Which Yo-Yo Test Did You Do?
There are six variations of the yo-yo fitness test (three versions, each with two different levels), each of which focuses on different aspects of physical performance and different fitness levels. If you performed the yo-yo test, it is not always clear what version you did. This information is important if you are going to use the result to get a fitness rating, or use a calculator to estimate your VO2max score.
There is a good chance that you did the most commonly used test out of these six: the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1, also called YYIR1 or something like that. This is the intermittent recovery test that most people will mean when they talk about the yo-yo test, and that is the version that most teams will be using for testing their athletes.
If you are unsure, you can go through this list of questions to try and determine which test you performed.
Do you still have the recording, or did someone video the test? The recording often tells you which version of the test you performed. If you have a copy of the recording, but the version is not mentioned, the stage numbers are often mentioned throughout. You can compare the starting level to the details of the data tables for each test to see which one it matches. If no stage levels are mentioned, you may be able to time the beeps and calculate the running speed and check this against the data listed in the tables.
Are you an elite athlete? For each type of yo-yo test, there is a level one and level two version. The level one was developed for untrained and less trained individuals, and level 2 for well-trained athletes. If you are just a recreational athlete, it is unlikely that your coach or trainer would have given you the test for elite athletes.
Did you have a rest period after each 20m run? If no, then you have performed either one of the Yo-Yo Endurance tests, or a shuttle run beep test (very similar to the Yo-Yo Endurance Test Level 1), which is sometimes incorrectly called the yo-yo test. The starting pace of the level 1 test is much slower. If you or others in your team scored less than speed level (stage) 8, then you did the Level 1 version, as the Level 2 test starts at 8.
How long was the rest/recovery period? The Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance and Recovery Tests both have a recovery time after every 40m run (20m out and 20m back). If this rest period lasted 5 seconds, you did the Endurance version, and 10 seconds is for the Recovery version.
What rating did you get? You may be able to determine if you did the level one or level two intermittent recovery test by using the norm tables to get a rating for your test. If you consider yourself quite fit, entering level 2 results in this table will give you a poor score, as the level 2 version is a much harder test.
More Resources
- About the six variations of the yo-yo fitness test
- Buy all 6 versions of the Yo-Yo Test
- Should you do Level 1 or Level 2 Yo-Yo Test?
- Modified Yo-Yo Tests
- Alternatives to the yo-yo test
- Comparing the beep and yo-yo tests
- List of information pages
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