Beep test · level 18 of 21
Beep test level 18
At level 18 of the Beep test, the required speed is 17 km/h: 15 shuttles of 4.24 s each. The level lasts 1 min 04 s; when it ends you have covered 4 000 m in 18 min 53 s. Completing it in full credits you with a MAS of 17 km/h. An adult who stops during this level has an estimated VO₂max of 74.6 ml/min/kg (Léger 1988 equation, age set to 18).
Level 18, 17 km/h, is an athlete’s level. Fifteen shuttles of 4.24 seconds, over 4,000 m covered since the start. A candidate who reaches it has a competitive runner’s MAS.
The previous level, 17, was run at 16.5 km/h. The next one, 19, moves to 17.5 km/h. On this test the gap between two levels is small in speed and large in feel, because fatigue carries over from one level to the next.
The VO₂max shown comes from the equation Léger and colleagues published with the test in 1988. It starts from the last level announced, the one during which you stop, not the last one completed: S = 8 + 0.5 × 18 = 17 km/h. It also depends on age, capped at 18; the figure above is for an adult. For a child or a teenager the same level gives a higher figure: the VO₂max calculator gives it for every age from 8 to 17. It is an estimate, not a measurement.
Level 18 in the table
| Level | Speed | Shuttles | s / shuttle | Level duration | Cumulative time | Cumulative distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.5 | 13 | 4.65 | 1 min | 1 min | 260 |
| 2 | 16 | 14 | 4.50 | 1 min 03 s | 2 min 03 s | 540 |
| 3 | 16.5 | 14 | 4.36 | 1 min 01 s | 3 min 05 s | 820 |
| 4 | 17 | 15 | 4.24 | 1 min 04 s | 4 min 08 s | 1 120 |
| 5 | 17.5 | 15 | 4.11 | 1 min 02 s | 5 min 10 s | 1 420 |
| 6 | 18 | 16 | 4 | 1 min 04 s | 6 min 14 s | 1 740 |
| 7 | 18.5 | 16 | 3.89 | 1 min 02 s | 7 min 16 s | 2 060 |
Frequently asked questions
What MAS does level 18 of the Beep test give?
A MAS of 17 km/h, provided you complete the level. If you stop midway, the scoring rule credits the last full level, so 16.5 km/h (level 17).
How long does level 18 last?
1 min 04 s, i.e. 15 shuttles of 4.24 s. From the start of the test that makes 18 min 53 s of running.
What pace per kilometre is this level?
17 km/h is 3:32 /km. That is the pace you would hold on a track, without the turns: in a shuttle the same figure costs more.