Play the Chester Step Test pacing recording above before running an assessment and check that its beat is clear in the room. The audio supplies stage pacing and instructions; it does not measure heart rate or calculate an individual result.
The Chester Step Test is a progressive, submaximal stepping assessment. Use the official protocol appropriate to the chosen step height, monitor heart rate and perceived exertion as instructed, and use the corresponding scoring method. A step-test oxygen-uptake figure is an estimate from the response to exercise, not direct measurement of exhaled gases.
For the stage sequence, setup, stopping criteria and recording sheet, use our Chester Step Test overview and protocol guide. The Chester Step Test kit and CST2 calculator pages describe the current equipment and software. Check that the audio and calculator version match the protocol you are using. For an individual protocol-based estimate, use the free Chester Step Test calculator; for repeated professional testing, records and reporting, use CST2.
Professor Kevin Sykes developed the test. The official Chester Step site provides software and protocol information. If the embedded recording is unavailable, use the audio supplied with the authorised kit or software rather than an unverified pacing track.
New to delivering the test? The Chester Step Test Practitioner Programme brings together training and competency assessment. Use the pacing recording alongside the protocol, rather than as a substitute for practitioner preparation.
