How to Pace Yourself

Early level strategy

Early levels are a warm-up within the test. They should feel controlled. The biggest pacing mistake is trying to “bank time” by sprinting ahead of the beep.

• Run smooth: avoid hard accelerations out of turns.
• Arrive with control: reach the line on time, then turn cleanly.
• Use spare time: if you arrive early, use the extra seconds to breathe and reset, not to accelerate harder next shuttle.

If you want a simple rule: your breathing should still feel organised in the early levels.

When to sit on the beep

“Sitting on the beep” means timing your steps so you arrive at the line exactly on (or extremely close to) the beep. This reduces wasted energy from arriving too early and waiting.

When should you do it?

• Not immediately: early levels often have spare time. Use that time for calm turns and breathing.
• As the beeps tighten: once you notice you are no longer arriving early, start refining your timing so you hit the line close to the beep.
• When rules are strict: if the test is assessed with clear “miss” rules, sitting on the beep can be efficient, but only if you reliably reach the line on time.

If you are unsure what the pace is at each stage, use the levels chart. It answers the question “how fast is each bleep test level?” for standard test versions.

Mid-test pacing

The mid stages are where many people make a second pacing error: they panic because the pace finally feels like work, and they start sprinting turns. That usually creates leg fatigue and causes failure later.

Better strategy:

• Keep turns consistent: tight and controlled, not explosive.
• Maintain rhythm: aim for repeatable shuttle times rather than random surges.
• Protect your breathing: stay relaxed in shoulders and jaw; tension increases perceived effort.

In the mid test, your job is to stay efficient. “Trying harder” should mean cleaner execution, not frantic speed changes.

If your test is run on a 15m course rather than 20m, turns happen more frequently. That makes pacing discipline even more important, because aggressive turns compound fatigue faster.

Knowing when to push

There is a point late in the test where efficiency alone is not enough and you must push. A useful sign is when you start arriving close to the beep even with good turns and good rhythm.

When you push, push in the right way:

• Accelerate sooner, not harder: get up to speed quickly after the turn, then settle into rhythm.
• Commit to the line: late failures often happen because someone hesitates and cuts the last steps short.
• Stay coordinated: sloppy turns end tests. Prioritise clean foot placement.

Reading your body

Learning to read fatigue signals helps you make better pacing choices:

• Breathing out of control early: usually means you started too fast.
• Legs “blowing up” late: often means turns are too aggressive or you have not practised shuttles under fatigue.
• Cramping or sharp pain: stop. This is not a pacing problem.

If you consistently fail at the same point, use training sessions to rehearse pacing decisions. The 4-week training plan includes a controlled mini test session for this purpose.

Pacing summary

• Early: relaxed and smooth
• Mid: efficient, no panic surges
• Late: sit on the beep and commit
• Always: clean turns to the line

For turning cues, see tips and technique.

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