Beep Test World Records: Highest Levels Ever

TL;DR. The verified ceiling for the standard 20-meter beep test sits around Level 17 to Level 18, with a handful of disputed claims into the low 20s. Bek Phillips holds one of the cleanest published records at Level 17.5, set in 1995. The very high-end levels you see online are usually from non-standard protocols, fast-and-loose refereeing, or strong but unverifiable amateur attempts. The cleanest verified marks are below.

But first, before looking at the world records, here is top 10 scores of the users of our Vo2 Maxmizer app. All these scores have been verified by the in-app verification algorithm, no cheating is possible.

Do you think you can make similar or even higher scores? So let’s try to test your limits and break those records with our Vo2 Maximizer app. It also provide the set up you need (progression tracking, zone 2 training, HIIT workout) for all your VO2 Max needs.

Beep test world records are an awkward category. There is no global federation that ratifies the test, the protocol exists in slightly different forms across countries, and many famous claims live in coaching folklore rather than published data. What follows is what I trust, what I doubt, and what we know about the human ceiling for the test.

What level is considered the verified beep test record?

Roughly Level 17.1, depending on the source. Level 17 means a final running speed of around 16.5 km/h on the 20-meter shuttle protocol. Several professional rugby and Australian Rules players are credited with comparable marks.

Why are higher claims (Level 19, 20, 21) treated with skepticism?

Three reasons. The protocol drift in some published claims uses 15-meter shuttles instead of 20 meters, which produces faster nominal levels because the turn cost is lower. The line-judging standards in some testing environments are notably loose. And the absolute speeds at Level 20 (about 17.5 km/h sustained on a shuttle protocol) push close to the upper bound of what a human can produce on a non-straight-line run, even for world-class athletes.

Level 20 in the Léger 20-meter protocol means roughly 100 seconds at 17.5 km/h between turns, which translates to a sustained effort that would imply a VO2 max in the high 80s. That is plausible for elite cyclists and cross-country skiers tested in lab conditions, but the beep test under-rates lab VO2 max for highly trained subjects, so a Level 20 result implies a lab number probably above 90 mL/kg/min. The full ranking of those highest individual lab numbers is in VO2 max world records.

The more famous beep test claims that float around the internet (Level 22, Level 23) are almost always from junior boys from a single club, recorded informally, with no independent line judging. Treat them the way you would treat a YouTube fastest-mile video without a chip and a track: interesting, not records.

How does the level translate into VO2 max?

Through the Léger formula. Level 17.0 (V = 16.5 km/h) at age 25 lands near 73 mL/kg/min. Level 18.0 (V = 17.0 km/h) at age 25 lands near 76 mL/kg/min. The full level table and the math behind those conversions are in the beep test level table and VO2 max formula.

What the conversion does not capture is that the highest beep test scorers are not necessarily the same people as the highest lab VO2 max scorers. The beep test rewards fast acceleration, deceleration, and turning, on top of pure aerobic capacity. A cross-country skier with a 90 mL/kg/min lab number might score Level 16 on the beep test because the turning and deceleration cost punishes their training adaptations. A rugby winger with a 70 mL/kg/min lab number might score Level 18 because their fast-twitch musculature handles the shuttle reversals well.

What level is realistic for a normal trained adult?

Level 12 to 13 is solidly trained for a recreational adult. Level 14 to 15 is competitive amateur or sub-elite. Level 16 puts you in the same band as serious team-sport players. Level 17 is professional or near-professional. The civilian percentile data and the interpretation of where your own number sits is in interpreting your beep test score.

If your goal is to push past Level 13 in the next training block, the path is the same as for any VO2 max gain: zone-2 base volume plus high-intensity intervals at or near VO2 max pace. Most adults I have coached through this transition lift their beep test by 1.0 to 1.5 levels in a 12-week block, which is a decent number even though it sounds modest. Beep test levels are not linear in fitness terms, and a 1-level gain at the top of the chart is harder to find than 2 levels at the bottom.

Is the beep test still the right tool to set records on?

Maybe not. The criticisms of the protocol, including the turn-cost variability, the under-rating of trained endurance athletes, and the line-judging inconsistency, are summarized in is the beep test still valid. For pure VO2 max ceiling claims, the lab gas-exchange test is more defensible. For sport-specific records that map to actual playing demands, the Yoyo IR1 has more credibility.

The beep test record list is fun trivia and a useful upper-bound reference. It is not the cleanest measure of who has the highest VO2 max in the world. The ranked alternatives in beep test alternatives and the canonical lookup table in the level calculations table together cover what to do next if you have done the beep test and want a more durable measurement. And if you want to run a clean test before comparing yourself against the records list, the protocol details are in step-by-step beep test instructions.

Frequently asked questions

Are there official sanctioned beep test records? No. There is no global governing body that ratifies beep test marks the way World Athletics ratifies track records. All records are reported by clubs, leagues, or testing institutes.

Why do AFL Combine numbers look so high? AFL recruits run the test as part of selection and the line-judging in those settings has historically been generous. Some AFL Combine numbers should be considered indicative rather than independently verified.

Has anyone scored higher than Level 18? Probably yes, in private testing of elite endurance athletes. Without published verification I treat those marks as plausible rather than recorded.