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The Bleep Test and Interval Training

Interval training involves high intense practices with regular rest intervals. This type of training is mainly for regular bursts of high medium work out for muscles. Sometimes these regular rest intervals might be replaced with low intense practices. However, the aim is to work out the cardio vascular system with alternation of high and low exercise.

High and Low Workouts for VO2 Max Score

High exercises such as cycling, jogging and swimming, which are focused in training the heart and lungs, are generally followed. The interval of rest or low intense work is marked at the time where the participant could not take any more of the intense work. This threshold is measured regularly and progress is calculated with these threshold measures.

Effectiveness of Interval Training On The Bleep Test

Interval training is quite famous among The Bleep Test trainers. It is considered top notch to train your cardiac system and hence it increases your VO2 Max score. Apart from training the cardiac system, it also trains the participant to exercise in even intervals. This is the most suitable condition for The Bleep Test and its results.

Levels of Interval Training

There are several levels in training yourself for The Bleep Test using the interval training methodology.

  1. Level 1: This is a standard level, which is practiced during the initial stages of The Bleep Test. It involves a 5 minute warm-up followed by 1 minute high intense training, which is in turn followed by 1 minute low intense training and finally a 5 minute cool-down.
  2. Level 2: This is called as the pyramid level. As the name suggests the athletes use a pyramid fashion to train themselves for fitness. This is exactly where the interval training matches with The Bleep Test.  It will have the same 5 minute warm-up. Instead of a regular 1 minute high and low variation workouts, it will have 15 seconds high intense workout followed by a 1 minute low intense work out and then it slowly rises to a 30 second high intense work out followed by the same 1 minute low intense work out and so on. Once the 1 minute high intense interval is reached, there is a 5 minute cool-down.
  3. Level 3: This is required for high level sports people. They design their own high intensity work out time and the low intensity rest time based on their power to bear the high intense work.

You should follow these planned interval training sessions during the initial stages of training for The Bleep Test.

The Bleep Test Criteria

The Bleep Test is one of the widely accepted tests to measure the fitness of a participant. It has levels of shuttle runs where the participant runs between two targets placed 20 meters apart.  This test is used to measure participant's fitness level based on the VO2 Max score. This is the measurement of millimeter per kilogram per minute.

The standard bleep test follows a few criteria as follows,

  1. There are 21 levels in The Bleep Test.
  2. Each of the levels in the test lasts for about 60 seconds.
  3. The targets in each of the levels are placed 20 meters apart.
  4. Every participant is given a warm-up time of about 10 minutes.
  5. Once the audio is played, the participant will start shuttling.
  6. When the bleep sounds, the participant should have one foot on the target line.
  7. The participant has to wait at the line until the bleep is heard if the participant reaches the target before the bleep.
  8. If the participant misses the bleep consequently and is out of synchronization then the test is stopped for that participant and the VO2 Max score is read.

If you fail in The Bleep Test then one can improve your VO2 Max score by utilizing The Bleep Test Training Program – Version May 2011 by Personal Fitness Tests.

Criteria for VO2 Max Score

VO2 Max score differs by gender. A good VO2 Max score for male would be more than 60. A person who reaches 70 would succeed in The Bleep Test if he follows the right practice. In the same way, for woman a good VO2 Max score would be more than 52. If a woman has VO2 max score more than 60 then she is said to have a high level of fitness, which she should direct appropriately towards passing The Bleep Test.

Heart Rate Max (HRMax)

The recent advent in the fitness industry is the strong foundation of HRMax parameter. It was identified that the rate at which a heart beats can be used effectively in passing one of the famous fitness tests The Bleep Test. HRMax was soon recognized as one of the prime factors to measure the fitness of a participant in the last few decades. It is defined as the Heart Rate Maximum, which is calculated as heart beats per unit of time. The unit of time to measure the heartbeats is generally measured in terms of minutes for The Bleep Test. Naturally; the HRMax score is higher when a participant exercises.

Bleep Test and the HRMax Score

A participant preparing for The Bleep Test can take advantage of the test by knowing his or her heart rate ratio beforehand. You can measure HRMax score using three methods.

  1. The pulse rate should be measured at a point where the artery is located. Arteries are located throughout the body. However, to measure the pulse you should choose the artery that lies right above the bone. This structure allows the bone to support the arteries position. Such arteries are located in the ventral area of wrist, in the neck region, and under the biceps muscle. The index and the middle finger should always be used to identify the pulse rate accurately. Do not use the thumb to measure the pulse rate.
  2. Apart from identifying pulse rate manually, you could also choose to use commercial heart rate monitoring tools. These are available with electrodes fixed in straps or belts. These straps or belts should be tied around the chest. There is a display connected too there straps and you can view the heart rate measurement on this device.
  3. Electro cardio gram can also be taken to identify the pulse rate effectively. Regular monitoring sessions are always offered in many medical care centers.

The most efficient way to measure the HRMax for Bleep test would be to use the commercial monitoring units.

Frame The Bleep Test Training

A good Bleep Test training program starts with a good chart about participants HRMax and VO2 Max. Identifying these factors will help the trainer know where the participant exactly stands and which customized path the participant should choose. Common Bleep Test training would not be very helpful for a benchmarking success. You have to customize the training as per your own pitfalls and rises. During the initial stages of practice sessions you can use the commercial monitoring unit as these are easy and accurate to use during the practice sessions.

You should start measuring the HRMax during the beginning of the training sessions as this helps in framing a suitable training chart. By knowing your HRMax, and by training according to the result, you can efficiently increase your VO2 Max to succeed in The Bleep Test.

The Bleep Test VO2 Max Scores

The VO2 Max Score is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen that you can breathe in during workout. Hence, this is considered as one of the important factors in determining the fitness of an participant during The Bleep Test. The maximum oxygen intake during training is equivalent to the fitness measurement in millimeters per kilogram per minute.

Measure VO2 Max Score

Practically, you can measure the VO2 Max Score using a treadmill during training sessions.

  1. Run the treadmill at an initial velocity of 11.3 kmph.
  2. Incline the treadmill to 2 degrees and incline the treadmill by 2 degrees each minute until the fifth minute is reached. Therefore, at the end of fifth minute the inclination of the treadmill would be 10 degrees.
  3. After the fifth minute, the treadmill inclination is increased 1 degree per minute. This continues until the participant isn’t able to withstand the 11.3 kmph speed.

Since calculation involves the time, speed and the inclination (millimeters), VO2 max is measured as the fitness in millimeters per kilogram per minute.

VO2 Max Score and The Bleep Test

Researchers have shown that an increase in the VO2 Max Score will result in a better run. However, there have been many cases where a person with a VO2 Max of 65 to 70 have out run a person with a VO2 Max of 80 to 90. Hence, it all depends on the individual. However, the general strategy or pattern would be that, the better the VO2 Max the better the capacity to run.

General VO2 Max Score of Individuals

For men the VO2 Max Score is generally higher when compared to that of women in each of the age groups. To be successful in The Bleep Test the following are the general VO2 Max Scores.

  1. For adolescents in the age group of 18 to 25, the VO2 Max of men should be greater than 60 and for women it should be greater than 56.
  2. For adults in the age group of 26 to 35, the VO2 Max of men should be greater than 56 and for women it should be greater than 52.
  3. For elders in the age group of 36 to 45, the VO2 Max of men should be greater than 51 and for women it should be greater than 45.

VO2 Max is mostly influenced by the physical ability of a person to do a job at the fullest with the oxygen intake. This can be increased with regular exercises and regular practicing of VO2 Max increasing training.

The Bleep Test Tips

The Bleep Test is now widely accepted as one of the common fitness test in the armed forces. Due to this, mushroom training centers were developed globally to train participants in the test. Apart from joining such training centers, you have to have your own training chart to practice few techniques and strategies to succeed in The Bleep Test. The following are a few important Bleep Test tips that would help a participant to get through each of the levels easily.

  1. A good warm-up: Before any pulse rate-demanding exercise you have to warm up to prepare the body for exercise. The Bleep Test is no exception to this rule. A good warm-up session could be a good practice session right before the actual Bleep Test. Do not do a heavy warm-up before the actual Bleep Test. Instead, light stretching and jogging would assist in a successful result.
  2. Slow Pace Levels: Many of Bleep Test participants make a mistake at the slow pace levels. These levels are at a very slow pace of 8.5 kmph and therefore should be viewed with a perspective to pace with the bleeps.  Instead, people tend to reach the next level quicker. This urgency leads to unnecessary heart rate rise, hence increasing your Heart Rate Max (HRMax) in your first few levels.
  3. Turning Point: Turning in The Bleep Test is one important turning point in the test result for most of the participants. Many of them learn good turning techniques as per the individual’s capability. It is always better to have a separate training session to compare different turning techniques before actually choosing one for The Bleep Test. It is also wise to rate the different turning techniques as grade a, grade b and grade c, that you might opt one or the other at different levels.
  4. Avoid Collapse: Last but not the least; one has to maintain steady body condition to avoid collapsing once you’ve completed The Bleep Test. You have to make sure that you cool down by doing small Cool-down exercises to bring back the body to a normal condition. By doing this HRMax is stabilized and the person crosses back across the threshold of collapse.

These are the few tips that one should follow apart from the regular training of the body and heart. You should not just rely on these tips to make a successful sweep through every level. Rigorous training will give the hands on experience in different techniques. Several mock Bleep Test sessions should also be combined along with regular fitness training to give a successful Bleep Test result.

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The Bleep Test Training Program. The aim of this program is to give you the information to optimise your effort in improving your Bleep Test score.

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Training for The Bleep Test

The Bleep Test has gained significance in the recent years. One of the prime reasons for such a quick and steady growth is that, it does not demand space or additional equipments. All it requires is a CD or MP3 along with 20 m space.

Apart from these reasons, The Bleep Test not only estimates an athlete’s power to perform well, but it also gives a progressive estimation of power. This progressive estimation helps in easy comparison between two athletes. It helps in breakdown of results even for elite participants. Why wouldn’t someone choose such a simple method that can give such accurate results? This has compelled many athletes to train effectively for The Bleep Test, to perform better in training.

Here are a few tips to get you trained for a successful Bleep Test outcome.

  1. Though Body Mass Index (BMI) has nothing to do with the success and failure in your Bleep Test, sometimes having an appropriate BMI value will help you succeed in the test. In addition, few organizations might require you to have perfect BMI though you might have passed the test with an improper BMI. So maintain your BMI well according to the standard chart.
  2. Cardio vascular fitness training has to be undertaken to achieve better results in The Bleep Test. As this test focuses on your cardiovascular fitness, training on this aspect will greatly improve your score. Some of such training includes swimming, cycling, boxing and rowing. These are to be included in the program while working towards improving your Bleep Test score.
  3. Learn different turning techniques and circuit techniques. Most of the excess energy and time is wasted whilst turning. By adapting a quicker way, you can perform better and save your energy for the next level.
  4. Slightly adapting the pace might give you an advantage at certain levels, but it is generally advised to maintain a consistent pace throughout The Bleep Test.
  5. A mix of Press-ups, Sit-ups and running should be practiced every week regularly. You can create a chart on how many hours you should walk and do Sit-ups amongst walking. However, this should be based on how fit you already are.
  6. The Bleep Test on a treadmill is also a good way to practice. Set the treadmill at an inclination of 1%. Set the initial velocity or speed at 8.5 kmph and then increment it 0.5 kmph at the specific time interval.

These are a few ways to train successfully to complete The Bleep Test. At the same time, over reliability on steady state aerobics training will not help in The Bleep Test.

As legs play a mighty role in The Bleep Test, special training to give resistance to your legs is essential. Just running and jogging might not be sufficient to train the legs. Therefore, one has to focus widely on the abdominal portion and lower body portion along with the cardiovascular training.

For more details please visit www.personalfitnesstests.com.

The Bleep Test Rules

The Bleep Test, which is also known as the Multi-stage Fitness Test, has become quite famous and common in the recent years. Especially the fitness world has learnt the importance of this test. Such a renowned dissemination about The Bleep Test and its accuracy in the fitness world was caused due to the strict rules that were laid down clearly to estimate an athlete’s fitness. Unlike other common tests that were used to identify the fitness of a person, The Bleep Test gives accurate information of a participant’s cardiovascular fitness. The Bleep Test, which is now widely accepted by world’s many fitness centers, has clear cut test rules and a well laid applicant rules.

Rules for The Bleep Test

  1. The game is built up with 21 levels.
  2. Each of the levels lasts for approximately 62 seconds.
  3. Each level will have two marking cones that are placed 20 m apart to mark the start and end of each run.
  4. The game will have bleeps played in the background along with the athlete. The bleeps are recorded in an interval, which is calculated with the initial velocity of 8.5 kmph and with an increasing velocity of 0.5 kmph.

Applicant Rules for The Bleep Test

  1. The athlete should do a warm up by jogging or stretching before the actual Bleep Test. This helps to prepare the body for exercise.
  2. The athlete should have his foot on or beyond the marked targets placed 20 m away.
  3. The athlete should run continuously between two cones, which are placed 20 m apart.
  4. The athlete should reach each cone at the other end in synchronization with the pre-recorded bleeps.
  5. If an athlete misses to reach the end of line after the bleep then, an athlete is given one chance to recover.
  6. If an athlete reaches the target before the bleep then, they should wait until the bleep sounds again before continuing.

Such a controlled bleep test gives accurate results measuring the cardiovascular fitness of a participant. The Bleep Test is very famous in certain sports like the hockey, football and tennis. Generically, they are used in stop-start sports type. There are several institutes established now to train people towards success in The Bleep Test. This test is quite challenging practically, though it might seem simple in theory and in the overall design.

For more details please visit www.personalfitnesstests.com.

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