Physical tests in football: what they measure, how to prepare and reference values
When a club evaluates you, it’s not just based on what it sees on the court — many apply standardized physical tests to measure your abilities objectively. Knowing what tests exist, what they measure, and what results are expected at each level gives you an advantage: you can prepare yourself specifically and get to the evaluation knowing what is expected of you.
The most used physical tests in professional football measure three fundamental capabilities: intermittent aerobic resistance, speed/acceleration, and agility/change of direction. In this article I present the most common tests, how they are performed, and the reference values by level.
- Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (the football standard)
- Cooper test (12 minutes)
- 10, 20 and 30 metre Sprint
- Agility T test
- Repeated sprints (RSA) capability test
- Summary table: all tests with reference values
- How to Prepare for Tests
- What to do with your results
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (YYIR1)
How to do it: You run back and forth (2 × 20 meters = 40 meters per repeat) at a rhythm marked by a sound signal. Between each repetition you have 10 seconds active recovery The speed increases progressively. The test ends when you do not reach the line before the signal on two consecutive occasions.
What's in it? Your ability to perform intermittent high intensity exercise with brief recovery — exactly what you do during a game.
How it scores: The total distance traveled in meters is measured.
| Player Level | YYIR1 (meters) | VO2max estimated (ml/kg/min) |
|---|---|---|
| Recreational / amateur | 400-1,000 | 40-45 |
| Semiprofessional | 1,000-1,600 | 45-50 |
| Professional (lower divisions) | 1,600-2,000 | 50-53 |
| Professional (first division) | 2,000-2,400 | 53-57 |
| International elite | 2,400+ | 57+ |
The formula for estimating your VO2max from YYIR1 is: VO2max (ml/kg/min) = distance (meters) × 0.0084 + 36.4 (Bangsbo et al., 2008).
Cooper test (12 minutes)
How to do it: Run as far as possible in 12 minutes on a track (400 meters).You keep a constant pace and try to cover the maximum distance.
What's in it? General aerobic capacity (estimated VO2max). It is less specific than Yo-Yo for football because it is continuous (not intermittent), but it is still widely used for its simplicity.
2,400-2,800 m
2,800-3,000 m
3,000-3,200 m
3,200+ m
10, 20 and 30 metre Sprint
How to do it: Maximum Sprint from the stop. Time is measured with photocells or manual chronometer. 3-4 attempts are made with full recovery (2-3 minutes) and the best time is taken.
What's in it? Pure speed and acceleration capacity. The 10 meters measure initial acceleration (the most important in football); the 30 meters measure maximum speed.
| Distance | Okay. | Very good. | Professional | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 meters | < 1,90 s | < 1,80 s | < 1,75 s | < 1,65 s |
| 20 meters | < 3,20 s | < 3,05 s | < 2,95 s | < 2,85 s |
| 30 meters | < 4,50 s | < 4,20 s | < 4,05 s | < 3,90 s |
Agility T test
How to do it: Mount 4 T-shaped cones: one at the start, one at 10 meters (center), one at 5 meters to the left and one at 5 meters to the right. Sprint to the central cone (10m), lateral displacement to the left cone (5m), lateral displacement to the right cone (10m), lateral displacement back to the center (5m), and back run to the starting point (10m).
What's in it? Agility, change of direction, coordination, lateral displacement, and multidirectional speed.
Reference values: Less than 10.5 seconds is good; less than 9.5 seconds is very good; less than 9.0 is professional elite level.
Repeated sprints (RSA) capability test
How to do it: The most common protocol is 6 × 40 meters (round trip 20m with 180° spin) with 20 seconds of passive recovery between each sprint. The best time, total time, and percentage of yield drop between the first and last sprint are measured.
What's in it? Your ability to repeat maximum efforts with brief recovery — the most important ability of modern football. A player can be quick on a sprint, but if he cannot repeat it, he loses effectiveness during the game.
Reference values (professionals): Best sprint: 2.89-3.14 s. Total time: 17.79-19.31 s. Performance drop: less than 3% is excellent (according to systematic review of Sports Medicine, 2025).
Summary table
| Test | Capacity | Duration | Equipment | Professional value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-Yo IR1 | Intermittent resistance | 10-20 min | Cones, audio | 2,000-2,400 m |
| Cooper (12 min) | Aerobic resistance | 12 min | Track, stopwatch | 3,000-3,200 m |
| Sprint 30m | Maximum speed | < 5 s | Cones, chronometer | < 4,05 s |
| Sprint 10m | Acceleration | < 2 s | Cones, chronometer | < 1,75 s |
| Test T | Multidirectional agility | < 12 s | 4 cones | < 9,5 s |
| RSA 6×40m | Repeated Sprints | ~3 min | Cones, chronometer | Total < 19 s |
How to Prepare for Tests
- For Yo-Yo IR1: Interval training 2-3 times per week. Starts with long intervals (4 × 4 min to 80-85 % FC max) and progresses towards short intervals (8-10 × 30 s intense). Reduced sets (4vs4, 5vs5) are the best specific preparation.
- For sprints: Maximum Sprints of 10-30 meters with full recovery (2-3 min), 2 times a week. Speed is freshly trained — never make sprints at the end of an exhausting session.
- For agility: Exercises with cones (zigzag, 5-10-5, simulated T-test), steering changes at maximum speed, 2 times per week.
- For RSA: Short interval training and reduced games are the best preparation. Simulate the test protocol 1-2 times in the previous weeks to familiarize you with the format.
- 48 hours before the test: Active rest (not intense training), good hydration, carbohydrate-rich meals, and 8+ hours of sleep. Your performance in the test depends on both the previous preparation and how you arrive that day.
What to do with your results
Your physical test results are a diagnostic tool — they tell you what you're good at and what you need to improve on. Use them to:
Identify your strengths and weaknesses. If your Yo-Yo is good but your sprint is bad, you need more speed work. If your sprint is good but your RSA falls, you need more ability to repeat efforts.
Measure your progress. Repeat the same tests at the beginning and end of each test preseason to check that your training program is working. If you don’t improve, something needs to be changed.
Include them in your professional profile. Objective physical data (sprint times, distance in Yo-Yo) are valuable information for scouts and clubs. Include them in your Sports CV and in your profile of Soccer CV — a player with verifiable data transmits professionalism.
Compare your level to the required level. If you aspire to play at a certain level, the tables in this article tell you what values are expected. If you are far away, you have a clear goal; if you are close, you know that your preparation is on the right track.
Related articles
- Physical preparation for football: full preseason program
- Prevention of Football Injuries: The Exercises Every Player Should Do
- Post-party recovery: evidence-based protocols
- Nutrition for footballers: food guide
- How to make a professional footballer CV
This guide is based on the systematic review of Sports Medicine (Asimakidis et al., 2025), studies by Bangsbo et al. (2008), research published in PubMed/PMC, Football Science, Professional Soccer Coaching, and Topend Sports. Reference values are approaches based on multiple studies — specific standards may vary depending on the club, league, and position. Consult with a physical trainer to interpret your results in context.
If you're building your football career, create your profile in CV Football — include your physical data along with your history, video and statistics to give scouts and clubs a full picture of your potential.