A 3-minute step test provides a valid and reliable estimation of maximal oxygen intake in college women, with a standard error of prediction within 8% of actual values.
The interrelationships between maxVo2, PWC and Skubic-Hodgkins recovery heart rate test scores were determined in 41 college women (6 athletes, 35 untrained). Test-retest reliability of maxVo2, and of physical work capacity scores on a treadmill test was also determined. In addition, reliability and validity were obtained for a 3-min step test which the authors have successfully used in evaluating and grouping large numbers of college women. The Balke treadmill test for eliciting maxVo2 provides a highly reproducible (r = .95; V1 = 2,22, X2= 2.25 1 02/min) means for assessing aerobic capacity in women. Reliability of step test scores and various PWC measures ranged from r = .78 to .92. The highest validity correlation (r = -.75) was obtained between maxVo2, (ml/kg.min) and the 5 to 20 sec recovery heart rate from a 3-min step test of moderate intensity (161/4“ bench; 22 steps/min; ± H.R. = 152 beats/min). One standard error of prediction from the regression line was ± 2.9 ml O2 which was, on the average, within ± 8% of actual maxVo2 values. This was lower than the standard errors obtained using Skubic-Hodgkins, PWC150, PWC170 or PWCmax to predict maxVo2.
McArdle et al. (Sat,) studied this question.