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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption
Published on: June 20, 2025
The effect of an active arm action on heart rate and predicted VO(2max) during the Chester step test
Dave Elliott1, Grant Abt, Tim Barry
1School of Sport and Outdoor Studies, St Martin's College, UK. d.elliot@ucsm.ac.uk
Abstract:
This study examined whether the predictive outcomes of the Chester step test (CST) would be influenced by arm dynamics. Participants completed the CST on two separate occasions, once using active arms and once using passive arms. Results revealed that when compared to the passive arm protocol, the use of active arms led to a mean increase in heart rate of approximately 7 beats per minute across all of the incremental stages. However, this increase had little impact upon predicted VO(2max). Consequently, these results indicate that when performing the CST, participants are able to adopt an arm action that is compatible with personal preference.
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