Work out vo2 max from step test instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
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.
Queens College, men
VO2max = 111.33 - 0.42 x recovery HR
Queens College, women
VO2max = 65.81 - 0.1847 x recovery HR
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.
They were regressed separately on male and female samples with different step rates, so the slopes are not comparable between them.
Very. The count runs from the fifth to the twentieth second of recovery, because heart rate falls quickly and a late start understates it.