Beep test VO2 max chart
BEEP estimates VO2 max from a beep test result with Léger's equation, which uses the running speed of the last level reached and the runner's age. Adults are calculated at age 18, so an adult who reaches level 10 gets an estimate of 50.6 ml/kg/min. It's an estimate for tracking change over time, not a lab measurement.
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VO2 max by level for adults
| Level | Speed (km/h) | Léger estimate | No age: first shuttle | No age: last shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8.0 | 20.6 | 16.2 | 19.1 |
| 2 | 9.0 | 26.6 | 19.6 | 22.6 |
| 3 | 9.5 | 29.6 | 23.0 | 26.0 |
| 4 | 10.0 | 32.6 | 26.4 | 29.5 |
| 5 | 10.5 | 35.6 | 29.9 | 33.0 |
| 6 | 11.0 | 38.6 | 33.3 | 36.4 |
| 7 | 11.5 | 41.6 | 36.8 | 39.9 |
| 8 | 12.0 | 44.6 | 40.2 | 43.3 |
| 9 | 12.5 | 47.6 | 43.7 | 46.8 |
| 10 | 13.0 | 50.6 | 47.1 | 50.3 |
| 11 | 13.5 | 53.6 | 50.5 | 53.7 |
| 12 | 14.0 | 56.6 | 54.0 | 57.2 |
| 13 | 14.5 | 59.6 | 57.4 | 60.6 |
| 14 | 15.0 | 62.6 | 60.9 | 64.1 |
| 15 | 15.5 | 65.6 | 64.4 | 67.6 |
| 16 | 16.0 | 68.6 | 67.8 | 71.0 |
| 17 | 16.5 | 71.6 | 71.3 | 74.5 |
| 18 | 17.0 | 74.6 | 74.7 | 77.9 |
| 19 | 17.5 | 77.6 | 78.2 | 81.4 |
| 20 | 18.0 | 80.6 | 81.6 | 84.9 |
| 21 | 18.5 | 83.6 | 85.1 | 88.3 |
The Léger estimate depends on the level only, because it uses that level's speed. The two “no age” columns are what BEEP shows when no age is entered, at the first and last shuttle of each level. All values are rounded to one decimal place, as in the app.
How the estimate is calculated
Léger and colleagues fitted their equation on 188 children and teenagers aged 8 to 19, relating the speed each one reached in the beep test and their age to their measured VO2 max.
VO2 max = 31.025 + 3.238 × S - 3.248 × A + 0.1536 × S × AS is the running speed in km/h of the last level reached, and A is age in years. For adults, the paper reports that the same equation works with age held at 18 (r = 0.90 against measured VO2 max in 77 men and women aged 18 to 50). BEEP does exactly that, so anyone 18 or older is calculated as 18.
When no age is entered
Without an age, BEEP uses a simpler formula that also gives credit for part of a level, so the estimate moves with every shuttle. L is the level, S the shuttle reached and N the number of shuttles in that level.
VO2 max = 3.46 × (L + S ÷ N) + 12.2This formula doesn't come from Léger's paper, so treat it as a rougher guide. Adding an age in BEEP switches to Léger's equation.
Worked example
A 30-year-old stops at level 9, shuttle 5. Level 9 runs at 12.5 km/h and has 11 shuttles.
With age entered. Age is held at 18, so the sum is 31.025 + 40.475 - 58.464 + 34.56, which comes to 47.6 ml/kg/min.
Without an age. Level 9 plus 5 of 11 shuttles is 9.455. Multiply by 3.46 and add 12.2 for 44.9 ml/kg/min.
VO2 max by level for under 18s
Léger's equation takes age into account, so the same level gives a younger runner a higher estimate. This table runs the equation at a few ages, the way BEEP does when an age is entered.
| Level | Age 8 | Age 10 | Age 12 | Age 14 | Age 16 | Age 18+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40.8 | 36.7 | 32.7 | 28.7 | 24.6 | 20.6 |
| 2 | 45.2 | 41.5 | 37.8 | 34.0 | 30.3 | 26.6 |
| 3 | 47.5 | 43.9 | 40.3 | 36.7 | 33.2 | 29.6 |
| 4 | 49.7 | 46.3 | 42.9 | 39.4 | 36.0 | 32.6 |
| 5 | 51.9 | 48.7 | 45.4 | 42.1 | 38.9 | 35.6 |
| 6 | 54.2 | 51.1 | 47.9 | 44.8 | 41.7 | 38.6 |
| 7 | 56.4 | 53.4 | 50.5 | 47.5 | 44.6 | 41.6 |
| 8 | 58.6 | 55.8 | 53.0 | 50.2 | 47.4 | 44.6 |
| 9 | 60.9 | 58.2 | 55.6 | 52.9 | 50.3 | 47.6 |
| 10 | 63.1 | 60.6 | 58.1 | 55.6 | 53.1 | 50.6 |
| 11 | 65.3 | 63.0 | 60.6 | 58.3 | 55.9 | 53.6 |
| 12 | 67.6 | 65.4 | 63.2 | 61.0 | 58.8 | 56.6 |
| 13 | 69.8 | 67.8 | 65.7 | 63.7 | 61.6 | 59.6 |
| 14 | 72.0 | 70.2 | 68.3 | 66.4 | 64.5 | 62.6 |
| 15 | 74.3 | 72.5 | 70.8 | 69.1 | 67.3 | 65.6 |
| 16 | 76.5 | 74.9 | 73.3 | 71.8 | 70.2 | 68.6 |
| 17 | 78.7 | 77.3 | 75.9 | 74.5 | 73.0 | 71.6 |
| 18 | 81.0 | 79.7 | 78.4 | 77.2 | 75.9 | 74.6 |
| 19 | 83.2 | 82.1 | 81.0 | 79.9 | 78.7 | 77.6 |
| 20 | 85.4 | 84.5 | 83.5 | 82.5 | 81.6 | 80.6 |
| 21 | 87.7 | 86.9 | 86.1 | 85.2 | 84.4 | 83.6 |
Need the speed and timing behind each level? See the full levels table.
Sources
- Léger, L. A., Mercier, D., Gadoury, C. and Lambert, J. (1988). The multistage 20 metre shuttle run test for aerobic fitness. Journal of Sports Sciences, 6(2), 93-101. doi:10.1080/02640418808729800
- Studio Phoenix (2026). BEEP: Beep Test Coach, the level table and VO2 max calculations the app runs. About the app
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