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VO2 Max From Step Test Calculator

Work out vo2 max from step test instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About VO2 Max From Step Test Calculator

The Queens College step test has you step on and off a 41 cm bench for three minutes - 24 steps a minute for men, 22 for women - then take a 15 second pulse from the fifth to twentieth second of recovery and multiply by four. A recovery rate of 150 bpm gives about 48.3 ml/kg/min for a man. Lower recovery heart rates mean higher fitness.

Formulas

Queens College, men

VO2max = 111.33 - 0.42 x recovery HR

Queens College, women

VO2max = 65.81 - 0.1847 x recovery HR

Worked example

With the default values below, VO2 Max From Step Test Calculator returns Estimated VO2 Max of 48.3. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Heart rate during recoveryaccepts 60–220 bpm
150 bpm
Sexone of Male, Female
Male

Results

Estimated VO2 Max
48.3 ml/(kg min)
Peak Aerobic Capacity
13.81 MET
Recovery Heart Rate Used
150 bpm
Fitness Category
Above average

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Queens College, men
  3. 3Queens College, women
  4. 4Estimated VO2 Max= 48.3 ml/(kg min)
  5. 5Peak Aerobic Capacity= 13.81 MET
  6. 6Recovery Heart Rate Used= 150 bpm
  7. 7Fitness Category= Above average

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.
  • This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do the two equations differ so much?

They were regressed separately on male and female samples with different step rates, so the slopes are not comparable between them.

How precise must the pulse timing be?

Very. The count runs from the fifth to the twentieth second of recovery, because heart rate falls quickly and a late start understates it.

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