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Test protocol · Accelerate then stop

Accel-Decel Test (ADA)10 m or 20 m · from a standing start

1Record2Upload3See the results
Why it matters: team-sport athletes rarely sprint without having to stop. The acceleration-deceleration ability (ADA) test measures both in one effort, and braking from your own sprint is a different skill from braking at a set speed (Harper et al., 2023).ADA shows how the athlete builds speed and then how well they stop it.

The athlete starts still behind the start line, sprints to the middle cone, then brakes as hard as possible and stops before the end cones. One iPhone filmed side-on records the run; an optional front camera adds a second view.

10 / 20
metre capture zone
2
phases: accelerate, decelerate
1–2
iPhones: side, plus optional front
PhaseSet
Time–
Speed–
Why it matters

Speed you can't stop is a liability. ADA measures both.

Every ADA run gives you three layers that turn one effort into decisions for performance, injury risk, return to play, benchmarking and scouting.

ACC
Acceleration

Split time and speed at the middle cone, and the steps that produced it.

BRK
Deceleration

Time and distance to stop, and average, early and late deceleration.

MEC
Mechanics

Contact times, touchdown distance, shin angle, trunk lean and knee angles in both phases.

01

Performance monitoring

Is the athlete braking faster and harder?

  • Braking Time to stop, distance to stop and average deceleration vs baseline and cohort.
  • Approach Track approach speed too: braking from a higher speed is harder.
  • Trend Re-test every few weeks to see the effect of training.
02

Performance improvement

Where is the brake breaking down?

  • Early vs late Weak early deceleration means a slow start to the brake; weak late deceleration means poor stopping.
  • Steps Long contacts or a big final step show braking left too late.
  • Posture Trunk lean and knee angles show how the athlete positions to absorb force.
03

Injury risk reduction

Who can't control high braking forces?

  • Stiff braking Little knee flexion and big touchdown distances concentrate load.
  • Deceleration capacity Poor braking relative to speed points to a capacity gap to train.
  • Fatigue Braking that worsens late in a session or season flags fatigue.
04

Safer, faster return to play

Can the athlete stop from speed again?

  • Progression Re-test the shorter version first, then the longer, faster one.
  • Baseline match Compare with pre-injury braking, not just the squad.
  • Quality Check braking posture as well as the numbers before full training.
05

Benchmarking

How does the athlete compare?

  • Normative range Deceleration and stopping metrics against sport and cohort.
  • Speed-matched Compare at similar approach speeds.
  • Squad view Rank the squad and set standards by position.
06

Scouting & talent ID

Who can stop as well as go?

  • Objective Calibrated braking metrics from one iPhone, comparable across venues.
  • Multi-directional Strong braking marks athletes suited to multi-directional sport.
  • Complete profile Pair with sprint results to see speed and control together.

These metrics describe movement patterns linked to performance and injury risk in research. They support coaching and clinical judgement; they do not diagnose or predict an individual injury.

01 · Setup

The 5-cone lane and camera

Five cones mark a 10 m or 20 m lane, 1.22 m wide. The first half is the acceleration zone; the second half is the deceleration zone.

PhaseSet
Time–
Speed–
ConesSide camera viewFront camera view (optional)Decel zone
C1

Sagittal camera

On a tripod, perpendicular to the lane at the middle cone: about 9 m back for 10 m and 19 m back for 20 m. Landscape, 1× lens; the athlete's back foot must be in view at the start.

C2

Front camera (optional add-on)

About 5 m beyond the nearest exit (end) cones, in line with the lane and facing the athlete, at the same height as the sagittal camera (1.5 m), portrait, 3× zoom on the athlete. Record both phones in sync with Controller-Capture. The front view adds coronal (frontal-plane) angles at the synchronised touchdown and toe-off events, such as knee alignment (FPPA), pelvic drop, trunk side lean and step width. Safety first: the athlete must be able to slow down well before reaching the camera; move it further back if needed.

⏱

Timing

The clock starts when the athlete's back foot leaves the ground. Front foot just behind the start line; start braking at the middle cone and stop before the end cones.

iPhone 11 or newer. Keep the run direction the same between tests if you can.

02 · Capture

Record in about five minutes

1

Equipment

1 or 2 iPhones, tripods, five 9-inch cones and a measuring tape.

2

Lane

Lay out the 10 m or 20 m lane, 1.22 m wide, with the middle cone at halfway.

3

Cameras

Side camera ≈ 9 m (10 m) or ≈ 19 m (20 m) back at the middle cone; optional front camera ≈ 5 m past the end cones (portrait, 3×, Controller-Capture).

4

Tag + record

Choose the athlete and the ADA test tag for the distance, then record.

5

Upload

Upload the original files and submit the AI request.

Athlete

  • Warm up, finishing with build-up runs and practice stops
  • Front foot just behind the start line, back foot in view
  • Sprint maximally to the middle cone
  • Brake as hard as possible and stop before the end cones

Camera settings

  • 4K at 60 fps on iPhone (or 4K 120 fps on GoPro)
  • Auto-FPS off (Settings → Camera → Record Video)
  • Side camera: landscape, 1× lens; front camera: portrait, 3× zoom, same height (1.5 m)
  • Do Not Disturb on, Auto-Lock never

Scene & upload tips

  • Start recording before the athlete moves; stop after they have stopped or crossed the last line
  • Other athletes queue outside the camera's view
  • Runs can go in either direction; move the front camera to the finish end
  • Upload original files from the app; avoid AirDrop or messaging apps
03 · Outputs

What you get after upload

Acceleration

Split to the middle cone, speed at braking onset and the acceleration steps.

Deceleration

Time and distance to stop, average, early and late deceleration.

Step metrics

Contact time, step length, touchdown distance and shin angle for every step.

Posture

Trunk lean, hip and knee angles in both phases.

Speed curve

Instantaneous speed from start to stop.

Front view (optional)

Coronal angles at synchronised touchdown and toe-off: knee alignment, pelvic drop, trunk side lean, step width.

Progress & norms

Every metric vs previous tests and cohort norms.

CSV / API

CSV/Excel for Enterprise and Academy; API for Enterprise.

Linking acceleration and braking to performance and injury

MetricLink to performance or injuryEvidence

Performance linked to performance   Prospective linked to future injury in a cohort study   Mechanistic linked to tissue loading in lab studies   Practice coaching rationale

Metric definitions

Acceleration
Split time (s)
Back foot off the ground → crossing the middle cone.
Speed at braking onset (m/s)
Speed when braking begins, close to the middle cone.
Acceleration (m/s²)
Rate of speed gain in the acceleration zone.
Speed and braking
Approach / peak speed (m/s)
Highest speed reached before braking starts.
Time to stop (s)
Peak speed → the athlete's centre of mass comes to a stop.
Distance to stop (m)
Distance covered from peak speed to the stop.
Average deceleration (m/s²)
Average rate of slowing from peak speed to the stop. More negative = stronger braking.
Early / late deceleration (m/s²)
Deceleration in the first and second part of the brake.
Braking steps
Ground contact time (s)
How long each foot is on the ground during the brake.
Step length / frequency
Length and rate of the braking steps; steps usually shorten as the athlete slows.
Touchdown distance (m)
How far in front of the centre of mass each foot lands. Larger = more braking per step.
Braking (shin) angle (°)
Leg or shin angle at touchdown; a more angled shin applies more braking force.
Posture
Trunk lean (°)
Trunk angle at touchdown and toe-off; athletes lean back as they brake.
Hip and knee angle at touchdown (°)
Joint angles at each braking contact; more knee flexion helps absorb force.
Hip height change (m)
How far the hips lower during the brake.
04 · Practitioner value

Accelerate and stop, in one test

Game-like

Most team-sport sprints end in a stop or a change of direction.

Self-generated speed

Braking from your own sprint is closer to the game than braking at a set speed.

Two distances

10 m for short, sharp efforts; 20 m for higher speeds.

Reliable

Maximal deceleration measures from this type of test are reliable and sensitive to change (Harper et al., 2023).

Fits the battery

Pair with Acc, Deceleration and 10-0-5.

One iPhone

No radar or timing gates needed.

05 · Support

FAQs

How do I stop athletes easing off before the brake?

Set a validity rule: for example, accept a trial only if the approach (20 m time) is within 5% of the athlete's best baseline 20 m sprint without a stop, recorded with the Fly test (20 m with a 10 m run-up).

How is ADA different from the Deceleration test?

ADA starts from standing, so the athlete brakes from their own sprint. The Deceleration test uses a run-in so the athlete enters the zone at speed.

10 m or 20 m?

10 m reaches lower speeds and suits small spaces or younger athletes; 20 m brakes from higher speeds.

Do I need the front camera?

No. The side camera gives every metric; the front camera adds a second view.

Are CSV exports and APIs available?

CSV/Excel export for Enterprise and Academy users, and API access for Enterprise users.

  1. Harper DJ, Morin JB, Carling C, Kiely J. Measuring maximal horizontal deceleration ability using radar technology: reliability and sensitivity of kinematic and kinetic variables. Sports Biomechanics. 2023;22(9):1192–1208.
  2. Harper DJ, Carling C, Kiely J. High-intensity acceleration and deceleration demands in elite team sports competitive match play: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Sports Medicine. 2019;49(12):1923–1947.
  3. Harper DJ, McBurnie AJ, Dos'Santos T, et al. Biomechanical and neuromuscular performance requirements of horizontal deceleration: a review with implications for random intermittent multi-directional sports. Sports Medicine. 2022;52(10):2321–2354.
  4. Harper DJ, Jordan AJ, Kiely J. Relationships between eccentric and concentric knee strength capacities and maximal linear deceleration ability in male academy soccer players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2021;35(2):465–472.
  5. McBurnie AJ, Harper DJ, Jones PA, Dos'Santos T. Deceleration training in team sports: another potential 'vaccine' for sports-related injury? Sports Medicine. 2022;52(1):1–12.
  6. Haugen T, Buchheit M. Sprint running performance monitoring: methodological and practical considerations. Sports Medicine. 2016;46(5):641–656.