Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues and the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movements. Harvard Step Test is a cardiovascular fitness test. It is also called aerobic fitness test.
Administrative procedure of Harvard Step Test
Purpose: To measure the general capacity of the heart and circulatory system for measurement of cardiovascular efficiency.
Age level and sex: It is designed for college man by Brouha in 1943 at Harvard University Laboratory. It is also modified to suit both sexes from Elementary school to college level.
Time Allotment: 5 minutes
Facilities and Equipment: A stop watch, 20″ height bench, partners, stethoscope, metronome, score sheet.
Procedure: The athlete stands in 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 (one second up one second down) for 5 minutes (150 steps). Stopwatch is also started simultaneously at the start of the stepping. After that the athlete sits down immediately after completion of the test i.e. after 5 minutes. The total number of heartbeats are counted between 1 to 1.5 minutes after completion of the last step. The heartbeats are counted for 30 seconds period. Again the heartbeats are noted for 30 seconds after the finishing of the test. After that third time the heartbeats are noted after 3 minutes of completion of the test for 30 seconds period. The same foot must start the step up each time, and an erect posture must be assumed on the bench.
Calculation of the Score: The athlete’s fitness index score is calculated with the help of following formula:
Fitness index score = (100 x test duration in seconds) / (2 x sum of heart beats in recovery periods)
