Bleep test encouragement

Mickyp1981

Hi, I'm in need of advice. I'm 41, I have a job offer which hangs on a bleep test tomorrow night at police HQ. I've worked so hard academically through the job process at every stage and in my nights I'm redoing my GCSE maths. I've not exercised for ten years I've been a busy mum of 3 so me time wasn't a thing. I started the C25K 4 weeks ago and I've loathed it, it hurts my hips my knees and mentally I've just not enjoyed the hills so someone suggested I need the gym instead. Here over the past 2 weeks I've ran on the tread fast slow fast slow, the bikes, leg weights and the cross trainer and I'm breaking out a sweat. My bleep test results vary, the last 2 I drop out at level 3/4 I just don't know how to push through it. I have improved my first ever one was level 2.3..how embarrassing because some people say it's easy to achieve. I'm not overweight my BMI is in a good range I'm just no good at sports or exercise I never have been. I once did it right to level 5.4 which is a pass but I was way off the bleeps but I just kept running. Anyway I'm googling if this is me, " will I always be unfit" I do get a second chance 6 weeks apart so I can smash some gym training but my job anchors on this test and I'm at a mental physical barrier. I can picture what I want is to pass and be happy but then I think of everyone around me passing and me being devastated my fear of being a failure is taking over my daily thoughts 😭 ca I improve ? If I'm just not physically fit enough now would I be able to breeze it next chance? Thanks

Reply 1

greg tony

16

Original post by Mickyp1981

Hi, I'm in need of advice. I'm 41, I have a job offer which hangs on a bleep test tomorrow night at police HQ. I've worked so hard academically through the job process at every stage and in my nights I'm redoing my GCSE maths. I've not exercised for ten years I've been a busy mum of 3 so me time wasn't a thing. I started the C25K 4 weeks ago and I've loathed it, it hurts my hips my knees and mentally I've just not enjoyed the hills so someone suggested I need the gym instead. Here over the past 2 weeks I've ran on the tread fast slow fast slow, the bikes, leg weights and the cross trainer and I'm breaking out a sweat. My bleep test results vary, the last 2 I drop out at level 3/4 I just don't know how to push through it. I have improved my first ever one was level 2.3..how embarrassing because some people say it's easy to achieve. I'm not overweight my BMI is in a good range I'm just no good at sports or exercise I never have been. I once did it right to level 5.4 which is a pass but I was way off the bleeps but I just kept running. Anyway I'm googling if this is me, " will I always be unfit" I do get a second chance 6 weeks apart so I can smash some gym training but my job anchors on this test and I'm at a mental physical barrier. I can picture what I want is to pass and be happy but then I think of everyone around me passing and me being devastated my fear of being a failure is taking over my daily thoughts 😭 ca I improve ? If I'm just not physically fit enough now would I be able to breeze it next chance? Thanks

I feel for you. I hava had to do the bleep test yearly for my previous job, there is a skill to it for sure. Firstly you are making good progress and showing good determination, so give yourself a break. I would say you need to let go of the "im just no good at sport or exercise". Even if that were true, exercise is nothing more than do and repeat, and the bleep test is just moving between two points. I dont say this to denigrate or be condescending, but instead as a way to help you let go of the idea the bleep test is anyway special or beyond you. Barring a physical disability you can and will do the bleep test.

Regarding the bleep test, pace and rhythm are so important. I have often seen people get ahead of the bleeps to crash out shortly after. You want to hit the line and turn as close to the beep (just before obviously), any quicker and you increase your cardio workload. If you can (some instructors are very sharp and wont allow), try and run very tight circles for the bleep test, like a straight line to bleep but instead of turning on spot, run a little wider. This way you can keep pace up more and may aid in reducing hip pain also.

Regarding the training, i personally think there is nothing better than repeat, repeat and repeat on something like the bleep test. I think a lot of your difficulties are mental, as i know if you had to pass for your 3 kids you would do. To help you get over the mental side and make your practice less boring, id consider trialling level 6 somedays and just doing sprints for one level or half, whatever suits. I would also do walking fast paced shuttles for the full bleep tests run distance (so not with bleep on, but instead just the requisite number of shuttles). By doing it these ways you will help ease your body into the time as well as distance.

You can pass the bleep test in a short period of time.

Take care,

Greg

Reply 2

Mickyp1981

OP

1

Thanks for that Greg, I know exactly what you mean about it being just a sprint between 2 lines. I guess I am thinking that I'm just not good for the test it's this state of mind I need to change. I hope to try my best tomorrow and if it's not good enough then I have 6 weeks to train until I can train no more. I'd love to just get to a point where I knew I was fit enough to complete the test easily. Maybe everyone struggles? Who knows maybe the others are just better at breaking through the pain barrier than me.
I really appreciate your advice, this will be a yearly thing for me too once I pass this part so exercise is going to have to become an integral part of my life
Kind regards
Michelle

Reply 3

greg tony

16

Original post by Mickyp1981

Thanks for that Greg, I know exactly what you mean about it being just a sprint between 2 lines. I guess I am thinking that I'm just not good for the test it's this state of mind I need to change. I hope to try my best tomorrow and if it's not good enough then I have 6 weeks to train until I can train no more. I'd love to just get to a point where I knew I was fit enough to complete the test easily. Maybe everyone struggles? Who knows maybe the others are just better at breaking through the pain barrier than me.
I really appreciate your advice, this will be a yearly thing for me too once I pass this part so exercise is going to have to become an integral part of my life
Kind regards
Michelle

I am a superfit person generally, and when i did the test my first time, id get up past 13 with relative ease, but then i did more cycling one year and when i did the bleep test again, i was struggling to get the pass mark. Bodies need time to acclimatise and it really is just practise. Try not to overthink or compare to others, you will get there with time. Most people i did the test with hated it every year and very few looked forward to it, so dont set too high an expecation ha.

Reply 4

Surnia

20

Have a look at the Armed Forces Recruitment websites. Passing the Multi-Stage Fitness Test (MSFT or bleep test) is a requirement for joining so there are programmes like this to help (ignore that it says aircraft technician, it has links to the test if you look under fitness requirements). You don't have to start at week 1 if you already have a foundation level of fitness. Best of luck!

https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/fitness-in-the-raf/fitness-test-training-plan

https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/roles/roles-finder/technical-and-engineering/aircraft-technician-avionics

Reply 5

Mickyp1981

OP

1

Thanks for your comments and words of encouragement! I passed 🙌 I'm so proud of myself for doing something I thought I could never do! Just the vetting to get through now 🤞

Reply 6

Surnia

20

Original post by Mickyp1981

Thanks for your comments and words of encouragement! I passed 🙌 I'm so proud of myself for doing something I thought I could never do! Just the vetting to get through now 🤞

Well done! That's brilliant!!

Hope the rest of the selection process goes well :gthumb:

Bleep test encouragement

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