The 20-metre beep test (shuttle run) appears in almost every Australian emergency services and military fitness assessment. NSW Police requires level 7.1. The Australian Army requires level 7.5. Navy Clearance Divers need level 10.1. Whatever your target, the training principles are the same.
This guide gives you an 8-week training plan to add 2 to 3 levels to your current beep test score. It does not require a gym membership or any equipment beyond a pair of running shoes and a 20-metre space.
Understanding the Beep Test
The beep test is a progressive shuttle run. You run back and forth between two lines 20 metres apart. An audio recording plays beeps, and you must reach the opposite line before each beep sounds. The beeps start slow (level 1 is a walking pace) and get faster with each level.
Each level has a set number of shuttles. Level 1 has 7 shuttles. Level 7 has 8 shuttles. Level 10 has 11 shuttles. The total distance covered by level 7.5 is approximately 1,120 metres.
The test is maximal. You keep going until you can no longer reach the line before the beep, or until you receive two warnings for failing to reach the line in time.
Required Standards by Service
| Service | Beep Test Level | Approx. Distance | Approx. Time | |---------|----------------|-------------------|--------------| | NSW Police | 7.1 | 1,040m | 6 min 10 sec | | Australian Army | 7.5 | 1,120m | 6 min 30 sec | | Royal Australian Navy | 6.1 | 840m | 5 min 0 sec | | Navy Clearance Diver | 10.1 | 1,800m | 10 min 10 sec | | RAAF | 6.5 | 900m | 5 min 20 sec | | ADF Special Forces | 10.1 | 1,800m | 10 min 10 sec |
Why Most People Plateau
The beep test is not a pure cardio test. It is a test of repeated acceleration, deceleration, and direction change under increasing fatigue. Long slow runs will build your aerobic base, which matters. But they will not teach your body to handle the specific demands of stopping, turning, and sprinting again every few seconds.
Most people who plateau at level 6 or 7 have decent aerobic fitness but poor anaerobic tolerance and inefficient turning technique. The training plan below addresses all three.
The 8-Week Plan
Train four days per week. Two days are interval sessions (the hard work). One day is a long easy run (aerobic base). One day is a beep test practice or time trial.
Week 1 and 2: Establish Your Baseline
Day 1 (Monday): Baseline beep test. Do a full beep test using an audio track (free apps available on any phone). Record your level and shuttle. This is your starting point.
Day 2 (Wednesday): Interval session. Mark out 20 metres. Sprint the 20 metres, touch the line, sprint back. Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Focus on your turning technique: plant one foot, pivot tightly, drive out. Wide turns waste time and energy.
Day 3 (Friday): Easy run. 20 to 25 minutes at a pace where you could hold a conversation. This is genuinely easy. If you are breathing too hard to talk, slow down.
Day 4 (Sunday): Tempo intervals. Run 200 metres at a pace that feels hard but sustainable, then walk 200 metres to recover. Repeat 6 times. If you do not have a measured 200m, run hard for 45 seconds, walk for 45 seconds.
Week 3 and 4: Build Tolerance
Day 1: Interval session. Same 20-metre shuttles as before, but increase to 15 repetitions and reduce rest to 20 seconds.
Day 2: Easy run. Extend to 25 to 30 minutes.
Day 3: Beep test practice. Run the beep test but start at level 4 instead of level 1. This saves time and trains you to work at the pace that actually matters. Record your score.
Day 4: Tempo intervals. Increase to 8 repetitions of 200 metres hard with 200 metres walking recovery.
Week 5 and 6: Push the Ceiling
Day 1: Pyramid intervals. Sprint 20 metres, touch, sprint back (1 rep). Rest 15 seconds. Do 2 reps. Rest 15 seconds. Do 3 reps. Rest 15 seconds. Do 2 reps. Rest 15 seconds. Do 1 rep. That is one pyramid. Do two pyramids with 2 minutes rest between them.
Day 2: Easy run. 30 to 35 minutes.
Day 3: Beep test practice. Full beep test from level 1. Push as hard as you can. Record your score. You should see improvement from your week 1 baseline.
Day 4: Long intervals. Run hard for 90 seconds, walk for 60 seconds. Repeat 8 times. This trains your body to sustain effort at the pace required for levels 7 through 9.
Week 7 and 8: Sharpen
Day 1: Race pace intervals. Using a beep test audio track, run along with it from level 5 to your target level plus one. Rest 3 minutes. Repeat twice. This teaches your body exactly what the required pace feels like.
Day 2: Easy run. 30 minutes.
Day 3: Full beep test. This is your final test. Record your score.
Day 4: Light session. Easy 20-minute run or rest. You should be tapering this week if your actual test is coming up.
Turning Technique
This is the free speed that most people leave on the table. A poor turn at the end of each shuttle wastes half a second. Over 50 or 60 shuttles, that adds up to 25 to 30 seconds of wasted time, which could be the difference between passing and failing.
Good technique: As you approach the line, shorten your stride. Plant your foot on or just past the line. Drop your hips slightly and lean into the turn. Push off hard in the new direction. Your first two steps after the turn should be explosive.
Bad technique: Running at the line at full speed, doing a wide U-turn, and gradually accelerating back. This turns every shuttle into a longer distance and wastes energy on deceleration you do not need.
Practice turns specifically. Sprint 20 metres, turn sharply, sprint back. Do 20 repetitions focusing purely on your turn quality.
Pacing Strategy for Test Day
Levels 1 to 4: Easy jog. Do not sprint. Save your energy. Many candidates go too hard too early and burn out by level 6.
Levels 5 to 6: Moderate effort. You should be breathing harder but still in control.
Levels 7 to 8: This is where the test begins for most people. Commit to each shuttle. Focus on your turns. Do not look at other runners dropping out.
Levels 9+: Everything you have. Short, sharp steps. Aggressive turns. Do not give up until you physically cannot reach the line.
Common Mistakes
Only running long distances. Distance running builds your aerobic base, which is necessary. But the beep test also demands anaerobic power and direction-change ability. You need interval training.
Never practising the actual test. The beep test has a specific rhythm and pacing that you can only learn by doing it. Practice with the audio track at least once a week.
Going too hard at the start. Levels 1 through 4 are there to warm you up. Sprinting them wastes glycogen you will desperately need at level 7 and beyond.
Giving up too early. The beep test is as much mental as physical. When your legs burn and your lungs ache at level 6, your body is telling you to stop. But you have more in the tank than you think. The difference between level 6.5 and level 7.5 is often pure willpower.
Track Your Progress
SelectionReady apps include beep test tracking for both police and military applicants. Record your scores over time, see your progress, and know exactly where you stand relative to the standard you need to hit.
PolicePath: police.selectionready.com.au ArmyPath: army.selectionready.com.au
SelectionReady apps are independent training tools. Not authorised, endorsed, or affiliated with any government agency. All content compiled from publicly available sources. Standards and requirements can change without notice. Always verify directly with the relevant recruiting authority.