The invention relates to a method for operating a turnstile for the cyclical release of a passageway, wherein the turnstile comprises a control unit having a data memory and a data processing unit and comprising at least one blocking element that moves between a blocking position that blocks the passageway at a blocking point and a pass-through position that releases the passageway, wherein the at least one blocking element is connected to a moving support (10) in at least one direction of motion, said support comprising a first active surface (16a) or a plurality of first active surfaces (16a), wherein the turnstile comprises a locking device with at least one locking bar (18, 20) that can move between a first and a second end position and is intended to sit against the first active surface (16a) or one of the first active surfaces (16a) in one of its end positions. According to the invention, in a test run of the turnstile, in particular after it is started up, the control unit moves the locking bar (18, 20) to at least one of its end positions and moves the support (10) until the motion thereof is inhibited by the locking bar (18, 20), that the motion of the support (10) after a pre-determined distance is stopped if it is not inhibited by the locking bar (18, 20), that data characterizing the motion of the support (10) are collected by the control unit and that the data processing unit determines from the data characterizing the motion of the support (10) the parameters characterizing the turnstile, said data being stored in the data memory.