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The aerobic capacity is the ability of the heart and lungs to provide the body with oxygen for exercise. This is important in many sport in order for the cardiovascular system to continuously provide the muscle with adequate levels of oxygen.

The maximal aerobic tests, in which the participants are required to push their body to the limit, usually provide more accurate measures of aerobic capacity. The submaximal tests usually involve heart rate measurements which are then extrapolated to estimate performance at maximum effort. Which one to use? See more information about Aerobic Fitness Testing.

Maximal Aerobic Tests

Continuous tests to exhaustion

• Multistage Shuttle Run Test (see also the similar 15m Bleep, Aero Test, and PACER test. Also called the beep, bleep test etc. - see variations)
• Yo-Yo Endurance Tests — a beep-type test with rest periods developed for intermittent sports.
• Maximal Oxygen Consumption Test (VO_2max) — also VO_2max tests for runners, cyclists and swimmers.
• Astrand Treadmill Test
• Bruce Protocol Test
• Balke Treadmill Test
• Vmax — simplified version of the VO_2max test.
• University of Montreal Track Test — the precursor beep test.
• Maximal Aerobic Speed Run Test
• VAMEVAL Test — running around a track at increasing speeds
• Birtwell 40 meter Shuttle Run
• 1200m Shuttle Test — to and from a start line to 20, 40 and 60-m marks, 5 times without a break.

Intermittent Tests (more about Testing Intermittent Sports)

• Yo-Yo intermittent tests — 20m shuttles with a 5 or 10 second break after every 40m run
• J.A.M. intermittent test — for Rugby Union players
• 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test — 30 sec run/15 sec walk
• Interval Shuttle Run Test — 30 sec run/15 sec walk
• Gacon Test (Running 45"/15") — 45 sec run/15 sec walk
• Soccer FIT Interval Test — two consecutive runs decreasing from 30 seconds, then resting for 30 seconds.
• Footeval Test — a football (soccer) specific test with one minute intervals incorporating ball dribbling.
• Futsal Intermittent Endurance Test — 45m (3x15m) shuttles performed at progressive speeds until exhaustion.
• FIFA Interval Test 2 — 150 run/50 walk
• Dynamic Yo-Yo Test — a modified yo-yo test designed specifically for football referees
• Andersen Test — 15 seconds run, 15 seconds rest.

Walking / Running Tests (more about walk and run tests)

• Run tests for set time or distance (General)
• Endurance Run / Walk (1 mile)
• Half Mile Walk
• 1 km (1000m) Run (IPFT)
• 1 mile Rockport Walk Test
• 1 Mile Walk Test
• 1.5km run test
• 1.6 km (1 mile) Run
• 1.5 Mile Run (PRT)
• 2 km Walk Test
• 2km run test
• 2.4 km run test
• 2 Mile Run (APFT)
• 3 Mile Run (PFT)
• 3 km Run
• 5 km Run
• 6 minute run
• 6 minute walk test
• 9 minute run
• 12 minute Cooper test
• 15 minute Balke test
• 20m Run (Miller) — 5 minutes

Sport or Group Specific

• 10m Beep Test — designed for children with cerebral palsy (CP).
• 10m Incremental Shuttle Walk Test for people with COPD.
• Rowing Beep Test — incremental test performed on a rowing ergometer
• 2 km Rowing Ergometer Test, 5km Rowing Ergo Test
• 5km Cycle Ergometer Test
• Cycle 12-minute test — cycle for maximum distance in 12 minutes.
• Shuttle Swim Test — for water polo players.
• Swimming Beep Test plus a simple version Swimming Beep Test (Williams)
• Critical Swim Speed Test
• Swimming Step Test
• Swim 12-minute test — swim for maximum distance in 12 minutes.
• 1 km Swim time trial — for triathletes.
• 450 yd / 500m swimming test or the Elliptical Trainer Test — an alternative to the 1.5 mile run (Navy PRT)
• A Multistage Field Test (MFT) for wheelchair users.
• Wheelchair Shuttle Ride Test for those with CP
• 12-minute Wheelchair Aerobic Test
• Ice Hockey beep test
• Water Polo Intermittent Shuttle Test
• J.A.M. intermittent test — a test based on the intensities of a game of Rugby Union.
• Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test for soccer players.
• FIFA Interval Test 2 for soccer referees - alternating 75m run and 25m walk, repeating this for 10 laps.
• Assistant Referee Intermittent Endurance Test (ARIET) — an intermittent yo-yo type test involving forwards and sideways running created specifically for football assistant referees.
• Modified Beep Test for Rugby League referees.

New (unvalidated) Tests

• Lucas 12 test, a modification of the original Cooper test to include running, rowing and cycling modes.

Submaximal Tests

Cycle Tests

• Astrand-Rhyming Bicycle Ergometer Test
• YMCA Cycle ergometer submaximal test
• PWC₁₇₀ Test
• Tri-level aerobic test

Step Tests (see general Step Test procedures)

• Harvard Step Test
• Queens College Step Test
• YMCA 3-Minute Step Test
• A simple step test that can be done at home
• The Canadian Home Fitness Test (CHFT)
• Balke Step Test
• Chester Step Test
• Sharkey (Forestry) Step Test
• Step in Place Test

Other

• Chester Treadmill Police Walk Test — walking at 6km/hr on a treadmill, increasing gradient by 3% every 2 minutes.
• Chester Treadmill Test — walking at 6.2km/hr on a treadmill, increasing the gradient by 3% every 2 minutes.
• Chester Treadmill Police Run Test — run at 10.4 km/hr on a treadmill, increasing the gradient every 2 minutes.
• Heart Rate Maximizer

Non Exercise Aerobic Fitness Tests

• Polar Fitness Test — based on heart rate variation.
• Non-Exercise Fitness Test — VO_2max using regression equations.
• Breath Holding — How long can you hold your breath? An old test for assessing aerobic fitness.

Related Pages

• About aerobic fitness testing
• Discussion about the Alternatives to the Beep Test
• Swimming aerobic fitness testing
• Aerobic Test Videos
• Table of VO_2max norm values
• Formula for estimating VO₂
• Fitness test records for the VO_2max and Shuttle Run Test
• VO_2max test scores from different sports.
• What are the highest ranking endurance sports?

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