How to pass bleep test

AsrarHussain
AsrarHussain Posts: 1,424 Member
edited November 27 in Fitness and Exercise
I have a exam in 6 months. The bleep test is 15metres and level 9.2 is the pass mark
I currently I'm following a couch to 5km programme
I can run 2.5 miles in 28 minutes
I was thinking when I finish couch to 5km go on the couch to 10 km

Replies

  • myheartsabattleground
    myheartsabattleground Posts: 2,040 Member
    What IS a bleep test ?
  • AsrarHussain
    AsrarHussain Posts: 1,424 Member
    The police require me to run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes need your guys help
  • L_Master
    L_Master Posts: 354 Member
    Just run more. Build up to running 25-35 miles a week over 4-5 days a week. Once you get there, start adding in some faster work. You can do goal pace reps of 300-400m (400m = one track lap, covered in 2:00/120s), with a 2:00 recovery, and then some longer repeats of 800m at a strong pace for you, probably somewhere between 9:00-9:59 pace with 2:00 recovery as well.

    That's really all you can do. Oh that and lose weight. Each lb you lose is good for at least 4-5s/mile over your mile and a half race.
  • alyssagb1
    alyssagb1 Posts: 353 Member
    What IS a bleep test ?

    It's hell - at least that's what I got from reading up on it before. A pretty intense fitness test where a timer goes off. When it beeps, or "bleeps" you run from point a-b. As the test progresses, the beeper goes off sooner than before. Note this is the version I'm used to. There are variations as well.


    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-stage_fitness_test
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    L_Master wrote: »
    Just run more. Build up to running 25-35 miles a week over 4-5 days a week. Once you get there, start adding in some faster work. You can do goal pace reps of 300-400m (400m = one track lap, covered in 2:00/120s), with a 2:00 recovery, and then some longer repeats of 800m at a strong pace for you, probably somewhere between 9:00-9:59 pace with 2:00 recovery as well.

    That's really all you can do. Oh that and lose weight. Each lb you lose is good for at least 4-5s/mile over your mile and a half race.

    This is good advice.

    Are you in the police academy right now? Trying to get in? Or trying to get on with a department that will send you?

  • mjmcgrath
    mjmcgrath Posts: 1 Member
    There are also beep/bleep test apps you can get for your phone to test yourself on closer to the time of your assessment . When I was training for the Navy intake we had to get a min of 7.1. With consistent training over 6 months you will be able to get your 9.2 I think i got 11.2 in the end. I started training from about 6 months out as well.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    My advice is the same since the last time you asked this question:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/34704937/#Comment_34704937
    The test is only about 10 minutes, so don't worry about longer runs. Many fail because they don't pace correctly, and that's where the app helps.
    Try the test and post your score.
  • L_Master
    L_Master Posts: 354 Member
    edited January 2016
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    My advice is the same since the last time you asked this question:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/34704937/#Comment_34704937
    The test is only about 10 minutes, so don't worry about longer runs. Many fail because they don't pace correctly, and that's where the app helps.
    Try the test and post your score.

    @Cherimoose
    This all depends on what exactly you mean by "longer runs". If you're talking 60-90+ min runs, then yea I agree. For someone just trying to finish a pacer test it's unnecessary.

    If you mean don't run consistently in the 20-60 min range on a regular basis, with intelligent speedwork and threshold work thrown in, that's a terrible suggestion.

    MTA: agreed about pacing. That aspect is absolutely worth practicing.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    L_Master wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    My advice is the same since the last time you asked this question:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/34704937/#Comment_34704937
    The test is only about 10 minutes, so don't worry about longer runs. Many fail because they don't pace correctly, and that's where the app helps.
    Try the test and post your score.

    @Cherimoose
    This all depends on what exactly you mean by "longer runs". If you're talking 60-90+ min runs, then yea I agree.

    He only needs to run 1.4 km to get a score of 10, so i would keep most of the runs below his current 2.5 miles. Running 25-35 miles a week seems like overkill and could lead to overtraining injuries, especially if he's doing strength training too.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited January 2016
    Seems to me that specificity of training would be a logical consideration. If I was training for the 100m dash, I wouldn't run/train for half marathons, and vice-versa. Football players don't practice basketball and swimmers don't ride bikes to become better swimmers. If one's goal is to pass a bleep test, I'd say practicing/training for the bleep test would yield the best results. There look to be about ten gazillion bleep test apps available and it shouldn't be too difficult to find a place to lay out two markers 15m apart.
  • AsrarHussain
    AsrarHussain Posts: 1,424 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    L_Master wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    My advice is the same since the last time you asked this question:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/34704937/#Comment_34704937
    The test is only about 10 minutes, so don't worry about longer runs. Many fail because they don't pace correctly, and that's where the app helps.
    Try the test and post your score.

    @Cherimoose
    This all depends on what exactly you mean by "longer runs". If you're talking 60-90+ min runs, then yea I agree.

    He only needs to run 1.4 km to get a score of 10, so i would keep most of the runs below his current 2.5 miles. Running 25-35 miles a week seems like overkill and could lead to overtraining injuries, especially if he's doing strength training too.

    The fitness test is either a 1.5 mile run in 12 minutes or level 9.2 15 metres beep test
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    The police require me to run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes need your guys help

    This is typically known as the Cooper's Test. The bleep (or beep) test is different. Which do you have to do?

    For a 1.5 mile test I'd be looking at 5k for my longer run once a week and some shorter interval training, like 400m repeats. Even hill repeats.

    But it's hard to advise without knowing which test you are training for.

    You have tons of time. I went from not being able to run .5 mile straight to passing the 1.5 mile in less than 12 minutes in 6 months.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    edited January 2016
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    L_Master wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    My advice is the same since the last time you asked this question:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/34704937/#Comment_34704937
    The test is only about 10 minutes, so don't worry about longer runs. Many fail because they don't pace correctly, and that's where the app helps.
    Try the test and post your score.

    @Cherimoose
    This all depends on what exactly you mean by "longer runs". If you're talking 60-90+ min runs, then yea I agree.

    He only needs to run 1.4 km to get a score of 10, so i would keep most of the runs below his current 2.5 miles. Running 25-35 miles a week seems like overkill and could lead to overtraining injuries, especially if he's doing strength training too.

    The fitness test is either a 1.5 mile run in 12 minutes or level 9.2 15 metres beep test

    YOu answered while I was posting my previous post.

    Download an app. Do the test.

    Run 1.5 miles as fast as you can.

    See which one you are most successful at and train for that.
  • TayFit07
    TayFit07 Posts: 410 Member
    You need to pace yourself; push yourself gradually every day, taking one rehab and recovery day every week. And eating healthy, drinking lots of water and just working on your cardio
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Seems to me that specificity of training would be a logical consideration. If I was training for the 100m dash, I wouldn't run/train for half marathons, and vice-versa. Football players don't practice basketball and swimmers don't ride bikes to become better swimmers. If one's goal is to pass a bleep test, I'd say practicing/training for the bleep test would yield the best results. There look to be about ten gazillion bleep test apps available and it shouldn't be too difficult to find a place to lay out two markers 15m apart.

    This, Definitely 100% this.

    Also remember this - most of the time what stops us going fast for extended periods of time are our minds and not our bodies. I don't mean this for now - get into it first, but when you get going you can do 12 minutes at near max heart rate. Your body will complain and will be screaming at you to stop but you can override this and keep going. You will find out what I mean I am sure. When you start doing the specific training sometimes put the hrm down if you use one, don't set a time you would be happy with, just second by second go as fast as you can. I am sure you will surprise yourself :-) good luck mate.



  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    davert123 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Seems to me that specificity of training would be a logical consideration. If I was training for the 100m dash, I wouldn't run/train for half marathons, and vice-versa. Football players don't practice basketball and swimmers don't ride bikes to become better swimmers. If one's goal is to pass a bleep test, I'd say practicing/training for the bleep test would yield the best results. There look to be about ten gazillion bleep test apps available and it shouldn't be too difficult to find a place to lay out two markers 15m apart.

    This, Definitely 100% this.

    Also remember this - most of the time what stops us going fast for extended periods of time are our minds and not our bodies. I don't mean this for now - get into it first, but when you get going you can do 12 minutes at near max heart rate. Your body will complain and will be screaming at you to stop but you can override this and keep going. You will find out what I mean I am sure. When you start doing the specific training sometimes put the hrm down if you use one, don't set a time you would be happy with, just second by second go as fast as you can. I am sure you will surprise yourself :-) good luck mate.



    I agree for the most part but adding longer slower miles does help with your base fitness. I wouldn't be doing tons of miles, but running longer than the distance you plan to run will help. But shorter, harder sprints will also help, especially with the whole mental thing. The more you get used to how your body feels when you are pushing, you also start to learn you can push further.

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    The good news is according to the McMillan running calculator, at a 28 minute 5k you should be able to be pretty close to a 8 minute for a mile all out. That's not too far from a 1.5 mile in 12 (which is an 8 minute mile).
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    davert123 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Seems to me that specificity of training would be a logical consideration. If I was training for the 100m dash, I wouldn't run/train for half marathons, and vice-versa. Football players don't practice basketball and swimmers don't ride bikes to become better swimmers. If one's goal is to pass a bleep test, I'd say practicing/training for the bleep test would yield the best results. There look to be about ten gazillion bleep test apps available and it shouldn't be too difficult to find a place to lay out two markers 15m apart.

    This, Definitely 100% this.

    Also remember this - most of the time what stops us going fast for extended periods of time are our minds and not our bodies. I don't mean this for now - get into it first, but when you get going you can do 12 minutes at near max heart rate. Your body will complain and will be screaming at you to stop but you can override this and keep going. You will find out what I mean I am sure. When you start doing the specific training sometimes put the hrm down if you use one, don't set a time you would be happy with, just second by second go as fast as you can. I am sure you will surprise yourself :-) good luck mate.



    I agree for the most part but adding longer slower miles does help with your base fitness. I wouldn't be doing tons of miles, but running longer than the distance you plan to run will help. But shorter, harder sprints will also help, especially with the whole mental thing. The more you get used to how your body feels when you are pushing, you also start to learn you can push further.

    I agree with this as well - as part of the specific training plan you want to run longer than 12 minutes sometimes(weekly). It is good that 3dogsrunning highlighted this. I would do a search in google for specific training plans. There must be some out there. I would also suggest you don't increase your volume too quickly as you build up ....and as you get going warm up before you do the hard workouts.... I would be very cautious of injury. Warm up for a few minutes, cool down for a few minutes and stretch out after every workout :-) The last thing you want is a pulled muscle which could put you back significantly .
  • L_Master
    L_Master Posts: 354 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    L_Master wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    My advice is the same since the last time you asked this question:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/34704937/#Comment_34704937
    The test is only about 10 minutes, so don't worry about longer runs. Many fail because they don't pace correctly, and that's where the app helps.
    Try the test and post your score.

    @Cherimoose
    This all depends on what exactly you mean by "longer runs". If you're talking 60-90+ min runs, then yea I agree.

    He only needs to run 1.4 km to get a score of 10, so i would keep most of the runs below his current 2.5 miles. Running 25-35 miles a week seems like overkill and could lead to overtraining injuries, especially if he's doing strength training too.

    This is, speaking honestly, horrible advice. It shows a lack of understanding of how to train for any aerobic event. There is a reason a decent HS or college athlete that runs even the mile runs anywhere from 80-120 miles per week.

    25-35 mpw is the opposite of overkill. That's maybe 4-6 hours a week. More importantly, there is much, much, much greater risk of injury running hard for 1-2 miles a couple times a week with no support. The larger volume of running, in addition to it's general cardiovascular benefits, is that it provides the support and adaptation that allows the body to tolerate higher stress loads and more intense training.

    Obviously, he shouldn't jump to running 25 or 30 mpw from nowhere, but a gentle progression increasing 2-4 miles per week, holding it steady for an extra week if the current week feels especially stressful, is a very safe steady progression. Then after a few weeks at that 25-35 mpw level it would be appropriate to begin adding in some faster sessions, starting with one session a week and after a few weeks adding a second.

    In my first summer of running I dropped from 25:31 over 5k to 18:21 over a 5 months period going from no running to 60 mpw over the course of three months. I did almost nothing but runs at an easy pace for me. If you want to get better at any aerobic event (which is any event longer than about 90-120 seconds in duration) you need to train aerobically. At some point, you need to practice running fast to run fast, but there is TONS of long hanging fruit to be gained just by getting more fit, which easy running does splendidly, and it's just asking to get injured jumping into a bunch of fast running without first building up the tendons, muscle, and ligaments to the stress of running through a base of easy running so they are prepared to handle the more stressful task of harder training.





  • L_Master
    L_Master Posts: 354 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Seems to me that specificity of training would be a logical consideration. If I was training for the 100m dash, I wouldn't run/train for half marathons, and vice-versa. Football players don't practice basketball and swimmers don't ride bikes to become better swimmers. If one's goal is to pass a bleep test, I'd say practicing/training for the bleep test would yield the best results. There look to be about ten gazillion bleep test apps available and it shouldn't be too difficult to find a place to lay out two markers 15m apart.

    This is kinda true. However, the bleep test is ultimately about aerobic fitness and running. In other words, it's fairly analogous to saying the OP's goal is to dunk a basketball. The best way to practice dunking a basketball is NOT to try and go dunk a basketball. It's to go home and start a regimen of intelligent weight training, olympic lifts, plyometrics, and jump training.

    Sure, once you can dunk you do need to practice dunking to be super efficient, but having the physical skills to dunk if a minimum requisite to play the game.

    The best way for the OP to train is to improve his running based aerobic fitness, with a few bleep test practice rounds thrown in for getting used to changing directions and for the pacing aspect. Aerobic fitness is best trained by following the outline in my post above. Build mileage for aerobic fitness and conditioning the body for faster work -> build strength (LT work) with faster aerobic runs -> 'sharpen'/improve turnover and lactate clearance with some more intense speedwork -> destroy the bleep test/1.5 M run.
  • AsrarHussain
    AsrarHussain Posts: 1,424 Member
    The police require me to run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes need your guys help

    This is typically known as the Cooper's Test. The bleep (or beep) test is different. Which do you have to do?

    For a 1.5 mile test I'd be looking at 5k for my longer run once a week and some shorter interval training, like 400m repeats. Even hill repeats.

    But it's hard to advise without knowing which test you are training for.

    You have tons of time. I went from not being able to run .5 mile straight to passing the 1.5 mile in less than 12 minutes in 6 months.

    It's either the bleep or the 1 1/2 mile run they choose
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    The police require me to run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes need your guys help

    This is typically known as the Cooper's Test. The bleep (or beep) test is different. Which do you have to do?

    For a 1.5 mile test I'd be looking at 5k for my longer run once a week and some shorter interval training, like 400m repeats. Even hill repeats.

    But it's hard to advise without knowing which test you are training for.

    You have tons of time. I went from not being able to run .5 mile straight to passing the 1.5 mile in less than 12 minutes in 6 months.

    It's either the bleep or the 1 1/2 mile run they choose

    Oh. They choose. That was not clear.

    I'd still do the test to see which one you are weaker for and work on that.

    As I mentioned, with a 28 minute 5k, you should be too far off a 12 minute 1.5 mile anyway. Chances are training for the bleep test would take you closer to hitting the mark.
  • AsrarHussain
    AsrarHussain Posts: 1,424 Member
    The police require me to run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes need your guys help

    This is typically known as the Cooper's Test. The bleep (or beep) test is different. Which do you have to do?

    For a 1.5 mile test I'd be looking at 5k for my longer run once a week and some shorter interval training, like 400m repeats. Even hill repeats.

    But it's hard to advise without knowing which test you are training for.

    You have tons of time. I went from not being able to run .5 mile straight to passing the 1.5 mile in less than 12 minutes in 6 months.

    It's either the bleep or the 1 1/2 mile run they choose

    Oh. They choose. That was not clear.

    I'd still do the test to see which one you are weaker for and work on that.

    As I mentioned, with a 28 minute 5k, you should be too far off a 12 minute 1.5 mile anyway. Chances are training for the bleep test would take you closer to hitting the mark.

    Thank you
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