Chester Step Test

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It’s an exercise response test, designed to test general fitness and is often a pre-requisite for working in roles such as a Wind Turbine Technician or Rope Access Level 3.

It forms part of the following medicals

• GWO / RUK Medical
• Emergency Response Team 

• 2 hours before the test - avoid eating, smoking, exercise or drinking caffeine drinks such as tea, coffee or energy drinks.
• You should not be recovering from illness such as a cold (which can raise heart rate and reduce exercise capacity), or be taking beta blocker drugs which will depress heart rate scores.
• Wear loose‐fitting, comfortable clothing.
• Avoid any heavy physical exercise for at least 24 hour before the test.

The Chester Step Test may be inappropriate or require additional medical information for those that answer yes to any of the following:

1. Has your doctor ever said you have heart trouble?
2. Do you frequently suffer from pains in your chest?
3. Do you feel faint or have spells of severe dizziness?
4. Has a doctor ever told you that your blood pressure is high?
5. Has a doctor ever told you that you have a bone or joint problem such as arthritis that has been aggravated by exercise, or might be made worse with exercise?
6. Is there a good reason not mentioned here why you should not follow an activity programme even if you wanted to?
7. Are you over 65 and not accustomed to vigorous exercise?

Steps are in the following sizes - 15, 20, 25 and 30cm

Choice of step height depends on factors such as age, functional capability, activity level and degree of overweight

30cm Step ‐ is generally suitable for those under 40 years of age who take regular physical exercise and are used to moderately vigorous exertion.

15cm Step ‐ is generally suitable for those over 40 years of age who take little or no regular physical exercise and for those over‐40’s who are moderately overweight.

NB. For testing the over‐60s, the lower step height of 15 or 20cm are generally best suited

(taken from ASSIST Training Manual The Chester Step Test Chapter 2)

The test has up to 5 stages of 2 minutes each - each at a faster speed than the previous

Providing your heart rate is below 80% of your maximum heart rate and the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is below 14 (Hard) at the end of the stage you will then be permitted to continue on to the next stage

If at any stage you show signs of over-tiredness or dizziness, the test is stopped to allow recovery and cooling down

The following video gives a good guide of what to expect

https://youtu.be/OcZSmk_--Pc?si=3F_mBnj5IVX3pdQs