Fitness has become essential for sporting performance in all forms of sport from the endurance based games of cricket, football, hockey and rugby, as athletes’ capacity to run and their stamina have a major bearing on how they perform. This is why so many sports teams (around the world) use the Yo-Yo test as part of their assessment of how fit players are.
The Yo-Yo test was developed by Danish sports physiologist Jens Bangsbo with his colleagues in the early 1990s. In recent years as the yo-yo test continued to gain acceptance, it has now become a critical component of player selection procedures for football, cricket, rugby etc. Likewise, the Yo-Yo test is considered to be the primary determination of fitness for players in the Indian cricket team.
What is the Yo-Yo Test?
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The YO-YO test is an assessment of an athlete’s ability to perform at a high-level aerobic intensity, as it involves running back and forth between two points that are each 20 meters apart.
Following the completion of each level within the protocol of the test, the running speed is increased so that each subsequent level is performed at a higher intensity than the previous level.
Upon completion of every 40m of running in the YO-YO test, there will be an active rest period for 5 or 10 seconds depending on what type of YO-YO test is being administered, and the test will terminate when the athlete is unable to run the required distance(20m) in the time- and speed-parameters stipulated by the test protocol.
How Many Types of Yo-Yo Tests Are There?
Jens Bangsbo developed six official variations of the Yo-Yo Test. Among these, the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIR1) is the most commonly utilized variation. All the variations of the Yo-Yo Test are outlined below.
Yo-Yo Endurance Test Level 1 – Continuous running; starting speed: 8 km/hr
Yo-Yo Endurance Test Level 2 – Continuous running; starting speed: 11.5 km/hr
Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance Test Level 1 – 5-second break after every 40m; starting speed: 8 km/hr
Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance Test Level 2 – 5-second break after every 40m; starting speed: 11.5 km/hr
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 – 10-second break after every 40m; starting speed: 10 km/hr (Most widely used)
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 – 10-second break after every 40m; starting speed: 13 km/hr
How is the Yo-Yo Test conducted?
1. Preparation
Location: A flat, dry and level (non slippery) area of at least 30 metres.
Equipment
20m measure to label 20m distance.
Cones to mark course.
Beep sound CD’s or MP3 player,
Speaker and recording sheet/running log.
All players must be fully rested, sufficiently hydrated and warmed up appropriately prior to commencing this testing process.
2. Course Layout
Endurance Test: Two lines (20m apart) only located at either end of the 20m measured area.
Intermittent Test: Three lines (Two 20m at either end) and one line (5m behind start) for rest.
3. The Process
Start: All players must start at the starting line and run 20m to the second line in the same time they hear the first beep sound. They then must return to the starting line in time to hear that same beep sound.
4. Running/ Recovery
Endurance Test: Continuous running as per a standard beep test. Intermittent test: The player receives an active rest of 5 or 10 seconds after every 40m run (by way of jogging or walking).
5. Increasing Speed
The tempo of the tone increases at each level, so players need to keep pace with the timing/speed of the beep.
6. How Does the Test End?
Testing will end under 2 scenarios:
1) When a player withdraws (e.g., is too tired),
OR
2) When a player fails to get to the designated line within the required time, consecutively twice (e.g., by violating the Testing).
7. Scoring
When you complete the Yo-Yo test, your total result will be recorded as ‘Level + Shuttle’, so for example if you finish 3 shuttles at Level 16 your final score would be 16.3. Your Yo-Yo score will also be used to determine your fitness level.
For the average player, levels between 15-18 will be considered average. For male athletes participating in team sports, a score greater than 20 is classified as excellent, and anything over 22 is deemed ‘outstanding’, and for female players the average score is normally 12-16.
Who Holds the World’s Best Yo-Yo Test Score?
According to existing data, the top-rated Yo-Yo test of all time (22.8) was set by Harry Grant , an Australian footballer; the highest women’s score (20.2) was set by Ambrosia Malone , an Australian field hockey player.
Male Athletes with the Best Yo-Yo Test Scores Globally
Harry Grant – Score 22.8 (Australian Football)
Billy Daniels – Score 22.7 (Football, Coventry City – England)
Pearce Laverty – Score 22.6 (Australian Football)
Nick Feeney – Score 22.5 (Basketball, New Zealand)
Andrew Brayshaw – Score 22.4 (Australian Football)
Josh Smith – Score 22.4 (Australian Football)
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Harry Sharp – Score 22.4 (Australian Football)
D. Kenny Paulraj – Score 22.4 (Football, Malaysia)
Joe Partington – Score 22.4 (Football, England)
Lachlan Squire – Score 22.3 (Australian Football)
Dillon Moore – Score 22.3 (Australian Football)
Stephen Giro – Score 22.3 (Australian Football)
Alastair Cook – Score 22.3 (Cricket, England)
John Brake – Score 22.2 (England Rugby 7s)
Ned McHenry – Score 22.2 (Australian Football)
Shan Masood – Score 22.1 (Cricket, Pakistan)
Mohammad Rizwan – Score 22.1 (Cricket, Pakistan)
Al-Amin Hossain – Score 22.1 (Cricket, Bangladesh)
Andrew McCullough – Score 22.0 (Rugby League)
Joshua Vici – Score 22.0 (Rugby 7s, Fiji)
Tom Mitchell – Score 22.0 (Rugby 7s, England)
Cristiano Ronaldo – Score 21.8 (Football, Portugal)
Tom Cusack – Score 21.6 (Rugby 7s, Australia)
Neymar – Score 21.6 (Football, Brazil)
Gareth Bale – Score 21.5 (Football, Wales)
Female Athletes with the Best Yo-Yo Test Scores
Ambrosia Malone – Score 20.2 (Field Hockey, Australia)
Verenaisi Bari – Score 19.7 (Rugby 7s, Fiji)
Kelley O’Hara – Score 19.1 (Football, USA)
Beth Langston – Score 19.1 (Cricket, England)
Jamie Beautfils – Score 18.7 (Football, Australia)
Kristine Lilly – Score 18.6 (Football, USA)
Kelly Hasty – Score 18.5 (Football, Manhattan College)
Nicole Coap – Score 18.4 (Football, Manhattan College)
Lani Muat – Score 18.2 (Lacrosse, New Zealand)
Nina Morrison – Score 18.1 (Australian Football)
Sarah Houlihan – Score 18.1 (Australian Football)
Sarah Pasti – Score 17.8 (Australian Football)
Nikita Harris – Score 17.8 (Australian Football, Dandenong Stingrays)
Marlo Graham – Score 17.7 (Australian Football, Northern Knights)
Isabella Davis – Score 17.6 (Australian Football, GWV Rebels)
How to Improve Your Yo-Yo Test Score?
To perform well in the Yo-Yo Test, players must work on both their aerobic and anaerobic fitness. These aspects are briefly outlined below:
Aerobic Training
Long-distance runs (3 to 10 kilometers)
1 km or 1-mile runs (3-5 repetitions at 75% speed)
Circuit training
Anaerobic Training
Interval training (400-800 meter runs)
Hill sprints
Repeated sprints (150–300 meters)
Speed and turning drills
High knees and leg drills
Plyometric exercises
Short-distance sprints (20-40 meters)
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