Yo-Yo IR2 testing of elite and sub-elite soccer players: Performance,heart rate response and correlations to other interval tests |
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| Authors: | Jørgen Ingebrigtsen Mads Bendiksen Morten Bredsgaard Randers Carlo Castagna Peter Krustrup Andreas Holtermann |
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| Institution: | 1. Centre of Practical Knowledge, Department of Sports , University of Nordland , Bod? , Norway jorgen.ingebrigtsen@uin.no;3. Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences , August Krogh Institute , Copenhagen , Denmark;4. Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Denmark;5. Technical Department , Football Training and Biomechanics Laboratory, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) , Coverciano , Florence , Italy;6. National Research Centre for the Working Environment , Copenhagen , Denmark |
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| Abstract: | Abstract We examined performance, heart rate response and construct validity of the Yo-Yo IR2 test by testing 111 elite and 92 sub-elite soccer players from Norway and Denmark. VO2max, Yo-Yo IR1 and repeated sprint tests (RSA) (n = 51) and match-analyses (n = 39) were also performed. Yo-Yo IR2 and Yo-Yo IR1 performance was 41 and 25% better (P < 0.01) for elite than sub-elite players, respectively, and heart rate after 2 and 4 min of the Yo-Yo IR2 test was 20 and 15 bpm (9 and 6% HRmax), respectively, lower (P < 0.01) for elite players. RSA performance and VO2max was not different between competitive levels (P > 0.05). For top-teams, Yo-Yo IR2 performance (28%) and sprinting distance (25%) during match were greater (P < 0.05) than for bottom-teams. For elite and sub-elite players, Yo-Yo IR2 performance was correlated (P < 0.05) with Yo-Yo IR1 performance (r = 0.74 and 0.76) and mean RSA time (r = ?0.74 and ?0.34). We conclude that the Yo-Yo IR2 test has a high discriminant and concurrent validity, as it discriminates between players of different within- and between-league competitive levels and is correlated to other frequently used intermittent elite soccer tests. |
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| Keywords: | Yo-Yo IR1 repeated sprint test VO2max heart rate discriminant validity convergent validity |
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