Harvard Step Test

 

 

 

 

 

Harvard Step Test

by Jarrod Robinson

AIM

To measure aerobic capacity within a simple step test procedure

Equipment

Metronome set at 120bpm, step or bench of 45cm high, stopwatch

Procedure

  1. The athlete warms up for 10 minutes
  2. The assistant gives the command “GO” and starts the stopwatch
  3. The athlete steps up and down onto a standard gym bench once every two seconds for five minutes
  4. The athlete steps up and down onto a standard gym bench once every two seconds for five minutes
  5. The assistant measures the athlete’s heart rate (bpm) one minute after finishing the test – Pulse1
  6. The assistant measures the athlete’s heart rate (bpm) two minutes after finishing the test – Pulse2
  7. The assistant measures the athlete’s heart rate (bpm) three minutes after finishing the test – Pulse3
  8. You can then determine your norm by applying the formula below

    Result = 30000 รท (pulse1 + pulse2 + pulse3)