Change of direction (COD) is a foundational skill in nearly every sport, but how you test and measure COD performance can dramatically affect how you train it. In this webinar, 1080 Motion’s Ola Eriksrud and Jesse Green break down the metrics that define COD performance, how they’ve evolved, and how to apply them using motorized resistance technology for COD testing like the 1080 Sprint 2.
From Chaos to Clarity: Why COD Metrics Needed an Update
Traditional change of direction (COD) tests (like the 5-10-5 or pro-agility) often rely on a single time result, missing the nuance of how athletes actually move. Those methods fail to separate acceleration, deceleration, and reacceleration phases, leaving no way to understand which qualities actually drive performance. Now, with continuous data capture using motorized resistance and the 1080 Sprint 2, we can isolate and profile and athlete's COD for those exact components.
This new way of thinking helps answer the need for more specific, reliable, and actionable COD metrics.
🎥👉 Full webinar recording HERE
Key Metrics and Phases in COD Testing
The new COD framework breaks down movement into two primary phases (1A and 1B), each with its own sub-metrics:
Phase 1A: Initial Acceleration (entering the cut)
-Total time, max acceleration (over a 0.5s window), deceleration distance, deceleration time, max deceleration (over a 0.5s window), and top speed
Phase 1B: Reacceleration after the turn (exiting the cut)
-Total time and max acceleration (over a 0.5s window)
These COD performance metrics offer both output measures (like total time or top speed) and strategy metrics (how the athlete achieved that output).
💡 “Max deceleration has shown to be highly predictive of total COD time, which makes it one of the best indicators of real performance, not just raw numbers.”
Simplifying the Complex
In earlier versions of quantifying COD, there were 10+ metrics across multiple phases. In today’s model, it's pared it down to the most reliable and actionable data points. This makes it easier to:
-Compare strategies across athletes
-Identify technical improvements (ex: shorter deceleration distance)
-Track progress across time or training interventions
💡 “We call them strategy metrics. They help you coach, not just collect data.”
Designing Sport-Specific COD Tests
The most impactful change is the ability to individualize COD tests to the sport and athlete. Instead of relying on generic test, practitioners are encouraged to:
-Select locomotion patterns relevant to the sport (ex: lateral shuffle for basketball)
-Choose appropriate entry speeds or approach distances based on game data
-Consider whether the start should be assisted or resisted to target deceleration or reacceleration, modifying the speed and demands of the cut which has implications for return-to-play testing and athlete rehabilitation
💡 “It’s not about testing every combo, but reflecting on why you choose the ones you do.”
Best Practices for Implementation
-Use assisted starts to increase deceleration demands
-Keep loads light (~3kg) during COD testing
-Cue with simple outcome-based language (“get there and back as fast as you can”)
-Maintain consistency across tests (e.g., always touching with outside foot)
-Use COD-specific belts to keep the line centered on the athlete during rotation (message to purchase)
What's Next?
This session focused on understanding the metrics and how COD testing has evolved. Part 2 will walk through how to set up these tests, collect data in the 1080 software, and run effective sessions with athletes.
🎥👉 Full webinar recording HERE
Published: October 28, 2025