Beep Test Timer

READY
01:03
Step 1 / 21

Running order

  1. 1.Level 1 — 7 shuttles 01:03
  2. 2.Level 2 — 8 shuttles 01:04
  3. 3.Level 3 — 8 shuttles 01:01
  4. 4.Level 4 — 9 shuttles 01:05
  5. 5.Level 5 — 9 shuttles 01:02
  6. 6.Level 6 — 10 shuttles 01:06
  7. 7.Level 7 — 10 shuttles 01:04
  8. 8.Level 8 — 11 shuttles 01:08
  9. 9.Level 9 — 11 shuttles 01:06
  10. 10.Level 10 — 11 shuttles 01:04
  11. 11.Level 11 — 12 shuttles 01:07
  12. 12.Level 12 — 12 shuttles 01:06
  13. 13.Level 13 — 13 shuttles 01:09
  14. 14.Level 14 — 13 shuttles 01:07
  15. 15.Level 15 — 13 shuttles 01:06
  16. 16.Level 16 — 14 shuttles 01:09
  17. 17.Level 17 — 14 shuttles 01:07
  18. 18.Level 18 — 15 shuttles 01:10
  19. 19.Level 19 — 15 shuttles 01:09
  20. 20.Level 20 — 16 shuttles 01:12
  21. 21.Level 21 — 16 shuttles 01:11

Total 23:16 across 21 steps.

The 20-metre multi-stage fitness test — the beep test — has participants run between two lines twenty metres apart, arriving before each audio signal. The interval between signals shortens at each level, so the required speed increases. The test ends when a runner fails to reach the line in time on consecutive shuttles, and the score is the level and shuttle reached.

The test is self-terminating rather than fixed-length. A recreational participant typically stops between levels five and eight, around six to nine minutes; a well-trained team-sport athlete may reach thirteen or higher, past fifteen minutes. That progressive structure is what makes it a maximal test — it keeps getting harder until you cannot continue.

Versions are not interchangeable

Several beep test versions exist, differing in starting speed, speed increments and shuttles per level. A score of level 10 on one version is not the same as level 10 on another, and neither is it the same as the widely-circulated VO2max estimate tables unless the table matches the version used.

The practical rule is to use the same version every time and compare against your own previous scores. Cross-referencing a score against a table from a different protocol is a common and invisible error.

Pacing is a real skill

Runners new to the test almost always arrive at the line far too early in the opening levels, wasting energy standing still. Reaching the line just as the beep sounds is the correct execution and it is worth practising before a test that matters.

Turning technique matters too. Twenty metres is short enough that decelerating, turning and reaccelerating is a large share of the total effort, and a sloppy turn costs more than a slow run does.

What the score estimates and what it does not

The level reached correlates with aerobic capacity and is used to estimate VO2max, but it is an estimate from a field test with substantial individual variation. Motivation, running economy, surface and footwear all move the number.

It is a good tool for tracking one person over time and a rough one for comparing different people. Treat a five percent change in your own score as meaningful and a five percent difference between two athletes as noise.

Shuttle counts and speeds for the common version of the test. Several versions exist with different increments — use the same one consistently.

Beep test levels — widely used 20m version
Level Speed (km/h) Shuttles Cumulative time
1 8.5 7 1:03
4 10.0 9 4:13
7 11.5 10 8:11
10 13.0 11 12:29
13 14.5 13 17:24
16 16.0 14 22:39
19 17.5 15 28:22
21 18.5 16 32:22
  • Version differences are real: level 10 on one protocol is not level 10 on another, and VO2max tables only apply to the protocol they were built from.
  • Track your own score over time; comparing two athletes' scores is much rougher than comparing one athlete against themselves.

Source: The 20m multi-stage fitness test is widely documented; figures reflect the commonly used version. Several protocol variants exist with differing increments

Sources

  1. The 20m multi-stage fitness test is widely documented; figures reflect the commonly used version. Several protocol variants exist with differing increments , TheTimerLab — accessed 2026-07-28

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the beep test?
A 20-metre shuttle run where you must reach the line before each audio signal. The interval shortens at each level, so the required speed increases until you can no longer keep up. Your score is the level and shuttle reached.
How long does the beep test take?
It depends entirely on fitness, because it is self-terminating. Recreational participants typically stop between levels five and eight — six to nine minutes. Well-trained team-sport athletes may pass level thirteen, past fifteen minutes.
Are all beep tests the same?
No, and this matters. Versions differ in starting speed, increments and shuttles per level, so a level 10 on one is not a level 10 on another. Use the same version consistently and compare against your own past scores.
Can it estimate my VO2max?
It gives an estimate, with substantial individual variation. Motivation, running economy, surface and footwear all move the number, and the estimate is only valid against a table built from the same protocol version.
How should I pace the early levels?
Arrive at the line just as the beep sounds rather than early. Beginners almost always run the opening levels far too fast and spend the difference standing still, which costs energy they need later.
Does turning technique matter?
A lot. Over twenty metres the decelerate-turn-reaccelerate cycle is a large share of the total effort, so a sloppy turn costs more than a slightly slow run between the lines.
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