How to use
- 1Mark two lines 20 m apart and place your phone where runners can hear it; go fullscreen if you like.
- 2Press Start: after three countdown beeps, reach the opposite line on every beep. A triple beep means a new level.
- 3When a runner misses two beeps in a row, press Stop & record, or type the level and shuttle in by hand.
- 4Pick age and sex to see the estimated VO2max and how it compares for that age.
The protocol: Léger 1988
This is the 20 m multistage shuttle run published by Léger and colleagues in 1988: running speed starts at 8.5 km/h and rises by 0.5 km/h every minute. In this timer each level lasts about one minute, and the number of shuttles per level is the whole number of 20 m shuttles closest to one minute at that speed (level 1: 7 shuttles of 8.47 s). One beep marks the line, a triple beep marks a new level. Sounds are generated in your browser, and the screen is kept awake on devices that support it.
How VO2max is estimated
The calculator uses Léger’s equation: VO2max = 31.025 + 3.238 × speed − 3.248 × age + 0.1536 × age × speed, where speed is that of the last fully completed level (8 + 0.5 × level). The equation was built on 8–19-year-olds; from age 18 the age term is held at 18, which works out to about 6 × speed − 27.4 for adults. Completing level 10 (13 km/h) as an adult gives roughly 50.6 ml/kg/min.
Reading your result
For ages 6–18 the result is shown as a percentile against the 2023 FitBack reference values from 34 European countries — the same test is used in UK PE lessons and US schools as the PACER. From 19 years on, the estimated VO2max is compared with Cooper Institute norms. Treat it as a field estimate: floor surface, shoes and motivation can move the result by a level or two. If you have a health condition, check with a doctor before maximal running; this is not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
How does the beep test work?
You run back and forth between two lines 20 m apart, arriving before each beep. The pace increases every minute and the test ends when you miss two beeps in a row; your score is the level and shuttle reached.
What is a good beep test score?
It depends on age and sex. The European median for 15-year-old boys is 6.5 completed stages and 3.9 for girls; for adults, reaching level 10 or more usually means a VO2max around 50 ml/kg/min.
Is the PACER test the same as the beep test?
They belong to the same family of 20 m shuttle runs. Versions differ slightly in starting speed and level length, so compare scores only within one version.
How long does the beep test take?
About one minute per level. Someone who completes level 10 has run for roughly 10 minutes and covered 1.8 km.
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