Yo-Yo IR1 vs Yo-Yo IR2: which test should you use?
Use the IR1 for almost everyone: it starts at 10 km/h and suits recreational, club and youth players. Use the IR2 only for well-trained players who would pass 2,000 m on the IR1. Both run 2 × 20 m shuttles with 10 seconds of recovery. The IR2 starts at 13 km/h, so it is harder from the first shuttle and ends sooner: a player reaching 2,040 m spends about 17 minutes on the IR1 and about 15 on the IR2.
What they share
Both tests use the same course and the same rhythm. Two lines 20 m apart, a recovery zone 5 m behind the start line. A shuttle is 40 m, out and back on the beep, followed by 10 seconds of walking. The score is the distance in metres, and the level number is 2 × speed in km/h minus 15.
The difference is where the tests start and how fast they get hard.
Side by side
| Yo-Yo IR1 | Yo-Yo IR2 | |
|---|---|---|
| First shuttle | 10 km/h (level 5) | 13 km/h (level 11) |
| Shuttles before the 8-shuttle levels | 1, 1, 2, 3, 4 | 1, 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| First 8-shuttle level | 14.5 km/h (level 14) | 17.5 km/h (level 20) |
| Distance when that level starts | 440 m | 440 m |
| Time to reach 760 m | about 6 min 30 s | about 5 min 55 s |
| Last row of the table | 20 km/h (level 25), 4,280 m | 22 km/h (level 29), 3,640 m |
| VO₂max equation | 0.0084 × distance + 36.4 | 0.0136 × distance + 45.3 |
Read the table by speed, not by distance. The IR2 is the IR1 shifted up by 3 km/h: the opening shuttles are the same in number, they are simply run 3 km/h faster. That is why the shuttle counts match and the speeds do not.
How long each one lasts
Recovery is 10 seconds in both, so only the running time changes. A distance of 2,040 m is 51 shuttles on either test. On the IR1 that takes about 1,004 seconds, roughly 17 minutes. On the IR2 it takes about 921 seconds, roughly 15 minutes. For 1,400 m, 35 shuttles, the gap is about 11 minutes 40 seconds against 10 minutes 40 seconds.
The timing difference matters less than the intensity. An IR2 player is running 17.5 km/h shuttles after 440 m. An IR1 player reaches 17.5 km/h only after 2,360 m.
Which one for which player
IR1: the default. Recreational adults, club players, school teams and youth squads. The early shuttles are easy enough that nobody drops out on the first level, and the score has room to move in both directions. The published adult norms and the soccer averages on this site are all IR1 data.
IR2: the top of the scale. Bangsbo and colleagues present the IR2 as the version for well-trained players, with a heavier load on anaerobic energy production. Our rule of thumb is a player who finishes the IR1 beyond about 2,000 m. If a player would cover 2,400 m on the IR1, the test spends a long time at speeds that do not stress them, and the IR2 puts the effort in the last shuttles instead.
If you are unsure, test with the IR1. A player who finishes level 20 or higher has told you to use the IR2 next time.
Mistakes to avoid
- Switching mid-season. An IR2 result does not continue an IR1 history. Keep one test per athlete.
- Using the IR1 equation on an IR2 score. The two VO₂max estimates use different coefficients, and the IR2 formula assumes the higher starting speed.
- Comparing to the wrong table. The soccer averages and the adult norms on this site are IR1 values. Do not read an IR2 distance against them.
- Testing the wrong recording. The IR1 and IR2 audio tracks start at different speeds, and their opening levels differ: at 13 km/h the IR1 runs 2 shuttles, the IR2 only 1. Check the track before the team lines up.
Where to go next
The full IR1 chart, with every level, speed, shuttle count and distance, is on Yo-Yo IR1 level to distance: complete conversion table. Group averages by level of play are in What is a good Yo-Yo IR1 score for soccer players?, and the protocol and recovery rules are on the Yo-Yo IR1 test page.
Go further
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare an IR1 score with an IR2 score?
No. The IR2 is a harder test, so the same distance means a different effort. The IR1 and IR2 have separate VO₂max equations and separate norms, and a player should be compared only with results from the same test.
Is the IR2 just a faster IR1?
Mostly. The course, the 2 × 20 m shuttle and the 10 s recovery are the same. The IR2 starts at 13 km/h instead of 10 and keeps the same shuttle counts, so every shuttle is 3 km/h faster and the load on anaerobic energy is higher.
Which one do I use to track a team through a season?
The one you can repeat. Pick it once, use the same recording and the same surface at every test, and compare each player with their own last result. Switching between tests mid-season breaks the comparison.
What is the Yo-Yo IR2 level for 13 km/h?
Level 11. The level number is 2 × speed in km/h minus 15, the same rule as the IR1, so 13 km/h is 11, 15 km/h is 15 and 17.5 km/h is 20.
Sources
- Bangsbo J., Iaia F. M., Krustrup P., “The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test: a useful tool for evaluation of physical performance in intermittent sports”, Sports Medicine, 2008; 38(1): 37-51 — IR1 and IR2 protocols and VO₂max equations (0.0084 × distance + 36.4 and 0.0136 × distance + 45.3)
- Yo-Yo IR1 and IR2 shuttle tables — speeds and shuttle counts from the tables behind the Cadlo Yo-Yo pages; distances and durations computed at 40 m per shuttle plus 10 s of recovery