Relationship Between Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance Test-Level 1 and Match Running Performance in Soccer: Still on the Right Path?

Abstract

Introduction. The Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance Test-Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) is considered a valuable measurement tool in assessing specific soccer endurance. However, there is a lack of recent research validating this test with regard to match running performance (MRP) in elite-level soccer. Material and Methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of Yo-Yo IR1 in predicting MRP during elite-level soccer matches. The participants were soccer players who competed in the highest-level Croatian soccer league (23.57 ± 2.84 years, 181.9 ± 5.17 cm, 78.36 ± 4.18 kg), and they were all tested using Yo-Yo IR1 in the middle of the season 2019/2020. The players’ MRP (n = 71) was measured using the Global Positioning System over one-half season, and included the total distance covered, the distance covered in different speed zones, accelerations and decelerations. The association between MRP and Yo-Yo IR1 was identified with Pearson’s correlation. Results. The results indicated that central midfielders and fullbacks achieved significantly higher results in Yo-Yo IR1 than forwards and central defenders (F-test: 29.80; p < 0.01; large effect size). Higher results in Yo-Yo IR1 were correlated with the match amount of (i) the total distance covered (r = 0.65); (ii) high-speed running (r = 0.42); (iii) high-intensity distance covered (r = 0.36); (iv) total accelerations (r = 0.37); and total decelerations (r = 0.42). Conclusions. The established associations between Yo-Yo IR1 and MRP in this study confirmed the validity of Yo-Yo IR1 in predicting MRP in professional soccer today.

Integrating field-based tests into weekly soccer training sessions: a comparison of physiological demands of three progressive multistage fitness tests and regular training demands

“…Thus, aerobic fitness is one of the main physical fitness variables that support the match running performance of soccer players [4]. For example, soccer players with the greatest maximal oxygen uptake cover the longest distances at high intensity during a match [5,6]. Further, performance in a multistage fitness test correlates with match running performance [7], supporting the utility of these tests to monitor changes in aerobic performance [8,9].…”