Beep Test Overview

The beep test has been called many things but the reason for the test is always the same, to work out the VO2 max. So whether you call it the beep test, bleep test, multi-stage fitness test, shuttle run or any of its other guises, if you do the test, you will be taken to your cardio vascular limits. Organisations such as the defense, police, fire and ambulance also use the beep test as a way of determining a persons eligibility for employment. The test scores can vary depending on the organisation and can even vary within departments of organisations.

The test contains 21 levels with each level containing a set amount of shuttles. Each level lasts around 62 seconds. Most people will find the pace at the start of the test reasonably easy at a speed of 8.5km/hr nonetheless as you progress up through the levels this will increase by 0.5 km/hr. Please note that the speed for each level will stay constant.

Equipment Required for the Beep Test

To complete the beep test, you will require the following equipment:

• Flat non-slip surface
• Cones to mark each end
• 20 metre measuring tape
• Beep test audio program
• Device for playing the beep test audio program

Beep Test Procedure

The Beep Test will be required to run between two marking points that are 20 metres apart.

If you hear 3 quick beeps this means that the test has started or you have progressed to the next level. If you hear a single beep then this is the start of a new shuttle.

To start the test you will need to play the beep test audio program. It will be clear on when to start as a voice over will say that the beep test will commence in 5 seconds. Then when you hear the 3 quick beeps you start you first shuttle run.

The speed you will start the test at will be comfortable for most people at 8.5km/hr. With each new level the speed increases by 0.5km/hr.

To continue to stay in the test you will need to complete each shuttle before the sound of the next beep.

You will repeat this process until you can no longer keep up with the beeps and fail to reach the end before the beep sounds. You must not start your next shuttle until the sound of the next beep.

Scoring for The Beep Test

Whatever the last end you were able to complete before the beep sounded will be the score achieved.

Beep Test Levels

Level	Shuttles	Speed (km/h)	Shuttle Time (seconds)	Total level time (s)	Distance (m)	Cumulative Distance (m)	Cumulative Time (min and seconds)
1	7	8.5	9.00	63.00	140	140	1:03
2	8	9.0	8.00	64.00	160	300	2:07
3	8	9.5	7.58	60.63	160	460	3:08
4	9	10.0	7.20	64.80	180	640	4:12
5	9	10.5	6.86	61.71	180	820	5:14
6	10	11.0	6.55	65.50	200	1020	6:20
7	10	11.5	6.26	62.61	200	1220	7:22
8	11	12.0	6.00	66.00	220	1440	8:28
9	11	12.5	5.76	63.36	220	1660	9:31
10	11	13.0	5.54	60.92	220	1880	10:32
11	12	13.5	5.33	64.00	240	2120	11:36
12	12	14.0	5.14	61.71	240	2360	12:38
13	13	14.5	4.97	64.55	260	2620	13:43
14	13	15.0	4.80	62.40	260	2880	14:45
15	13	15.5	4.65	60.39	260	3140	15:46
16	14	16.0	4.50	63.00	280	3420	16:49
17	14	16.5	4.36	61.09	280	3700	17:50
18	15	17.0	4.24	63.53	300	4000	18:54
19	15	17.5	4.11	61.71	300	4300	19:56
20	16	18.0	4.00	64.00	320	4620	21:00
21	16	18.5	3.89	62.27	320	4940	22:03

If you can complete the entire beep test then you are amongst the most elite athletes in the world. So for those of you interested if you did complete it then it would have taken you twenty two minutes and three seconds (22:03) and a total distance of 4940 metres.

Tags: beep test
Filed under: Burn Fat