Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Calculator (IR1 / IR2)
Convert a Yo-Yo IR1 or IR2 result (level and shuttle) to distance covered and estimated VO₂max, with benchmarks for football, rugby, hockey and referees.
How it works
Distance = shuttles completed × 40 m; VO₂max (IR1) ≈ 0.0084 × distance + 36.4; VO₂max (IR2) ≈ 0.0136 × distance + 45.3 (Bangsbo et al. 2008)
The Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test, devised by Jens Bangsbo, mimics the stop-start demands of team sport: runners cover two 20-metre shuttles to an audio beep, take ten seconds of active recovery, and repeat at progressively faster speeds until they twice fail to reach the line. Distance covered is the headline result, and it tracks match high-intensity running and VO₂max far better than a continuous run test does. The IR1 (starting at 10 km/h) measures aerobic-dominant intermittent capacity and is used from youth to elite football and by referees; the IR2, starting at 13 km/h, exhausts players in half the time and stresses anaerobic recovery. Level notation like 18.3 means the third shuttle of speed level 18.
Worked example
Level 18.3 on the IR1 is 46 shuttles — 1,840 m — and a VO₂max around 52 mL/kg/min: a good semi-professional standard.
Frequently asked questions
How does Yo-Yo IR1 compare to the beep test?
The beep (20 m multistage) test is continuous; Yo-Yo adds recovery and reaches higher speeds. Results are not interchangeable, though both estimate VO₂max.
How often should players test?
Pre-season, mid-season and post-season is typical; improvements of 200–400 m over a pre-season block are common.
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General fitness estimate, not medical advice. Calorie and performance figures vary widely between individuals — use them for planning and comparison, and check with a doctor before starting intense training.