Fitness Testing

Chester Step Test

overview: a sub-maximal stepping test of aerobic fitness. It is a variation of a stepping type fitness tests (see other step tests), and is commonly used in the UK.
equipment: step, heart rate monitor, portable cassette or compact disk player, and perceived exertion scale
description / procedure: The step height varies for different participants (from 0.15 to 0.30 meters) - there are standardized criteria for choosing a step height based on the subjects age and physical activity history. The initial step rate is 15 steps per minute and every 2 minutes the tempo increases by 5 steps per minute. The stepping rate is set by a recorded metronome and guided verbal instructions, which are played on a cassette tape or compact disc. When the subject reaches 80% of age estimated heart rate maximum and/or an RPE of 14 on Borg’s 6–20 scale, they are told to stop the test.
purchase: The Chester Step Test (CD Rom) is available on CD, which includes metronome and music beat audio tracks plus 50 data collection sheets. The easy to use software automatically calculates your Chester Step score and stores your history data so you can monitor your progress over time. The resource manual can be viewed on screen, or alternatively can be printed off to take to your sessions.

advantages: minimal equipment is required and the test is very portable. The test is designed to be flexible in assessing people with a wide range of absolute aerobic fitness levels by having adjustable step heights.
disadvantages: for some groups, subjects may not honestly gauge their Rate of Perceived Exertion for various reasons such as saving face among peers. If the step height is not adjusted for subject age and physical activity, as is sometime done, then shorter subjects may be at a disadvantage.
history: The Chester Step test was developed by Kevin Sykes while at Chester College – a College of the University of Liverpool, and was developed to assess aerobic fitness in fire brigades in Britain, Europe, USA, and Asia.
references
- Sykes K. Chester step test; resource pack (Version 3). Cheshire, UK: Chester College of Higher Education, 1998.
- J P Buckley, J Sim, R G Eston, R Hession, R Fox, Reliability and validity of measures taken during the Chester step test to predict aerobic power and to prescribe aerobic exercise. Br J Sports Med 2004;38:197–205.
- Sykes K and Roberts A, The Chester step test—a simple yet effective tool for the prediction of aerobic capacity, Physiotherapy, Volume 90, Issue 4, December 2004, Pages 183-188.
links: buy the Chester Step Test (CD Rom) from Coachwise Ltd, the trading arm of The National Coaching Foundation (known as sports coach UK).