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Gacon Test (Running 45"/15")

The "Gacon test" was devised by professor Georges Gacon (in 1994), the French National Team Manager of middle-distance race runners from 1984 to 1994, and former fitness trainer with French football club Marseille plus others. It is another intermittent style test, with 45 seconds of running, with 15 seconds rest, with the running distance (and therefore the running speed) incrementally increasing. The test is mostly performed by soccer players in Europe. The test has been validated by Assadi and Lepers (2012). There is a similar 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15 IFT) with 30 seconds efforts and 15 seconds rest.



test purpose: to measure intermittent running ability and aerobic fitness in soccer players

equipment required: oval or running track, measuring tape, marker cones, whistle, stopwatch.

pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Measure and mark out the course. Ensure that the participants are adequately warmed-up. See more details of pre-test procedures.

course setup: Mark out a track with cones at the distance of 125m, 131.25m, 137.5m etc.

gacon test

procedure: All participants line up at the starting line. Players are required to run 125 meters within 45 seconds. Upon completion, they are given 15 seconds to rest. When the 15 seconds are up, they repeat the run in the opposite direction back to the starting cone, but this time the distance is increased by 6.25m to 131.25m. For each repetition, the distance is increased by 6.25m while the running (45sec) and the rest time (15sec) remains constant (see table). The athletes continue until they are unable to cover the set distance in 45 seconds.

Stage

Distance
(m) 
Avg. pace
(min/km)
Ave speed
(km/hr)
Total Distance
(m) 
1 125 6:00 10 125
2 131.25 5:43 10.5 256.25
3 137.5 5:27 11 393.75
4 143.75 5:13 11.5 537.5
5 150 5:00 12 687.5
6 156.25 4:48 12.5 843.75
7 162.5 4:37 13 1006.25
8 168.75 4:27 13.5 1175
9 175 4:17 14 1350
10 181.25 4:08 14.5 1531.25
11 187.5 4:00 15 1718.75
12 193.75 3:52 15.5 1912.5
13 200 3:45 16 2112.5
14 206.25 3:38 16.5 2318.75
15 212.5 3:31 17 2531.25
16 218.75 3:26 17.5 2750
17 225 3:20 18 2975
18 231.25 3:15 18.5 3206.25
19 237.5 3:10 19 3443.75
20 243.75 3:05 19.5 3687.5
21 250 3:00 20 3937.5
22 256.25 2:56 20.5 4193.75
23 262.5 2:52 21 4456.25
24 268.75 2:48 21.5 4725
25 275 2:44 22 5000

scoring: The total distance covered (in meters) is recorded.

variations: The test can be modified for young and less fit athletes, with the first distance is only 100m, and increasing by 6.25m each stage from that.

advantages: large groups can be tested at once, and it is a very cheap and simple test to perform with minimal equipment.

reference:



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