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The Bleep Test and Interval Training

Personal Fitness Tests — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:59:22 GMT

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.

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.
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.
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

Personal Fitness Tests — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:57:57 GMT

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,

There are 21 levels in The Bleep Test.
Each of the levels in the test lasts for about 60 seconds.
The targets in each of the levels are placed 20 meters apart.
Every participant is given a warm-up time of about 10 minutes.
Once the audio is played, the participant will start shuttling.
When the bleep sounds, the participant should have one foot on the target line.
The participant has to wait at the line until the bleep is heard if the participant reaches the target before the bleep.
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)

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 11:44:21 GMT

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.

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.
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.
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

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 11:41:47 GMT

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.

Run the treadmill at an initial velocity of 11.3 kmph.
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.
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.

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.
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.
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

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 11:40:10 GMT

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.

The Bleep Test Training Program - Launched 01.05.11

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:03:16 GMT

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.

For more details please visit www.lulu.com.

Training for The Bleep Test

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 07:02:15 GMT

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 07:00:47 GMT

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

The game is built up with 21 levels.
Each of the levels lasts for approximately 62 seconds.
Each level will have two marking cones that are placed 20 m apart to mark the start and end of each run.
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

The athlete should do a warm up by jogging or stretching before the actual Bleep Test. This helps to prepare the body for exercise.
The athlete should have his foot on or beyond the marked targets placed 20 m away.
The athlete should run continuously between two cones, which are placed 20 m apart.
The athlete should reach each cone at the other end in synchronization with the pre-recorded bleeps.
If an athlete misses to reach the end of line after the bleep then, an athlete is given one chance to recover.
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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Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:43:00 GMT

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Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:52:00 GMT

Personal Fitness Tests Goes Live on Facebook

Personal Fitness Tests — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:10:00 GMT

Personal Fitness Tests has now joined Facebook. To visit our company page please go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Personal-Fitness-Tests/178951248795211?ref=ts to see all of the up to date news and information on our products.

Interest in 'The Bleep Test' Gathers Speed Following Jamie's Dream School TV Coverage

Personal Fitness Tests — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:56:00 GMT

Following being featured in Jamie Oliver's new series 'Jamie's Dream School', the fitness test known as 'The Bleep Test' has attracted considerable interest from many schools, sporting teams and organisations. The programme showed Daley Thompson using The Bleep Test in Daley Thompson's Fitness Test, with teenagers taking part in the Jamie Oliver Dream School experiment.

The particular version of The Bleep Test used in the TV series is that produced by fitness industry specialist's Personal Fitness Tests www.personalfitnesstests.com, a member of the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) and one of the UK's leading provider of fitness tests. The Bleep Test is a specific fitness test which is designed to measure fitness and keep participants in peak physical condition. Lasting just over 20 minutes the test enables individuals, sports coaches and trainers to estimate the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) of those taking part.

The Bleep Test is already employed by many international sporting teams as an accurate test of cardiovascular fitness and is one of the all-important and crucial 'Components of Fitness'. It is also used by a number of organisations during their application process including the Army, Navy, Royal Air Force, Fire Service and Police.

The Bleep Test involves running continuously between two points that are 20 metres apart. These runs are synchronised by bleeps, which are played at set intervals. As the test proceeds, the interval between each bleep reduces, forcing the participant to increase velocity over the course of the test, until it is impossible to keep in sync with the recording.

The recording is structured into 21 'levels', each of which lasts around 62 seconds. The interval of bleeps is calculated, at a running speed of 8.5km/h, increasing by 0.5km/h with each level. The progression from one level to the next is signalled by rapid bleeps. The highest level attained before failing to keep up with the bleeps is recorded as the score for that test.

The Bleep Test is useful to sports teams and schools and is especially beneficial for players of sports such as cross country, football, hockey, rugby, cricket, netball, and tennis.

Personal Fitness Tests provides a number of useful tools to help people achieve their fitness goals, safely and effectively. Tests are designed to increase the participant's fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular capacity.

The company offers all of its fitness testing products on MP3 and CD, together with downloadable information booklets to accompany the tests. The fitness tests that are currently available are:

The Bleep Press-up Test – Version February 2010.
The Bleep Sit-up Test – Version February 2010.
The Bleep Test – Version August 2009.
The Bleep Personal Fitness Test – Version August 2010.

To find out more about The Bleep Test and other useful fitness tools visit the Personal Fitness Tests website at www.personalfitnesstests.com.

Jamie’s Dream School - Daley Thompson’s Fitness Test

Personal Fitness Tests — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:15:00 GMT

Jamie Oliver has chosen British Olympic Champion Daley Thompson to be the fitness teacher and Personal Fitness Tests, The Bleep Test at his dream school. He started by telling the class that research has shown that “kids that do exercise and stuff do better at school”.

In the first lesson Daley Thompson got the kids doing some simple exercises in pairs, such as pushing and pulling each other. Each exercise is designed to improve core strength and stability. Many of the exercises Daley taught are done in many martial arts schools in the UK.

He then organised a fitness test for the class called Daley Thompson's Fitness Test. Each exercise was conducted for 1 minute and the distance, number of exercises and The Bleep Test results were recorded.

• Rowing
• Sit-ups
• Step-ups
• Press-ups
• Skipping
• Medicine ball throws
• The Bleep Test

So the test is how far they can row, how many sit-ups, steps-ups, push-ups, skips and how far they can chest pass the medicine ball. The results are added up to see who is the fittest.

The kids then did The Bleep Test by Personal Fitness Tests, where you run between a 20 metre distance and try and stay in time with the bleeps, but the bleeps get closer each time forcing you to run faster.

This was a classic circuit training routine really which is used by athletes to get fit and build strength and speed.

Home Fitness Workout

Getting fitter is key to getting in shape and losing weight. If you do a fitness test like this each week you can easily record your progress. If you don’t have a rower you can run in a park or on the street for 60 seconds to see how far you get, then set yourself the goal of running further the next time.

To get fitter it really is important to keep pushing yourself to do more and work harder. Improving fitness helps to burn fat because the fitter you are the more calories you can burn during exercise.

For more details on The Bleep Test and other fitness tests by Personal Fitness Tests, please visit http://www.personalfitnesstests.com.

Jamie's Dream School

Personal Fitness Tests — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:32:00 GMT

Jamie Oliver is bringing together some of Britain’s most inspirational individuals to try to encourage twenty teenagers, who have left school with few qualifications, to give education a second chance.

The results will be shown in a new seven-part documentary series, Jamie’s Dream School, to be shown early next year on Channel 4.

Jamie struggled academically at school, partly because of his dyslexia, leaving at sixteen with just two GCSEs. Two decades on he realises that schools can, and should, be places that change lives. So he wants to see if he can persuade twenty kids like him to stay in education with an intensive and inspirational reintroduction to learning, as well as long-term support for those who decide to go back to college.

The kids, aged from sixteen to eighteen, will be taught a range of subjects by an incredible array of experts in their fields, brought together by Jamie and supervised by an experienced head teacher.

The science teacher is Professor Robert Winston, history is taught by David Starkey, politics by Alastair Campbell, drama by Simon Callow, music by Jazzie B, art by Rolf Harris and sport by Olympic gold-medallist Daley Thompson.

For more details please visit: www.jamieoliver.com.

The Bleep Personal Fitness Test - Launched 17.09.10

Personal Fitness Tests — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:15:00 GMT

The Bleep Personal Fitness Test is used by sports coaches and trainers to estimate a participant's upper body strength, endurance and VO2 max (maximum oxygen uptake). The test is especially useful for players of sports like cross country, football, hockey, rugby, cricket, netball, soccer or tennis and is employed by many international sporting teams and government organisations such as the Police, Fire Service and the HM Forces as an accurate test of upper body strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness, parts of the all-important "Components of Fitness".

For more details please visit www.personalfitnesstests.com

Personal Fitness Tests - Fitness Industry Association (FIA)

Personal Fitness Tests — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:57:00 GMT

The Fitness Industry Association (FIA) is the trade body which represents every reputable organization in the health and fitness industry. They currently represent over 2800 operators in the public and private sectors, as well as 250 supplier organizations.

Personal Fitness Tests is proud to be a member of the FIA.

The Bleep Personal Fitness Test - Coming Soon

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 16:42:00 GMT

Personal Fitness Tests now available at Tesco

Personal Fitness Tests — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 16:36:00 GMT

Personal Fitness Tests now available at Tesco: http://www.tescoentertainment.com/store/search.tla/groupsearch?keyword=bleep%20test.

The Bleep Sit-up Test - Launched 20.05.10

Personal Fitness Tests — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:41:00 GMT

The sit-up is a strength training exercise commonly performed with the aim of strengthening the hip flexors and abdominal muscles. It begins with lying with the back on the floor, typically with the knees bent in an attempt to reduce stress on the back muscles and spine, and then elevating both the upper and lower vertebrae from the floor until everything superior to the buttocks is not touching the ground.

Sit-ups are a basic exercise used in civilian athletic training or physical education and commonly in military physical training.

The Bleep Sit-up Test measures abdominal strength and endurance. In this test, the maximum number of sit-ups performed at a rate of one every three seconds is recorded.

For more details please visit www.personalfitnesstests.com

The Bleep Press-up Test - Launched 20.05.10

Personal Fitness Tests — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:38:00 GMT

A press-up or push up is a common strength training exercise performed in a prone position, lying horizontal and face down, raising and lowering the body using the arms.

Press-ups develop the pectoral muscles and triceps, with ancillary benefits to the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole.

Press-ups are a basic exercise used in civilian athletic training or physical education and commonly in military physical training.

The Bleep Press-up Test measures upper body strength and endurance. In this test, the maximum number of press-ups performed at a rate of one every three seconds is recorded.

For more details please visit www.personalfitnesstests.com