T-Test (Agility Drill)

The T-test uses four cones in a "T" shape (a common layout: a 10-yard forward stem with a 10-yard cross-bar, i.e., 5 yards to each side). The athlete:

1. Sprints forward 10 yards from the base cone to the center cone and touches it.
2. Shuffles laterally (no crossing the feet) 5 yards to one side cone and touches it.
3. Shuffles 10 yards to the far side cone and touches it.
4. Shuffles back 5 yards to the center and touches it.
5. Backpedals 10 yards to the start.

It uniquely combines forward sprinting, lateral shuffling both ways, and backpedaling, testing multidirectional COD and the ability to switch locomotion modes.

Technique: keep a low athletic base; on the lateral phases use a shuffle without crossing the feet and keep the hips/shoulders square; decelerate to touch each cone with knees over toes (no valgus); keep the eyes up. Penalize crossing the feet or failing to touch cones when used as a test.

As a drill, it builds shuffle mechanics and transitions between movement types; as a test, it is timed and compared to norms (a classic agility field test). exact T-test dimensions (10 yd / 5 yd) are the common version; some protocols use metres.

• T-shaped course: sprint forward, shuffle to each side, shuffle back, backpedal.
• Common dimensions: 10-yd stem, 5 yd to each side (10-yd cross-bar).
• Tests forward, lateral, and backward movement plus mode transitions.
• Shuffle without crossing the feet; touch each cone; knees over toes on stops.
• Doubles as a timed multidirectional agility test.

• cone-drills — a standardized multi-direction cone drill.
• pro-agility-5-10-5 — companion lateral COD drill/test.
• cod-mechanics — the redirection skills it trains.
• shuttle-run — related linear running test.
• hip-adductors — active in lateral shuffling.