2004 · Physiotherapy
The Chester step test — a simple yet effective tool for the prediction of aerobic capacity
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Expert Profile
Professor Kevin Sykes
Professor Emeritus of Occupational Health & Workplace Fitness
University of Chester · Designer of the Chester Step Test and Chester Treadmill Tests
Professor Kevin Sykes is an occupational-health and workplace-fitness researcher whose work has focused on practical methods for assessing aerobic capacity in professional and occupational settings.
Chester Step Test Occupational Fitness Aerobic Capacity Workplace Fitness Testing Chester Treadmill Tests
Areas of expertise
Professional fitness assessment and occupational health.
01 · AEROBIC FITNESS
Cardiorespiratory assessment
Development and evaluation of practical submaximal and performance-based approaches for assessing aerobic capacity outside the laboratory.
02 · OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Workplace fitness testing
Assessment methods designed around the realities of occupational-health, emergency-service and professional fitness-testing environments.
03 · TEST DEVELOPMENT
Chester assessment methods
Designer of the Chester Step Test and Chester Treadmill Tests used for practical assessment of aerobic fitness and occupational fitness standards.
The Chester Step Test
From workplace assessment to an internationally used fitness test.
Professor Sykes developed the Chester Step Test as a practical submaximal method for estimating aerobic capacity in settings where laboratory testing would be impractical.
His 1995 workplace paper introduced the Chester College Step Test, and the subsequent peer-reviewed validation study with Alison Roberts examined the test's reliability and validity against directly measured maximal oxygen uptake.
The Chester methodology has since been used across occupational-health, emergency-service, clinical and professional fitness-testing environments.
Chester Test authority
Chester Step Test designerDeveloped as a practical method for estimating aerobic capacity.
Peer-reviewed validationCo-author of the 2004 Physiotherapy validation paper.
Occupational applicationPublished guidance for professional and workplace use of the Chester Step Test.
Chester Treadmill TestsAssociated with the development and evaluation of occupational treadmill alternatives.
Professor Sykes & Cartwright Fitness
Scientific expertise behind professional assessment.
Professor Sykes works with Cartwright Fitness on Chester Test methodology, professional guidance, training and the ongoing development of tools used to administer and interpret professional fitness assessments.
Where Professor Sykes authors, reviews, develops or endorses Cartwright content or products, his involvement is stated explicitly so practitioners can distinguish expert authorship from independent editorial content.
Use of Professor Sykes' expertise on this website
Cartwright Fitness uses clear labels to describe the level of expert involvement.
Written byProfessor Sykes authored the content.
Reviewed byProfessor Sykes reviewed the content for technical accuracy.
Developed withProfessor Sykes contributed to the development of the methodology or product.
Endorsed byProfessor Sykes has explicitly endorsed the product or resource.
Selected publications
Research and professional publications.
Selected work relevant to occupational fitness testing, the Chester Step Test and Chester Treadmill methodologies.
2018 · Occupational Medicine
Chester Step Test
View publication →2019 · Occupational Medicine
Chester treadmill police tests as alternatives to 15-m shuttle running
View publication →1995 · Occupational Health
Capacity assessment in the workplace: A new step test
View record →Expert review
Evidence-led content with visible expert accountability.
Selected Cartwright Fitness articles and professional resources may be authored or technically reviewed by Professor Sykes. Each page should clearly show his exact role and link back to this profile.
AuthorOriginal expert content
ReviewerTechnical accuracy review
DeveloperMethodology/product contribution
EndorserExplicit product/resource support
Research profiles & related resources
Find Professor Sykes' work and Chester Test resources.
ResearchGate Profile Oxford Academic — Chester Step Test Chester Step Test Protocol Heart Rate Monitoring Guide Cartwright Assess
Professional titles and publication details should be reviewed periodically and updated if Professor Sykes' preferred biography changes.