Evaluate anaerobic and aerobic capacity through repeated 20m sprints with short recovery intervals.
Australian Test
Test Objective
The Australian Test is designed to measure the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of athletes by requiring them to perform repeated 20-meter sprints, followed by rest periods. The test evaluates the athlete's ability to maintain a fast speed across several repetitions with short recovery, reflecting performance in game situations where intermittent efforts are frequent.
Test Protocol
The test consists of 20-meter sprints performed with short recovery intervals.
Execution Sequence:
Distance: Each sprint covers 20 meters.
The test begins with a 20-meter sprint at maximal speed, immediately followed by an active recovery (slow walking) of 10 seconds.
After the recovery, the athlete immediately starts another 20-meter sprint.
The test continues for a duration of 10 to 20 minutes, with successive series of 20-meter sprints.
Objective: Perform a maximum number of repetitions while maintaining maximal speed.
Results Analysis
Results are evaluated based on the times achieved on each repetition and the decrease in speed as the sets progress. If the athlete manages to maintain a constant speed or high performance across the repetitions, this reflects good recovery capacity and excellent endurance.
Performance Criteria:
Average sprint time: The shorter the time for each repetition, the better the performance.
Accumulated fatigue: If performance decreases significantly after several repetitions, it may indicate fatigue or poor recovery capacity.
Interpretation of Results
Number of Repetitions
Performance Level
20 – 25 repetitions
Excellent anaerobic capacity
15 – 19 repetitions
Good anaerobic capacity
10 – 14 repetitions
Average anaerobic capacity
< 10 repetitions
Poor anaerobic capacity
✅ Advantages
Specific to team sports with high-intensity intermittent efforts.
Evaluates both aerobic and anaerobic capacity by measuring speed and the ability to recover between sprints.
Easy to administer with minimal equipment required (only a 20-meter track and a stopwatch).
Allows for tracking athletes' progress in terms of resistance and recovery.
⚠️ Limitations and Recommendations
As with any high-intensity test, it is important that the athlete is properly warmed up before starting to prevent injuries.
If the athlete fails to maintain a high speed after a few repetitions, it could indicate a need to improve active recovery or anaerobic endurance.
💡 Coach’s Tip
The Australian Test can be used regularly to evaluate your athletes' progress in their anaerobic endurance. It can also be an excellent indicator of active recovery between repetitions. If athletes show signs of excessive fatigue, you can adjust the recovery times or modify the number of repetitions in your upcoming tests.