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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the reliability and validity of measures taken during the Chester step test (CST) used to predict VO(2)max and prescribe subsequent exercise. METHODS: The CST was performed twice on separate days by 7 males and 6 females aged 22.4 (SD 4.6) years. Heart rate (HR), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and oxygen uptake (VO(2)) were measured at each stage of the CST. RESULTS: RPE, HR, and actual VO(2) were the same at each stage for both trials but each of these measures was significantly different between CST stages (p50% VO(2)max reliably represents the recommended intensity for developing cardiorespiratory fitness, but only when a practice trial of the CST is first performed.
Buckley et al. (Tue,) studied this question.