The most obvious tests to test your aerobic fitness (cardio) are based on walking or cycling efforts such as the Cooper test, the beep test, etc. Of course you need to find a place in your area to run or run. bicycles. Not everyone has this opportunity and in some cases the climatic conditions do not allow it. That’s why we have a test for you that measures your aerobic fitness, but which you can perform indoors.
The idea is to get up and down on and off a bench or stairs for 3 minutes, which will speed up your heart rate. Your aerobic fitness is then determined by your heart’s recovery rate, measured during the minute immediately after the step test exercise. The faster you get your heart rate down after exercise, the better your aerobic fitness is.
How to perform the 3 minute step test?
- Measure your resting heart rate. Normally you have already done that in the previous test.
- Provide a step that is 12 inches (30 cm) high. That can be a sofa or a step of a staircase.
- Get on and off the bench or step for 3 minutes.
- 1 cycle = step on the bench with one foot, bring the other foot next to it, put one foot back on the floor followed by the other foot.
- Maintain a sustained rhythm of 24 cycles (up-up-down-down) per minute for 3 minutes.
- After those 3 minutes of walking, sit down immediately.
- Immediately place your index and middle fingers on your wrist and try to find your heartbeat.
- Start counting your heart rate 5 seconds after you stop walking. So you have to act fast
- Measure your heart rate for 1 minute and see how you score in the table below.
How do you score on the 3 minute step test?
Be sure to also try our FREE program to get fit in 4 minutes.