Course Navette: What It Measures and Is It Worth Doing?
Updated: 6 days ago
The Course Navette test is a familiar tool in physical education, sports training and fitness assessment. It is relatively easy to organise, requires minimal equipment and allows multiple participants to be tested at the same time.
But what does it actually tell us about our fitness? And is it useful for runners, particularly trail runners?
What Is the Course Navette Test?
The Course Navette, also known as the 20-m shuttle run or Léger test, is a progressive running test designed to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness.
Participants run back and forth between two lines placed 20 metres apart, following an audio recording. The original Léger protocol starts at 8.5 km/h, increasing by 0.5 km/h each minute.
As the pace increases, participants must maintain the required speed and reach each line in time with the audio signals. The test ends when they can no longer maintain the prescribed pace, following the stopping criteria of the selected protocol.
The final stage or number of shuttles completed is recorded.
What Does the Test Actually Measure?
The Course Navette is often used to estimate maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), an important indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness.
However, it does not measure VO₂max directly. Instead, it uses running performance and prediction equations to estimate it.
Performance also depends on other factors, including running economy, turning ability, acceleration, body mass, motivation and familiarity with the test.
This means that two individuals with similar aerobic capacities may achieve different results.
Three Reasons to Use the Test
1. It is practical for groups.
One of the main advantages of the Course Navette is its simplicity. Teachers and coaches can assess several participants in the same session, with minimal equipment and straightforward score recording.
2. It is accessible and inexpensive.
The test requires a suitable surface, two marked lines and an audio recording. It can be a useful option when laboratory testing is not available.
3. It provides a standardised fitness assessment.
When the same protocol and testing conditions are used, the Course Navette can help assess fitness and monitor changes in performance over time.
Three Limitations to Consider
1. It is a demanding test.
The progressive protocol requires substantial effort and is not suitable for everyone. Participants should be appropriately screened, and the test should be adapted to their health status, fitness level and experience.
2. Changes of direction influence performance.
Repeated acceleration, deceleration and turning are an integral part of the test. These demands can influence the result and make it less specific to sports involving continuous running.
3. It does not directly measure VO₂max.
Although the test provides a useful estimate, prediction equations have limitations and individual errors can be substantial. A change in test performance does not necessarily represent an equivalent change in VO₂max.
Is the Course Navette Useful for Runners?
No!
For runners, the Course Navette can provide a general fitness assessment, particularly in educational or group settings.
However, its relevance depends on what we want to assess.
For trail runners, the repeated changes of direction and accelerations make the test less representative of the demands of most trail races. Depending on the course, continuous uphill running, sustained efforts or other field assessments may offer more relevant information.
And if your main goal is simply to monitor your fitness, your sports watch may already provide a VO₂max estimate.
That can be a convenient option, but it is not necessarily more accurate than the Course Navette. Wearable estimates depend on the device, its algorithm, the quality of the recorded data and the individual being assessed.
For monitoring training, it can be more useful to follow trends under consistent conditions than to focus on a single estimated number.
Can You Try the Course Navette Yourself?
Yes, provided you have a suitable space, the correct 20-m distance and the appropriate audio protocol.
You can follow the test using the audio recording in our YouTube video below.
Before starting, make sure you understand the protocol and its stopping criteria. Choose a safe, flat surface with enough room to turn, warm up properly and avoid performing a maximal test if you have a health condition, symptoms or an injury that could make it unsafe. Seek professional advice when appropriate.
My Experience with the Course Navette
During my first years as a runner, I used to perform the Course Navette once every winter. It was a simple way to check how my fitness was progressing and see whether I could improve my score from one year to the next. Usually, I did.
Another reason was just as practical: it was free, as long as I had access to an indoor sports hall. Living in Germany, where winters can be harsh, that made it a convenient option.
Back then, I also used the results in a different way. I relied on mathematical equations to estimate my training zones, which I then programmed into my sports watch. I also experimented with formulas based on maximum heart rate, although I no longer remember exactly which ones I used.
Over time, I started questioning how accurate those estimates really were. I moved towards threshold testing, using other protocols and equations to estimate my aerobic and anaerobic thresholds. Eventually, as I became more serious about training and wanted to understand my own physiology better, I invested in a lactate meter.
Today, my testing approach is very different. The training zones I obtain through lactate measurements and other assessment methods can differ substantially from those I used to calculate with simple formulas. That experience has taught me how much the testing method can influence the numbers we use to guide our training.
Having studied Sport Sciences, this process has also become a personal interest beyond running itself. I enjoy understanding what happens physiologically and learning how to assess performance more accurately. Nowadays, I wouldn't trade lactate testing for my old approach.
Looking back, the Course Navette was still valuable to me. It gave me a free, accessible way to track progress and stay motivated during the winter months. It simply answered a different question from the one I ask today.
Tu turno
Have you ever used the Course Navette in training, physical education or sports testing? I’d love to hear about your experience.
References
Léger, L. A., & Lambert, J. (1982). A maximal multistage 20-m shuttle run test to predict VO₂ max. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 49, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428958
Mayorga-Vega, D., Aguilar-Soto, P., & Viciana, J. (2015). Criterion-Related Validity of the 20-M Shuttle Run Test for Estimating Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 14(3), 536–547. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4541117/
Validity of Estimating the Maximal Oxygen Consumption by Consumer Wearables: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis and Expert Statement of the INTERLIVE Network. Sports Medicine (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01639-y
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