Agility is the ability to move quickly and change directions while maintaining control and balance. Good agility requires a combination of speed, acceleration, balance, power and coordination, plus good reflexes. Below is a collection of agility fitness tests, which vary over the distance, number of turns and angle of direction changes. Which one to use? See our discussion about agility fitness testing.
![running an agility test](images/agility-run-flickr.jpg)
True Agility Tests (incorporating reaction to a stimulus)
- Reactive Shuttle (NBA) - players complete an agility circuit, first running to the right or left direction in response to a stimulus.
Change of Direction Tests
- Illinois Agility Test (also a modified Illinois Agility Test and another over a shorter distance)
- T-Test — running a T-shape course involving forward, lateral, and backwards running.
- 505 Agility Test
- 20 Yard Shuttle (NFL, SPARQ) — running 5 yards, back 10 yards, and back again 5 yards, touching the lines with a hand.
- 3-Cone Drill (L-Run) (NFL)
- Shuttle Run test (30 foot) — run 30ft (9.14m) x 4, moving blocks from one end to the other
- 40 Yard Shuttle Run — run 30ft (9.14m) x 4, foot and hand simultaneously touching the floor on or beyond the turn-around line.
- SEMO Agility run — run around a rectangular area incorporating forward sprints, diagonal backpedaling, and side shuffling.
- Zig-Zag Test
- Figure-of-Eight Agility Run Test
- Hexagon agility test — involves jumping in and out of a hexagon shape as fast as possible.
- Hexagonal Obstacle Test — involves jumping over obstacles placed a hexagon shape, as fast as possible.
- Quadrant Jump Test — involves two-legged jumping around a cross shape on the floor, as fast as possible.
- 10-meter shuttle
- Quick Feet Test — run along a ladder placing a foot in each space
- Foot Tapping Speed Test — how many quick foot taps can be performed in 30 seconds.
- Side-step Test
- Edgren Side-Step Test, Modified Edgren Side-Step Test
- 20m 5-10-5 agility shuttle — run 5 meters to one side, 10 meters back the other way, finishing with 5 meters back to the start line.
- 20 Yard Agility (soccer) — run 5 yards to one side, 10 yards back the other way, finishing with 5 yards back to the start line (touching lines with a foot).
- Agility Cone Drill (SPARQ)
- 3-Cone Drill (NFL)
- Box Drill (NFL)
- Arrowhead Drill (soccer) (SPARQ)
- Balsom Agility Run (soccer)
- 10x5m Shuttle — run back and forth over 5 meters, for a total of 50m.
- 5m Multiple Shuttle — 30 seconds of shuttles, increasing by 5m over a 25m course.
Agility Tests for the Elderly
- AAHPERD Agility Test for seniors
- 8 Foot Up and Go (for the elderly)
- Sitting-Rising Test (for the elderly)
Sport Specific Agility Tests
- Lane Agility Drill (basketball) (SPARQ)
- AFL Agility Test (Australian Football)
- Run-a-Three (cricket)
- Reactive Shuttle (NBA)
- Shuttle Cross Pick-Up (hockey) (SPARQ)
- FIFA Change of Direction Ability (CODA) — forwards and sideways running over 8-10 meters (Football Assistant Referees)
Related Pages
- About agility fitness testing
- About Change of Direction (COD) Deficit
- Agility Testing Videos
- Agility also has elements of speed and reaction time: see list of Speed Tests and Reaction Time tests.
- What are the highest ranking sports requiring agility?
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