What it measures
Acceleration plus a brief window of maximum velocity. The 0–10 m segment captures acceleration; the 10–20 m segment captures speed-endurance and approach to top velocity.
Equipment
- 20 m of flat, straight surface
- Timing gates at 0 and 20 m (split gate at 10 m optional)
- Cones to mark start, finish, and split lines
Protocol
- Athlete positions 30 cm behind the start gate.
- Two-point standing start, no rocking or pre-loading.
- Movement-triggered start preferred; otherwise 'go' command + handheld backup.
- Sprint through the 20 m line at full effort — do not slow down before the line.
- Take 2–3 minutes between trials. Best of 3 attempts.
Scoring
Total 20 m time in seconds (to 0.01). Record the 0–10 m and 10–20 m splits when possible to separate acceleration from speed.
Typical ranges
Elite male soccer: 2.80–3.05 s. Elite female soccer: 3.10–3.40 s. NCAA male rugby: 2.85–3.10 s.
References
- Cronin JB, Hansen KT (2005). Strength and power predictors of sports speed. J Strength Cond Res.
Use this test in Performance House
Performance House supports 20m Sprint as a built-in test metric — log results from any device, see longitudinal trends, and contribute the result to the athlete's Performance Index automatically. Free for up to 5 athletes on the Starter plan.
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