What is Yo-Yo test? All you need to know about the challenging activity

The Yo-Yo test has become an important point of discussion ever since it set the benchmark for selection in the Indian cricket team.

This test is considered to be one of the main reasons for the massive improvement in fitness levels among the cricketers today.

The Yo-Yo test is a fitness test that measures a cricketer’s aerobic endurance and stamina. It is used in many sports, including cricket. The test is conducted to assess a player’s fitness level and their ability to sustain high-intensity physical activity throughout a match.

The Yo-Yo test involves running back and forth between two markers placed 20 meters apart with progressively shorter time intervals. The test is timed and the player’s score is calculated based on how many shuttles they complete before they are unable to keep up with the pace.

The Yo-Yo test is a challenging test, but it is a reliable way to measure a player’s fitness level. It is important for cricketers to be fit in order to be able to perform at their best. The Yo-Yo test is a valuable tool for coaches and selectors to use when assessing a player’s fitness.

Danish soccer physiologist Dr Jens Bangsbo had introduced the Intermittent Recovery Test (Yo-Yo test) in the 1990s. The test was initially done on footballers to improve their overall fitness and aerobic capacity. The routine, however, did not follow the template of running long distances. Over a period of time, other sports started embracing the Yo-Yo test.

Former Indian cricket team’s strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu had introduced the Yo-Yo test to the national side ahead of India’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2017.

Star batsman Virat Kohli had once recorded the highest score of 19 in the Yo-Yo test among Indian cricketers.

Interestingly, several cricketers including Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammed Shami, Sanju Samson and Varun Chakravarthy had failed to clear the Yo-Yo test in the past.