McArdle s Three-Minute Step Test HHP 494 March 26, 2013 Morgan Vitosh & Kendra Alberts
The Three-Minute Step Test was performed by the individuals in our HHP 494 class. The purpose of the Three-Minute Step Test is to predict the maximal oxygen uptake of the individuals. Typically reliability is coming up with the same results if the individuals were to take the test twice. However, with the Three-Minute Step Test scores may vary with athletes just because they are physically active and are continuously being active which can affect their VO2max. With a sedentary individual their scores may have a some variation because they are not participating in any sort of activity. Due to time limitations, the Three-Minute Step Test would be a more appropriate sub maximal test. The Three-Minute Step test would be more appropriate for a sedentary individual to participate in because it is a very simple test for them to take part in. While the 1.5 mile run test would be more appropriate for an active individual because it would create more of a challenge for them and provide a more accurate measurement of their CR Endurance. There are few objectivity factors for this test. There were two administrators who split the explaining. One administrator explained how to perform the test while the other explained how to count their heart beats. There may have been some objectivity when it came to the administrators giving instructions on how to perform the test if the participants didn t understand what was being explained. The pace of their steps were determined by the metronome so this factor was unchanging for same sex participants as well. Basically, there was little objectivity with this test. The equipment needed for this test was a step or bench that was 16.25 inches high, metronome, stopwatch and a calculator to calculate their maximal oxygen uptake. In order to perform this test, the individual will step to the beats created by the metronome. They will step to a up-up, down-down motion for a time period of three minutes.
The females will step at a rate of 22 steps per minute and the males will step at a rate of 24 steps per minute. The beats created by the metronome at 88 and 96 beats per min for females and males respectively. Then at the end of the three minute period, the individuals participating will find their pulse and count the beats for 15 seconds. After the 15 seconds is up they then will use the following equations to predict their maximal oxygen uptake. Males : VO2max = 111.33 -.42(HR in beats/min) Females: VO2max = 65.81 -.1847(HR in beats/min) As you can see the heart rate is in beats per minute so they will need to be converted from 15-second heart rate to a 60-second heart rate. In order to do this they will take their HR values and multiply by four. Then substitute that value into the equation and they will then know their VO2max values. From these values the individual can then see where they rank by comparing their results to the table found online. You can also see where the individual ranked by checking our data sheet. Established standards for the Three-Minute Step Test are based on sex, age, and the individual s maximal oxygen uptake. For example for our age group of females we tested, they were between the ages of 18-25 and in order for them to be equal to Good or rank above they should have a VO2max anywhere between 40 to greater than 48 ml/kg/min. While the men between ages 18-25 should have a VO2max between 46 to greater than 55 ml/kg/min. As always with most tests the values decrease as age increases. For a 55 year old male to be considered Excellent he should have a VO2max between 43-48. This value is significantly lower than that of a younger male. This is should be expected though when administering this test to different populations.
We realized while performing this test that it is important to be organized right when the test needs to start. Being organized allows you to begin performing the test correctly with the first participants, instead of scrambling to do things correctly. It is also important to understand exactly how the test needs to be administered before it begins so that each participant is doing the test the same way. Going through a test run before the actual test also allows the administrators to understand exactly how the test is to be run. There could be many factors influencing selection and administration of the test. For instance, we selected this test because it was one that we were familiar with. This could have been influential compared to someone administering the test who had never heard of it before. For the most part, we already knew how the test needed to be administered; therefore it was easier for us to show the participants how to do the test. Performing the test for only 15 seconds could also be a factor that influences the outcome. Because heart rate is measured in beats per minute, only measuring 15 seconds and then multiplying that answer by 4 could greatly skew results and not give you the most accurate answer. This test could also be skewed if the participant is not able to find their pulse or if they do not count the pulse correctly. Theoretical administrative strengths for this test may include being efficient explaining how to go about listening to the metronome and staying on beat, as well as properly timing the participants for 15 seconds while taking their pulse. Theoretical weaknesses may be not fully explaining how to do the test and not having the correct equipment. Strengths that we performed during this test include fully explaining the test to each and every participant and making sure they understood before they started the test. We also gave them a little bit of time to figure it out before they began. Before we timed the pulses of each participant, we made sure that each of them had found their own pulse and were able to correctly
count it. As for weaknesses, we could have been more organized before the test began. We were a little hurried at the beginning and our participants had to wait around a little bit for us to get ready. I also could have been a little bit more efficient when I was timing the participants for their pulse by watching my watch better. Overall, we believe that we did a great job administering this test. Even though we could have been more organized, once we got going with the test everything ran smoothly. The scoring was a little confusing as the test told us to only do 15 seconds and then the standards were all in 60 seconds. However, we accurate on the scoring and made sure all of our math was correct. According to the standards, a lot of the people in our class did not have very good cardiac output. However, a lot of the participants are athletes and their scores should have been higher than they turned out to be. This could have been due to the fact that the participants really didn t have much time to warm-up and get their heart rate going. This could have been something that we could have improved on and may have impacted the scores quite a bit. Other potential tests include the 1.5-Mile Run Test, the YMCA Cycle Ergometer Test, and the Astrand-Rhyming Test. Based on these results, it seems as if our participants are out of shape. However aforementioned, it was strange to see such good athletes have such poor scores. If these scores are accurate, this shows that the participants need to be doing cardiac exercises that will increase their ability to perform this test. Getting on a daily workout schedule to better their cardiac health would be the simple answer to this issue.
Works Cited Lacy, Alan C. Measurement & Evaluation in Physical Education and Exercise Science. 6th ed. San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin Cummings, 2011. Print. "The 3-Minute Step Test." SparkPeople. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.