video idea?: what about a 3 week 100m sprint specific training camp from you? 3 videos 1 a week going from maybe 15 seconds (id guess) to like 12 point something?? Id find it entertaining anyway something a bit different. 🤙
Worked as a Prison Officer for many years. Always surprises me how many staff fail the basic level fitness test. The old staff (pre fresh start as they're called) didn't have to do it. About 10 years ago they was offered substantial new terms and conditions, on the proviso they had to start taking the fitness tests too. The union rejected it because they knew loads of old school staff would get sacked for being unfit!
just did mine almost died wake up call to push myself harder on cardio in the gym cause i actually trained for that bleep test. i thought 5.4 would be easy...
My issue isn't fitness, it's my horrific shin splints. I can cycle uphill for miles and miles, but the impact of running destroys my shins. Very frustrating.
Fair play to you Mark, 10.5 is not a walk in the park, especially for a big geezer like you. I do the 10.5 for my role, I'm about your size and it does require a bit of graft. But, its not a test that is reflective of reality, it's just easy to administer. Its also worth noting that it doesn't, in any way, take into account age, which military fotness tests do (or did). We used to do Job Related Fitness Tests, basically obstacle courses with running and strength test carrying kit, but they were stopped for various reasons. Which is a shame as they were good tests. There are an awful lot of marathon runners in the Police and overall the workforce is a physically fit one, there are always outliers of course. Either way, great stuff, really enjoying the channel content 👍🏻
Well done, both of you! This was hysterical, loved all the movie clips! Most police and fire departments in the US don't require regular fitness tests, once they pass the initial tough requirements. We have some pretty fluffy officers and firemen. 😂
I'm ex-military and we have to get above level 10.2. however, its changed now that the new fitness test come in but still 10.2 is easy enough never mind 5.4 for the police. i have my Police fitness test on Saturday
It's not absurd. The response police is not elite. They have to scale with the population, meaning they have to hire enough ppl, meaning they can't be too picky. Every job that scales with the population is like that, teachers included: standards are where they need to be to fill the positions. If the standards are low that only means the general population standards are low.
Just change one thing to get to level 12, alternate the foot that crosses the line! You even up the burden of stopping between your legs rather than always using your right (or left ) leg. Good job, love the videos!
I was a Cop for 23 years and this is just fabulous. Made me giggle sooooooo much and brought back such good memories. It would have been great to have had you on our team 😃
Say what you like about footballers, Gary Neville confirmed that David Beckham and Ryan Giggs completed the beep test (21 levels) back in the day. That's some serious fitness.
You should try the Bronco test, Mark. It’s a 1200m rugby shuttle test that is used by teams around the world. You’ll see pro player scores all over the internet. It’s absolutely brutal and was invented by the s and c of the Brisbane Broncos
Well done Mark and Jen. Definitely above average performances and stellar content. Haha i did this on a Parachute regiment camp. Still do it today for “fun”. I got to 13. And needed 11.4 or something like that. Painful camp looking back but fun too. Mark hit up the military huge content opportunities and they are always keen to market. I did the all the drills the following day and the obstacle course for two hours no rest the following day.
Great video and excellent editing, that looks like at the start it’s easy enough but then it ramps up to a whole different level, definitely worth a try, your endurance is amazing, both of you, oh and don’t tell me Jen didn’t make you keep the uniform on when you got home 😂 keep them coming great motivation…
I am glad that the pass mark for more intense jobs are a lot higher. In the Army you will need 5.4 to qualify as Student Nurse. Most jobs are between 6.7 and 7.7 like Signals, Royal Mechanical Electrical Engineers , Logistics etc. the harder ones are Combat roles like Armour or Infantry which is an 8.7 and then there are the PARA Troopers that have to hit 11.3.
Fantastic video and great job both of you! As someone who is large and was required to perform the bleep test towards the upper levels you did I feel your pain. Great effort. I do think the larger you are the harder it is because of the constant starting and stopping. Every 15 metres you lose all your momentum and then have to regain it.
I once trained an elite rugby player for this test by only working on the turns. Huge guy. He reached the required level during assessment, and made the first grade team. It really is all about the turns.
I'm Bigger built - always struggled with it. That said i've always passed it apart from one single time as a new recruit 7 years ago when I just stopped running and gave up. Never failed since. Never find it "easy" but always managed to do it. The last time I did it the girl running it before me looked super physically fit and yet missed two in a row, got cleared, but then stopped at level 4 anyway. I was probably double her weight and 1.5x her width but I still managed it.
I used to do the 20m beep test as a teenager. Its much easier for the turns and to get up to speed. Believe my PB was 15.3, but that was full on sprinting whilst dying for levels 14+.
I did the 20m test once back in the day when I was playing fairly serious rugby. It was a squad session and I was determined to do well if not win. Only two of us left and we'd got to 14.something and I thought I was going to pass out. Eventually couldn't go on and stopped, annoyed I'd been beaten. Only the other guy had dropped out 3 levels earlier and I hadn't noticed. 15+ is really good. Having been that fit once, I know what it takes and how relatively unfit I am now. I also respect anyone, from top athletes to gentle joggers who actually commit to their fitness. I doubt the average sofa-surfer has a clue.
This was my favourite video of yours so far mark, dry humour at the start with the folks wearing numbered vests, you wearing the police hat and having a pack of donuts, seeing Johnny Vegas running through that fence was hilarious 😆
Great video, lots of fun. There are other uses of the bleep test if you"ve no room. Press ups, jumping jacks burpees or whatever exercise you chose. Choose a number dependent on fitness levels. It won't be many as you need a number you can do in a few seconds as intervals get shorter. Do that number on every bleep.
Love the videos, should try the Royal marine pre joining fitness test need minimum of 11 on the bleep test. Then 60 press ups on the bleep, 85 sit ups to the bleep, and then pull ups to bleep which think you need a minimum of 5 but maxes out at 16. Not sure if it’s changed since but thjnk that’d be a good one for you to try
I went to join when I was 18 in 1998. Got thru the first day. Then they asked if I was colour blind, to which I am, and got promptly booted out. Lol… great vid as always Mark.
I joined the British Army in 1999, and we did a beep test during recruitment. I hate beep tests. The stopping and turning seems to kill my knees for some reason. I'm 6ft 3 and weighed 17 stone, so that probably had a lot to do with it. When we did it, they added some spicy additions: both feet must be over the line at each beep with the line having to be touched by both hands. I hated that test and still do years later. I don't remember my score, but I went on to serve 13 years as an infantry man, so I passed. At 50 years old, you did a great job! I'll be 43 next month and can barely reach a jogging speed now (nervous system disorder), so you'd eat me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It’s interesting to see the UK police requirements…where I’m located in Canada the requirements are very different. Minimum 7 on the 20m beep test and that’s in conjunction with a obstacle circuit preformed right before. Tactical teams need a minimum of 1.5 miles in 9:30 min to apply. Thanks for the interesting video!
At my fittest I could do 12.2 on a 20m test and I'm pretty sure I'd have failed 1.5 miles in 9.30. That's some going. It would be very difficult for a female to reach tactical level though. Do they have the same test? Here in the UK, coppers tend to be either super fit or move around like an asthmatic ant with some heavy shopping. There doesn't seem to be a lot inbetween.
We used to have to do these every year in our high school for PE it sucked, I would burn myself out fairly quickly during it because I would sprint the whole time just in case which would backfire, I'd absolutely exhaust myself before I could get to 10. (plus short legs sigh) was cool to learn more about the test tho, great video maybe I'll try the beep test now and try to actually pace myself lol
I conduct these tests as part of my job, my buddy came in the other day and was the only one doing it so I said I'd go with him, I was in my boots and work pants... Didn't know he'd just moved onto ARVS so was 10.4, loads of student cops were watching so I HAD to do it, was a rough run for my 45 year old knees but I did it....at 45 in magnum boots. It ain't that hard if folks put the effort in.. (plus have a 20 judgemental eyes on you wanting you to fail) fun video guys. 🤣👍🏻
Long time channel lurker, 1st time channel poster. Have been following you for over a year and started after getting back into running woth parkrun. You also highlighted other interesting fitness events that ibwas barely aware of (OCR) and events i was unaware of (Hyrox) which is why i keep coming back. I did my first OCR last saturday and loved it and wont lie kept your tips and videos in mond while doing it. Keep up the good work. The videos are great and I especially like the honesty and humour.
Just retired at 59 having had to hit 9.4 for the last 20 years... those bloody bleeps I still hear in my nightmares !! My knees are so much happier now at a parkrun than those frikkin short turns :-D
In America this test (the 20m one) is called the Pacer. Most Americans know is because its part of our physical education at school and we are tested on our performance. I agree with you, the turn around is the worst part, but I have a feeling the test is 15-20m because thats a small enough space to find anywhere. If it was 30m, then thats bigger than basketball courts, youd have to use a track, soccer field or road.
Good job Mark, really good job you did there! And yes, especially when you consider your size, weight and age, top you dit this! That says someone who is 45 years old, 192cm and currently almost 120kg, after I have reduced my weight by 50 kg in the last two years or less and still have the 20 kg in front of me to break down! And there is so far only one so far known "officially recorded" record in this test over 20 meters! It is much better known in the US, widely used in all schools as part of selection procedures, tests etc than here in Europe! A student named Dennis Mejia, I think a soccer player, holds the record with 247 rounds in this beep test or pacer test, which is at the upper limit of this test, i.e. level 21! He was probably "only" missing 3 laps, so up again, back and the very last sprint up over the line and he would have completed the highest level 21 and reached 250 laps! But only 247 is completely sick and incredibly fast and tormenting mental-physical endurance ala David Goggins style! 😉🤘🏼 greetings from 🇨🇭 🙃
Oh dudeeee, the BEEP TESSST. I use to do this back in elementary school. I had no idea it was actually a British Police test lol. I thought it was a Canadian thing, until I asked most of my friends if they did it in school and all of them looked completely puzzled. I loved this shit, mainly because I was very fit in elementary school, it also helped that my parents couldn't afford to feed us junk food lol. I always made it in the top 3 when I would run with my female classmates. I wish I could remember what level I got to... somewhere between 8-10... I *think*. I would love and try to compete against my old level and kick my 12 year selfs ass.
Low-key was so scared for this, just started my application to join the police force lol. Thought it was going to be some rigorous test.. I’m happy now lol 😂
Done both the 15m and 20m many times (around once a fortnight through my 20s). Biggest difference I found was that I struggled to keep my balance on the 15m version when above level 14, on the 20m one this isn’t an issue until you get beyond level 18. It’s also worth noting how much harder this is to do by yourself than it is to do with other athletes, when I did this with my athletics club I would complete the test, whereas by myself I never got beyond 19.5.
I got to level 17 (completed level 16) when I was 24 and weighed 9 stone 4Ibs (I'm 5'6"). It was outside, on grass and I was wearing football boots (which may have helped with the turns). I broke our football club's record which was previously level 14. Pleased it was witnessed though otherwise I wouldn't have believed it myself! I slept well that night. I'm 56, 11 stone and I wouldn't want to go anywhere near that test now!
I had to do a beep test on day one of my military training (was actually about day 3, but it's called the day one fitness test). I got to level 10.11 then dropped out as I knew there was no way I was gonna get to 14.11, which was the next threshold to go up a level, as it were. I honesty can't comprehend how someone can apply for a job that they know requires fitness and not be able to get 5.4.
In all my years as a fitness buff, I never got to do a bleep test. However aged 45 I ran a 55.65 400 metres, and a few years later age 48 a 2.12.00 800 metres. Although not world beating times as a masters athlete! Those times demonstrated decent fitness! I think Mark that we share the same reasoning on the bleep test, in that the constant deceleration, and quick turns don’t suit everyone. Christ, I don’t even like running around bends, or racing laps. I just wanted to race from A to B. Any distance between 100 metres to 42 kilometres😏
A very long time ago I did bleep tests fairly regularly and found getting beyond L14 fairly easy, then it started to hurt a little. I was playing a lot of squash, and my squash talent was limited but my fitness was v high. Stopping, turning & accelerating is pretty much the core movement :) Best result I could trust was 15.10, I did one at uni scoring 17.2, but I believe the measurement was short.
Never done it. I'm a cross country runner and think I can score really high, but I am worried about not knowing how close the bleeps are together and go out too slow, thinking the bleeps were furhter apart.
Back in my army days, I got 16:3. It was with a little help with a guy either end planting their foot just behind the line to prevent slipping by me. In your situation, I would have used the wall to stop myself. It does help get a few extra.
Would love to see your take on other departments entry tests. In Canada we have a P.A.R.E which is 400M over different obstacles. This is followed by a push pull machine and a weight carry
Did mine in the Met (annual refresher) 7 weeks ago - still 5.4. Been rumours it would be lowered to something like 3,5 or 3.7 for ages, but anyone failing to get 5.4 would get management action to improve.... been hearing this for months since last year but when I ran it just 7 weeks ago the absolute minimum pass was still 5.4
My kiddos did the beep test in school a few years back, so I ran it with them. I could still do about 11.2 on the 20 meter test. My best in high school was I think 156 (cross country and track guy), about 8 lengths short of the school record (set by a hockey guy, of course). I have actually been meaning to do this again!
Great effort Mark. I recently saw a couple of young police officers in my hometown I would guess in their late 20's one of whom was just a bit overweight but his larger colleague looked like he'd indulged in a few too many doughnuts. I would have backed myself in a foot race against those two despite giving away more than 20 years.
The problem with the police test is that a fail has no serious consequences, make it you loose your pay from the day you fail until the day you pass it again and you can only retake the test every 2 weeks and bet it would see failures drop from 1800 to 100 almost overnight.
Until you pass the annual OST you can't do frontline roles or wear the equipment, you'll be put on desk duty forever until you pass, most don't want that, so would say there's a consequence if you want to actually wear the uniform.
Absolute rubbish. I serve in a UK force.... New recruits who fail the test 4 times are dispensed with (sacked or "dismissed" from the force). Those who fail the test are not allowed to be operational.... meaning they are stuck behind a desk often doing boring tasks and most people hate it. They are also given management action to improve - if they fail to show improvement it can be pushed up to UPP regulations and they can be sacked that way. Usually if you fail the test the first time they give you 4-6 weeks to improve. I did mine 7 weeks ago and despite being 5'11, with a 38-40 inch waist and weighing between 96 and 102KG.. I can still manage it - yet I witnessed a much thinner, and fitter looking new recruit miss two shuttles in a row, clear on the third one, and then just stop at level 4. It would be ridiculous to dock officers pay for them failing the test.. I don't think you understand just how little most officers are paid. When I first started as a new officer in 2017 I was earning £28,850. New recruits now earn about £35k. Neither of those salaries are exactly "well paid" or "attractive" considering the amount of responsibility and risk you expose yourself to. You can be sacked and have a criminal record for arresting someone when it isn't necessary, and you can lose your job and be put on the college of policing barred list for not arresting someone when you should have... I nearly lost my job when a victim of crime I dealt with decided to commit suicide - she gave me zero indication of this and just did it. 2 years and 4 months later I am STILL subject to sanctions to this day as a result of her action to take her own life.... sound fair to you? I of course earn considerably more than both of those salaries, after 7 years in the job, but like most jobs, that comes with experience. In the first 5 years the police pay barely increases, only around £1,000 a year (about £65 a month extra each year after tax, NI and the huge deduction for your pension is factored into it). Police pension deductions are 14.4%. By contrast I used to work with a PCSO who told me he only pays 4% each month. The police pay scales only increase drastically in the last 2 years until paypoint 6 is reached.
Interesting: at one time tte RFU had a simlar test for referees, but what they forgot was that many of the 'applicants' - like me - are perhaps larger than normal. At 6'4" and nineteen stones my turning circle is way greater than somone who is half my size - and having to do the test on a slippery floor does not help either. Guess what? I failed at 12 reps, but then challenged the 'tester' to a series of races over 25, 50, and 100 metres - and won every one of them, the longest 'race' by a huge margin. Guess who was soon offered a 'Pass'. No thought of anticipation, reading the game, experience, or anything else - just jogging slowly back and forth, which you never actually have to do during a game. As a basic protocol the 'bleep' sorts out the (moderately fit) from the desk-bound, but that is all - apart from that, it is useless.
Did you ever get around to the 20m beep test? That's the one used in the armed forces so could be interesting. For the army they cap it at level 11.6 for the paras. In training they go further than that of course but this is just talking about the assessment centre to get your foot in the door. There's a table online somewhere with all the roles and the required levels.
The fitness gram pacer test is a multi stage aerobic test The fitness gram pacer is a standard test just like this for school children up through 1-8th grade
I do this test regularly, each year. Never found it easy, and a lot of people struggle with it. I'm bigger built (wider and around 5'10, approx 96-102kg as my weight fluctuates a fair bit). That said I can still pass it despite barely ever going to the gym... and weirdly I see plenty of thin peoople (usually females) who really struggle and often don't pass it. Last time I ran it only aroound 7 weeks ago a much smaller and thinner (and I assumed "fitter") person ran it before me, and stopped at level 4. It's quite an outdated test, and some people just watch it and never try it themselves and think it's really easy. It's not the running that takes it out of you, it's the constant twisting and turning. I did the chester treadmill test which is supposedly HARDER than this test and I actually found that easier. I found it easier to walk at a brisk pace of 6km/h at a 3% gradient, increasing by 3% every 2 minutes until I got to 15% gradient on the treadmill - you aren't allowed to hold the side handles, or stop. I practised this a few times and found it easier than the MSSR (seen in this video - known as the bleep test)... purely because it doesn't involve constant turning every 15 metres. The jogging isn't the tiring part, it's the constant jogging, stopping, turning, then jogging and stopping and turning over and over that tires you. In all of the foot chases I've had - none of them have ever been remotely close to the MSSR which is why it's not really a particularly relevant or accurate test. I don't know any officer who's ever chased a suspect and had to keep slowing, turning and running again every 15 metres, sure you run around the odd obstacle, a tree, a lamppost, a member of the public but you aren't doing a complete 180 degree turn each time, that's for sure.
Mark you should look at the PCA the police service of northern Ireland do. No bleep test just a PCA, basically an obstacle course in 3.33. be great to see you try
For those operational cops that fail this test, rather than it being because they are unfit, it’s often more to do with recovering from an injury or possibly recuperating from an illness or operation.
It's a combination of factors. Some will Officers who are recovering from an injury, but in those circumstances they are under the care and supervision of the Forces Oc Health dept and/or physio who set them a program to get back up to standard. There are a few who just fail because they're unfit and don't bother to train, but they are a minority and given they can lose their jobs if they repeatedly fail the test, there is an incentive to pass. It's also worth noting the fact that Forces don't give Officers time to train in the working day (apart from Specific depts like Firearms) and working full shifts, Early, Late, Nights, is very hard on the body and it's not exactly a great feeling working out when you're shattered after a busy shift. When I was younger it was OK, pre kids etc I would get up after my last Night shift and hit the gym to reset my body clock and keep fit (and I was fit, 6 Min miles etc), but as life advances everything becomes that bit more difficult. I do 10.5 in my current role and it's not a walk in the park, and is a very different type of Phys to steady state running or lifting weights.
There is a thing in theory called "inertia"! Well done, u did amazingly well considering inertia! The bleep test is unfair, and profits those who have less mass!
Get Jenn a white Pant suit and a cigar boat to patrol the River Tim’s and Mark needs a bullet proof vest with a bullet sash. Criminals in the UK beware! 🤣😂. Edits in this one were hilarious.
This was tougher than we thought 🤣 Although doughnuts as a prize kept us going 😆
I think the doughnuts keep a lot of police officers going!
video idea?:
what about a 3 week 100m sprint specific training camp from you? 3 videos 1 a week going from maybe 15 seconds (id guess) to like 12 point something??
Id find it entertaining anyway something a bit different. 🤙
Good going. Next do military fitness tests. 😃
Advanced police bleep test, must scarf a donut at each bleep.
Do firefighters 20m and you have to get min of 8.8
Mark, you gave me motivation to go out and just do it, no thinking, just action. Thank you for that! All the best to you and your loved ones !!
Wouldn't have surprised me if you said you'd been a police officer before this, definitely got that vibe of authority about you!
I normally hate videos that cut to film scenes but yours are always spot on 🤣
Thanks 🙏 😁
it helps if ur also in ur 40's and watched all of them a million times on vhs as a kid like mark obviously did.
@@RealMeatyBalls as someone who is 21, I don't get most of these references.
Tackleberry! 🤪
@@AaronCurtin "I'm Too Old For This Sh#t". Sorry another movie reference! 😄
Worked as a Prison Officer for many years. Always surprises me how many staff fail the basic level fitness test. The old staff (pre fresh start as they're called) didn't have to do it. About 10 years ago they was offered substantial new terms and conditions, on the proviso they had to start taking the fitness tests too. The union rejected it because they knew loads of old school staff would get sacked for being unfit!
just did mine almost died wake up call to push myself harder on cardio in the gym cause i actually trained for that bleep test. i thought 5.4 would be easy...
My issue isn't fitness, it's my horrific shin splints.
I can cycle uphill for miles and miles, but the impact of running destroys my shins. Very frustrating.
@@SuperAdventureR1301 havve you looked into getting some better running shoes setup to help with your issues?
Fair play to you Mark, 10.5 is not a walk in the park, especially for a big geezer like you.
I do the 10.5 for my role, I'm about your size and it does require a bit of graft.
But, its not a test that is reflective of reality, it's just easy to administer. Its also worth noting that it doesn't, in any way, take into account age, which military fotness tests do (or did).
We used to do Job Related Fitness Tests, basically obstacle courses with running and strength test carrying kit, but they were stopped for various reasons. Which is a shame as they were good tests.
There are an awful lot of marathon runners in the Police and overall the workforce is a physically fit one, there are always outliers of course.
Either way, great stuff, really enjoying the channel content 👍🏻
Well done, both of you! This was hysterical, loved all the movie clips! Most police and fire departments in the US don't require regular fitness tests, once they pass the initial tough requirements. We have some pretty fluffy officers and firemen. 😂
I did this when joining the police and its absurd how easy response police 5.4 is to achieve and yet people still fail it...
Yeah at my school you need to have atleast a 6,5 to pass how is that logic to a 5.4 for the police
As a really unfit kid with asthma in secondary school, even I managed a 6,4 in the test.
I don’t start jogging until 8 lol
I'm ex-military and we have to get above level 10.2. however, its changed now that the new fitness test come in but still 10.2 is easy enough never mind 5.4 for the police. i have my Police fitness test on Saturday
It's not absurd. The response police is not elite. They have to scale with the population, meaning they have to hire enough ppl, meaning they can't be too picky. Every job that scales with the population is like that, teachers included: standards are where they need to be to fill the positions. If the standards are low that only means the general population standards are low.
Loved it. How about doing the same for roles in the British military? You could even possibly do the infantry annual tests.
Your videos always have such a great balance of humour and insight! Keep it up Mark + Co!
Thanks 🙏
Just change one thing to get to level 12, alternate the foot that crosses the line! You even up the burden of stopping between your legs rather than always using your right (or left ) leg. Good job, love the videos!
I was a Cop for 23 years and this is just fabulous. Made me giggle sooooooo much and brought back such good memories. It would have been great to have had you on our team 😃
Say what you like about footballers, Gary Neville confirmed that David Beckham and Ryan Giggs completed the beep test (21 levels) back in the day. That's some serious fitness.
You should try the Bronco test, Mark. It’s a 1200m rugby shuttle test that is used by teams around the world. You’ll see pro player scores all over the internet. It’s absolutely brutal and was invented by the s and c of the Brisbane Broncos
I shudder at the word bronco. Its not that long but its pretty brutal.
Well done Mark and Jen. Definitely above average performances and stellar content. Haha i did this on a Parachute regiment camp. Still do it today for “fun”. I got to 13. And needed 11.4 or something like that. Painful camp looking back but fun too. Mark hit up the military huge content opportunities and they are always keen to market. I did the all the drills the following day and the obstacle course for two hours no rest the following day.
Great video and excellent editing, that looks like at the start it’s easy enough but then it ramps up to a whole different level, definitely worth a try, your endurance is amazing, both of you, oh and don’t tell me Jen didn’t make you keep the uniform on when you got home 😂 keep them coming great motivation…
Thanks 👍
I am glad that the pass mark for more intense jobs are a lot higher.
In the Army you will need 5.4 to qualify as Student Nurse. Most jobs are between 6.7 and 7.7 like Signals, Royal Mechanical Electrical Engineers , Logistics etc.
the harder ones are Combat roles like Armour or Infantry which is an 8.7 and then there are the PARA Troopers that have to hit 11.3.
Would be good to see a part 2 with the 20m distance. Love your videos mate 👌
Fantastic video and great job both of you! As someone who is large and was required to perform the bleep test towards the upper levels you did I feel your pain. Great effort. I do think the larger you are the harder it is because of the constant starting and stopping. Every 15 metres you lose all your momentum and then have to regain it.
I once trained an elite rugby player for this test by only working on the turns. Huge guy. He reached the required level during assessment, and made the first grade team. It really is all about the turns.
Yes and pacing out the test so that you don't run too fast in the early stages of it.
I'm Bigger built - always struggled with it. That said i've always passed it apart from one single time as a new recruit 7 years ago when I just stopped running and gave up. Never failed since. Never find it "easy" but always managed to do it. The last time I did it the girl running it before me looked super physically fit and yet missed two in a row, got cleared, but then stopped at level 4 anyway. I was probably double her weight and 1.5x her width but I still managed it.
I used to do the 20m beep test as a teenager. Its much easier for the turns and to get up to speed. Believe my PB was 15.3, but that was full on sprinting whilst dying for levels 14+.
I did the 20m test once back in the day when I was playing fairly serious rugby. It was a squad session and I was determined to do well if not win. Only two of us left and we'd got to 14.something and I thought I was going to pass out. Eventually couldn't go on and stopped, annoyed I'd been beaten. Only the other guy had dropped out 3 levels earlier and I hadn't noticed.
15+ is really good.
Having been that fit once, I know what it takes and how relatively unfit I am now. I also respect anyone, from top athletes to gentle joggers who actually commit to their fitness. I doubt the average sofa-surfer has a clue.
This was my favourite video of yours so far mark, dry humour at the start with the folks wearing numbered vests, you wearing the police hat and having a pack of donuts, seeing Johnny Vegas running through that fence was hilarious 😆
Great video, lots of fun.
There are other uses of the bleep test if you"ve no room. Press ups, jumping jacks burpees or whatever exercise you chose. Choose a number dependent on fitness levels. It won't be many as you need a number you can do in a few seconds as intervals get shorter. Do that number on every bleep.
😂 loved this! The dry humour and film clips made my day. Well
Done Mark & Jan💪🏾
Love the videos, should try the Royal marine pre joining fitness test need minimum of 11 on the bleep test. Then 60 press ups on the bleep, 85 sit ups to the bleep, and then pull ups to bleep which think you need a minimum of 5 but maxes out at 16. Not sure if it’s changed since but thjnk that’d be a good one for you to try
I went to join when I was 18 in 1998. Got thru the first day. Then they asked if I was colour blind, to which I am, and got promptly booted out. Lol… great vid as always Mark.
Lol. Join the rejected club here 😁
I joined the British Army in 1999, and we did a beep test during recruitment. I hate beep tests. The stopping and turning seems to kill my knees for some reason. I'm 6ft 3 and weighed 17 stone, so that probably had a lot to do with it.
When we did it, they added some spicy additions: both feet must be over the line at each beep with the line having to be touched by both hands. I hated that test and still do years later. I don't remember my score, but I went on to serve 13 years as an infantry man, so I passed.
At 50 years old, you did a great job! I'll be 43 next month and can barely reach a jogging speed now (nervous system disorder), so you'd eat me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It’s interesting to see the UK police requirements…where I’m located in Canada the requirements are very different. Minimum 7 on the 20m beep test and that’s in conjunction with a obstacle circuit preformed right before. Tactical teams need a minimum of 1.5 miles in 9:30 min to apply.
Thanks for the interesting video!
At my fittest I could do 12.2 on a 20m test and I'm pretty sure I'd have failed 1.5 miles in 9.30. That's some going. It would be very difficult for a female to reach tactical level though. Do they have the same test? Here in the UK, coppers tend to be either super fit or move around like an asthmatic ant with some heavy shopping. There doesn't seem to be a lot inbetween.
Great stuff. As usual. And what a deceptively simple yet challenging test. Got to try this myself.
My wife is a copper and breaks out in a sweat chasing the last doughnut in the office….
how do you know how much faster you need to run to stay ahead of the beeps?
Another great video even better with the top notch movie references! Sergeant Butterman, the little hand says it's time to rock and roll!
We used to have to do these every year in our high school for PE it sucked, I would burn myself out fairly quickly during it because I would sprint the whole time just in case which would backfire, I'd absolutely exhaust myself before I could get to 10. (plus short legs sigh) was cool to learn more about the test tho, great video maybe I'll try the beep test now and try to actually pace myself lol
I conduct these tests as part of my job, my buddy came in the other day and was the only one doing it so I said I'd go with him, I was in my boots and work pants... Didn't know he'd just moved onto ARVS so was 10.4, loads of student cops were watching so I HAD to do it, was a rough run for my 45 year old knees but I did it....at 45 in magnum boots. It ain't that hard if folks put the effort in.. (plus have a 20 judgemental eyes on you wanting you to fail) fun video guys. 🤣👍🏻
Long time channel lurker, 1st time channel poster.
Have been following you for over a year and started after getting back into running woth parkrun. You also highlighted other interesting fitness events that ibwas barely aware of (OCR) and events i was unaware of (Hyrox) which is why i keep coming back. I did my first OCR last saturday and loved it and wont lie kept your tips and videos in mond while doing it.
Keep up the good work. The videos are great and I especially like the honesty and humour.
Glad you tried ocr! Way more fun than just jogging! 👍🏼
Just retired at 59 having had to hit 9.4 for the last 20 years... those bloody bleeps I still hear in my nightmares !! My knees are so much happier now at a parkrun than those frikkin short turns :-D
In America this test (the 20m one) is called the Pacer. Most Americans know is because its part of our physical education at school and we are tested on our performance. I agree with you, the turn around is the worst part, but I have a feeling the test is 15-20m because thats a small enough space to find anywhere. If it was 30m, then thats bigger than basketball courts, youd have to use a track, soccer field or road.
Good job Mark, really good job you did there! And yes, especially when you consider your size, weight and age, top you dit this!
That says someone who is 45 years old, 192cm and currently almost 120kg, after I have reduced my weight by 50 kg in the last two years or less and still have the 20 kg in front of me to break down!
And there is so far only one so far known "officially recorded" record in this test over 20 meters! It is much better known in the US, widely used in all schools as part of selection procedures, tests etc than here in Europe! A student named Dennis Mejia, I think a soccer player, holds the record with 247 rounds in this beep test or pacer test, which is at the upper limit of this test, i.e. level 21! He was probably "only" missing 3 laps, so up again, back and the very last sprint up over the line and he would have completed the highest level 21 and reached 250 laps! But only 247 is completely sick and incredibly fast and tormenting mental-physical endurance ala David Goggins style! 😉🤘🏼 greetings from 🇨🇭 🙃
Thank you team Lewis, needed a smile today !
Oh dudeeee, the BEEP TESSST. I use to do this back in elementary school. I had no idea it was actually a British Police test lol. I thought it was a Canadian thing, until I asked most of my friends if they did it in school and all of them looked completely puzzled.
I loved this shit, mainly because I was very fit in elementary school, it also helped that my parents couldn't afford to feed us junk food lol. I always made it in the top 3 when I would run with my female classmates. I wish I could remember what level I got to... somewhere between 8-10... I *think*. I would love and try to compete against my old level and kick my 12 year selfs ass.
We do it in the Netherlands too, never knew it was a police test either.
Proper name is multi stage fitness test
Low-key was so scared for this, just started my application to join the police force lol. Thought it was going to be some rigorous test.. I’m happy now lol 😂
any luck?
Well done guys!👌🤩 heck, i think the South African Police should be using this Bleep test before qualifying...
Done both the 15m and 20m many times (around once a fortnight through my 20s). Biggest difference I found was that I struggled to keep my balance on the 15m version when above level 14, on the 20m one this isn’t an issue until you get beyond level 18.
It’s also worth noting how much harder this is to do by yourself than it is to do with other athletes, when I did this with my athletics club I would complete the test, whereas by myself I never got beyond 19.5.
Fun video. But that block wall! My goodness that was rough!
Can you do the 20m version next Mark. Its the one the military and Fire Service use.
Fair play to where you got to! I won’t put it out as a spoiler alert! You right in what you said at the end though.
NSW Australia police is 20m and you have to reach 7.1
This is an incredible video. Just execelent content. Thanks Mark.
Much appreciated!
I got to level 17 (completed level 16) when I was 24 and weighed 9 stone 4Ibs (I'm 5'6"). It was outside, on grass and I was wearing football boots (which may have helped with the turns). I broke our football club's record which was previously level 14. Pleased it was witnessed though otherwise I wouldn't have believed it myself! I slept well that night. I'm 56, 11 stone and I wouldn't want to go anywhere near that test now!
I took the recruitment test in 1992 as well. Managed 14.5. Since then, the test has become easier, and many serving officers fail it!
Did mine last week @51 …9.4 which I always do …best I’ve done was 11.3 …a few years ago but a bit heavier …great video 👍
I had to do a beep test on day one of my military training (was actually about day 3, but it's called the day one fitness test). I got to level 10.11 then dropped out as I knew there was no way I was gonna get to 14.11, which was the next threshold to go up a level, as it were. I honesty can't comprehend how someone can apply for a job that they know requires fitness and not be able to get 5.4.
In all my years as a fitness buff, I never got to do a bleep test.
However aged 45 I ran a 55.65 400 metres, and a few years later age 48 a 2.12.00 800 metres. Although not world beating times as a masters athlete! Those times demonstrated decent fitness!
I think Mark that we share the same reasoning on the bleep test, in that the constant deceleration, and quick turns don’t suit everyone. Christ, I don’t even like running around bends, or racing laps. I just wanted to race from A to B. Any distance between 100 metres to 42 kilometres😏
A very long time ago I did bleep tests fairly regularly and found getting beyond L14 fairly easy, then it started to hurt a little. I was playing a lot of squash, and my squash talent was limited but my fitness was v high. Stopping, turning & accelerating is pretty much the core movement :)
Best result I could trust was 15.10, I did one at uni scoring 17.2, but I believe the measurement was short.
2 points off the pass for the parachute regiment!
Juliet Bravo quote , Brilliant 🤣🤣🤣🤣
One for the oldies 😂
Never done it. I'm a cross country runner and think I can score really high, but I am worried about not knowing how close the bleeps are together and go out too slow, thinking the bleeps were furhter apart.
When I was 15 I got 12.5 on the 20m test. This video has inspired me to do it again, though I dread to think how much worse I've gotten lol
I am 15 and did it a weak ago. Got 12,5 aswell
Back in my army days, I got 16:3. It was with a little help with a guy either end planting their foot just behind the line to prevent slipping by me. In your situation, I would have used the wall to stop myself. It does help get a few extra.
Great video! Smashing it with the content right now
Would love to see your take on other departments entry tests.
In Canada we have a P.A.R.E which is 400M over different obstacles. This is followed by a push pull machine and a weight carry
Would be cool to see them try and break a PARE record!
Great video as always! Would love to see you try the bronco test
Another great video Mark, really enjoyed it!
Thanks 🙏
There's already talk of it being lowered from 5.4! 😮
To what? Asleep? 😂
Did mine in the Met (annual refresher) 7 weeks ago - still 5.4. Been rumours it would be lowered to something like 3,5 or 3.7 for ages, but anyone failing to get 5.4 would get management action to improve.... been hearing this for months since last year but when I ran it just 7 weeks ago the absolute minimum pass was still 5.4
“A cross between Jaws and Air Wolf.” 😂😂😂
The bleep test when I joined in the early naughties was level 8 or 9.....its now what I like to call "the making sure you are not about to die" test.
That’s what it was in 92 when I took it!
My kiddos did the beep test in school a few years back, so I ran it with them. I could still do about 11.2 on the 20 meter test. My best in high school was I think 156 (cross country and track guy), about 8 lengths short of the school record (set by a hockey guy, of course).
I have actually been meaning to do this again!
Great effort Mark. I recently saw a couple of young police officers in my hometown I would guess in their late 20's one of whom was just a bit overweight but his larger colleague looked like he'd indulged in a few too many doughnuts. I would have backed myself in a foot race against those two despite giving away more than 20 years.
The problem with the police test is that a fail has no serious consequences, make it you loose your pay from the day you fail until the day you pass it again and you can only retake the test every 2 weeks and bet it would see failures drop from 1800 to 100 almost overnight.
Until you pass the annual OST you can't do frontline roles or wear the equipment, you'll be put on desk duty forever until you pass, most don't want that, so would say there's a consequence if you want to actually wear the uniform.
Absolute rubbish.
I serve in a UK force....
New recruits who fail the test 4 times are dispensed with (sacked or "dismissed" from the force).
Those who fail the test are not allowed to be operational.... meaning they are stuck behind a desk often doing boring tasks and most people hate it. They are also given management action to improve - if they fail to show improvement it can be pushed up to UPP regulations and they can be sacked that way. Usually if you fail the test the first time they give you 4-6 weeks to improve. I did mine 7 weeks ago and despite being 5'11, with a 38-40 inch waist and weighing between 96 and 102KG.. I can still manage it - yet I witnessed a much thinner, and fitter looking new recruit miss two shuttles in a row, clear on the third one, and then just stop at level 4.
It would be ridiculous to dock officers pay for them failing the test.. I don't think you understand just how little most officers are paid.
When I first started as a new officer in 2017 I was earning £28,850. New recruits now earn about £35k. Neither of those salaries are exactly "well paid" or "attractive" considering the amount of responsibility and risk you expose yourself to. You can be sacked and have a criminal record for arresting someone when it isn't necessary, and you can lose your job and be put on the college of policing barred list for not arresting someone when you should have... I nearly lost my job when a victim of crime I dealt with decided to commit suicide - she gave me zero indication of this and just did it. 2 years and 4 months later I am STILL subject to sanctions to this day as a result of her action to take her own life.... sound fair to you?
I of course earn considerably more than both of those salaries, after 7 years in the job, but like most jobs, that comes with experience. In the first 5 years the police pay barely increases, only around £1,000 a year (about £65 a month extra each year after tax, NI and the huge deduction for your pension is factored into it). Police pension deductions are 14.4%. By contrast I used to work with a PCSO who told me he only pays 4% each month. The police pay scales only increase drastically in the last 2 years until paypoint 6 is reached.
Interesting: at one time tte RFU had a simlar test for referees, but what they forgot was that many of the 'applicants' - like me - are perhaps larger than normal. At 6'4" and nineteen stones my turning circle is way greater than somone who is half my size - and having to do the test on a slippery floor does not help either. Guess what? I failed at 12 reps, but then challenged the 'tester' to a series of races over 25, 50, and 100 metres - and won every one of them, the longest 'race' by a huge margin. Guess who was soon offered a 'Pass'.
No thought of anticipation, reading the game, experience, or anything else - just jogging slowly back and forth, which you never actually have to do during a game.
As a basic protocol the 'bleep' sorts out the (moderately fit) from the desk-bound, but that is all - apart from that, it is useless.
Did you ever get around to the 20m beep test? That's the one used in the armed forces so could be interesting. For the army they cap it at level 11.6 for the paras. In training they go further than that of course but this is just talking about the assessment centre to get your foot in the door. There's a table online somewhere with all the roles and the required levels.
Now do it in kit. I'm sitting on my lawn half dead from doing this in a 8kg weighted vest - really takes it up a notch
You can be 50st and get in now
Jaws & Airwolf comparison for Blue Thunder had me howling 😂
I laughed so hard again in this video. You are brilliant. 😂
The fitness gram pacer test is a multi stage aerobic test
The fitness gram pacer is a standard test just like this for school children up through 1-8th grade
Every time you said "Bleep" I kept thinking, "Beep" as we called it the Beep test haha
Great humour in there Mark. More Jonny Vegas than Johnny Utah
Hilarious! Nearly dropped a dumbbell on my head listening to / watching this while doing bench presses.
“Bad Guy” level made me laugh out loud! 🤣
I’m overweight and haven’t really exercised for over 4 years. I did a bleep test this week and scored 7. The police standards are surprisingly low!
I had to get 8.6 for the fire service and I honestly think that’s too low as well, a very minimal amount of fitness and preparation can get you there
Great video as always!
Cheers for that Mark, the thumbnail alone brought back those horrible memories of having to do a bleep test during PE.
I do this test regularly, each year. Never found it easy, and a lot of people struggle with it. I'm bigger built (wider and around 5'10, approx 96-102kg as my weight fluctuates a fair bit). That said I can still pass it despite barely ever going to the gym... and weirdly I see plenty of thin peoople (usually females) who really struggle and often don't pass it. Last time I ran it only aroound 7 weeks ago a much smaller and thinner (and I assumed "fitter") person ran it before me, and stopped at level 4.
It's quite an outdated test, and some people just watch it and never try it themselves and think it's really easy. It's not the running that takes it out of you, it's the constant twisting and turning. I did the chester treadmill test which is supposedly HARDER than this test and I actually found that easier.
I found it easier to walk at a brisk pace of 6km/h at a 3% gradient, increasing by 3% every 2 minutes until I got to 15% gradient on the treadmill - you aren't allowed to hold the side handles, or stop. I practised this a few times and found it easier than the MSSR (seen in this video - known as the bleep test)... purely because it doesn't involve constant turning every 15 metres. The jogging isn't the tiring part, it's the constant jogging, stopping, turning, then jogging and stopping and turning over and over that tires you.
In all of the foot chases I've had - none of them have ever been remotely close to the MSSR which is why it's not really a particularly relevant or accurate test. I don't know any officer who's ever chased a suspect and had to keep slowing, turning and running again every 15 metres, sure you run around the odd obstacle, a tree, a lamppost, a member of the public but you aren't doing a complete 180 degree turn each time, that's for sure.
LOL @ "bleep". I didn't know the UK called it bleep. We call it the beep test in Canada.
Mark you should look at the PCA the police service of northern Ireland do. No bleep test just a PCA, basically an obstacle course in 3.33. be great to see you try
Take a look at the bronco test. Rugby players use it a lot.
I have one by January I pray I make it up to 5.4 … I have be training since 2 weeks …
Hey, FIrefighter here!
You should give the fire ground fitness test a go, not too hard but fun 👍
Going for a run in smokediving equipment is a special kind of hell.
Had me waiting for over half way for Miami Vice 🙌😎🇫🇮
🚤
Judging by the state of the police in my local station the bleep test involves running from the police canteen to greggs!
For those operational cops that fail this test, rather than it being because they are unfit, it’s often more to do with recovering from an injury or possibly recuperating from an illness or operation.
Whatever pal. UK Police are a joke.
It's a combination of factors. Some will Officers who are recovering from an injury, but in those circumstances they are under the care and supervision of the Forces Oc Health dept and/or physio who set them a program to get back up to standard.
There are a few who just fail because they're unfit and don't bother to train, but they are a minority and given they can lose their jobs if they repeatedly fail the test, there is an incentive to pass.
It's also worth noting the fact that Forces don't give Officers time to train in the working day (apart from Specific depts like Firearms) and working full shifts, Early, Late, Nights, is very hard on the body and it's not exactly a great feeling working out when you're shattered after a busy shift. When I was younger it was OK, pre kids etc I would get up after my last Night shift and hit the gym to reset my body clock and keep fit (and I was fit, 6 Min miles etc), but as life advances everything becomes that bit more difficult.
I do 10.5 in my current role and it's not a walk in the park, and is a very different type of Phys to steady state running or lifting weights.
At the end, you needed a Murtaugh-style "I'm getting too old for this shit !"
Trust me, there were many clips left on the cutting room floor with this one 😂.
LOL that last 'frisbee' throw!
Also, I'm too short and tiny(not enough chest) for our police and armed forces, sad youngster all those decades ago
There is a thing in theory called "inertia"! Well done, u did amazingly well considering inertia! The bleep test is unfair, and profits those who have less mass!
There is a technique you use where you hop to the line an do a kind of turn in the air
Helps hugely
Try the rugby bronco test, fastest All Black rugby player does it in a 4.16
"move along, police business" 😂😂😂
My bleep test is Kelly playing Taylor Swift and me trying not to swear. I still haven't passed it!
Brillant made me laugh also made me less anxious abiut my upcoming beep test at level 5.4
Get Jenn a white Pant suit and a cigar boat to patrol the River Tim’s and Mark needs a bullet proof vest with a bullet sash. Criminals in the UK beware! 🤣😂. Edits in this one were hilarious.
8:07 any idea what movie is it? Thanks