The MAP Test is a protocol developed by O2up for soccer and is the result of over 20 years of field testing with professional players, combined with VO2max assessments. This background has allowed us to understand in depth the physiological adaptations of top‑level soccer players, both from a metabolic and biomechanical perspective. Since 2016, the MAP Test has been administered to more than 900 professional players across 4 of the 5 major European leagues. Scientifically validated in collaboration with the Universities of Milan and Bologna, it is now used by leading clubs at European and international level.
ADVANTAGES OF THE MAP TEST
- Well tolerated, valid and repeatable
- Simple to administer
- Correlated with the main performance parameters for soccer players (Dist/min, PotMet, Acc‑Dec/min, DistTot)
- Close to the real intermittent performance model, taking the athlete to exhaustion in an incremental way
- No changes of direction, which are often highly variable and can increase muscular and joint load
KEY FEATURES OF THE MAP TEST
- Constant speed test at 18 km/h
- Performed in a straight 50 m line, with no changes of direction
- Maximal incremental test through progressive reduction of recovery times
- Maximal, with VO2max values comparable to those of an incremental continuous test (VO2max test_MAP = VO2max test_INCR), but better tolerated
- Reflects typical on‑field situations that are familiar to players
- Does not penalize one specific player profile over another
RESULTS OF THE MAP TEST
- We obtain individualized thresholds for intermittent work based on work‑to‑recovery ratios
- We determine individual metabolic power directly from the player’s VO2max
- Using our patented algorithm (COMPLEX INDEX), we provide an evaluation of performance and its development over time and extract individualized speed thresholds for long‑distance/continuous efforts
- We also provide all the athlete’s internal load parameters (for example, HR at different thresholds) derived from a maximal test