Step for Chester Step Test
Key Features:
- Robust and durable
- Supplied for use with the Chester Step Test
- Max weight capacity 260kg
- Complies with BS EN 14183:2003E
Need a step and software together? Choose the Chester Step Test Kit with CST2 software. A heart-rate monitor is required and is sold separately.
Choosing your step height
The following age/activity categories are general guidelines from the Chester manual. Use participant screening and professional judgement, and follow any organisation-specific protocol. See our step-height selection guide for context and limitations. Available heights are subject to stock.
- 12 inch (30cm) Step – is generally suitable for those under 40 years of age who take regular physical exercise and are used to moderately vigorous exertion.
- 10 inch (25cm) Step – is generally suitable for those over 40 years of age who take regular physical exercise and are used to moderately vigorous exertion.
- 8 inch (20cm) Step – is generally suitable for those under 40 years of age who take little or no regular physical exercise and for those under-40s who are moderately overweight.
- 6 inch (15cm) Step – is generally suitable for those over 40 years of age who take little or no regular physical exercise and for those over-40s who are moderately overweight.
- 4 inch (10 cm) step – an additional CST2 option requiring the appropriate protocol and practitioner guidance; it is not a universal recommendation for cardiac rehabilitation.
For over-60s: the manual generally suggests 15–20 cm. Choose the individual height using the applicable protocol, screening and professional judgement; age alone does not determine suitability.
Pre-test health screening
It is imperative that there are no medical contraindications to the subject undertaking any of the tests. Complete the pre-exercise screening required by the applicable protocol and professional or organisational procedures. However, if there are any doubts about the individual’s suitability to partake in moderately vigorous physical activity, then please advise them to consult a doctor and do not conduct the Fitness Test.
The Chester Step Test Single Height Step is a stepping platform supplied for use with the Chester Step Test. The Chester Step Test provides a compact option for estimating aerobic capacity in suitable participants. Participant screening, step-height selection and the relevant test protocol determine whether it is appropriate.
Evidence and interpretation
Research has examined Chester Step Test repeatability and prediction accuracy. These are different properties: Buckley and colleagues (2004) found test–retest reliability but questioned VO₂max prediction validity in their small study. Interpret estimates in the context of the protocol, participant and evidence. The Chester Step Test has been adopted by corporate organisations around the world as a method of assessment for aerobic fitness. For occupational use, follow the organisation’s current approved assessment procedures; it is widely used by fire brigades, airport fire services, police and ambulance services.
The Chester Step Test is also used in cardiac rehabilitation departments to assess and set goals for the development of a patient’s aerobic fitness. Leisure and health clubs also use the Chester Step Test as an integral part of their health programs.
The Chester Step Test is a submaximal assessment used to estimate aerobic capacity from stepping workload and recorded heart rate. Follow the stopping criteria for the protocol and software edition being used; do not continue simply to reach a target heart rate. The result is an estimate, not a diagnosis of cardiorespiratory health.
CST2 uses recorded heart-rate responses and the workload associated with the selected step height to estimate aerobic capacity. The calculation depends on the test assumptions and the quality of the recorded data; it does not directly measure oxygen uptake.
An estimated VO₂max result should be interpreted alongside participant context and the limitations of the method. Where a directly measured value is required, a suitable laboratory assessment measures respiratory gases during exercise. See the Chester Step Test resource hub for protocol and interpretation resources.
