Explain the harvard Step Test in details?

Harvard Step Test: The Harvard step test is a test of aerobic fitness, developed by Brouha et al. (1943).

Objective: The objective of this test to monitor the development of the athlete’s cardiovascular system.

Required Resources:-

• Gym bench (45 cm high)
• Stopwatch
• Assistant

How to Conduct the test

1. This test requires the athlete to step up and down off a 45 cm high gym bench for 5 minutes at a rate 30 steps/minute.
2. The athlete warm-up for 10 minutes
3. The assistant gives the command “Go” and starts the stopwatch.
   The athlete steps up-up and down-down onto a standard gym bench once every two seconds for five minutes (150 steps)
4. The assistant stops the test after 5 minutes.
5. The assistant measures the athlete’s heartbeat rate (bpm) one minute after finishing the test pulse 1
6. The assistant measures the athlete’s rate (bpm) two minutes after finishing the test - Pulse-2
7. The assistant measures the athlete's heart rate (bpm) three minutes after finishing the test pulse 3.

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{Fitness} \mathrm{index} \mathrm{physical} \mathrm{efficiency} \mathrm{index} \\ = \frac{\mathrm{Duration} \mathrm{of} \mathrm{examises} (\mathrm{In} \sec ) \mathrm{x} 100}{2 \mathrm{x} \mathrm{sum} \mathrm{of} \mathrm{heart} \mathrm{beat} \mathrm{after} \mathrm{rest}.(3 \mathrm{counts})} \\ \mathrm{Short} \mathrm{method} \mathrm{physical} \mathrm{fitness} \mathrm{index} \\ = \frac{\mathrm{Duration} \mathrm{of} \mathrm{examises} (\mathrm{In} \sec ) \mathrm{x} 100}{5.5 \mathrm{x} \mathrm{pulse} \mathrm{count} \mathrm{of} 1-1.5 \min \mathrm{after} \mathrm{examises} (1 \mathrm{count})} \end{gathered}$$