Yo-Yo Test for Football Goal Keepers
In addition to the six official yo-yo test versions as created by Jens Bangsbo, there are a few modified versions of the yo-yo test that have made changes to the original protocols for a specific purpose, such as this version for Football / Soccer Goal Keepers.
The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIR1) is commonly used in football to assess the fitness of players. The fitness demands of the goalkeepers are very different from the field players, though there is no specific test for them. Here is a goalkeeper-specific adaptation of the YYIR1, the YYIR1-GK, which was described by Ehlert et al. (2018). The test involves side-shuffles as well as backwards and forwards running, and can be conducted simultaneously with the field players.
The YYIR1-GK uses the same audio file and format as the YYIR1, though with a few differences in the protocol used. Two cones are set up parallel to each other creating a start line (A). Another two additional cones are set up four meters away (B), forming a second line to which actions will be performed. Each stage of the test requires the goalkeeper to perform four different actions, each requiring four meters of movement, a total of 16 meters for each stage.
The required actions, in order, are as follows:
- side-shuffle (left or right)
- side-shuffle back to the starting line
- backwards run
- forwards run back to the starting line
Each stage covers 16 meters between the two sets of cones. The four actions were completed successively before the first audible beep from the audio file (the indicator for turning for the field players). The goal keepers cover 16m in a time that the field players would complete 20m of running. The goal keepers then rest, at a time that the field players would be completing their second 20m run of each stage. All players then rest for the 10 second recovery period before all starting at the same time for the next stage.
The time to complete the 16m of activities and the rest time gradually decreases as the time given to complete each stage decreases. The goalkeeper is required to touch the line with their foot before proceeding on to the next action. The test ends when the player is unable to complete the 16m activities in the required time, for two consecutive stages.
It is possible for field players to perform this test simultaneously as the goal keepers, using the same audio track. Both groups will start each stage at the same time, though the goal keepers will stop and rest earlier than the field players.
Reference
- Ehlert, Alex & R. Cone, John & Wideman, Laurie & Goldfarb, Allan. (2018). Evaluation of a Goalkeeper-Specific Adaptation to the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1: Reliability and Variability. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 33. 1. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002869.
More Resources
- Buy the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test
- Football Yo-Yo Test results
- The Assistant Referee Intermittent Endurance Test is another modified Yo-Yo IE2 test including shuttles of sideways running
- other modifications of the yo-yo tests
- about the six variations of the yo-yo fitness test
- Alternatives to the Yo-Yo Test
- List of information pages
Cite this Page
