Simple DIY walking test can measure cardio fitness, no doctor needed

Is it time to step up your exercise routine?

Losing weight and getting in shape are popular New Year’s resolutions – but before you join a gym with the masses, it might help to determine your current fitness level. Enter the Rockport Walk Test (RWT).

The simple, non-invasive assessment was developed in 1986 by exercise researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to assess aerobic fitness by measuring VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen the body can absorb and use during intense exercise.

Start by walking—not running or jogging—a mile as fast as possible on a flat course. Record your time with a stopwatch and instantly record your heart rate using a heart rate monitor or smartphone.

If you don’t have either, take your pulse by gently pressing the tips of your index and middle fingers on the inside of your wrist or on the side of your neck near your throat, counting the number of beats you feel in 15 seconds and multiplying by four.

Enter the results into an online calculator along with your weight, age and gender to calculate your VO₂ max.

Use a VO₂ max graph to see how your number stacks up against other people in your age group. A higher VO2 max usually means better fitness.

If you’re not happy with your results, you can improve your aerobic capacity by doing cardio or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves short bursts of intense exercise with short recovery periods.

Although VO2 max does not directly assess muscle strength or flexibility, research has shown that it can strongly predict longevity.

A 2018 study of 5,100 men found that those in the top 5% of VO₂ max lived almost five years longer than those in the bottom 5%.

There are other ways to measure VO2 max. The McArdle Step Test, also known as the Queens College Step Test, involves stepping up and down on a 16.25-inch platform for three minutes. Women should take 22 steps per minute and men should aim for 24 steps per minute before checking their heart rate.

In the Astrand treadmill test, a treadmill is set at a speed of 5 miles per hour on a 0% grade. Participants run for three minutes before increasing the incline by 2.5% every two minutes until they can’t run anymore. Total run time is used to estimate VO₂ max.

Meanwhile, the Cooper 1.5 Mile Walk Test predicts cardiovascular fitness based on the time it takes to cover 1.5 miles on a track.

If you prefer to have the assessment done under the guidance of a professional, cycle ergometry is considered the “gold standard” of VO2 max testing.

Participants pedal a stationary bike under increasingly difficult conditions while wearing a mask that measures their oxygen consumption.