← All test guides
VueMotion logoVueMotion · Movement Analysis
Test protocol · Linear deceleration

Deceleration Test10 m or 20 m · from a run-in

1Record2Upload3See the results
Why it matters: high-intensity decelerations happen more often in team-sport matches than high-intensity accelerations, and braking puts some of the highest loads through the legs (Harper et al., 2019). A stopwatch can't measure a brake.The Deceleration test shows how quickly and how well the athlete stops from speed.

The athlete builds speed through a 10 m run-in, crosses the start line at speed, starts braking at the middle cone 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
10 m
run-in to build speed
1–2
iPhones: side, plus optional front
PhaseSet
Time–
Speed–
Why it matters

Going fast is half the job. VueMotion measures the stop.

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

SPD
Approach

Peak speed going into the brake: the higher it is, the harder the stop.

BRK
Braking

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

MEC
Mechanics

Contact times, touchdown distance, shin angle, trunk lean and knee angles on the braking steps.

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, run-in and camera

Five cones mark the capture zone: 10 m or 20 m long, 1.22 m wide, with three cones on the far side and two on the near side. Use different cones to mark a 10 m run-in before the start line.

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 the 10 m test and 19 m back for the 20 m test. Landscape, 1× lens, with the whole capture zone in frame.

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 chest crosses the start line. The athlete starts braking at the middle cone and must stop before the end cones.

The run-in cones should look different from the capture-zone cones. iPhone 11 or newer.

02 · Capture

Record in about five minutes

1

Equipment

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

2

Lane

Mark the 10 m or 20 m capture zone (1.22 m wide) and a 10 m run-in before it.

3

Cameras

Side camera ≈ 9 m (10 m test) or ≈ 19 m (20 m test) back at the middle cone. Optional front camera ≈ 5 m past the end cones, 1.5 m high, portrait, 3×, synced with Controller-Capture.

4

Tag + record

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

5

Upload

Upload the original files and submit the AI request.

Athlete

  • Warm up, finishing with a few build-up runs and practice stops
  • Start at the beginning of the run-in and build speed
  • Hit the start line at speed, start braking at the middle cone
  • Stop completely before the end cones and hold

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

Braking summary

Peak speed, time and distance to stop, and average, early and late deceleration.

Braking steps

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

Posture

Trunk lean and hip and knee angles through the brake.

Speed curve

Instantaneous speed from the run-in to the stop.

Front view (optional)

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

AR video

Pose overlay on the run.

Progress & norms

Every metric vs previous tests and cohort norms.

CSV / API

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

Linking 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

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

Braking, measured properly

Match-specific

Hard decelerations are among the most frequent high-intensity actions in team sport.

Isolated brake

Entering at speed separates braking ability from acceleration.

Two distances

10 m for lower speeds and smaller spaces; 20 m for higher entry speeds.

Training response

Re-test to see the effect of eccentric strength and deceleration drills.

Fits the battery

Pair with ADA, 10-0-5 and Fly for the full speed and braking profile.

One iPhone

No radar or timing gates needed.

05 · Support

FAQs

Why is there a run-in?

So the athlete is already at speed when the capture zone starts; the test measures the brake, not the start.

10 m or 20 m?

Use 10 m for younger athletes or limited space, and 20 m to brake from higher speeds.

Do I need the front camera?

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

Are CSV exports and APIs available?

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  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. Dos'Santos T, Thomas C, Comfort P, Jones PA. Role of the penultimate foot contact during change of direction: implications on performance and risk of injury. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 2019;41(1):87–104.