Supplements and bleep test!!

[Redcard7]

Hello guys and girls, my issues are these I'm in the military so have to pass a bleep test every 6 months to demonstrate fitness level 9.10, I know many people may find this easy but I don't and dread it. For starters I enjoy the gym but weight training is what I enjoy and if it wasn't for this test I would do less cardio than now or use it purely for fat burning!
Anyway I'm not adverse to the gym as I have said I go very often during the week but mostly favour weight sessions, I am currently trying to implement more running and try to simulate the bleep test on the treadmill I.e on 1degree incline, start speed 8.5km and speed up 0.5km every min and class a pass for myself if I get beyond 14km for a min (the reason I class this as a pass is because I don't have to turn constantly so it's easier than the test which would only require me to get to 12.5km for a min)
My first question do you think this type of cardio training for a VO2 max test is good enough to help me improve my score?
Secondly I have had a bit of a influx in buying supplements from this site recently and have acquired:

Protein
Creatine mono
Multi vitamins
Omega3 caps
BCAA plus caps
Beta alanine
Thermopure
NO2 extreme caps

Though I am not new to training (mainly weights) I am pretty new to supplements bar protein shakes, I do daft shifts and long ones so eating correctly is hard so hence what looks like to me a lot of supps and probably too many?I would like to try the months supply I have at least( I have already paid for them might aswell use them)
I am pretty much taking the whole lot in the morning and then mid day( or prior to work out )then in the evening, does this sound about right? Or do others have a better strategy for utilising the above?
Finally as mentioned earlier I need to do another bleep test soon and wondered if any of the above may benefit me/ aid me prior to the test ie the beta alanine etc
Any advice on any of the above will be very much appreciated.
Thank you in advance Mike

[zag_2005]

Afternoon Mike,

Im not going to comment on the supp side of things, as ive never taken any of those listed (multi vit and protein aside) but your cardio i can help with. :-)

So as you said the bleep test is testing your V02 Max, which is the amoutn of oxygen the body can utilise at its peak, per minute, per kg of body weight. As the test is a maximal test (pushing the participant to their maximum capacity) you need to be training to the same level. The treadmill set up you suggesdted is a good start, but i would tweak it personally.

So.... What i do is this..

On the treadmill, i start at speed 5khp for a 2 min walk, then i increase the speed to speed 7 for 1 minute, then after every minute again inrease the speed by 1kph. so.. 7 for 1 min, 8 for 1 min, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 etc.. untill your reach you maximum. (Wen your lungs are burning and your struggeling to breath. Also your legs are jelly) then take a few minutes to recover at a slow pace. This routein not only takes you to your V02 max, it simulates your lactate threshold. So its very simular to the stop / start sensation of the bleep test.

After 2-3 minutes recovery i do another round, but slightly different. This time i set the speed at 9kph and leave it at that. But after 1min at sp 9 on zero incline, i increase the incline by 1% every minute, again untill you reach your maximum. So sp9, 0% for 1 min then, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8% etc. This again takes you to your max for both your lungs and legs.

These two routines combined will massivley increase your ability to work at high intensity. It take me 23 minutes to do both routines and i find it really enjoyable. but im sick like that! ;-) lol.

As for how frequent you shoud train like this?, i dont know, i do it 4 times a week.

Gaz

[Pkant2002]

Quote

Afternoon Mike,

Im not going to comment on the supp side of things, as ive never taken any of those listed (multi vit and protein aside) but your cardio i can help with. :-)

So as you said the bleep test is testing your V02 Max, which is the amoutn of oxygen the body can utilise at its peak, per minute, per kg of body weight. As the test is a maximal test (pushing the participant to their maximum capacity) you need to be training to the same level. The treadmill set up you suggesdted is a good start, but i would tweak it personally.

So.... What i do is this..

On the treadmill, i start at speed 5khp for a 2 min walk, then i increase the speed to speed 7 for 1 minute, then after every minute again inrease the speed by 1kph. so.. 7 for 1 min, 8 for 1 min, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 etc.. untill your reach you maximum. (Wen your lungs are burning and your struggeling to breath. Also your legs are jelly) then take a few minutes to recover at a slow pace. This routein not only takes you to your V02 max, it simulates your lactate threshold. So its very simular to the stop / start sensation of the bleep test.

After 2-3 minutes recovery i do another round, but slightly different. This time i set the speed at 9kph and leave it at that. But after 1min at sp 9 on zero incline, i increase the incline by 1% every minute, again untill you reach your maximum. So sp9, 0% for 1 min then, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8% etc. This again takes you to your max for both your lungs and legs.

These two routines combined will massivley increase your ability to work at high intensity. It take me 23 minutes to do both routines and i find it really enjoyable. but im sick like that! ;-) lol.

As for how frequent you shoud train like this?, i dont know, i do it 4 times a week.

Gaz

That is hell in a post sounds good though.

Also pet hate its not a bleep test its the multistage fitness test lol. ( my Pe teacher would be proud)

[dkcoyle]

I'm in the RAF and am also required to do said bleep test. I find that on the run up to a fitness test by doing the bleep test a few times per week can really make a difference. For me it's getting the timing right for the turns, so the practise really helps.

[Redcard7]

Cheers guys for the advice very much appreciated

[SpiderDan]

why not just download an MP3 of the bleep test, set up a couple of cones and practice? The best way to get good at something is to actually do it.