a stopwatch. For personal trainers, the Cooper Test, when carried out on a treadmill, is a reliable and repeatable method for measuring a client's progress. As a standard test this test should to be performed only under standard conditions: Between 50 and 75 °F (10 to 25 °C) with 75% maximum humidity. On a standard 400 m Tartan track or similar. The candidate should not suffer from respiratory problems. The test is not considered to be useful for untrained pupils at all. Football referees The Cooper test was one of the most commonly used fitness tests to measure the fitness levels of both amateur and professional football referees, including referees from the FA (English Football Association). More recently, many countries have decided to stop relying on the Cooper Test, claiming that the Cooper test does not correlate well to a real football match, where players run short sprints rather than at a regular pace. Thus it may not truly indicate if a referee will be able to perform well in a football match. All FIFA referees are now required to pass the HI Intensity Fitness Test. National associations are gradually requiring some of their top-tier officials to do the HI Intensity Fitness Test also. Lower level referees are often given a choice to either perform the HI Intensity Fitness Test or the Cooper Test. Nevertheless, the recent trend seems to indicate that the Cooper Test is slowly being phased out. See also Training effect References Aerobic exercise Fitness tests Running Sports terminology