Beep test calculator.
Enter a client's 20 m shuttle run result - the level and shuttle they reached - and this beep test calculator returns their estimated VO2 max in ml/kg/min, a fitness rating by age and sex, the final running speed at that level, and the total distance covered. It is a field-test estimate, not lab measurement - use it to set targets and track change across a training block.
score the 20 m shuttle run
Level 9 has 11 shuttles. Enter the last one completed.
Sex (for rating norms)
44.9 ml/kg/min
Rating: Good
final speed
12.5 km/h
shuttles done
77 x 20 m
distance covered
1,540 m
| Rating | VO2 max (ml/kg/min) |
|---|---|
| Superior | - |
| Excellent | - |
| Good | - |
| Fair | - |
| Poor | - |
| Very poor | - |
VO2 max bands are broad guides for the selected age and sex, drawn from widely used field-test norm tables for the general population. A field-test result can sit several ml/kg/min from a lab value - track the change between identical tests rather than chasing the absolute number.
the short answer
A beep test calculator turns your 20 m shuttle run result into an estimated VO2 max. Using the Ramsbottom et al. (1988) equation, VO2max = 3.46 x (L + S / Smax) + 12.2, where L is the level, S is the shuttles completed at that level, and Smax is the number of shuttles in that level. A result of level 9 shuttle 5 gives 3.46 x (9 + 5 / 11) + 12.2 = 44.9 ml/kg/min. That level 9 run reaches 12.5 km/h and covers 77 shuttles, or 1,540 m in total.
How does this beep test calculator score the shuttle run?
You enter the level and shuttle a client reached and the calculator does four things at once. It applies the Ramsbottom equation - VO2max = 3.46 x (L + S / Smax) + 12.2 - so a client who reaches level 9 shuttle 5 scores 44.9 ml/kg/min, and one who completes level 13 scores 60.6. It reads off the final running speed, since the test starts at 8.5 km/h and adds 0.5 km/h per level, so level 9 is 12.5 km/h and level 13 is 14.5 km/h. It counts the total shuttles completed across every level up to that point, and turns that into the total distance at 20 m per shuttle.
The number of shuttles in each level rises with the speed, from 7 at level 1 to 16 at level 21, following the standard per-level table, which sums to 247 shuttles across the full test. Then it drops the estimated VO2 max onto the fitness band for the client's age and sex, so the same 44.9 ml/kg/min reads as "good" for a man in his 30s and higher up the scale for an older client. Age and sex are optional and only move the rating - the VO2 max, speed, and distance come from the level and shuttle alone.
What does the beep test measure?
The beep test - also called the bleep test, the multi-stage fitness test, the 20 m shuttle run, or the PACER test - measures aerobic fitness. A client runs back and forth between two lines 20 metres apart, keeping pace with a recorded beep that gets faster at every level. The test starts at 8.5 km/h and speeds up 0.5 km/h each level, so the further a client gets, the more their body can take in, transport, and use oxygen. That capacity is VO2 max, the maximum volume of oxygen used per minute relative to bodyweight (ml/kg/min).
A true VO2 max measurement needs a lab treadmill and a gas-analysis mask. The beep test is a field estimate of that number - good enough to set targets and track progress, not a substitute for lab testing and not a health diagnosis. For the fuller coaching picture on what the number means and how to read the ranges, see our guide to what VO2 max is.
Its big advantage over a straight-line run is space and logistics. The beep test needs only 20 metres and an audio track, so it runs in a sports hall, a small yard, or a garage gym, and a whole group can be tested in one session against the same beeps. The turning and the fixed pacing make it slightly different from a free run, but for repeated field assessment that trade is usually worth it.
How do you run the beep test with a client?
The test is only as good as its set-up. Because you compare a client to themselves over time, keep every controllable variable the same between the first test and the re-test.
- Measure 20 metres exactly. Set two cones or lines exactly 20 m apart on a flat, non-slip surface. A short or long course throws off every result, so measure it with a tape, not paces.
- Use the standard audio. Play the official beep test track. A single beep marks each 20 m shuttle and a triple beep marks a new, faster level. The client must have a foot on or past the far line as the beep sounds.
- Warm up properly. 8 to 12 minutes of easy running plus a little mobility and a few strides. A cold start understates a client's real level.
- Score the finish clearly. The test ends when the client fails to reach the line in time on two consecutive beeps. Record the last level and shuttle completed, for example level 9 shuttle 5, and enter it above.
- Fix the conditions. Same surface, same shoes, similar time of day, and a fair rest beforehand. Heat, a slippery floor, and tight turns all pull the score down.
The beep test is a maximal effort. Run it only with clients cleared for vigorous exercise, and have anyone with health concerns check with a qualified professional before testing.
How do you interpret a beep test score?
Read the level and shuttle two ways: as a raw beep test score you can re-test directly, and as the estimated VO2 max the calculator prints. As a broad guide, most recreationally fit adults reach level 7 to level 10, a fit man in his 20s reaches level 11 to level 12, and elite team-sport athletes commonly test at level 13 to level 15, which is roughly 60 to 68 ml/kg/min. The rating band above places the estimated VO2 max against age-and-sex norms, so an older client and a younger one who post the same level land in different bands - which is exactly what you want when you compare each client to a sensible reference rather than to each other.
Beep test or Cooper test? Both estimate VO2 max from a maximal effort. The beep test needs only 20 metres and an audio track, so it suits a hall, a small space, or a group session. The Cooper test is a 12-minute run on a measured course of 400 metres or more, with no turning and no audio, so it suits clients who pace themselves well and have room to run. Pick the one that matches your space and roster, then stay with it so the re-test is a clean comparison.
How VO2 max fits in. The beep test is one of several ways to estimate the same number. If a client cannot yet sprint the clock, our VO2 max calculator estimates VO2 max from a 12-minute run, a 1.5-mile run, or even resting heart rate that needs no test at all - so you still get a baseline to program from while a deconditioned client builds toward running the beep test safely.
One shuttle run, a whole conditioning block.
For a coach, the beep test is not a trophy number - it is the anchor for a conditioning block. Run it in week 1, log the level and the VO2 max estimate, and program from it: easy-pace volume set off the test speed, interval targets pitched at 90 to 95% of max heart rate, and a re-test booked for the end of the block. The before-and-after delta on the same test is the cleanest proof your programming worked - and the easiest progress story to show a client who does not feel their engine growing week to week.
The bottleneck is doing that for 20 or 40 clients at once. Inside Coachway, a coach builds the test week and the conditioning block once, assigns it across the whole client list, and logs each client's level where their training, check-ins, and habit targets already live - one tab per client instead of a spreadsheet, a chat app, and a calendar. When re-test week comes around, the comparison is already sitting in each client's history.
Run test weeks and conditioning blocks for your whole client list from one tab.
A card is required to start the trial - no charge today, cancel anytime under Billing.Frequently asked questions.
What is the beep test?
The beep test, also called the bleep test or multi-stage fitness test, is a 20-metre shuttle run that gets faster every level until you can no longer keep pace with the recorded beeps. It starts at 8.5 km/h and speeds up 0.5 km/h at each level, so the level and shuttle you reach is a measure of aerobic fitness. Leger designed it in the 1980s for field testing, and the score converts into an estimated VO2 max in ml/kg/min. A result of level 9 shuttle 5 works out to about 44.9 ml/kg/min.
How do you calculate VO2 max from the beep test?
Use the Ramsbottom et al. (1988) equation: VO2max = 3.46 x (L + S / Smax) + 12.2, where L is the level reached, S is the shuttles completed at that level, and Smax is the number of shuttles in that level. For level 9 shuttle 5, that is 3.46 x (9 + 5 / 11) + 12.2 = 44.9 ml/kg/min. The calculator above does this for you and also shows your final running speed and the total distance covered.
What is a good beep test score?
It depends on age and sex, but as a broad guide most recreationally fit adults land around level 7 to level 10. A man in his 20s who reaches level 11 to level 12 is in good shape, and elite team-sport athletes commonly test at level 13 to level 15, which is roughly 60 to 68 ml/kg/min. Enter your result in the calculator and it maps the estimated VO2 max onto the fitness band for your age and sex.
Should a coach use the beep test or the Cooper test?
Both are field estimates of VO2 max, so pick the one that fits your space and client group. The beep test needs only 20 metres and a recorded audio track, which makes it ideal for a hall or a small yard and for testing several clients at once. The Cooper test needs a measured flat course of 400 metres or more but removes the audio and the turning. If you have room to run, the Cooper test suits steady pacers; the beep test suits tight spaces and group sessions.
How do I run the beep test with a client?
Mark two lines exactly 20 metres apart with cones, warm the client up for 8 to 12 minutes, and play the standard beep test audio. The client runs between the lines and must have a foot on or past the far line when the beep sounds. A single beep marks each 20-metre shuttle and a triple beep marks a new, faster level. The test ends when the client fails to reach the line in time on two consecutive beeps. Record the last level and shuttle completed, for example level 9 shuttle 5.
How accurate is the beep test for VO2 max?
It is a field estimate, not a lab measurement, and it typically sits within a few ml/kg/min of a treadmill VO2 max test. The result moves with motivation, running economy, turning technique, and the test surface, so treat the number as a target-setting and progress-tracking tool. The change between two identical beep tests is far more reliable than any single absolute value; when you need a precise number, use a lab test.
Every result on this page is an estimate from a field test, not a lab measurement, and the rating bands are broad population guides. The beep test is a maximal running effort - use it only with clients cleared for vigorous exercise, and have anyone with health concerns clear testing with a qualified professional first. This tool is general fitness information, not medical advice.
Keep building the plan: use the VO2 max calculator to estimate VO2 max without a shuttle run, the Cooper test calculator for the 12-minute run version, the heart rate zone calculator to set the interval intensities off that number, and the running pace calculator to turn the test speed into session targets. See the full set on the free tools hub.
More free calculators
See all free tools ->Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Your max heart rate and five training zones in bpm, with what each one builds.
Open calculator ->Max Heart Rate Calculator
Estimate HRmax by age from three formulas: 220 minus age, Tanaka, and Gellish.
Open calculator ->Workout Timer
Free EMOM, AMRAP, Tabata and custom interval timer with a big display, beeps and keyboard controls.
Open calculator ->Running Pace Calculator
Pace, time or distance from any two - plus finish-time predictions for common races.
Open calculator ->Personal Trainer Bio Generator
Build 8 Instagram bios under 150 characters from your niche, outcome, and CTA.
Open calculator ->Business Name Generator
Personal training and fitness business name ideas by niche and style, with domain checks.
Open calculator ->Set conditioning targets for every client at once
This calculator handles one client at a time. Coachway lets a coach build the test week and the block once, assign it to the whole client list, and see every beep test result next to the client's training, check-ins, and messages - one tab, not six.
