put things into layman’s terms, VO2 max is the maximal oxygen consumption which refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilise during intense or maximal exercise.

This measurement is generally considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.

By putting a face mask on, Kendall’s volume and gas concentrations of inspired and expired air will be measured.

From it, the testers also obtain Kendall’s maximal heart rate from this test, which, along with resting heart rate, can be used to develop a more precise target heart rate range, which will leave the official with an excellent idea of his current fitness level and also how to use this information to improve fitness.

Science most definitely is knowledge.