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Harvard Step Test Overview and Procedure

The Harvard step test is a cardiovascular fitness test that measures aerobic endurance. Participants step up and down on a 20-inch bench at a rate of 30 steps per minute for 5 minutes. Heart rate is measured 1-1.5 minutes after to calculate a fitness index score, with higher scores indicating better cardiovascular fitness. The test requires minimal inexpensive equipment but results can be impacted by individual biomechanical differences.

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Pradeep Patil
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4K views12 pages

Harvard Step Test Overview and Procedure

The Harvard step test is a cardiovascular fitness test that measures aerobic endurance. Participants step up and down on a 20-inch bench at a rate of 30 steps per minute for 5 minutes. Heart rate is measured 1-1.5 minutes after to calculate a fitness index score, with higher scores indicating better cardiovascular fitness. The test requires minimal inexpensive equipment but results can be impacted by individual biomechanical differences.

Uploaded by

Pradeep Patil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Introduction
  • Procedure
  • Scoring Method
  • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • Additional Scoring Guidelines
  • Appendix

Harvard Step Test

Harvard Step test

 Brouha (1943) Constructed test for


measuring Cardiovascular endurance of
human beings by using easily available
& inexpensive equipment. The test was
developed on 220 college men by
administering it simultaneously on small
groups of students.
Harvard Step Test

 The Harvard step test is a cardio vascular


fitness test. It is also called aerobic
fitness test. It is used to measure the
cardio vascular fitness or aerobic fitness
by checking the recovery rate. 
 Equipment required: A gym bench or box
of 20 inches high for man and 16 inches
for woman stopwatch and cadence tape. 
Harvard Step test
Test administration
Procedure: The athlete warms up for 10
minutes.
The athlete stands in the front of the bench
or box.
On the command “GO” the athlete steps
up and down on the bench or box at a rate
of 30 steps per minute.
Stopwatch is also started at the start of the
stepping. 
Procedure
 procedure:
 The subject steps up and down on the platform at a rate of 30
steps per minute (every two seconds) for 5 minutes. The subject
immediately sits down on completion of the test, and the total
number of heart beats are counted between 1 to 1.5 minutes after
finishing (see measuring heart rate). This is the only measure
required if using the short form of the test.
 If the long form of the test is being conducted, there is an
additional heart rate measures at between 2 to 2.5 minutes, and
between 3 to 3.5 minutes.
Scoring:
 scoring: the Fitness Index score is determined by the
following equations. For example, if the total test time
was 300 seconds (if completed the whole 5 minutes),
and the number of heart beats between 1-1.5 minutes
was 90, between 2-2.5 it was 80 and between 3-3.5 it
was 70, then the long form Fitness Index score would
be:
 (100 x 300) / (240 x 2) = 62.5. Note: you are using the
total number of heart beats in the 30 second period,
not the rate (beats per minute) during that time.
Fitness Index

 Fitness Index (short form) = (100 x test


duration in seconds) divided by (5.5 x
pulse count between 1 and 1.5
minutes). 
 Fitness Index (long form) = (100 x test
duration in seconds) divided by (2 x sum
of heart beats in the recovery periods).
Advantages & disadvantages
 ADVANTAGES: This test requires minimal equipment
and costs, and can be self-administered.
 DISADVANTAGES: Biomechanical characteristics
vary between individuals. For example, considering
that the step height is standard, taller people are at an
advantage as it will take less energy to step up onto
the step. Body weight has also been shown to be a
factor. Testing large groups with this test will be time
consuming.
Scoring:
 However, in case the subject is unable to do
the step exercise for full five minutes, Brouha
had recommended a direct scoring scheme
given below, which was irrespective of the
after exercise pulse counts:
Scoring:

Duration of Exercise Score

Less than 2 minutes 25

From 2.00 to 3.00 minutes 38

From 3.01 to 3.50 minutes 48

From 3.51 to 4.00 minutes 52

From 4.01 to 4.50 minutes 55

More than 4.50 minutes 59


Heart

Harvard Step Test
Harvard Step test Brouha (1943) Constructed test for measuring Cardiovascular endurance of human beings by using easily av
Harvard Step Test The Harvard step test is a cardio vascular fitness test. It is also called aerobic fitness test. It is u
Harvard Step test
Test administration Procedure: The athlete warms up for 10 minutes. The athlete stands in the front of the bench or box. O
Procedure procedure: The subject steps up and down on the platform at a rate of 30 steps per minute (every two seconds) f
Scoring: scoring: the Fitness Index score is determined by the following equations. For example, if the total test time wa
Fitness Index Fitness Index (short form) = (100 x test duration in seconds) divided by (5.5 x pulse count between 1 and 1.
Advantages & disadvantages ADVANTAGES: This test requires minimal equipment and costs, and can be self-administered. DISA
Scoring: However, in case the subject is unable to do the step exercise for full five minutes, Brouha had recommended a di

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