1

Clare Ehlbeck
4 Nov 2013
Physiology of Exercise
VO2max Testing Protocol Analysis
Introduction
Many people exercise to improve their health, but VO2 max is often overlooked as an
important fitness indicator. VO2 max is also known as maximal oxygen consumption (Beam &
Adams, 2011 (a)). According to Midgley, Carroll, Marchant, McNaughton, and Siegler (2009),
VO2 max is reached when oxygen consumption plateaus. Exercisers or trainers can use this
value to determine the level of intensity of their workouts or the workouts of their clients.
Several different protocols can be used to determine ones VO2 max. Tests that incorporate large
muscle groups and maximize aerobic energy transfer, by varying intensity and duration, can be
used to measure or estimate VO2 max (McArdle, Katch, & Katch, 2010). The protocols that
were analyzed include: the Forestry Step Test, the Cooper 1.5 mile Run, the Rockport Walking
Test, and the Bruce Treadmill Test. These tests vary in duration and intensity. The Bruce
Treadmill Test has been used as a criterion to measure the validity and reliability of the three
other tests against. It is a laboratory test, so administrators are able to directly measure VO2 max
instead of estimate VO2 max (Fredriksen, Ingjer, Nystad, & Thaulow, 1998).
Testing Protocols
Four protocols were used to test for VO2 max. These protocols include the: Forestry Step
Test, Cooper 1.5 mile Run Test, Rockport Walking Test, and the Bruce Treadmill Test. The
Bruce Treadmill test is the most accurate test because it is able to directly measure VO2 max.
Because of this, it is used as a criterion measure for the other three tests. The Bruce Treadmill

test incorporates an incremental increase in speed and incline of the treadmill. Although this test
acts as a criterion measure, the level of intensity may cause some participants to only reach VO2
peak instead of VO2 max (Fredriksen et. al, 1998). Peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) refers
to the maximal oxygen level recorded during a test (McArdle, Katch, & Katch, 2010). This
means that some participants may be too exhausted to continue the test, even though they have
not reached maximal oxygen consumption. Participants must run until exhaustion, and this may
be difficult, if not impossible for much of the older or very young population, or inactive
individuals. The Bruce treadmill test is also a very expensive test. It requires expensive
laboratory equipment that many administrators may not have access to. Because of this, it is
important to measure the validity and reliability of other tests that can be used to estimate VO2
max.
The Forestry Step Test is a five minute long test in which participants must step up and
down onto a box. A metronome is set at a certain pace, and participants must match their steps to
the rhythm of the metronome. After the participants have been stepping for five minutes, they
immediately sit and rest for 15 seconds before an administrator takes their pulse for 15 seconds.
Using their pulse, the non-age and age adjusted VO2 maxes are estimated. This testing protocol
may be more geared toward a younger population. Although it is safer and less strenuous than
the Bruce Treadmill Test it may be too strenuous for older adults or for people in poor health
(Adams & Beams (b), 2011).
The Cooper 1.5 mile Run Test incorporates a timed 1.5 mile run. Participants must run
around a 400 meter track six times in order to complete 1.5 miles. Their time is recorded
immediately after they finish their sixth lap. Their time is then used to estimate their VO2 max.
Based on age and gender, this value is then analyzed to discover their overall fitness category

based on VO2 max. Similar to the Bruce Treadmill Test, this test may be too strenuous for older
adults to complete. Despite this, it is a field test, so it is fairly simple and quick to administer
because several people can participate in the protocol at once (Adams & Beams (a), 2011).
The Rockport Walking Test incorporates a timed one mile walk. Participants must walk
four times around a 400 meter track, at the fastest pace possible. After they have completed four
laps, their time is recorded and their heart rate is immediately taken for 15 seconds. Their time
and heart rate are then used to calculate their estimated VO2 max. Based on age and gender, this
value is then analyzed to find their overall fitness category for VO2 max. Although this test is
not as strenuous as the Bruce Treadmill Test, it may be more accessible for an older population
and people who are not in very good shape. Older and less fit participants generated more stable
results than younger, more fit participants (Adams & Beams (a), 2011). This is because the test
is more strenuous for an older population and those of poor health than it is for a young and fit
population.
Statistical Analysis and Results
SPSS was used to determine which of the three tests (Forestry Step Test, Cooper 1.5 mile
Run Test, and the Rockport Walking Test), where most similar to the criterion test (the Bruce
Treadmill Test). A Pearson Product Moment Correlation test was run to determine the
correlations between all of the testing protocols. According to Kreinovich, Hung, and Berlin
(2013), a correlation describes the relationship between two variables. It is apparent in the
results seen in Table 1.1 that the Cooper 1.5 mile Run test showed the highest correlation to the
Bruce Treadmill test (r=.584, p=.001). The Forestry Step test had the second highest correlation
(r=.139, p=.341), and the Rockport Walking test had the lowest correlation to the Bruce
Treadmill test (r=.100, p=.494). A correlation of 1 indicates a perfect correlation, so it is clear

that the Cooper 1.5 mile test is the most accurate protocol, out of the three tested, to estimate
VO2 max.
To confirm the results of the Pearson Product Moment Correlation test, a one-sample ttest was conducted to determine if that were any significant differences in the VO2 max of
participants when comparing the results of the Forestry Step test, the Cooper 1.5 mile Run test,
and the Rockport Walking test to the Bruce Treadmill test. Results can be seen in Table 1.2 and
Table 1.3. Results indicate that the Forestry Step test (M= 48.7959) was the only protocol that
produced significantly different results than the Bruce Treadmill test (M= 45.7041), t(48)=
-1.394, p= .011, std dev= 8.20373. The Cooper 1.5 mile Run test (M= 44.3918), t(48)= -.919,
p=.363, std dev= 9.99404, and the Rockport Walking test (M=43.7990), t(48)= -1.394, p=.170,
std dev= 9.56382, both indicated that they were not significantly different than the Bruce
Treadmill test. These results suggest that the Cooper 1.5 mile Run test and the Rockport Walking
test are both reliable and valid protocols to estimate VO2 max.
My individual results can be seen in Table 1.4. Although I was not able to complete the
Bruce Treadmill test, my estimated VO2 maxes for the other three tests are all within 6 tenths of
each other. This indicates that the differences between the tests would most likely not be
significant.

Table 1.1 (class results)

Correlations
brucevo2
brucevo2

Pearson Correlation

cooper

.100

.139

.000

.494

.341

49

49

49

49

.584**

.281

.467**

.051

.001

Sig. (2-tailed)

cooper

Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)

.000

N
rockport

49

49

49

49

Pearson Correlation

.100

.281

.273

Sig. (2-tailed)

.494

.051

49

49

49

49

Pearson Correlation

.139

**

.273

Sig. (2-tailed)

.341

.001

.058

49

49

49

N
forestry

forestry

.584**

rockport

.467

.058

49

Table 1.2 (class results)

One-Sample Statistics
N

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error Mean

cooper

49

44.3918

9.99404

1.42772

rockport

49

43.7990

9.56382

1.36626

forestry

49

48.7959

8.20373

1.17196

brucevo2

49

45.7041

10.81134

1.54448

Table 1.3 (class results)

One-Sample Test
Test Value = 45.7041
95% Confidence Interval of the
Difference
t

df

Sig. (2-tailed)

Mean Difference

Lower

Upper

cooper

-.919

48

.363

-1.31226

-4.1829

1.5584

rockport

-1.394

48

.170

-1.90512

-4.6522

.8419

forestry

2.638

48

.011

3.09182

.7354

5.4482

.000

48

1.000

-.00002

-3.1054

3.1054

brucevo2

Table 1.4 (individual results)

Testing Protocol
Estimated VO2

Forestry Step

Cooper 1.5 Mile

Rockport

Bruce Treadmill

Test

Run Test

Walking Test

Test

36

36.6

36.2

N/A

max

Recommendations
Based on the results of the Pearson Product Moment Correlation, all of these tests have
positives and negatives. It is obvious from the results that the Bruce Treadmill Test is the most
accurate test. Although it is expensive and time consuming, if an administrator has the time and
equipment to administer the test, then it should be used to determine VO2 max. The Bruce
Treadmill Test is the ideal protocol, but not every administrator may have the time or money to
administer the test. The second most accurate test is the Cooper 1.5 mile Run. The class data
showed the results of the Cooper 1.5 mile Run to be most similar to the Bruce Treadmill Test.
Although the Cooper 1.5 mile Run provided an accurate estimation of VO2 max, not
everyone can successfully complete this testing protocol. This may be due to: age, injuries, or
poor health. The Rockport Walking test would be a better protocol for this population of people.
This protocol may not be challenging enough for a younger or more active population, but it
should be optimally challenging for an older population or less fit population. This test could be
administered for the Life after 55 group. This group enjoys being active, but running may be too
hard on their bodies. In this case, the Rockport Walking Test would be the preferred protocol to
test for VO2 max.

Although the Forestry Step Test is a strenuous test, many factors affect its validity and
reliability. The boxes are set to 33 centimeters for women and 40 centimeters for men.
According to Chatterjee, Pal, Bhattacharyya, Majumdar, Shalini, and Majumdar (2013), an
increase in step height greatly increases physiological responses. Men typically have longer legs
than women, so it makes sense to have different box heights, but taller women, or women with
longer legs, may not receive an accurate VO2 max estimation since their box is set to a lower
height. Because of this, it is more reliable and valid to use the Cooper 1.5 mile Run or the
Rockport Walking Test to estimate VO2 max if the Bruce Treadmill Test cannot be used.
When comparing the results of the Cooper 1.5 mile Run test, the Rockport Walking Test,
and the Forestry Step Test to the Bruce Treadmill Test, the Cooper 1.5 mile Run test produces the
most accurate results. This testing protocol should be used when possible because it most
accurately estimates VO2 max when compared to the other two tests. If individuals cannot
physically complete the Cooper 1.5 mile Run, then the Rockport Walking Test should be used to
estimate VO2 max.

References
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physiology laboratory manual (a) (p. 117-124). New York: McGraw Hill Companies.
Beam, W. C., & Adams, G. M. (2011). Aerobic stepping. In exercise physiology laboratory
manual (b) (p. 129-131). New York: McGraw Hill Companies.\
Chatterjee, T., Pal, M., Bhattacharyya, D., Majumdar, D., Shalini, S., & Majumdar, D. (2013).
Effect of step height on cardiorespiratory responses during aerobic step test in young
Indian women. Al Ameen Journal Of Medical Sciences, 6(1), 7-11.
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Midgley, A. W., Carroll, S., Marchant, D., McNaughton, L. R., & Siegler, J. (2009). Evaluation
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