How does the bleep test work?

How does the bleep test work?

You run back and forth between two lines 20 m apart. You must touch the line in time with a beep from a recording.

The first level is a jog at 8.5 km/h. The beeps speed up by 0.5 km/h each minute. When you can no longer keep the pace, your test is over.

The score has two parts. The police write it as 5.4, which means level 5 and 4 shuttles. A shuttle is one run from line to line.

Think of it as a ladder where each rung is a little faster. Your score is the highest rung you held. A higher rung points to fitter heart and lungs, but it’s an estimate, not a lab measure.

Write your level and shuttle down straight after the test, so you can compare next time.

Beep test levels and speeds: what does my score mean?

Léger’s formula turns each speed into an estimate of VO2 max for adults. That’s the most oxygen your body can use in hard exercise, in millilitres per kilo each minute (ml/kg/min).

What’s a good level? No UK body sets one. In a Loughborough study of 74 fit volunteers, men reached about level 12.6 and women about 9.6.

That’s an average, not level 12 shuttle 6. Use it as a rough guide, not a pass mark.

Across 57 studies, the estimate’s link with lab VO2 max was moderate to high, and stronger in adults.

In 33 studies of healthy adults, each step of about 1 km/h faster running was linked to a 13% lower risk of death.

Want a lab test instead? See how to test your VO2 max, or how accurate watch VO2 max is.

The 15 m bleep test for the police

Police applicants take a shorter version, and serving officers often retake it. The lines are 15 m apart and the pass mark is 5.4.

It takes 3 minutes 35 seconds. The speed starts at 7.9 km/h and rises to 9.9 km/h.

That’s why a police 15 m 5.4 is slower than a 20 m one. The police test only reaches 9.9 km/h by 5.4, while level 5 on the 20 m test is already 10.5 km/h.

So never compare scores across the two tests. Check which one you’re taking before you train.

Can you do the beep test on a treadmill?

Not as the same test. The bleep test makes you stop and turn at every line, and a treadmill has no turns.

You can still train on one at the speeds above. The police site also tells applicants to add 180-degree turns to their runs.

Have a disability or medical condition that makes the shuttle run hard? Some police forces offer a treadmill test instead, where the slope rises over time. Ask your force what it offers.

To run the real test you need a flat space, two lines and the recording. Mark each line with a cone, as the police guide does, then play the recording and start at level 1.

How to get a better beep test score

The police recruitment site gives applicants this plan. It suits anyone with a bleep test coming up.

Running should make up most of your training. Swimming, rowing or cycling can add variety.

Over a week, the NHS says to aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Short of time? Try short workouts or cardio at home.

Easy runs count too. See zone 2 training for the slow end of your week.

When to speak to a GP

The bleep test runs you to your limit. Check with a GP first if a hard run might not be right for you.

• You have not exercised for some time, or you have medical conditions or concerns. The NHS says to speak to your GP first.
• You’re worried about your health before starting a running plan like Couch to 5K.
• You have chest pain that comes and goes, or that goes away quickly but you’re still worried. See a GP.
• Call 999 for sudden chest pain or discomfort that does not go away, pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with feeling sweaty, sick, light headed or short of breath.

Chest pain can feel like squeezing, pressure, burning or indigestion.