What is the beep test?

The beep test is a multiple-stage fitness test used to estimate an athlete's VO2 max (maximum oxygen uptake).  This test is sometimes referred to as beep test, pacer test, or twenty-meter shuttle run test.  It is a very popular test used by soccer teams because it is a great test for cardiovascular fitness, a valuable asset for soccer players.  To set up a beep test, place two cones twenty-meters apart that a player can run continuously back and forth between. Player runs are synchronized with an audio cd or computer software program that beeps at set intervals, so every time the athlete hears a beep, they run to the opposite cone. As the test advances, the interval between each beep reduces, forcing the athlete to increase speed and reduce rest time.  The test continues until the athlete is unable to keep up with the recording.  The recording is set into twenty-one levels, with each level lasting approximately sixty-two seconds.  The intervals between beeps at each level is calculated by requiring a speed at the starting level of 8.5 km/h, and increasing the speed required by 0.5 km/h with each level.  The athlete's score from the test is the highest level attained before failing to keep up to the recording.  There is no mistaking that this is an grueling assessment test, but is valuable for soccer players.  Also, this test can be used as a form of conditioning for soccer players during the off-season and pre-season.