The YMCA Step Test Can Be Repeated During a Single Session Following 20-Minutes of Rest

The YMCA step test is a commonly used fitness test. Post exercise heart rate (HR) is the primary outcome variable of the test but can be prone to measurement error. Repeat testing to achieve accurate results is sometimes necessary, but rescheduling for a different day is burdensome for participants. The purpose of this study was to assess the repeatability of the YMCA step test intraday and interday. Participants attended two randomized exercise testing sessions; each with two step tests. During one visit the step tests were separated by a rest period of 20 min (20M visit). During the other visit the rest period included a HR assessment every 2 minutes, and the second test started once HR steady state (±5 bpm) was achieved (SS visit). Trial 1 and 2 within each visit (intraday), and the first trials between visits (interday), were assessed for repeatability (ICC) and systemic bias (paired t-tests). 12 young healthy adults participated (men=7, women=5, age: 21±2 yr, height: 169±6 cm, weight: 70.8±8.5 kg, body fat: 22.0±7.8%). HR post exercise for each trial was: 20M trial 1 112±21BPM, trial 2 112±25BPM, ICC=0.913 95%CI=0.726:0.974, t-test p=0.959; SS trial 1 113±20BPM, trial 2 117±22BPM, ICC=0.952 95%CI=0.843:0.986, t-test p=0.030. The interday repeatability was ICC=0.838 95%CI=0.532:0.951, t-test p=0.826. Young healthy adults can repeat the YMCA step test within a single session if a 20 minute rest period is given. Both resting protocols resulted in greater repeatability than the interday testing, but the SS condition resulted in systemically higher HR during trial 2.

Recommended Citation

Mulaj, Dojana; Matthews, Evan L. (2026) “The YMCA Step Test Can Be Repeated During a Single Session Following 20-Minutes of Rest,” International Journal of Exercise Science, 19(4):4007.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70252/IJES2026407

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