Bleep Test Treadmill Training:
15m Speeds, Sessions and the Turn Problem
Set the treadmill to the 15m level speeds: about 7.9 km/h (4.9 mph) for level 1, rising to 9.9 km/h (6.2 mph) for level 5. A 3m 35s ramp through those speeds copies the pace of a run to 5.4. What it cannot copy are the 34 turns, so add at least one session a week on a measured 15 metre course.
Settings for levels 1 to 6 only; the full chart is on the bleep test levels page. Updated 6 October 2026.
General training information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort, and see a GP before you start if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant. No tool can guarantee a pass.
7.9 km/h
4.9 mph
9.9 km/h
6.2 mph
3m 35s
525 m on the 15m test
34 turns
before you reach 5.4
Treadmill settings for each level
Each speed is the average for a 15 m shuttle at that level: 15 metres divided by the seconds allowed, converted to km/h and mph. The "set to" columns round to the nearest 0.1, a common speed step on gym treadmills. "Time in level" is how long you would hold each speed in a real run.
| Level | Seconds per 15 m shuttle | Speed | Set to (km/h) | Set to (mph) | Time in level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.83 s | 7.91 km/h | 7.9 | 4.9 | about 48 s (7 shuttles) |
| 2 | 6.36 s | 8.49 km/h | 8.5 | 5.3 | about 51 s (8 shuttles) |
| 3 | 6.11 s | 8.84 km/h | 8.8 | 5.5 | about 49 s (8 shuttles) |
| 4 | 5.75 s | 9.39 km/h | 9.4 | 5.8 | about 46 s (8 shuttles) |
| 5 | 5.43 s | 9.94 km/h | 9.9 | 6.2 | about 49 s (9 shuttles) |
| 6 (approx.) | 5.13 s | 10.53 km/h | 10.5 | 6.5 | about 46 s (9 shuttles) |
- Level 5 is where the police pass mark sits: 5.4 is its 4th shuttle, about 22 seconds into the level.
- Level 6 comes from a secondary timing table only and is approximate. It matters for specialist marks such as 6.3 (police support unit), not for 5.4.
- Across the whole run to 5.4 the average is about 8.8 km/h (525 m in about 3m 35s). joiningthepolice.co.uk describes the speed as starting at 7.9 kph and rising to 9.9 kph, which matches.
College of Policing rounded times, compared
The College's implementation guidance gives shuttle times rounded to one decimal place. Converted the same way, they give slightly different treadmill speeds, most noticeably at level 4. Both versions add up to about 3 minutes 35 seconds to 5.4, so either is fine for training.
| Level | College time | College as km/h | Table above |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.9 s | 7.8 km/h | 7.9 km/h |
| 2 | 6.4 s | 8.4 km/h | 8.5 km/h |
| 3 | 6.1 s | 8.9 km/h | 8.8 km/h |
| 4 | 5.6 s | 9.6 km/h | 9.4 km/h |
| 5 | 5.5 s | 9.8 km/h | 9.9 km/h |
Why 9.9 km/h on a belt is easier than level 5 in a hall
The speeds in the table are averages. In the test, part of every shuttle goes on slowing down, turning and getting back up to speed. To cover 15 metres in 5.43 seconds with a turn in it, you have to run faster than 9.9 km/h between the lines. On a treadmill you hold one speed and never stop.
What the belt trains
Your heart and lungs, your legs for steady running, and a feel for each level's speed. That is most of the aerobic work, and it is easy to measure.
What it misses
Braking, planting a foot, turning 180 degrees and accelerating out, 34 times. That is extra work for the thighs and calves and a skill you can only learn on a course.
What that means
If the ramp below feels comfortable, that is a good sign for your fitness, not proof of a pass. Check yourself on a 15 m course with the free simulator before you rely on it.
We have not found a reliable published figure for how much extra effort the turns add at these speeds, so we do not give one. Turning technique is covered in how to train for Level 5.4.
The bleep ramp: the test's speeds on a treadmill
After a 5 minute warm-up, change speed at each time below. Treadmills can take a few seconds to speed up, so press the button a moment early. If your treadmill has a custom interval programme, you can enter the ramp once and save it.
| At the clock | Set speed | Hold for | Equivalent to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 7.9 km/h (4.9 mph) | about 48 s | Level 1 (7 shuttles) |
| 0:48 | 8.5 km/h (5.3 mph) | about 51 s | Level 2 (8 shuttles) |
| 1:39 | 8.8 km/h (5.5 mph) | about 49 s | Level 3 (8 shuttles) |
| 2:28 | 9.4 km/h (5.8 mph) | about 46 s | Level 4 (8 shuttles) |
| 3:14 | 9.9 km/h (6.2 mph) | about 22 s | Level 5, shuttles 1 to 4 |
| 3:35 | 5.4 reached. Slow to a walk, or hold 9.9 km/h to 4:02 to finish level 5. | ||
How often
Once every week or two is plenty. It is a pacing rehearsal; the level blocks below do more of the fitness work.
Safety on the belt
Clip on the safety key, start the belt before you step on, and look ahead rather than at your feet. Running without holding the rails is closer to the real effort, but hold on if you feel unsteady.
Treadmill sessions that mirror the levels
Our suggestions, built on the level durations above and on the session shapes joiningthepolice.co.uk recommends. Warm up for 5 minutes first and cool down after. Between blocks, walk slowly until your breathing settles, about 60 to 90 seconds.
2. Level 4 blocks
4 to 6 x about 46 s at 9.4 km/h (5.8 mph).
One block is one full level 4 (8 shuttles). Good for anyone who currently stops in level 3 or 4.
3. Level 5 blocks
3 to 5 x about 49 s at 9.9 km/h (6.2 mph).
One block is the whole of level 5 (9 shuttles), so it covers 5.4 with shuttles to spare. Start with shorter blocks of about 22 s (4 shuttles) if the full block is too much.
4. Steady run
15 to 20 minutes at a pace you could talk at.
joiningthepolice.co.uk suggests 15 to 20 minutes of steady running after a 5 minute warm-up. The speed is whatever feels conversational for you; it does not need to be a bleep test speed.
5. 30/30 intervals
10 x (30 s hard + 30 s walk).
The interval session joiningthepolice.co.uk recommends. On a treadmill the speed change lags, so use an interval programme if there is one, or accept that the first few seconds of each block are slower.
Already past 5.4? Margin blocks
3 to 4 x about 46 s at about 10.5 km/h (6.5 mph), the level 6 average.
Level 6 speeds are approximate. Useful if you are aiming for a specialist mark such as 6.3 for police support units (see specialist standards), or want a margin above 5.4.
What a treadmill block is worth in shuttles
It helps to know what each block stands for in the test. The distance is the same as the shuttles it represents; the turns are what the belt leaves out.
| Block | Time and speed | Shuttles | Metres | Turns left out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One level 3 block | about 49 s at 8.8 km/h | 8 | 120 m | 7 |
| One level 4 block | about 46 s at 9.4 km/h | 8 | 120 m | 7 |
| Short level 5 block (to 5.4) | about 22 s at 9.9 km/h | 4 | 60 m | 3 |
| Full level 5 block | about 49 s at 9.9 km/h | 9 | 135 m | 8 |
| The ramp to 5.4 | about 3m 35s at 8.8 km/h average | 35 | 525 m | 34 |
A belt "metre" is not quite a shuttle metre, for the reasons above, and gym treadmills vary. Use this table to plan sessions, not to predict a result.
Bikes, rowers and cross-trainers
joiningthepolice.co.uk says swimming, rowing, cycling and the cross-trainer are useful for building heart and lung capacity because they use large muscle groups, but that running should make up the bulk of your training because the test is running-based. In a gym, that suggests a simple split.
Treadmill
Most of your sessions: steady runs, intervals, level blocks and the ramp. It is running, and you can set the exact level speeds.
Bike, rower, cross-trainer
Extra aerobic work on top of running, or on a day when your legs need a break from impact. Useful, but not a replacement for running sessions.
Weights area
Short strength sessions for legs and trunk: squats, lunges, step-ups and calf raises help with the braking and pushing off that turns demand. joiningthepolice.co.uk also suggests press-ups and crunches after runs.
If an injury stops you running at all, get it assessed before you plan around it. The Chester treadmill alternative described below is decided by your force, not by you.
Incline: 0% or 1%?
You will often hear "set the treadmill to 1%". That comes from a 1996 study by Jones and Doust, which found a 1% gradient best matched the energy cost of running outdoors, because there is no air resistance on a treadmill. Two details matter for the bleep test:
- The study tested speeds from about 10.5 to 18.0 km/h. At its two slowest speeds (about 10.5 and 12.0 km/h), the energy cost of road running was not significantly different from treadmill running at either 0% or 1%. Bleep test levels 1 to 5 are slower than any speed it tested.
- The police test is run indoors, so there is no wind to make up for anyway.
So 0% is a fair match for the test speeds, and 1% is fine if you like it. A steeper gradient makes a session harder, but it is not a substitute for the turns, and steep walking is a different kind of work from shuttle running. The study used nine trained male runners, so treat it as a guide rather than a rule.
How to add turn work if you train in a gym
joiningthepolice.co.uk recommends building 180-degree turns into your training, because the test is back and forth between two points rather than a straight line. If most of your running is on a belt, plan where the turns will come from.
Find a 15 metre space
A sports hall, a quiet studio, a flat car park, a school field or a park path. Measure it with a tape: pacing it out by stride is not accurate enough. Indoors on a non-slip floor is closest to the real thing, since the College says the test must be held indoors on suitable flooring.
Not 15 m? Practise the turn anyway
A shorter space still lets you practise braking, planting a foot on the line and pushing off. It will not teach you the pacing, because the beeps are timed for 15 m. Keep the pacing work for a full-length course or the treadmill.
A simple turn session
Warm up. 10 slow turns each way at walking pace. Then 2 to 3 x one full level at level 3 pace (8 shuttles, about 49 s), walking back between sets. Finish with a simulator run once every two or three weeks.
Build turns up gradually
If you have only run on a treadmill, braking and turning will load your legs in a new way. Start with a small number of turns and add more each week, rather than going straight into a full test.
Shoes matter more for turning than for treadmill running: you need grip on a hall floor. Our bleep test training plans put a shuttle session in every week for this reason.
A sample week for someone who trains mostly in a gym
An example for someone who currently reaches level 4 and has a treadmill, plus one chance a week to use a 15 m space. It is a single week to show the balance, not a full programme. For 4, 8 and 12-week progressions, use the training plans and do their steady runs and intervals on the treadmill.
| Day | Where | Session |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Treadmill | Level 4 blocks: 5 x about 46 s at 9.4 km/h, slow walk between |
| Day 2 | Home or gym | Rest, or 15 minutes of strength work (squats, lunges, calf raises, press-ups, plank) |
| Day 3 | 15 m course | Turn session: slow turns, then 3 x one full level at level 3 or 4 pace; simulator run every second or third week |
| Day 4 | - | Rest |
| Day 5 | Treadmill | Steady run, 20 minutes at a conversational pace; or the bleep ramp every other week |
| Day 6 | Home or gym | Strength work, as day 2 |
| Day 7 | - | Rest |
Three running days with a rest day between them follows the pattern of the NHS Couch to 5K programme; the NHS recommends strengthening activities on at least two days a week. Swap days to fit shifts, but keep a rest day after the hardest session.
Three situations, worked through
Example situations to show how the pieces fit. They are illustrations, not real people or results.
Gym member, no hall access
Runs the ramp comfortably on the treadmill but has never done a shuttle. First job: find any measured 15 m (a car park at a quiet time will do) and do one honest simulator run. A comfortable ramp says the fitness is probably there; only the course shows whether the turns are.
Stops at 4.3 on the course
That is 26 shuttles, 9 short of 5.4 (135 m). Level 4 blocks at 9.4 km/h on the treadmill twice a week, a weekly turn session, and the 8-week plan for the progression.
Serving officer aiming for 6.3
The police support unit mark is 43 shuttles, about 4m 18s of running. On the treadmill: the ramp carried on through the rest of level 5 (to 4:02), then about 15 s at about 10.5 km/h, plus margin blocks. Level 6 speeds are approximate, so confirm on a 15 m course.
Not the same thing: the Chester treadmill tests
People searching for "police treadmill test" often mean these. They are an official alternative to the bleep test, not a way of training for it, and they work differently from the ramp above.
Chester treadmill police walking test
Walking at a brisk 6 km/h, with the gradient raised by 3% every two minutes. The College lists 10 minutes as the target for a police officer, rising for specialist roles (12 minutes for an authorised firearms officer).
Chester treadmill police run test
Running at 10.4 km/h with the gradient raised every two minutes. 8 minutes for armed response vehicle officers and the full 10 minutes for dynamic intervention AFOs.
- The College of Policing says both tests were introduced in 2016 for officers whose lower-limb injuries stop them completing the 15m test because of the turning, and that it is for individual forces to decide when to offer them.
- For applicants, joiningthepolice.co.uk says some forces offer a treadmill alternative where a disability or medical condition makes the standard test difficult, and suggests contacting your force.
- So do not plan on a treadmill test because you prefer treadmills. Train for the shuttle test unless your force has told you otherwise. Medical questions are covered in our medical guide, and serving officers' annual testing in the annual test guide.
Treadmill mistakes to avoid
Using a 20 m chart
Treadmill "beep test" settings you find online may be for the 20 m test, which starts at 8.5 km/h. The police test is 15 m and starts slower. See 15m vs 20m.
Trusting the display to the decimal
Gym treadmills are not always calibrated, and two machines in the same gym can feel different. Use the settings as a guide and check yourself on a 15 m course.
Only ever running the ramp
The ramp is a rehearsal. Steady runs, intervals and level blocks build more fitness for the same time on the belt.
Leaving turns until test week
A first-ever shuttle session a few days before the test is a poor time to find out how your legs handle 34 turns. Start turn work in the first weeks of training.
Treadmill trainee's checklist
- ✓ Level speeds written down in the units your treadmill uses (7.9 to 9.9 km/h, or 4.9 to 6.2 mph)
- ✓ A 15 metre space found and measured, and a day each week to use it
- ✓ One simulator run on that course to know your real starting level
- ✓ Turn work started early and built up gradually
- ✓ Incline at 0% or 1%: your choice, not a substitute for turns
- ✓ Trainers with grip for a hall floor, not just cushioning for a belt
- ✓ Rest days between hard sessions, and GP advice first if you have a health condition
Unprepared for the 15m Bleep Test?
Three tools built from your own answers for the police 15m bleep test (Level 5.4): a 6-week plan, a pass predictor and a weakness analysis. Practice aids, not a guarantee of a pass.
General training information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort, and see a GP before you start if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant. No tool can guarantee a pass.
Treadmill FAQ
Speeds, settings and the treadmill test.
What speed is 5.4 on a treadmill?
5.4 is a point in the test, not a speed: it is the 4th shuttle of level 5, reached after 35 shuttles. Level 5 itself is about 9.9 km/h (6.2 mph) on the 15m test. To copy the whole run to 5.4 on a treadmill, start at 7.9 km/h and step up each level, finishing with about 22 seconds at 9.9 km/h; the total is about 3m 35s.
How do I train for the beep test on a treadmill?
Use the treadmill for the parts it does well: steady runs, intervals, and blocks at the exact level speeds, including a ramp that copies the test's speed profile. Then add at least one session a week on a measured 15 metre course for the turns, because a treadmill cannot train braking and turning. The sample week on this page shows one way to combine them.
What is level 5 of the bleep test in mph?
About 6.2 mph (9.9 km/h) on the 15m police test, from about 5.43 seconds per 15 metre shuttle. Level 1 is about 4.9 mph and level 4 about 5.8 mph. The College of Policing rounds the times slightly differently, which puts level 4 nearer 6.0 mph.
Can you train for the bleep test only on a treadmill?
You can build most of the aerobic fitness on one, but treadmill-only training leaves out the 34 turns you make before reaching 5.4. joiningthepolice.co.uk recommends building 180-degree turns into your training for exactly this reason. If a 15 metre space is hard to find, even a short weekly turn session is better than none.
Is running on a treadmill at 9.9 km/h the same as level 5?
No. 9.9 km/h is the average speed over a level 5 shuttle, including the time spent slowing down, turning and speeding up again. Between the lines you have to run faster than that average to make up for the turn. So holding 9.9 km/h on a belt is likely to feel easier than level 5 in a hall.
Should I use an incline on the treadmill for bleep test training?
It is optional. A 1996 study found a 1% gradient best matched the energy cost of outdoor running at 10.5 to 18.0 km/h, mainly because there is no air resistance on a treadmill. At its slowest speeds, road running cost was not significantly different from treadmill running at either 0% or 1%; bleep test levels 1 to 5 are slower still, and the test is run indoors. Incline adds effort but does nothing for turning.
How long should I run at bleep test pace on a treadmill?
Match the level durations: about 46 seconds is one full level 4, about 49 seconds one full level 5. Blocks of that length with a slow walk between give you time at test speed. The full ramp to 5.4 lasts about 3m 35s.
Is the police treadmill test the same as the bleep test?
No. The Chester treadmill tests are a separate alternative: a walking test at 6 km/h with the gradient rising by 3% every two minutes (police officer target 10 minutes), and a running test at 10.4 km/h for armed response and dynamic intervention roles. The College of Policing says they were designed for officers whose lower-limb injuries stop them completing the shuttle turns.
Can I take the treadmill test instead of the bleep test?
Only if your force offers it to you. The College of Policing says it is for individual forces to decide when to offer the alternative test. joiningthepolice.co.uk says some forces offer a treadmill alternative to candidates whose disability or medical condition makes the standard test difficult, and suggests contacting your force. It is not a choice for people who simply prefer treadmills.
My gym treadmill only shows mph. What should I set?
Round to the nearest 0.1: level 1 4.9, level 2 5.3, level 3 5.5, level 4 5.8, level 5 6.2 mph. Level 6 is about 6.5 mph, from a secondary table only. Treat all of these as approximate, because gym treadmills are not always calibrated.
Is a treadmill or outdoor running better for the bleep test?
Neither covers everything. Treadmills make exact speeds easy, which helps with pacing. Outdoors or in a hall you can mark 15 metres and practise turning, which a treadmill cannot do. If you train mostly in a gym, a sensible mix is treadmill sessions for fitness and pace plus a weekly session on a 15 metre course.
Why does a treadmill ramp feel easy when the real test feels hard?
Because the belt does not make you stop. In the test you brake and turn 34 times before 5.4, then accelerate out of each turn. That braking and restarting is extra work for your legs and lungs that a straight-line run does not include, so do not treat an easy treadmill ramp as proof of a pass.
Sources and method
- College of Policing: job-related fitness standards (read via the College's print version, accessed 6 October 2026). Level 5.4, 35 shuttles, 525 m, 3 minutes 35 seconds; the Chester treadmill tests, their introduction in 2016, who they are for, the walking test protocol and target times, and that forces decide when to offer them.
- College of Policing: implementation guidance for fitness testing (August 2021, PDF), accessed 6 October 2026. The rounded shuttle times (page 9), indoor testing on suitable flooring, and the Chester walk and run test speeds and target times (pages 11 to 12).
- joiningthepolice.co.uk: what's involved in the fitness test, accessed 6 October 2026. Speed rising from 7.9 to 9.9 kph, steady and interval session shapes, 180-degree turns, and the treadmill alternative some forces offer.
- Jones AM, Doust JH. A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running. J Sports Sci 1996;14(4):321-7, abstract accessed via PubMed on 6 October 2026.
- NHS Couch to 5K (three runs a week with rest days between) and NHS physical activity guidelines for adults (strength on at least two days a week), both on nhs.uk, accessed 6 October 2026.
-
Level speeds: the 15m multistage protocol table in
src/lib/fitness/bleep-15m.ts(the Top End Sports 15 m table), the same table as our simulator and levels chart. Speed = 54 divided by seconds per shuttle; mph = km/h divided by 1.609344. All speeds and times on this page are calculated, not typed.
Not verified, or our own judgement
- Level 6 timings come only from a secondary table, so its treadmill speed is approximate.
- We have no reliable figure for the extra effort the turns add at these speeds, or for how a treadmill result translates into a shuttle test result. We give neither.
- The sessions, block counts and sample week are our own general suggestions, not an official programme.
- We did not check individual forces' policies on offering the Chester tests; ask your force.
Continue your preparation
4, 8 and 12-week plans →
Full progressions to 5.4, chosen from your level.
Free tool15m bleep simulator →
Run the real pacing with turns on a 15 m course.
MethodHow to train for 5.4 →
Turning technique and pacing.
ChartBleep test levels →
The full 15m and 20m charts.
Paid toolPersonalised 6-week plan →
Asks whether you have a treadmill, gym or hall, and writes around it.
HealthMedical guide →
Conditions, medication and alternatives.
PolicePay.co.uk is independent. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the College of Policing or any police force. Always confirm the standard and test arrangements for your role with your recruiting force. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.