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Yo-Yo Intermittent Test Results

What is it?

The Yo-Yo Intermittent Test is similar to the Yo-Yo endurance test (a variation of the beep test), except in the intermittent tests the participants have a short active break (5 or 10 seconds for the endurance and recovery versions, respectively). There are also two levels of the test (Level 1 & 2), each having a different starting speed and increments. Therefore there are four possible Yo-Yo intermittent tests that can be performed, and the one that is used is recorded below when known, but in some cases the version that was used is unknown.

Top Scores

Comparing scores is often difficult, especially as there is more than one version and level of the test, and all reports do not specify which is being used. Below are some of the test scores that have been found, with not all of them being confirmed results and the test variation used not clear. There are several ways of reporting the results, sometimes the total disatance is reported, other times the number of levels and shuttles. See the page on Yo-Yo Intermittent Test Levels for more information.

Football / Soccer - males

Professional soccer player Joe Partington achieved 22.4 at the AFC Bournemouths pre-season training camp on 3/7/2010. This is fully documented by the club. (personal communication from Telboy, unconfirmed result).
In a study of 13-14 year old spanish footballers, yo-yo test results ranged from 13.1 for centre fullbacks to 14.46 for wide midfielders (Assessment of anthropometric and physiological aspects of 13-14 years old Spanish footballers, by Juan Bautista Castilla Arroyo)
The head of fitness training at Collingwood AFL club was quoted as saying that the Melbourne Victory (National Football/Soccer team) players perform the intermittent yo-yo test, and were scoring "high teens and 20s. Getting about 20 to 21, they’re looking at over two kilometres. Two-and-a-half would be exceptionally elite." (from an article on AFL.com.au)
Cardiff City defenders Roger Johnson and Tony Capaldi are the best performing in the yo-yo test, with scores over 20 (retrieved from icwales.co.uk July 07)
Male top-class soccer players, playing matches at the highest international level, had a higher performance level on the Yo-Yo IR1 test (2420 m) than elite (2190 m) and sub-elite players (2030 m) as well as moderate trained soccer players (1810 m). (from Bangsbo et al. (2008))

Football / Soccer - females

A study of female Danish Premier League soccer players found they had a Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2 (Yo-Yo IE2) performance of 1,213 m +/- 90 m (n=23). (from Krustrup, P, Zebis, M, Jensen, JM, and Mohr, M. Game-induced fatigue patterns in elite female soccer. J Strength Cond Res 24(2): 437-441, 201).
Soccer legend Kristine Lilly ran 49 shuttles for the YYIRT (10 second recovery periods) in September 2010 at the age of 39, setting the record for the US Women's National Team. This mark was recently beaten by 22-year-old Kelley O'Hara who kept going all the way up to 52 shuttles (2,080 meters) (from an article on US soccer online, 9 Jan 2011)
The performance level of top-class female players was 1600, with a lower level for elite (1360m) and sub-elite (1160 m) players (for the Yo-Yo IR1 test, from Bangsbo et al. (2008))

Rugby

USA Rugby 7's National Coach Al Caravelli stated that a minimum requirement for the Yo-Yo test that he and his coaches look for in 7s candidates is a level of 18 or higher. He said that some international players have recorded scores around 22. In recent testing, four players that scored above 18: Tim Acker (Kutztown University), Jim Rosato (Philadelphia-Whitemarsh Rugby Club), Glen Thommes (Salesianum High School/incoming University of Delaware) and 27 year old Nick Koon (Pittsburgh Harlequins). (from the EPRU website, June 2011).
Hawke's Bay (NZ) player Michael Ruru achieved a yoyo test score of 18.8 (second to Brad Nicol's 19.6) in preparation for the Pub Charity National Sevens tournament. (from Hawkes Bay Today, Jan 2011)
New convert from League, Sonny Bill Williams performed solidly in a "yo-yo" test in All Blacks training, exiting around level 19 with a group of fellow backs. (from stuff.co.nz, Oct 2010)
All Black Richie Mccaw scored 19.2, as seen on this video. Another All Black Conrad Smith is also said to have reached 19.4.
Performance of elite rugby players was 1656 m, almost the same as for sub-elite players, 1564 m. (for the Yo-Yo IR1 test, from Bangsbo et al. (2008))

Field Hockey

The Indian hockey team had to undergo the yoyo test on their first day of training in more than three months. The team recorded averages of levels 17 and 18, which was satisfactory for the coach. The coach Harendra Singh was quoted as saying that “The top European teams and the Australians, during training, easily score around 22-23. The Australians score about 15 when they come back from a layoff." (from Indian Express online, 18 March 2011)
In the testing of the Syracuse University’s D1 field hockey team, the highest score in the yo yo level 1 test was a 14.6, with the average around 12.2. The players are 17-22 years old - college freshmen to seniors (personal communication from coach).
U21 state-level female hockey players averaged 840 m. (for the Yo-Yo IR1 test, from Bangsbo et al. (2008))

Cricket

Australian fast bowler Doug Bollinger achieved a yo-yo test result of 19.2 after a fitness program following being dropped from the test team. (from the Cooma Express online, Jan 2011)
In some testing of the Australian Cricket team, player Steve O'Keefe top scored with 20.6, with vice-captain Michael Clarke not far behind with 20.1. (from video of Australia Cricket fitness testing, Sept 2010).

Basketball

Scots College student Jonathan Mbakwe has just been selected for the New South Wales team in the National Championships, and was tested in the Intermittent Yo Yo test and scored a 21.4 (retrieved from The Scots College website, Feb 2011)
The Oregon women’s basketball team had to get above a 15 to pass their Yo-Yo test (Goducks.com, Jan 2009).

Badminton

Female young elite-badminton players (age 21 years: 1200 m; and age 17 years: 1080 m) (for the Yo-Yo IR1 test, from Bangsbo et al. (2008) )

Reference

Jens Bangsbo, F. Marcello Iaia and Peter Krustrup, (2008) The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test: A Useful Tool for Evaluation of Physical Performance in Intermittent Sports, Sports Medicine 2008; 38 (1): 37-51.

Yo-Yo test norms
procedures for the Yo-Yo Intermittent fitness test, and the Yo-Yo Endurance Test.
A table of the distance covered for each speed level for the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance Test.
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