Beep test · level 4 of 21
Beep test level 4
At level 4 of the Beep test, the required speed is 10 km/h: 9 shuttles of 7.20 s each. The level lasts 1 min 05 s; when it ends you have covered 640 m in 4 min 12 s. Completing it in full credits you with a MAS of 10 km/h. An adult who stops during this level has an estimated VO₂max of 32.6 ml/min/kg (Léger 1988 equation, age set to 18).
Level 4, 10 km/h, is the first useful landmark: the speed of a steady jog, what a beginner holds over 5 km. Children aged 10 to 12 in PE typically stop between levels 4 and 6.
The previous level, 3, was run at 9.5 km/h. The next one, 5, moves to 10.5 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 × 4 = 10 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 4 in the table
| Level | Speed | Shuttles | s / shuttle | Level duration | Cumulative time | Cumulative distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 1 min 03 s | 1 min 03 s | 140 |
| 2 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 1 min 04 s | 2 min 07 s | 300 |
| 3 | 9.5 | 8 | 7.58 | 1 min 01 s | 3 min 08 s | 460 |
| 4 | 10 | 9 | 7.20 | 1 min 05 s | 4 min 12 s | 640 |
| 5 | 10.5 | 9 | 6.86 | 1 min 02 s | 5 min 14 s | 820 |
| 6 | 11 | 10 | 6.55 | 1 min 06 s | 6 min 20 s | 1 020 |
| 7 | 11.5 | 10 | 6.26 | 1 min 03 s | 7 min 22 s | 1 220 |
Frequently asked questions
What MAS does level 4 of the Beep test give?
A MAS of 10 km/h, provided you complete the level. If you stop midway, the scoring rule credits the last full level, so 9.5 km/h (level 3).
How long does level 4 last?
1 min 05 s, i.e. 9 shuttles of 7.20 s. From the start of the test that makes 4 min 12 s of running.
What pace per kilometre is this level?
10 km/h is 6:00 /km. That is the pace you would hold on a track, without the turns: in a shuttle the same figure costs more.