What it measures
Multi-planar change-of-direction speed. Forward acceleration, lateral movement (both sides), and backwards locomotion all contribute, so the test rewards general athleticism more than a single linear sprint.
Equipment
- Four cones
- Stopwatch or timing gate
- Flat, non-slip surface — 10 yards wide, 10 yards long minimum
Protocol
- Set the four cones in a T-shape: one start cone, one 10 yards directly ahead (centre), one 5 yards left of centre, one 5 yards right of centre.
- Athlete starts at the start cone, sprints forward to the centre cone, touches it with the right hand.
- Athlete side-shuffles 5 yards left, touches the left cone with the left hand.
- Athlete side-shuffles 10 yards right, touches the right cone with the right hand.
- Athlete side-shuffles 5 yards back to centre, touches the centre cone with the left hand.
- Athlete backpedals 10 yards through the start line — timing stops at the line.
- Voided if the athlete crosses their feet during the side-shuffles. Best of 3.
Scoring
Total time in seconds to 0.01. Lower is better.
Typical ranges
NCAA male field sport: 8.5–9.5 s. NCAA women's soccer: 9.5–10.5 s. High-school athletes: 9.0–11.0 s.
References
- Pauole K, Madole K, Garhammer J, Lacourse M, Rozenek R (2000). Reliability and validity of the T-test as a measure of agility, leg power, and leg speed in college-aged men and women. J Strength Cond Res.
Use this test in Performance House
Performance House supports T-Test 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.
Browse the full protocol library for related tests, or jump to one of the related protocols below.