Functional Evaluation Tests: The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (IRT1)

Today’s topic is all about one of the most specific and widely used fitness tests in the world of football—across pro, amateur, and youth levels: the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test.

The Yo-Yo Test is a maximal intermittent test that falls under the "Power Test" category. It comes in two difficulty levels: the IRT1 (starting at 10 km/h) and the IRT2, also known as the Bangsbo Test (starting at 13 km/h).

But what is the Yo-Yo Test actually for? And what insights does it give us for our programming?

Essentially, it allows us to identify our players' MAS (Maximal Aerobic Speed), based on the speed maintained in the final successful step before finishing the test. (Keep in mind: since this is a shuttle run, it might slightly underestimate this parameter compared to continuous linear tests).

Once you know your athletes' MAS, you can accurately program the distances for intermittent drills involving changes of direction. Most importantly, it allows you to split the squad into different working groups based on their specific MAS values.

Pro tip: Remember that MAS values from the Gacon Test and the Yo-Yo IRT1 are different. Make sure you choose the one that best fits your specific goals!

Protocol Yo-Yo Test

The protocol is actually pretty straightforward. It’s a shuttle run (2 x 20m) starting at a speed of 10 km/h. Specifically, every 40 meters (one full shuttle), there’s a 10-second active recovery phase (5m + 5m walk/jog).

The pace and the speed increases are dictated by an audio track (beeps). The test ends when the athlete can no longer keep up with the signal.

Quick rule: The first time they miss the beep, they get a warning; the second time, the test is officially over!

How to Calculate MAS (Maximal Aerobic Speed)

Now that we’ve covered the protocol, let’s look at how to actually get the MAS value from the field test results. Extracting the data is quick and easy: simply check the reference table. Once you’ve identified the final step completed by the player and the total distance covered, just follow the row across to find the corresponding value.

Setting Distances for Intermittent run work in Football

Once you have the MAS values, you can start programming your intermittent drills. Let's break down the math needed to calculate the exact distances.

Imagine you want to set up a 10”-10” drill for a player with a MAS of 15 km/h:

• Step 1: Convert the speed into meters per second (m/s).

  15 km/h=15,000 meters/3,600 seconds=4.17 m/s

• Step 2: Calculate the distance to be covered in 10 seconds at 100% MAS:

  4.17×10=41.7 meters

Heads up: This example is based on 100% MAS. If you want to work at higher or lower intensities, just add one more calculation to Step 2.

For instance, if you want the player to run at 115% MAS:

4.17×10×1.15=47.9 meters

This is extremely useful when designing drills with active recovery, where you might prefer to have the athletes run at lower MAS percentages.