VO2Max step test

FireDragon76

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This is a simple, slightly less demanding VO2Max test that anybody can do that has a step stool, a heart rate sensor (fitness tracker, smart watch, etc.), or a metronome. These types of tests correlate with a VO2Max treadmill test very well, being on average only 3 points higher.
One thing I found helpful was to multiply the metronome by 4, and move a foot in sync with every beat (so 96 beats per minute for male, or 88 beats per minute for females). If you use a pulse oximeter to get the final heart rate, you should probably be adding about 6-8 beats per minute to account for the fact the heart rate won't be immediate.


Here's a video demonstrating the technique:




I got a score of about 53.6, which probably means my real VO2Max is closer to 50. Which is pretty good for somebody of my age (48 year old male). This is also close to what the resting heart rate formula predicts (48).
 
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