This 5-Minute Cardio Test Builds Real Athletic Fitness

Participants are required to cover 1,200m as quickly as possible, with the shuttle-based nature of the test – repeated efforts, accelerations and decelerations – helping make it highly sport-specific. The All Blacks have used the Bronco test to assess fitness levels within the squad for close to two decades.

‘The Bronco test is a good indicator of rugby fitness as it involves a lot of changing of direction – deceleration, turning, then acceleration,’ says Nic Gill, the All Blacks’ head of strength and conditioning. ‘It’s short and can be conducted easily on any field, turf or surface. It can be used during a rugby training session to assess the squad or as a conditioning stimulus.’

The Bronco Test

Find an area of grass and mark out separate 20m, 40m and 60m increments
Run as hard as you can to the furthest 60m marker
Sprint back to the start, then turn and sprint 40m out
Return again, then shuttle to the nearest 20m marker and back
Repeat the full sequence five times continuously, aiming to finish as quickly as possible

Bronco Test Benchmarks for Rugby Players by Position

These times are based on a 10-year analysis of 462 Super Rugby players – elite athletes in their own right – with researchers finding clear differences between playing positions.

As a result, scores that appear average in the analysis could still be considered elite for the general population, so context matters. Still, the results provide a useful benchmark for assessing your fitness against others in your position.

Front row

Average: 5:35
Elite: 5:05

Second row

Average: 5:13
Elite: 4:55

Back row

Average: 5:35
Elite: 4:43

Centre

Average: 4:45
Elite: 4:31

Halves

Average: 5:04
Elite: 4:38

Back three

Average: 5:01
Elite: 4:38

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How to Improve Your Bronco Test Result

For beginners, the most logical way to improve is by attempting the test more regularly. Not every day – you still need recovery from high intensity efforts – but often enough to build your aerobic capacity and familiarity with the format.

It’s also worth breaking the test into smaller sections and using them as interval sessions. Try performing one full set five times at an all-out pace, resting between efforts to recover properly. This helps you adapt to the sharp changes of direction required throughout the test.

Technique also plays a major role. Focus on turning sharply rather than looping around the markers. Aim to execute a quick 180-degree turn with your foot planted firmly on the line.

It can also help to shorten your stride slightly when accelerating and decelerating. A faster cadence allows you to get back up to speed more efficiently after each turn.

Ryan Dabbs

Senior Writer

Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_