Brue Test
Developed by Luc Léger and Jacques Boucher, this progressive-pace test determines your Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS), the key figure for setting training intensities in running.
About the Brue test
The Brue test is a protocol designed to assess aerobic capacity through a progressive pace in which the speed rises until the subject reaches exhaustion. Its simplicity and accessibility make it a practical test in many contexts.
MAS is the lowest running speed at which oxygen consumption reaches its maximum. It is used to set training intensities and to avoid exceeding your physiological limits.
How the test works
The test starts at a fairly slow speed (around 8 km/h), with the pace increasing in steps of 0.5 km/h every minute. The goal is to hold this cadence until complete physical exhaustion.
Calculator
Calculate your MAS (with correction)
Enter the speed of the last full level, then the share of the next level you held before stopping (in %). If you stopped exactly at the end of a level, leave that field at 0.
Doing the test yourself
Equipment needed:
- A stopwatch or GPS watch
- A 400-metre athletics track
- Cones or visual markers for the intermediate distances
- Water and clothing suited to running
Protocol
How the test unfolds
- PreparationPlace visual markers every 20 metres around a 400-metre track.
- StartThe test starts at a slow speed of around 8 km/h.
- ProgressionThe pace increases in steps of 0.5 km/h every minute. Hold the cadence by watching the markers on the ground.
- End of the testThe test ends at complete exhaustion, when you can no longer sustain the required pace.
Recommended gear
To run the test in good conditions
- GPS running watch View on Amazon →
- Set of training cones View on Amazon →
- Running shoes View on Amazon →
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Frequently asked questions
FAQ
Who created the Brue test?
It was developed by Luc Léger and Jacques Boucher, on the same progressive-pace principle as the Léger-Boucher test, but with a differently calibrated protocol.
Why a proportional correction?
If you stop before the end of a level, keeping only the speed of the last full level slightly underestimates your true MAS. The correction adds a fraction of the next increment, proportional to the time held in that unfinished level.
Can you do this test alone?
It is recommended not to do it alone, so that outside help is available if needed during the maximal effort.
How do you calculate your MAS with the Brue test?
The last level completed before stopping gives a first estimate of your MAS. If you stop partway through a level, the proportional correction described above refines that result.