Queens College Step Test

Equipment: 41 cm high bench, stopwatch, metronome, pulse monitor (optional).

Target Population: Large groups or those incapable of doing a maximum test.

Advantages: Limited equipment and expertise needed, large groups can be tested at once, test can be self administered.

Disadvantages: Test tends to underpredict the values of fit adults. The test is sometimes unsuitable for short subjects and favours males due to the height of the bench.

Procedure: A three minute step test on a 41 cm bench. Stepping pace:Women 22 steps/min, Men 24 steps/min. Subjects step using a four-step cadence, 'UP-UP-DOWN-DOWN' continuously for 3 minutes and then immediately take their pulse for 15 seconds, 5-20 seconds into recovery. Multiplying this 15 second reading by 4 will give the end beats per minute figure of the subject.

Using the linear relationship between heart rate and oxygen consumption the subjects one minute end test pulse reading can be used to predict a value for their Max VO2.