A simple step test to predict aerobic capacity

The purpose of the study was to standardize a field test of aerobic capacity. The subjects were 63 high school male students, 17-19 years old. Each subject performed the following tests: complete rest in lying and sitting positions to determine resting pulse; work on a bicycle ergometer at 3 different work loads to predict maximal O₂ consumption from sub-maximal heart rate; and 3 step tests on benches 25, 32.5 and 40 cm high. In the recovery period following the step tests, the pulse was recorded between the 5 and 15 seconds. Pearson product correlations coefficients were computed between predicted maximal O₂ consumption and: (1) the recovery pulses, (2) the resting pulses. The results showed that the bicycle ergometer test correlated with the resting pulses in lying and sitting positions, the 25 cm, 32.5 cm and 40 cm benches r = 0.519, r = 0.490, r = 0.727, r = 0.809 and r = 0.791, respectively. It was concluded that the 32.5 cm bench can be used as a field test of aerobic capacity.