Fitness Pass Suite · £14.99 one payment

Turn “I am short of level 5.4” into a safe plan you can follow.

Enter your current shuttle-run level and the level you are aiming for. The tool below works out your gap live; unlock it for a cautious week-by-week plan of easy running, 15 m shuttle-pace intervals and light grip and shield-endurance work, a result tracker, charts, a printable briefing and a calendar file.

6, 8 or 10 weeksPlanned vs actual chartPrintable briefingCalendar exportOne-off £14.9914-day money-back guarantee

Your shuttle run

Live

Level reachedLevel 3

Level 3: 8.8 km/h, 8 shuttles (15 m)

Last shuttle completed4 of 8

The last shuttle you completed, not the one you missed.

Level to compare withThe figure usually quoted. Named in a dated 2018 MoJ/HMPPS analytical summary for serving Band 3/4 officers (not a current recruitment pass mark); figures also published on a site Ofsted lists as the HMPPS Learning Centre's website. Current HMPPS recruitment pages publish no level. Not an official pass mark.

Plan settings

Plan length

Sessions per week

Training background

Cushion above that level

Start dateFinal benchmark around 21 Nov

Niggle or returning after a breakSwaps running for low-impact work and slows increases

Saved in this browser only. Nothing you enter is sent to us; analytics only see a coarse level band.

Before you start: health first

This is a general training plan, not medical advice and not a prediction of your result. Speak to your GP before starting hard training if you have any of these:

chest pain or tightness when you exercise, or at rest
dizziness, fainting or unusual breathlessness
a heart condition, high blood pressure, asthma or another condition that has not been reviewed recently
a recent injury, surgery, or joint, back or tendon pain that is not settled
pregnancy or having recently given birth
taking medicines that affect your heart rate or exercise tolerance

Stop at once and seek advice if you get chest pain, dizziness, unusual breathlessness or sharp or worsening pain. Declare any health condition honestly to recruitment: it will not necessarily stop you, and adjustments are possible.

I have read this and will check with my GP if any of it applies to me.

Gap to close16 shuttles3.4 → 5.4

Per week2.7shuttles · 0.32 levels

Pace ratingdemandingplanning heuristic

Final benchmarkSat 21 Nov6 weeks from Mon 12 Oct

The gain needed per week is demanding. Expect to need most planned sessions; choose a longer plan if you miss weeks.

Planned progression

benchmark by week

Planned benchmarkLogged resultsLevel you set

The plan spreads your gap evenly across the weeks. Real progress is rarely a straight line: use the benchmark tests to check.

Weekly training minutes

0 of 24 sessions ticked

PlannedCompleted

Compare plan lengths

Shuttles / week	Levels / week	Pace rating	Benchmark date
2.7	0.32	demanding	Sat 21 Nov
2.0	0.24	steady	Sat 5 Dec
1.6	0.19	steady	Sat 19 Dec

Safety rules built into the plan

Running time rises by about 10% a week (5% if you flag a niggle), with a lighter week every fourth week and a reduced final week. These are common coaching rules of thumb, not HMPPS figures.
No more than two hard sessions a week: the shuttle-pace session and any benchmark test. Easy days stay easy, at a conversational pace.
Never add extra hard sessions to catch up on missed ones. If you miss a week, repeat the last completed week or choose a longer plan.
Warm up before every session and cool down afterwards. Review and adapt your plan about monthly.
Only run a benchmark when you feel well and rested. Postpone if you are ill, sore or sleeping badly.
Upper-body work uses LIGHT weights. It trains the muscle endurance a shield hold draws on; it does not reproduce the test. Add load only when every set is clean.
Stop and seek advice from a GP or qualified professional for sharp or worsening pain, chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness. This is not medical advice.

Week by week

Tick sessions as you finish them

Week 1Base · this week

Benchmark 3.7 · 155 min planned

Build easy aerobic volume and learn the 15 m turn. Keep intensity controlled.

Shuttle-pace intervals (15 m)Mon 12 Oct · about 30 min · hard

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
4 x 60 seconds of 15 m shuttles at level 3 pace (about 8.8 km/h): one shuttle every 6.1 seconds on a marked 15 m track. Set an interval-timer or metronome app to beep at that spacing. Do NOT use a 20 m bleep recording on a 15 m track.
Rest 90 seconds walking between reps.
Practise a controlled turn: plant, pivot, push off. Do not skid or over-run the line.
Effort should feel hard but repeatable (RPE 7 of 10). Stop early if form breaks down or anything hurts.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength A: legs, hinge and trunkTue 13 Oct · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Goblet squat: 2 x 8-10.
Step-up (each leg): 2 x 8.
Romanian dead lift, light to moderate: 2 x 6-8, flat back, controlled.
Walking lunge holding weights: 2 x 8 steps each leg.
Plank or trunk rotation: 2 x 30-45 seconds.
Choose loads that leave 2-3 repetitions in reserve. Technique first; ask a qualified instructor if unsure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Easy aerobic runThu 15 Oct · about 35 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
25 minutes continuous easy running at a conversational pace (RPE 3-4 of 10).
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength B: grip, shoulders and carrySat 17 Oct · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Shoulder press: 2 x 8.
Bent-over row: 2 x 8-10.
Farmer carry (a weight in each hand): 3 x 30 m. Builds grip.
Dead hang from a bar or towel hold (grip endurance): 2 x 15-30 seconds, only if shoulders are comfortable.
Shoulder-height front hold with a light weight (about 3 kg, NOT 7 kg yet): 2 x 20 seconds, rest 90 seconds. This trains the muscle endurance a riot shield hold draws on; it does not copy the test. Add weight only when you finish every set with good form.
Press-up (hands raised if needed): 2 sets, stopping 2 repetitions short of failure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Week 2Base

Benchmark 4.1 · 160 min planned

Build easy aerobic volume and learn the 15 m turn. Keep intensity controlled.

Shuttle-pace intervals (15 m)Mon 19 Oct · about 30 min · hard

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
4 x 60 seconds of 15 m shuttles at level 3 pace (about 8.8 km/h): one shuttle every 6.1 seconds on a marked 15 m track. Set an interval-timer or metronome app to beep at that spacing. Do NOT use a 20 m bleep recording on a 15 m track.
Rest 90 seconds walking between reps.
Practise a controlled turn: plant, pivot, push off. Do not skid or over-run the line.
Effort should feel hard but repeatable (RPE 7 of 10). Stop early if form breaks down or anything hurts.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength A: legs, hinge and trunkTue 20 Oct · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Goblet squat: 2 x 8-10.
Step-up (each leg): 2 x 8.
Romanian dead lift, light to moderate: 2 x 6-8, flat back, controlled.
Walking lunge holding weights: 2 x 8 steps each leg.
Plank or trunk rotation: 2 x 30-45 seconds.
Choose loads that leave 2-3 repetitions in reserve. Technique first; ask a qualified instructor if unsure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Easy aerobic runThu 22 Oct · about 40 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
30 minutes continuous easy running at a conversational pace (RPE 3-4 of 10).
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength B: grip, shoulders and carrySat 24 Oct · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Shoulder press: 2 x 8.
Bent-over row: 2 x 8-10.
Farmer carry (a weight in each hand): 3 x 30 m. Builds grip.
Dead hang from a bar or towel hold (grip endurance): 2 x 15-30 seconds, only if shoulders are comfortable.
Shoulder-height front hold with a light weight (about 3 kg, NOT 7 kg yet): 2 x 25 seconds, rest 90 seconds. This trains the muscle endurance a riot shield hold draws on; it does not copy the test. Add weight only when you finish every set with good form.
Press-up (hands raised if needed): 2 sets, stopping 2 repetitions short of failure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Week 3Build

Benchmark 4.4 · 158 min planned

Progress running time and interval reps. Strength sets rise to three.

Shuttle-pace intervals (15 m)Mon 26 Oct · about 33 min · hard

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
5 x 60 seconds of 15 m shuttles at level 4 pace (about 9.4 km/h): one shuttle every 5.8 seconds on a marked 15 m track. Set an interval-timer or metronome app to beep at that spacing. Do NOT use a 20 m bleep recording on a 15 m track.
Rest 90 seconds walking between reps.
Practise a controlled turn: plant, pivot, push off. Do not skid or over-run the line.
Effort should feel hard but repeatable (RPE 7 of 10). Stop early if form breaks down or anything hurts.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength A: legs, hinge and trunkTue 27 Oct · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Goblet squat: 3 x 8-10.
Step-up (each leg): 3 x 8.
Romanian dead lift, light to moderate: 3 x 6-8, flat back, controlled.
Walking lunge holding weights: 3 x 8 steps each leg.
Plank or trunk rotation: 3 x 30-45 seconds.
Choose loads that leave 2-3 repetitions in reserve. Technique first; ask a qualified instructor if unsure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Easy aerobic runThu 29 Oct · about 40 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
30 minutes continuous easy running at a conversational pace (RPE 3-4 of 10).
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Mid-plan shuttle-run benchmarkSat 31 Oct · about 40 min · hard

Only test if you feel well, rested and free from pain. Postpone by a day or two otherwise.
Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Run a multi-stage test on a marked 15 m track with a 15 m recording, on a similar surface to your assessment if you can. Stop when you cannot reach the line before the beep on two occasions in a row.
Record the last level.shuttle you completed in the tracker. Compare it with your planned benchmark of about 4.4. Ask recruitment which recording your assessment uses; it is not published.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Week 4Lighter week

Benchmark 4.7 · 151 min planned

Recovery week: about a quarter less running and lighter strength so you absorb the earlier work.

Shuttle-pace intervals (15 m)Mon 2 Nov · about 26 min · hard

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
3 x 60 seconds of 15 m shuttles at level 4 pace (about 9.4 km/h): one shuttle every 5.8 seconds on a marked 15 m track. Set an interval-timer or metronome app to beep at that spacing. Do NOT use a 20 m bleep recording on a 15 m track.
Rest 60 seconds walking between reps.
Practise a controlled turn: plant, pivot, push off. Do not skid or over-run the line.
Effort should feel hard but repeatable (RPE 7 of 10). Stop early if form breaks down or anything hurts.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength A: legs, hinge and trunkTue 3 Nov · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Goblet squat: 2 x 8-10.
Step-up (each leg): 2 x 8.
Romanian dead lift, light to moderate: 2 x 6-8, flat back, controlled.
Walking lunge holding weights: 2 x 8 steps each leg.
Plank or trunk rotation: 2 x 30-45 seconds.
Choose loads that leave 2-3 repetitions in reserve. Technique first; ask a qualified instructor if unsure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Easy aerobic runThu 5 Nov · about 35 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
25 minutes continuous easy running at a conversational pace (RPE 3-4 of 10).
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength B: grip, shoulders and carrySat 7 Nov · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Shoulder press: 2 x 8.
Bent-over row: 2 x 8-10.
Farmer carry (a weight in each hand): 3 x 30 m. Builds grip.
Dead hang from a bar or towel hold (grip endurance): 2 x 15-30 seconds, only if shoulders are comfortable.
Shoulder-height front hold with a light weight (about 3 kg, NOT 7 kg yet): 2 x 35 seconds, rest 90 seconds. This trains the muscle endurance a riot shield hold draws on; it does not copy the test. Add weight only when you finish every set with good form.
Press-up (hands raised if needed): 2 sets, stopping 2 repetitions short of failure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Week 5Specific

Benchmark 5.1 · 167 min planned

Practise at shuttle pace close to your target level while keeping easy days easy.

Shuttle-pace intervals (15 m)Mon 9 Nov · about 32 min · hard

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
6 x 60 seconds of 15 m shuttles at level 4 pace (about 9.4 km/h): one shuttle every 5.8 seconds on a marked 15 m track. Set an interval-timer or metronome app to beep at that spacing. Do NOT use a 20 m bleep recording on a 15 m track.
Rest 60 seconds walking between reps.
Practise a controlled turn: plant, pivot, push off. Do not skid or over-run the line.
Effort should feel hard but repeatable (RPE 7 of 10). Stop early if form breaks down or anything hurts.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength A: legs, hinge and trunkTue 10 Nov · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Goblet squat: 3 x 8-10.
Step-up (each leg): 3 x 8.
Romanian dead lift, light to moderate: 3 x 6-8, flat back, controlled.
Walking lunge holding weights: 3 x 8 steps each leg.
Plank or trunk rotation: 3 x 30-45 seconds.
Choose loads that leave 2-3 repetitions in reserve. Technique first; ask a qualified instructor if unsure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Easy aerobic runThu 12 Nov · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
35 minutes continuous easy running at a conversational pace (RPE 3-4 of 10).
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength B: grip, shoulders and carrySat 14 Nov · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Shoulder press: 3 x 8.
Bent-over row: 3 x 8-10.
Farmer carry (a weight in each hand): 4 x 30 m. Builds grip.
Dead hang from a bar or towel hold (grip endurance): 3 x 15-30 seconds, only if shoulders are comfortable.
Shoulder-height front hold with a light weight (about 3 kg, NOT 7 kg yet): 3 x 40 seconds, rest 90 seconds. This trains the muscle endurance a riot shield hold draws on; it does not copy the test. Add weight only when you finish every set with good form.
Press-up (hands raised if needed): 3 sets, stopping 2 repetitions short of failure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Week 6Test week

Benchmark 5.4 · 148 min planned

Freshen up, sharpen technique and run the final benchmark. Lighter volume, no new exercises.

Shuttle-pace intervals (15 m)Mon 16 Nov · about 28 min · hard

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
4 x 60 seconds of 15 m shuttles at level 5 pace (about 9.9 km/h): one shuttle every 5.4 seconds on a marked 15 m track. Set an interval-timer or metronome app to beep at that spacing. Do NOT use a 20 m bleep recording on a 15 m track.
Rest 60 seconds walking between reps.
Practise a controlled turn: plant, pivot, push off. Do not skid or over-run the line.
Effort should feel hard but repeatable (RPE 7 of 10). Stop early if form breaks down or anything hurts.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Strength A: legs, hinge and trunkTue 17 Nov · about 45 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Goblet squat: 2 x 8-10.
Step-up (each leg): 2 x 8.
Romanian dead lift, light to moderate: 2 x 6-8, flat back, controlled.
Walking lunge holding weights: 2 x 8 steps each leg.
Plank or trunk rotation: 2 x 30-45 seconds.
Choose loads that leave 2-3 repetitions in reserve. Technique first; ask a qualified instructor if unsure.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Easy aerobic runThu 19 Nov · about 35 min

Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
25 minutes continuous easy running at a conversational pace (RPE 3-4 of 10).
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Final shuttle-run benchmarkSat 21 Nov · about 40 min · hard

Only test if you feel well, rested and free from pain. Postpone by a day or two otherwise.
Warm up 8-10 minutes: brisk walk or easy jog, arm circles, leg swings, bodyweight squats and lunges.
Run a multi-stage test on a marked 15 m track with a 15 m recording, on a similar surface to your assessment if you can. Stop when you cannot reach the line before the beep on two occasions in a row.
Record the last level.shuttle you completed in the tracker. Compare it with your planned benchmark of about 5.4. Ask recruitment which recording your assessment uses; it is not published.
Cool down 5 minutes of walking, then gentle calf, quad, hamstring, hip and shoulder stretches.

Premium · one-time

Unlock Fitness Pass Suite

Your gap to the reported level is 16 shuttles (3.4 → 5.4). Over 6 weeks that is 2.7 shuttles a week, rated demanding. Your final benchmark would land around 21 Nov.

Safe 6, 8 or 10 week plan built from your gap
Shuttle-pace intervals, easy runs and light grip and shield-endurance work, with timings
Result log with planned-vs-actual chart and ahead/behind guidance
Printable briefing, calendar (.ics) export and AI summary of your plan

£14.99one payment · no subscription

Secure payment by Stripe. 14-day money-back guarantee (refund policy). Checking whether you have already bought this…

General training and planning information based on a 15 m multi-stage table, not medical advice and not a prediction of your result. HMPPS publishes no bleep level; level 5.4 on a 15 m track is a reported standard (dated 2018 MoJ/HMPPS analytical summary for serving officers, plus a site Ofsted lists as the HMPPS Learning Centre's website). Your invitation and the recruitment team set the real test. Speak to a GP before hard training if you have any health concern, and stop if something hurts. Checked 3 October 2026.

14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. One payment of £14.99, no subscription, and guest checkout works: you do not need an account to buy. Creating a free account afterwards (optional) keeps access on every device. Your statutory rights are not affected; see our terms.

Not sure yet? The free fitness test calculator shows your gap, pace guide and the reported grip and shield figures first. The suite is also in the Candidate Bundle with the Interview Toolkit.

Built from your gap

Starts from your level and shuttle, works out the shuttles and levels to add, and rates the pace as steady, demanding or aggressive so you can pick a sensible length.

Safe by design

Gradual ramping, a lighter week every fourth week, no more than two hard sessions a week, light weights for upper-body work and a health notice you acknowledge before you start.

Honest tracking

Log every benchmark, see it against the plan and get plain guidance if you are ahead or behind. No invented pass percentage: you see the real gap.

What the Fitness Pass Suite does

HMPPS recruitment pages say prison officer applicants take a bleep test, a shuttle run between two points, and an upper-body test that involves holding a 7 kg riot shield and gripping a piece of equipment, after the medical. They do not publish a pass level. The figure candidates are usually told, level 5.4 on a 15 m track, comes from a 2018 Ministry of Justice and HMPPS analytical summary for serving officers and from third-party sites. Candidates who fall short often know the number but not the route. The suite turns the gap between your level and your target into a schedule: how many shuttles you need to add, how many a week that implies, and what to do on each day.

Type in your level and shuttle, choose the level you are aiming for (the reported 5.4 or a custom figure from your invitation), pick a 6, 8 or 10 week plan and three to five sessions a week. The plan sets a planned benchmark for the end of each week, builds running time gradually, schedules shuttle-pace interval work on a marked 15 m track at the exact beep spacing for the level you are working towards, and adds strength sessions for legs, trunk, shoulders and grip. A benchmark test is placed mid-plan and in the final week so you can check the plan against reality and adjust.

Why a 6-week plan, and why the length is yours to choose

Six weeks is a sensible default for a modest gap: long enough for a base block, a build block and a specific block with a lighter week and a benchmark, short enough to hold your attention. The tool does not assume six weeks suits everyone. It compares 6, 8 and 10 week plans side by side, showing the shuttles and levels you need to gain each week and a pace rating. If your gap is large, the rating warns you and recommends a longer plan rather than more training. Ratings are planning heuristics: up to a quarter of a level per week is rated steady, up to half a level demanding, and beyond that aggressive.

The sessions

Each week has between three and five sessions. Shuttle-pace intervals use 60-second work blocks at the pace of a level, for example level 5 at 5.43 seconds per 15 m shuttle, with the rest shortening as the plan progresses. Easy aerobic running builds the base that carries you through the last levels, starting at 15, 25 or 35 minutes depending on your background and rising about 10 per cent a week, capped at 60 minutes. A longer steady session appears on five-day plans. Two strength sessions cover squats, step-ups, hinge, lunges and trunk in one, and shoulder press, rows, farmer carries, dead hangs and a light shoulder-height front hold in the other. That last exercise is there because the official test involves holding a 7 kg shield; the plan builds the muscle endurance with a much lighter weight and only adds load when every set is clean, and it says plainly that it does not copy the test.

If you flag a niggle or a return after a break, running is swapped for cycling, swimming, elliptical or brisk walking, rep counts are capped and increases slow to about 5 per cent a week. Every session lists a warm-up and cool-down. Nothing in the plan asks you to add sessions to catch up.

Tracker, charts and the assessment-day checklist

Each session has a tick box, a date and a description. In the tracker you log a shuttle-run result (level, shuttle, date, benchmark or practice) and it appears as a dot on the planned-versus-actual chart. The tool then tells you whether your latest result is ahead of, on track with or behind the planned benchmark for that week, and if you are behind it shows what catching up would require rather than telling you to train harder. A weekly minutes chart shows planned against completed training. The assessment-day checklist covers four stages: when your invitation arrives, two weeks before, the day before and the day itself. It prompts you to read the invitation, ask recruitment which track length and recording are used and how many attempts you get, declare health conditions honestly, bring glasses, avoid caffeine before the blood pressure check and pace the early levels.

Printable briefing, calendar and AI summary

The briefing tab produces a clean printable document with your chart, weekly benchmarks, every session, the safety rules and sources. Use print or save as PDF. The calendar button downloads an .ics file with each session as an event at 07:00 for its planned duration, which you can import into Google, Apple or Outlook calendars and move as needed. The CSV export lists every session. An AI-written summary can interpret your numbers in plain English; it is part of the suite, uses only the figures on your page, never comments on your health and cannot predict whether you will pass. The AI coach tab also gives one free answer, then unlimited (fair use) once you have the suite.

How the suite handles the unknowns

Most fitness tools for this test quietly assume facts that are not published. This one lists them. It assumes a 15 m track because the reported standard uses one, and it checks its level table against the reported 35 shuttles and 3 minutes 35 seconds for level 5.4. It does not know the recording your assessment centre uses, how many attempts you get, or whether the standard has changed since the documents the figures come from, so the plan tells you to ask recruitment those questions and the assessment-day checklist makes them tick-box items. It does not pretend that the weekly benchmarks are predictions: they simply divide your gap evenly across the weeks so you have something to compare real results with.

When your real results arrive, the tracker is deliberately descriptive. If you are ahead, it says keep the plan and do not add hard sessions. If you are behind, it says repeat the last completed week or move the test date back, and shows how many shuttles a week you would need from there. Neither response encourages the one thing that most often derails a short block, which is panic training.

Health first: what the suite is not

This is a planning tool, not a coach and not a clinician. It does not assess your health, technique or injury history, and it cannot see how you respond to training. Before you start, the plan shows a health notice listing the situations in which you should speak to your GP first, including chest pain, dizziness, unusual breathlessness, an unreviewed heart or blood pressure condition, a recent injury or pregnancy. If something hurts in a sharp or worsening way, stop. Declare any health condition to recruitment honestly: HMPPS says a physical or mental health issue will not necessarily prevent you from doing the job and that adjustments are considered case by case.

What you are buying, and what stays free

You are paying £14.99, once, for the plan generator, tracker, charts, briefing, calendar export, AI summary and unlimited AI coach answers within fair use. The free tool keeps the calculator, pace guide, upper-body comparison and one free AI answer. We do not show pass rates, testimonials or counters because none exist that we could verify. The 14-day money-back guarantee is unconditional: if it is not for you, tell us within 14 days and we will refund you. Read the free fitness test guide and the bleep test level guide first if you want to be sure what you are training for.

General training information, not medical advice. Prison Officer Pay is independent and not affiliated with HMPPS or the Ministry of Justice.

Frequently asked questions

Is the fitness test calculator still free?

Yes. The free prison officer fitness test calculator gives you total shuttles, distance, time, a pace guide, the gap to the reported level and a check on the reported grip, shield and agility figures without paying anything. The suite adds the week-by-week plan, result tracker, planned-versus-actual chart, assessment-day checklist, printable briefing, calendar export and AI summary.

Does the plan guarantee I will pass?

No. Progress depends on your starting point, consistency, recovery and how your body responds. HMPPS publishes no pass level, so no tool can promise a pass. The plan is a structured, cautious way to organise training towards the reported standard, and the pace rating is a planning heuristic, not a prediction. The tool deliberately shows no pass percentage because none could be honest.

Is level 5.4 the official standard?

No. It is the figure usually quoted, supported by a dated 2018 Ministry of Justice and HMPPS summary for serving officers and by a site Ofsted lists as the HMPPS Learning Centre's website. HMPPS recruitment pages confirm a bleep test but publish no level. You can enter a custom level from your own invitation letter, which always overrides ours.

Is it safe? Is this medical advice?

It is general training information, not medical advice. Running time rises by about 10% a week, with a lighter week every fourth week, no more than two hard sessions a week and light weights for upper-body work. Speak to your GP before starting if you have any health concern, and stop if anything hurts in a sharp or worsening way. The plan opens with a health notice you must acknowledge.

Does it work for a 20 m bleep test app?

The plan and pace guide use a 15 m shuttle-run table, which reproduces the reported 35 shuttles and about 3:35 for level 5.4. Level numbers on a 20 m recording are not comparable, so use a marked 15 m track and a 15 m recording, and ask recruitment which recording is used at your assessment.

Where is my data stored?

Your plan settings, ticks and logged results are kept in your browser on this device and are not sent to us. If you clear site data or switch device they will not follow you, so print the briefing, export the calendar or use Save to my account, which stores a summary in your account. The AI summary sends your level, target and plan figures, never your name or email.

Can I change the plan length later?

Yes. Switch between 6, 8 and 10 weeks at any time and the plan rebuilds. Ticks are stored against session numbers, so changing the structure may line them up differently.

Is there a subscription? What about refunds?

No subscription: it is a single payment of £14.99, guest checkout works, and creating a free account afterwards keeps access on every device. There is a 14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. See our terms for the details. The suite is also included in the Candidate Bundle.

Sources and how current this is

HMPPS Prison and Probation Jobs: how to apply as a prison officer. Bleep test, 7 kg riot shield and grip test; no level published
MoJ and HMPPS: Prison Officer Fitness Testing, Analytical Summary (12 July 2018). Dated: 5.4 on a 15 m track for serving officers
Prison Service Pay Review Body, Twenty-Fifth Report 2026. Fitness test not repeated after appointment (para 2.51)
Topend Sports: 15 m multi-stage fitness test table. Shuttles and seconds per level

All official sources were opened on 3 October 2026. Recruitment rules, campaigns and pay change, so check the live HMPPS Prison and Probation Jobs pages before you apply. Prison Officer Pay is independent and is not affiliated with HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice, the POA or any union. See how we write and review and our methodology.

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