Category: Fitness
Objective: To assess fitness levels of players
Gear: Audio file (free download) Or Tape Or Cd + Cones
Players: Whole team

The Bleep Test or Multi Stage Fitness Test is a test that is a commonly used to assess aerobic fitness. It is also known as the 20 meter shuttle run test, beep test or bleep test. The test involves running continuously between two points that are 20 m apart. These runs are synchronized with a pre-recorded audio tape or CD, which plays beeps at set intervals – (Download). As the test proceeds, the interval between each bleep reduces, forcing the participants to increase velocity over the course of the test, at the point in which the participant cannot keep up they must drop out – and their score is recorded using the level table below.

Shuttle Set Up

The recording is typically structured into 23 ‘levels’, each of which lasts around 63 seconds. Usually, the interval of beeps is calculated as requiring a speed at the start of 8.0 km/h, increasing by 0.5 km/h with each level. The progression from one level to the next is signaled by 3 rapid beeps.

Level	Shuttles	Speed (km/h)	Seconds per shuttle	Total level time (s)	Distance (m)	Cumulative Distance (m)	Cumulative Time (min and seconds)
1	7	8.0	9.0	63	140	140	1:03
2	8	8.5	8.47	67.8	160	300	2:11
3	8	9.0	8	64	160	460	3:15
4	8	9.5	7.58	60.64	160	620	4:15
5	9	10.0	7.2	64.8	180	800	5:20
6	9	10.5	6.86	61.74	180	980	6:22
7	10	11.0	6.55	65.5	200	1180	7:27
8	10	11.5	6.26	62.6	200	1380	8:30
9	11	12.0	6.0	66.0	220	1600	9:36
10	11	12.5	5.76	63.36	220	1820	10:39
11	11	13.0	5.54	60.94	220	2040	11:40
12	12	13.5	5.33	63.96	240	2280	12:44
13	12	14.0	5.14	61.68	240	2520	13:46
14	13	14.5	4.97	64.61	260	2780	14:51
15	13	15.0	4.8	62.4	260	3040	15:53
16	13	15.5	4.65	60.45	260	3300	16:53
17	14	16.0	4.5	63.0	280	3580	17:56
18	14	16.5	4.36	61.04	280	3860	18:57
19	15	17.0	4.24	63.6	300	4160	20:00
20	15	17.5	4.11	61.65	300	4460	21:02
21	16	18.0	4.0	64	320	4780	22:06

Bleep Test Video:

Advantages: Large teams can perform this test all at the same time – using the free audio file provided the costs are little to none.

Disadvantages: Practice and motivation levels can influence the score participants attain. As the test is often conducted outside, the environmental conditions can also affect the results.

What results are good for a Rugby Player?

To give you a guide as to where you are compared to the pros – At their prime:

• Neil Back – 16+
• Martin Johnson – 14
• Jonah Lomu – 10
• Graeme Bachop – 19

To play in the US Rugby team you need at least 13.

Download Free Bleep Test Audio File: