AGILITY TEST

SHUTTLE RUN (10-20-20 / 5-10-5 YARDS)

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How to Test Agility (10-20-10 / 5-10-5 Shuttle Run) — Step-by-Step Guide

 

This test measures how well you decelerate, change direction, and re-accelerate—a key performance skill in football.

The 10–20–10 is a modified version of the classic 5–10–5 shuttle, which is widely used in American football. If your sport is American football, we recommend using the standard 5–10–5 so your results match established benchmarks and comparisons. For football, 10–20–10 is often the better choice because it reflects the game more realistically: you typically change direction at higher speed and over slightly longer distances than the very short stop-start bursts common in American football.

(If your sport is American football, or you have easier access to an American football field, that is also an excellent testing area—because you already have measured field markings every five yards.) 

  

What you need

  • Phone + stable support

  • Explosive Sprint Timer 

  • A clear start/finish point and two turn points

  

Set up the test (simple + repeatable) 

  1. Mark your start/finish line (on a pitch, the halfway line at the center is an easy reference).

  2. Set two turn points:

     

    • 10 yards to one side

    • 10 yards to the other side

     

  3. Run the pattern:

    10 yards out → 20 yards across → 10 yards back (finish where you started)

 

Consistency rule: define the turn the same way every time (e.g., “one foot clearly beyond the line”) and stick to it.

  

Film it

  • Phone stays still (lean it against shoes/bag/bottle)

  • Make sure the frame shows:

     

    • the start/finish line

    • both turn points

     

  • Do a quick test recording to confirm everything is visible

 

 

Win the test with better turns (not just harder running) 

  • Approach the turn under control (shorter steps into the plant)

  • Lower hips slightly before planting

  • Plant under your body, not far in front

  • Explode out with the first two steps—aggressive arms

  

How to run it 

  • Warm up + a few practice turns

  • Do 2–4 attempts 

  • Rest 3–5 minutes between attempts

 

 

Time it in Explosive Sprint Timer

 

Because start and finish are the same:

  • Start frame: first movement (or the exact frame where the foot leaves the ground)

  • End frame: torso crosses the start/finish line at the end

    Zoom in and go frame-by-frame for true precision.

 

Weekly testing prompt: Test this once a week—what you measure is what you improve.