Beep Test Aerobic Fitness for Soccer

Beep tests are very popular for pre-season and in-season fitness assessments for soccer players of all levels. The minimal equipment and space requirements make them attractive. The interval runs that are part of a beep test prove very challenging for even elite soccer players in top condition. They also provide a very good spread in results, separating athletes into many levels of fitness, providing the soccer coach with a realistic assessment of individual and team fitness.

In the standard Beep Test the runner covers a 20 meter interval at a steadily increasing pace, with several iterations to be completed at each pace before moving on to the next level. At each level, players complete between 7 and 15 repetitions. Players start each interval when the audio tape sounds a beep, and try to reach the end of the interval and turn before the next beep. The tests are run continuously until the subjects can no longer continue or start to miss (arrive late at gates).

Warm-Up

Before the Endurance Test begins, the players must be warmed up and thoroughly stretched out.

Setup

• A 20 meter lane is defined for each player. The lane is set up on flat ground or turf, with two cones on the ground at each end of the lane to define a shoulder width gate at each end of the lane.
  
• There should be one lane for every two players to be tested.
  
• One player, the recorder, holds an Endurance Test Record form and a pen at an end of the lane.
  
• The other player, the runner, stands with at least one foot on the line between the two cones that define a gate at the end of the lane. The runner faces the far end of the lane. Unlike the illustration, no ball is required.

Procedure

• After the warm-up and set-up are both completed, the coach should carefully explain the simple beep test to the players, and, using the audio tape, allow the players to run a few repetitions at the lowest speed so that they become accustomed to the two sounds on the tape.
  
• A single beep is used to indicate the start and completion of each interval. The first beep starts the runner, the next one signals the end of the first interval and the start of the next

Runner Instructions

• The runner is to start at one end of the lane, facing the other end.
  
• At the start, the player must have one foot between the two cones that define the gate.
  
• At each beep from the audio tape, the player must run to the gate at the opposite end, and get a foot between the cones at that opposite end gate before the next beep sounds.
  
• If the runner does not arrive early enough to place a foot in the cone gate, a miss will be recorded.
  
• Two misses in a row retire the runner from the test.

Soccer Coach Instructions

• Ensure that the course is accurately measured and that the beep test audio tape is running at the right speed.
  
• The coach must ensure that the runners who arrive early at the end gate wait until the beep to return to the other end.
  
• Note that, at the lower speeds, players might be laughing or complaining about the ease of the test. However, things get quiet at about Speed 9, and by Speed 11 to 13, people are dropping out.