Joining the Police Over 40: The Fitness Test
Short answer
The test does not change with age. Every recruit runs the same 15-metre bleep test to level 5.4: 35 shuttles, 525 metres, about 3m 35s. The College of Policing accepts that age affects performance but says lowering the standard for age would be "inappropriate and illegal". What you can change is how you prepare: get a health check if you have not exercised for a while, give yourself longer than the six weeks usually suggested, and build up turns and pace gradually.
Test rules from the College of Policing; health advice from NHS pages. All checked 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.
5.4
No age adjustment
525 m
35 shuttles
9.9 km/h
About 6:02 per km, level 5
6+ wks
Longer from a low base
The rule: one standard, no age adjustment
Many fitness tests outside policing come with age-graded charts, so it is reasonable to ask whether a 45-year-old gets a lower target. In police recruitment in England and Wales the answer is no. The College of Policing's 2021 implementation guidance says forces "must deliver the test to the 5:4 standard only", and it deals with age directly.
"Evidence has identified that the age and gender of candidates have an impact on performance. While it is inappropriate and illegal for forces to make concessions in the standard of the test for these groups, forces can implement relatively simple strategies that improve performance."
Two things follow. First, nobody will lower the bar for you, so the target is fixed and known: 35 shuttles. Second, the College accepts that age affects performance, so it asks forces to help in other ways. That is worth knowing, because you can ask for those things.
What forces are asked to consider
- Mentoring, or help with training and preparing for the test
- Open days or events for groups who may find the test harder
- Avoiding tests watched by lots of bystanders
- Personal fitness tests for certain individuals
- Physical trainers running alongside as pacemakers
- A chance to get familiar with the test and try an informal one
What this means for you
These are suggestions to forces, not rights, and the guidance is written mainly for officers already serving. Still, it is reasonable to ask your recruitment team whether there is a practice session, a familiarisation event or any help with preparation. The guidance also asks forces to monitor pass and fail rates by age and sex.
The age rules for joining (minimum age, whether there is an upper limit, what some forces publish) are a separate question. They are covered in full in our police age limit guide, so we do not repeat them here.
What 5.4 actually asks of you
It helps to see the test as a series of short efforts rather than "a run". You run 15 metres, stop and turn, and go again, 35 times. The pace starts at about 7.9 km/h at level 1, a brisk jog, and reaches about 9.9 km/h at level 5 (about 6:02 per kilometre). You need 31 shuttles to finish level 4 and then just 4 at level 5 pace, about 5.43 seconds each.
Aerobic base
About 3m 35s of continuous effort. If you cannot yet jog for 10 minutes, this is where to start, and it takes weeks rather than days.
Braking and turning
35 shuttles means more than 30 stops and restarts. This is the part that loads knees, calves and ankles, and the part road running does not train.
Pacing
The College notes that people with little pacing experience tend to work too hard early. Arriving on the beep, not well before it, saves effort for level 5.
Speeds computed from the 15m protocol table the site uses (seconds per 15 m shuttle); joiningthepolice.co.uk gives the same 7.9 to 9.9 km/h range. Full chart: bleep test levels explained.
Before you start: check your health
This is the step most guides skip, and the one most worth doing in your 40s or 50s if you have been inactive. Three sources say the same thing in different words.
- NHS adult activity guidelines: speak to your GP first if you have not exercised for some time, or if you have medical conditions or concerns, and make sure the intensity suits your fitness.
- joiningthepolice.co.uk: if you have not exercised regularly in the past, seek medical advice before starting a fitness training regime, then start slowly and build up the length and intensity of your sessions.
- NHS Health Check (England): if you are 40 to 74 and do not have certain existing conditions, you should be invited to a free check every five years by your GP or local council. If you have not been invited and think you are eligible, the NHS says to contact your GP practice. It looks at your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and type 2 diabetes; the NHS notes that warning signs such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol do not have symptoms.
The force will also screen you. For the fitness test, the College's guidance says every candidate completes a medical screening questionnaire before the test and a health declaration on the day. Its example questionnaire asks about pregnancy or giving birth in the last six months, injuries or conditions that could affect you, prescribed medication, and heart or cardiovascular conditions. A yes leads to an occupational health referral to decide whether you can take the test, so answer honestly: it is there to keep you safe. Our medical questions guide covers what to declare.
Stop and get checked if...
you feel chest pain or discomfort, dizziness, or pain that does not settle during or after training. Stop the session and speak to a GP; in an emergency, call 999. No test date is worth pushing through warning signs.
How long to give yourself
joiningthepolice.co.uk recommends training for up to 6 weeks before the test. That works if you already run or play sport. If you are starting from a low base, do the arithmetic: NHS Couch to 5K alone takes 9 weeks or longer, and only then are you ready for test-specific work. 9 plus 6 is 15 weeks, so starting three to four months before your likely test date is sensible. Starting when you apply, rather than when a test date arrives, gives you the most time.
| Phase | Start here if | What it involves | Roughly how long |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Health check and base | Anyone who cannot yet jog for about 10 minutes without stopping, or has not exercised for a while | See a GP first if you have not exercised for some time or have a condition (NHS and joiningthepolice.co.uk both say this). Then a walk-run programme such as NHS Couch to 5K: three runs a week with rest days between, starting with 1-minute runs and 90-second walks. | 9 weeks or longer (NHS) |
| 2. Strength and turning | Once you can run steadily for 20 to 30 minutes | Keep two or three easy runs. Add strength work on two days a week for legs, hips, back, core, chest, shoulders and arms (the NHS adult guideline). Start practising turns on a measured 15 m course at walking, then jogging, pace. | 2 to 3 weeks, by feel |
| 3. Test-specific work | When turning feels controlled and nothing hurts | Short shuttle sets at level 4 and level 5 pace with full rest, the free simulator once a week to track your mark, and one easy run. Keep at least one full rest day between hard sessions. | Up to 6 weeks (joiningthepolice.co.uk suggests training up to six weeks before the test) |
| 4. Before the test | Final week | Cut the volume, keep one short run-through with the beeps early in the week, and arrive rested. Follow anything your force tells you about the venue and kit. | About a week |
Our own suggested structure, not an official plan. The durations are guides; move on when the current phase feels comfortable and nothing hurts, not when the calendar says so. If you are starting from nothing, our starting from zero guide goes through phase 1 in more detail.
An example week around work and family
Many people applying in their 40s have a full-time job, children or caring duties. The aim is a week you can repeat, built around the NHS adult guideline of 150 minutes of moderate activity and strength work on at least two days. This is an example to adapt, not a prescription.
| Day | Session | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest | Shift workers: move rest days to suit your rota; keep them. |
| Tuesday | Run-walk or easy run, 20 to 30 min | Talking pace. NHS: moderate effort means you can talk but not sing. |
| Wednesday | Strength, 20 to 30 min | Squats, lunges or step-ups, bridges, a plank, press-ups (on knees is fine). |
| Thursday | Rest or a brisk walk | A walk counts towards the NHS 150 minutes of moderate activity. |
| Friday | Turn practice and short shuttles | Phase 2 and 3 only. Warm up 5 to 10 minutes first (NHS). |
| Saturday | Strength, or a longer easy walk | Second strength day for the NHS twice-a-week guideline. |
| Sunday | Easy run or the simulator | Simulator once a week at most in phase 3, on a non-slip surface. |
- Keep hard days apart. Put rest or an easy day between the shuttle session and any run, especially early on.
- Strength is not optional. The NHS guideline includes it for all adults. For shuttle running, the legs and hips do the braking, so squats, lunges and step-ups are the priority.
- Missed a day? Carry on with the next session. Do not double up to catch up.
Looking after knees, calves and ankles
Turning is what makes the bleep test harder on the body than a steady jog. You cannot avoid it, but you can introduce it slowly. The NHS running-injury advice is general rather than about shuttle runs, but it applies directly.
Build up turns gradually
The NHS says heel and foot pain can come from suddenly doing a lot more running. Treat turns the same way: walk them first, then jog them, then add a few at level pace.
Warm up every time
The NHS suggests 5 to 10 minutes of brisk walking or gentle jogging before running. On test day the administrator may take you to the start of level 3 as a warm-up, but do your own as well.
Shoes that grip
The NHS recommends getting running shoes fitted at a running shop, and says they need not be expensive. For shuttles, grip on a sports hall floor matters as much as cushioning.
Do not run through pain
The NHS says do not run with knee pain, and see a GP or physiotherapist if it is still there after a week's rest, or straight away if it is severe or swollen.
If an existing lower-limb injury stops you turning at all, the College's Chester treadmill tests exist for officers in that situation, at each force's discretion. They are an injury route, not an age route. Read medical exemptions and ask your force early.
A gentle turn progression
One way to introduce turning without a sudden jump in load. Each step uses the real shuttle times, so you also learn the rhythm of the test. Move to the next step only when the current one feels easy the next day too. This is our example, not an official drill.
| Step | Pace | Seconds per 15 m | Example set |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Walk the turns | Brisk walk | No timing | 2 sets of 8 shuttles: slow down early, plant a foot on the line, turn, walk out |
| 2. Level 1 pace | About 7.9 km/h | 6.83 | 2 to 3 sets of 7 shuttles (one full level 1), walk 2 minutes between sets |
| 3. Level 3 pace | About 8.8 km/h | 6.11 | 2 to 3 sets of 8 shuttles (one full level 3), walk 2 minutes between sets |
| 4. Level 4 and 5 pace | About 9.4 to 9.9 km/h | 5.75 to 5.43 | 3 to 4 sets of 4 shuttles, full recovery between sets |
Shuttle times from the 15m protocol table the site uses. The free simulator plays the beeps if you want to run to them rather than a watch. Stop if a turn causes pain, and see the joint advice above.
Where your practice result leaves you
Once you can run a practice test safely, turn the result into a gap in shuttles. It is more useful than a level number, because level 5 shuttles are the fastest you need to run.
| Practice result | Shuttles done | Short of 5.4 | Metres short |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 | 19 | 16 | 240 |
| 4.2 | 25 | 10 | 150 |
| 5.1 | 32 | 3 | 45 |
Stopping in level 3 or earlier: the gap is mostly aerobic base. Spend most of your time on phase 1 and 2 work, and re-test every few weeks rather than every week.
Stopping in level 4: you have the base. Add level 4 and 5 pace shuttle sets with full rest, and check you are not arriving at each line well before the beep.
Stopping early in level 5: you are a few shuttles short. Turning technique and pacing often make the difference here; see how to train for 5.4.
Our training guide suggests practising until you are comfortably past the pass mark, for example level 6.1 (41 shuttles), so a nervous start or a slippery floor does not cost you the pass. That is our suggestion, not an official target.
Three starting points, worked through
Example situations to show how the phases fit together. They are illustrations, not real people, and not a prediction of how long anyone will take.
Example 1: 44, used to run, now mostly walks
No health conditions and can still jog for 20 minutes, though slowly. Starts at phase 2: two easy runs and two strength sessions a week, with turn practice at walking pace. After three weeks, a first practice run on the simulator stops at 4.2, which is 25 shuttles, 10 short of 5.4.
Next: phase 3, with level 4 and 5 pace shuttle sets once a week and a re-test every two to three weeks. The gap is now about turning and holding level 5 pace, not base fitness.
Example 2: 49, desk job, inactive for years, on blood pressure tablets
Sees the GP before starting, as the NHS and joiningthepolice.co.uk advise, and asks how the medication affects hard exercise. Starts phase 1 with a walk-run programme. No bleep test practice yet: running 35 shuttles before you can jog for 10 minutes mostly proves you are not ready.
Next: declare the medication on the force's screening questionnaire (in the College's example questionnaire a yes leads to an occupational health referral), and plan on 15 weeks or more before the test rather than six.
Example 3: 52, five-a-side once a week, an old ankle sprain
Fit enough for the base and used to changing direction. A first practice run reaches 5.1, 32 shuttles, 3 short. The ankle aches the day after hard turning sessions.
Next: a physiotherapist's view on the ankle before adding more turning volume, one shuttle session a week with rest days either side, and pacing practice so the early levels cost less. If the ankle stops the turns altogether, ask the force about the treadmill alternative early.
On the day
The test is the same for everyone, and so are the conditions the College sets for it. A few of them are worth knowing in advance.
- Health declaration. You confirm on the day that you are fit to take the test and have no condition or injury that prevents it. If something has changed since your questionnaire, say so.
- Warm-up. The administrator should make sure you are warmed up and may take the group to the start of level 3 as part of it. The College says forces should consider letting you opt out and do your own warm-up instead, which some people prefer.
- Kit and venue. PT clothing and footwear, not uniform. The test must be held indoors on suitable flooring, with the recording audible everywhere.
- Pacemakers. The College suggests forces consider having trainers run alongside people who struggle with pacing. Ask if your force does this.
What to eat, what to bring and how to settle nerves are in our test day guide.
Already serving and over 40?
The same rule applies in service. College guidance says forces must retest officers who undertake personal safety training every year at 5.4, with no age adjustment. If you fail, the guidance says forces must offer support and at least two retakes, and a fail linked to fitness, injury or ill health triggers an occupational health referral with an action plan. The detail, and where force practice differs, is in our annual fitness test guide.
Myths about age and the bleep test
"There is an age-graded score for police."
Age-graded bleep test charts exist for general fitness, but police recruitment uses one pass mark, 5.4, for everyone.
"Over 40s can do the treadmill test instead."
The College describes it as an option for lower-limb injuries that stop you turning, offered at force discretion. Age is not a reason it gives.
"Six weeks is enough for anyone."
joiningthepolice.co.uk says up to six weeks. From a low base, a walk-run programme alone takes nine weeks or more. Start when you apply.
"Long slow runs are all I need."
They build the base, but they do not train braking and turning. Add turn practice and short shuttles once you can run steadily.
"Going hard every day will get me there faster."
The NHS plan for beginners uses rest days between runs. Missing the test through injury costs more time than a rest day.
"I'm too old to apply."
Check the facts before deciding. Our age limit guide sets out the rules and where forces differ.
Checklist
- ✓GP or NHS Health Check first if you have been inactive or have a condition.
- ✓Start training when you apply, not when the test date arrives.
- ✓Two strength sessions a week, legs and hips first.
- ✓Turns introduced at walking pace, then jogging, then level pace.
- ✓A measured 15 m course on a non-slip surface, and fitted shoes that grip.
- ✓Practice result written down in shuttles, re-tested every few weeks.
- ✓Medication and old injuries declared on the force questionnaire.
- ✓Asked the force about practice sessions or help with preparation.
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.
Fitness test over 40 FAQ
Is the police fitness test different if you are over 40?
No. There is one standard for every recruit: level 5.4 on the 15-metre multi-stage fitness test, which is 35 shuttles and 525 metres in about 3 minutes 35 seconds. The College of Policing says evidence shows age affects performance, but that it is inappropriate and illegal for forces to make concessions in the standard for age or sex.
Can you join the police at 40, 45 or 50?
Age itself is covered in our police age limit guide, so we do not repeat it here. What matters for this page is that you take the same fitness test as every other applicant, so plan your training time with that in mind.
How long should I train for the bleep test if I am over 40 and out of shape?
joiningthepolice.co.uk recommends training for up to six weeks before the test. If you cannot yet run for 10 minutes, a walk-run programme like NHS Couch to 5K takes nine weeks or longer on its own, so starting three to four months before your likely test date is a sensible plan rather than a rule.
Should I see a GP before I start training?
If you have not exercised for some time, or have a medical condition or concern, the NHS says to speak to your GP first, and joiningthepolice.co.uk says to seek medical advice before starting a training regime if you have not exercised regularly. In England, people aged 40 to 74 without certain existing conditions should be invited to a free NHS Health Check every five years.
Is level 5.4 realistic at 45 or 50?
We have no pass-rate data by age and will not guess. The College says evidence shows age affects performance, which is why it asks forces to support candidates rather than lower the standard. Your own starting point matters more than your age, so run a practice test and plan from that number.
Can I take the treadmill test instead because of my age?
Not because of age. The College describes the Chester treadmill tests as being for officers with lower-limb injuries that prevent them doing the shuttle turns, and each force decides when to offer them. Age alone is not a reason given in the guidance.
Will blood pressure or other medication affect the fitness test?
Declare it. The College's example screening questionnaire asks whether you take prescribed medication and whether you are being treated for a heart condition, and a yes leads to an occupational health referral. Its treadmill test rules also say candidates should not be taking beta blockers, because they depress heart rate scores. Ask your GP how your medication affects hard exercise.
How do I protect my knees and ankles when training for shuttle runs?
Build up gradually, warm up for 5 to 10 minutes first and wear properly fitted running shoes, as the NHS advises. The NHS says heel and foot pain can come from suddenly doing a lot more running, and that you should not run with knee pain and should see a GP or physiotherapist if it has not gone after a week's rest.
Do serving officers over 50 still take the annual fitness test?
Yes, if they do personal safety training. College guidance says forces must retest officers who undertake personal safety training every year, at the same 5.4 standard. Practice varies by force, so check local policy.
Will my force help me prepare?
It may. The College asks forces to consider mentoring or help with training, open days, testing that avoids lots of onlookers, personal tests for some individuals and pacemakers for people who struggle with pacing. These are suggestions to forces, not rights, so ask what your force offers.
What level should I aim for in practice?
There is no official practice target. Our training guide suggests being comfortably past the pass mark, for example level 6.1, which is 41 shuttles against 35 at 5.4, so nerves or a slippery floor on the day do not cost you the pass.
What we could not verify
- Pass rates by age. Forces are asked to collect them, but we found no published national figures, so this page gives none.
- How much, on average, performance on the test changes with age. The College says age has an impact but does not put a number on it in the guidance, and we have not added one.
- Which forces run familiarisation sessions, mentoring or personal tests for older candidates. The College suggests them; whether your force offers them is a question for its recruitment team.
- Equivalents of the NHS Health Check in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The NHS page we cite covers England.
- How the College's review of its fitness page for the new public and personal safety training (PPST) curriculum will affect the test. No change to the 5.4 standard has been published.
Sources (all accessed 6 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Implementation guidance for fitness testing (August 2021, PDF) p6: annual retest for officers who do PST. p7: age and gender affect performance; concessions in the standard are inappropriate and illegal; support measures forces can use. p8: 5:4, 3m35s, 525 m, OH referral. p9: warm-up, kit, indoor venue. p13: treadmill pre-test conditions (beta blockers). p23-24: medical screening questionnaire for all candidates, health declaration on the day; forces should audit results by age and sex. Appendix B: example questionnaire.
- College of Policing: Job-related fitness standards Read through the College's print mirror. JRFT required for recruitment; Chester treadmill tests for officers with lower-limb injuries, at force discretion; page under review for the PPST curriculum.
- joiningthepolice.co.uk: What's involved in the fitness test 35 shuttles, 3m35s, 7.9 to 9.9 km/h; train up to six weeks before; seek medical advice first if you have not exercised regularly; some forces offer an alternative test.
- NHS: Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 Speak to your GP first if you have not exercised for some time; 150 minutes moderate or 75 vigorous a week; strength on at least 2 days. Page last reviewed 22 May 2024.
- NHS: NHS Health Check For people aged 40 to 74 without certain pre-existing conditions; invited every 5 years (England). Page last reviewed 14 August 2023.
- NHS Better Health: Get running with Couch to 5K Nine weeks or longer; three runs a week with rest days; week 1 is 1-minute runs and 90-second walks; see a GP first if worried about your health.
- NHS: Knee pain and other running injuries Do not run with knee pain; see a GP or physio if it lasts after a week's rest; heel pain from suddenly running more; fitted shoes; 5 to 10 minute warm-up. Page last reviewed 25 November 2022.
- NHS: How to warm up before exercising A warm-up routine of at least 6 minutes. Page last reviewed 24 June 2026.
Continue your fitness preparation
PolicePay is an independent site, not affiliated with the College of Policing, the NHS or any police force. General information, not medical advice. Always confirm requirements with your force. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.