Padel Fitness TestAssess Your Court Performance Level

Why Measuring Your Fitness Level Changes How You Train

Most padel players train based on feel. Testing replaces guesswork with data — and data changes decisions.

Baselines make progress visible

Without a baseline, you cannot measure improvement. Players who test before a training block can look at their numbers eight weeks later and see exactly how much their aerobic capacity, their agility, their leg power, and their shoulder health have changed. That is motivating when numbers improve. It is important when they do not — because a flatline or regression is information. It tells you something about your training programme, your recovery, or a developing physical issue that needs attention. The players who improve fastest are not always the ones who train hardest. They are the ones who track their results and adjust based on evidence.

Progress tracking guides programme decisions

If your Yo-Yo test score improves but your agility time stagnates, that tells you exactly where to shift training emphasis for the next block. If your standing broad jump improves but your shoulder ER/IR ratio gets worse, that flags a shoulder health issue before it becomes a structural problem. Testing removes the guesswork from programme design. Instead of deciding training priorities based on what you enjoy most, you decide based on where the biggest performance gaps actually are. For players who have limited training time — which is most club players — that precision matters enormously.

Injury risk identification before it becomes an injury

Several tests in this battery double as injury risk screens. The shoulder ER/IR ratio is the clearest example: a ratio below 0.66 is a validated risk factor for shoulder injury in overhead athletes. The single-leg squat hold time test reveals asymmetries between legs that correlate with knee and ankle injury risk. Testing mid-season, when players are under cumulative load, is particularly useful — this is when the subtle deficits that accumulate over months of play become visible in test scores before they manifest as pain. Think of the mid-season test as a health check for your physical system, not just a performance measurement.

Testing frequency: pre-season and mid-season

Two testing windows per season provide the most useful data. The pre-season test (4-6 weeks before the competitive season begins) sets your baseline and identifies the physical gaps that your pre-season training should close. The mid-season test (roughly halfway through the competitive period) tracks progress, identifies any regression under competitive load, and guides adjustments for the second half of the season. Testing more frequently than twice per season adds administrative overhead without meaningfully improving the quality of the data. Testing only once per season loses the ability to identify trends.

Yo-Yo IRT Level 1 — How to Run It

Equipment and setup

Two cones placed 20 metres apart. A third cone placed 2.5 metres behind one of the main cones — this is the recovery zone. A smartphone or audio device with the official Yo-Yo IRT Level 1 audio file (freely available online). A flat, non-slip surface — a padel court works perfectly. Ideally a training partner to watch your line touches and record your level when you fail.

Execution

Start at the main cone. When the audio beep sounds, sprint 20 metres to the far cone and return before the next beep. Then walk or jog into the recovery zone and back in the 10-second recovery period before the next set begins. The audio pacing progressively increases speed. You fail the test when you cannot reach the line in time on two consecutive shuttle pairs. Record the level and distance reached at failure. Total distance covered is your score — this is the number that can be compared across testing sessions and benchmarked against standards.

Scoring standards for padel players

The ranges below are for recreational to competitive club-level padel players. Elite or semi-professional players will typically score above 1800 metres on YYIRT1.

5-10-5 Reactive Agility — How to Run It

Equipment and setup

Three cones in a straight line, each 5 metres apart (so 10 metres total). The player starts straddling the middle cone in the padel ready position — knees bent, weight on balls of feet, racket up (or hands in racket-ready position). A testing partner stands 3 metres in front of the player.

Execution

The testing partner points left or right without warning. The player sprints 5 metres to that cone, touches the line, sprints 10 metres to the far cone, touches the line, then sprints back 5 metres through the centre cone. A stopwatch starts at the moment of the direction signal and stops when the player crosses the centre line on the final sprint. Three attempts with full rest between each. Record the best time. Using the reactive cue (partner pointing) rather than a self-start is non-negotiable — it doubles the test’s relevance to padel performance.

Scoring standards

Times are for the reactive version. A predetermined-start version typically runs 0.1 to 0.2 seconds faster.

Standing Broad Jump — How to Run It

Equipment and setup

A flat, non-slip surface with a clear take-off line marked. A tape measure fixed to the floor from the take-off line, or a measuring tape held by a partner. Shoes on — test in your padel shoes for conditions consistent with court performance.

Execution

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes at the take-off line. Swing arms back, bend knees to approximately 90 degrees, then explosively jump forward, swinging arms forward for momentum. Land on both feet simultaneously. Measure from the take-off line to the back heel of the rear foot on landing. Three attempts with 90 seconds rest between each. Record the best distance. Common errors: failing to use the arm swing (reduces distance by 10 to 15%), not bending knees sufficiently at take-off, and not standing still before jumping.

Single-Leg Squat Hold — How to Run It

Execution

Stand on one leg with the knee of the opposite leg bent to 90 degrees, thigh parallel to the floor. Arms crossed over chest. Lower yourself into a single-leg squat until the thigh of the standing leg is parallel to the floor (or as low as you can go with good form — no caving knee, no hip drop). Hold the bottom position. Start the stopwatch at the point you reach the lowest position. Stop when form breaks — knee caves inward, hip drops on the non-standing side, or you lose balance. Test both legs. Rest 2 minutes between legs. Record time for each leg separately.

What to do with asymmetry

If one leg holds significantly longer than the other, target the weaker leg with specific single-leg strength work: Bulgarian split squats, step-up progressions, and single-leg press. Asymmetry above 15% should be addressed before increasing training volume. A significant asymmetry that appears mid-season when it was not present pre-season warrants investigation — it may indicate a developing knee or hip issue on the weaker side.

Shoulder ER/IR Ratio — How to Run It

Equipment and setup

A resistance band of known resistance (use the same band for pre-season and mid-season testing — consistency matters more than the specific resistance). A stable anchor for the band at elbow height. A training partner to count repetitions to failure with good form.

External rotation test

Stand side-on to the anchor with the band at your side. Elbow bent to 90 degrees, upper arm against your side. Rotate your forearm outward away from your body (external rotation) against the band resistance. Slow controlled repetitions — 2 seconds out, 2 seconds return. Count repetitions until form breaks (elbow lifts away from the side, trunk rotates, or forearm does not reach full range). Record the number. Test both shoulders separately.

Internal rotation test

Same setup, opposite direction. Rotate your forearm inward across your body (internal rotation) against the band. Same tempo, same failure criteria. Record repetitions for each shoulder. Calculate the ER/IR ratio: divide the ER repetitions by the IR repetitions. A healthy ratio is 0.75 or above. Below 0.66 indicates elevated injury risk.

Turning Test Scores Into Training Decisions

Identify your lowest-scoring test

Your lowest-scoring test relative to the standard is your highest training priority. If your Yo-Yo score is below average but your agility and power scores are good, aerobic-anaerobic capacity is where your training block should focus. If your agility score is average but your single-leg squat is asymmetric, single-leg strength work takes priority. Do not try to improve all five qualities simultaneously — that spreads training stimulus too thin to drive meaningful adaptation in any single quality.

Injury risk markers take precedence

If the shoulder ER/IR ratio is below 0.66, or the single-leg squat reveals an asymmetry above 15%, those are the first priorities regardless of where other scores sit. Physical performance improvements mean little if a preventable injury sidelines you three weeks into the season. Address risk markers first, then shift to performance optimisation.

Compare pre-season to mid-season

Mid-season regression in any score that was above average pre-season is a signal. It could mean accumulated fatigue, inadequate recovery, or a developing physical issue. A Yo-Yo score that drops significantly mid-season often points to insufficient aerobic recovery between matches. A broad jump that drops points to leg fatigue accumulation. A shoulder ER/IR ratio that worsens mid-season despite no shoulder pain is an early warning of rotator cuff overload that, left unaddressed, typically progresses to pain.