Beep test · level 8 of 21
Beep test level 8
At level 8 of the Beep test, the required speed is 12 km/h: 11 shuttles of 6 s each. The level lasts 1 min 06 s; when it ends you have covered 1 440 m in 8 min 28 s. Completing it in full credits you with a MAS of 12 km/h. An adult who stops during this level has an estimated VO₂max of 44.6 ml/min/kg (Léger 1988 equation, age set to 18).
Level 8, 12 km/h, is the entry-test level. Most male minimums for police and fire services sit here or just above, and it is the first level where MAS matches that of a regular exerciser. Note the chart: 11 shuttles in 66 seconds, not 10 in 60.
The previous level, 7, was run at 11.5 km/h. The next one, 9, moves to 12.5 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 × 8 = 12 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 8 in the table
| Level | Speed | Shuttles | s / shuttle | Level duration | Cumulative time | Cumulative distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10.5 | 9 | 6.86 | 1 min 02 s | 1 min 02 s | 180 |
| 2 | 11 | 10 | 6.55 | 1 min 06 s | 2 min 07 s | 380 |
| 3 | 11.5 | 10 | 6.26 | 1 min 03 s | 3 min 10 s | 580 |
| 4 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 1 min 06 s | 4 min 16 s | 800 |
| 5 | 12.5 | 11 | 5.76 | 1 min 03 s | 5 min 19 s | 1 020 |
| 6 | 13 | 11 | 5.54 | 1 min 01 s | 6 min 20 s | 1 240 |
| 7 | 13.5 | 12 | 5.33 | 1 min 04 s | 7 min 24 s | 1 480 |
Frequently asked questions
What MAS does level 8 of the Beep test give?
A MAS of 12 km/h, provided you complete the level. If you stop midway, the scoring rule credits the last full level, so 11.5 km/h (level 7).
How long does level 8 last?
1 min 06 s, i.e. 11 shuttles of 6 s. From the start of the test that makes 8 min 28 s of running.
What pace per kilometre is this level?
12 km/h is 5:00 /km. That is the pace you would hold on a track, without the turns: in a shuttle the same figure costs more.