Kellicious

Was just wondering if anyone could shed any light on the bleep test for me?

I have an interview for the local prison on the 12th March, for a prison officers position. They called me today to tell me that there would be a bleep test involved and she mentioned '5.2'. Now, I haven't done one of these since I was at school, and from what I recall, I was positively ****e

I know I have one of these looming in the not too distant future for an RAF test too.

Basically what I'm asking is, for someone who doesn't really focus much on exercise at the moment, is this going to spell 'failure' for me?!

I've got about 15 days to improve myself

fast bloke

just swear a lot -

Tiggs

i did a bleep test for the police years ago.....everyone passed and the standard was grim.......most got bored and left me too it after a while.

as long as you can run a mile im sure it will be fine.

T

ps...you cant be ****e at a bleep test...yo are either fit or not......there is no skill to running up and down!

Kellicious

Lol, thanks Tiggs. I'll bear that in mind!

fast bloke

oops - din't realise I had strayed into NSR - If you spend the next two weeks making some effort you will stand a better chance of passing it. Dunno what the 5.2 means. I've done them a couple of times, once while a superfit university rower, and again 4 years later as a lazy drunken eternal student. Doesn't take long to build up lots of pain as you are constantly getting quicker

Kellicious

Cool, Thanks FB

Gav1

Hiya mate,

Im a Prison Officer, have been for about 3 years, I have to do this Bleep test every year on my annual BFT (BASIC FITNESS TEST). Its not a problem, honestly, I run to level 8 as a requirement for the Prison Service Advanced C&R team ( riot teams). Im 31, generally not the fittest bloke in the world, enjoy the odd pint and a curry etc..dont smoke though.
Level 5.2 is a piece of cake... a 22 stone, one legged asthmatic could do it.

Hope you go on all right...which Nick are you looking at if you get in??(thats if you want to say on here).
Have you passed your JSACS then??

Gav.

PG

I have it on CD if you want a copy ?
5.2 is very low but still a challenge if not used to aerobic exercise.
For the Fire Service the level is 9.6 (still not too high but a good way of whittling it down a fair bit)

Mica Blue

I used to hate the bleep test at school.. gets painfull towards the end

IanW

Kels,

Level 5 and 2 shuttles, it is only a jog really! You will be fine.

Ian

ozzy

Bleep Test aka Multi-stage Fitness Test. It's a simple way of testing your overall aerobic fitness (or lack of it). It's trying to see what your VO2 max is i.e. the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume before you fatigue. The fitter you are the higher the value. For the Prison service I'd imagine it would be relatively low.

The test involves running (jogging to begin with) shuttles over 20 metres in time with some beeps. Each level gets progressively faster i.e. less time between beeps. You're allowed to miss one (maybe two beeps), but you have to sprint even harder to catch up. The pace only quickens on each level. The shuttles (10 in total, IIRC) are at that pace.

'5.2' means level 5 and shuttle number 2.

Not sure the differences between Males and Females with the levels. I did my very first one about 4 years ago. Went from coach potato to runner in 6 weeks. Made it to level 11, shuttle 4. Do them at least once per year, but now I can complete all the levels (we were only tested up to level 16).

You want to do lots of fast running and sprinting to get fit enough to do well.

If you're completely unfit you may struggle to achieve that level.

It's difficult to say what 5.2 equates too as there's no standard "Bleep Test". i.e. some vary between 15m and 30m shuttles. Therefore the time between bleeps is different and so the levels are slightly different. e.g. 6.5 on a 20m test will equate to a lower level on a 15m shuttle.

Stefan

yoza

Can you eat 12 iced ring doughnuts in three minutes ?

Can you sit in a swivel chair with you feet on the desk for 5 hours solid ?

Can you talk sh1te for the rest of your life, recalling times when you had to restrain a Cat 'A' prisoner ?

Yes to all the above and youve got the job.

If they ask you whether you have ever given someone a lift in your car and lost them.

Say yes.

Youve got a good chance of getting in on the driving jobs then.

Kellicious

Oooh, thanks for the response guys

Gav, I haven't a clue what's going on! It's all sort of happened out of the blue! I applied for the position at the new prison that is opening in Peterborough. The thing on the 12th is the first contact I will have had with them. I do know that it is staffed via UKDS rather than the home office though. So, I'm not sure if they would do things differently??

Gav1

Hope this is meant light heartedly Yoza!! What qualifies you to make the above statement??

Gav.

Kellicious

PMSL @ Yoza

& Cheers Ozzy, that's really helpful

ozzy

From what the others have said the Prison Service one sounds like a piece of pi$$.

Good luck

Kellicious

Thank You

I hope all goes well, un-employment sucks ***!

Gav1

Kell, there recruitment process might be different from the Prison Service, i know you wont have to take any JSACS (Simulated Assessment Centres) to be employed by UKDS thats only something HMP do.
I do know that UKDS dont have to good a name amongst the Home Office ranks, they are basically a private security firm who run prisons (not very well either) so i believe.
If its prison work youre after why not look at HMP instead...the wages are far far better in the public sector.

Gav.

Ritch96

Do something over the next couple of weeks even if its just a walk round the river or whatever. 5.2 is not a difficult standard to achieve but you obviously want the job so why not be as prepped as possible.

You will be fine, i too have to "endure" this pain every year (RAF) and it is much much easier than the previous timed "run round the track."

Each level has 10 shuttles - so you need to do level 5 - shuttle two. The first two levels are a striding walk for myself (6 foot) and then as the level increases the time between beeps closes and it becomes a jog.

When i was at my fittest about five years ago i achieved 12.3 and that whilst smoking 20 a day with a penchant for booze!. All thats changed now is i am not fit and at a push i reckon i could do level 10 or so.

It is a little daunting first time but i assure you afterwards you will wonder what the fuss was about!!!

What you wanting to do in the RAF then?

Ritchie.

Kellicious

Gav, I had heard that UKDS we not exactly popular! Basically the reason I applied to them first, was because I needed a job, and needed one quick. I have always been interested in this line of work, so I went for it. Do you know how easy it would be to leave UKDS employment and change to HMP, providing I was successful?

Kellicious

Hi Ritchie

I have to say, all of these replies are making me feel one hell of a lot better about it

I have had an apllication into the RAF for well over a year now for RAF Police. Had loads of problems though, as when I first applied I couldn't drive. Now all problems are out of the way, and I am waiting for the trade to open again so that they can interview me again and send my application off to the MOD

Gav1

Unfortunately HMP wont let you transfer from a private sector prison to a HMPS one. They dont recognise your employment as a prison officer in the private sector...stupid i know. When you start with HMPS you have to undertake all of your 3 month entry level training again!!
It would be best to start with UKDS if this is what you want to do and then work there and earn some dosh whilst your application goes through for HMPS..it can be quite a lengthy process gettin into the Prison Service via national recruitment.

Gav.

Gav1

Kell, have a look here it might help you a little ...HMPS are screaming out for new recruits.

www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk

Gav.

Ritch96

[QUOTE= I am waiting for the trade to open again [/QUOTE]

Yeah, think they are having a bit of a head scratch at the moment numbers wise, powers at be seem to want a pint from a half pint pot!!

Can't say RAF copper would be high on my list of job wants but theres an obvious interest in the security side of things with you so fair play. Just be prepared to have no mates!

Best of luck with it all anyway and if you want any impartial and honest advice about the RAF just ask. Oh and you aren't allergic to sand are you??

Seriously though, good luck,
Ritch.

sherlock

iTrader: (1)

Don't forget the press ups, sit ups, burpees,squat thrusts!!!

Kellicious

PMSL Sherlock


Thanks for all your help Gav, you have a valid point, and providing how well things either do or don't go with the RAF, I will seriously consider that

Ritchie, thanks for all your help too. I have to admit, I'm getting a bit miffed with all the waiting, and not knowing what to do! But I do really want it, so I am prepared to stick it out and wait

No doubt both of you will hear quite a bit from me in the future, asking dumb questions

Kellicious

Oooh, and no siree, not allergic to sand. Just cats

sherlock

iTrader: (1)

Scuffer oh no, Shame you sounded so nice Only joking someones got to do it
Isn't that trade going Tri service?

Sherlock

Kellicious

I *am* nice!!

Lol, I have no idea what they are doing with that job anymore. Everytime I call them, something else has changed!!

sherlock

iTrader: (1)

Ok i'll believe you until you join up!!!! why were you laughing at the sit ups, press ups, squats, burpees. Good luck anyway.

Sherlock