What is the Beep Test

The Beep Test is a multi-stage fitness test developed by Luc Leger from the University of Montreal in Canada in 1980 as a way to determine a persons aerobic capacity (VO2max).

The Beep Test does not discriminate so it doesn’t matter whether you’re super fit or a couch potato, if you do the beep test everyone will end up at the same point, out of breath and at their cardio limits. The only difference is that the fitter you are the longer it will take to get to that point.

The beep test is also commonly known as the:

  • bleep test
  • multi-stage fitness test
  • pacer test
  • 20-m shuttle run test

You may have heard or even experienced the beep test through participation in sports with a lot of professional sporting associations using the beep test as a way of evaluating potential recruits, however there are a large number of organisations that also use the beep test in determining the entrance requirements for gaining employment.

Organisations and Sporting Groups Use the Beep Test

These organisations include the police, fire and defence forces. The test is always the same but the level required will differ between the organisations and may even differ for different departments within the organisations.

Here is a list of some of the organisations that we have found that use the beep test:

  • Australian Army
  • British Army
  • Canadian Forces
  • English and Welsh Police
  • Metropolitan Fire Brigade
  • New South Wales Fire Brigades
  • New South Wales Police Force
  • Ontario Provincial Police
  • Queensland Police Service
  • Royal Air Force
  • Royal Australian Air Force
  • Royal Australian Navy
  • Royal Marines
  • Royal Navy
  • Royal New Zealand Navy
  • S. League
  • Scottish Police
  • South Australia Police
  • Victoria Police
  • Western Australia Police

Sports that use the Beep Test:

  • AFL Football
  • NFL Football
  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Rugby
  • Hockey
  • Netball
  • Handball
  • Tennis