VO2max step test

DESCRIPTION

VOSTEP estimates your VO2max with a plyo box and a heart rate sensor in just 10 minutes. No lab, no treadmill, and no exhaustion.

WHAT IS VO2MAX?

VO2max is the most oxygen your body can use during hard effort. It is one of the best single measures of aerobic fitness, and one you can change. It declines as you get older, so holding steady is an achievement in itself. One test shows where you stand. A test every few weeks shows which way you are heading.

HOW IT WORKS

1. Set up a 12-inch (30 cm) plyo box or step and pair your heart rate sensor.
2. Step in time with the metronome. Every two minutes the pace rises.
3. The app fits a line through your heart rate at the end of each stage and carries it to your predicted maximum. That is your estimated VO2max.

BASED ON SCIENCE

The Standard test follows a published step protocol used in sport and fitness for decades. It never asks for maximum effort: the test ends with the stage in which your heart rate reaches 80% of your predicted maximum, so there is nothing to push through.

VOSTEP uses a fixed workload: the same step, the same pace, and the same protocol every time, where a smartwatch has to guess it from how you move. The only thing that varies is your heart's response, so each test compares fairly with the last.

THE EXTENDED TEST (PRO)

The Extended test lifts the heart rate limit and runs up to ten stages, ending only when you choose to stop. The line is fitted across more of your real heart rate range, and if you pass your predicted maximum, the app uses your peak heart rate instead of the age-based prediction (220 − age).

AI SUMMARIES (PRO)

After each test, an AI-written summary explains what your result means and how it compares with your recent tests, with one thing to try next time. Switch it on in Step Setup.

The Extended test and AI summaries are part of VOSTEP Pro, available as a monthly or yearly subscription.

FEATURES

- Metronome and voice guidance through every stage, with heart rate zone colors and spoken cues
- Your level from Low to High, compared with others of your age and sex
- Heart rate recovery recorded after every test
- Trends for VO2max, recovery, and your heart rate at a fixed workload
- Pace checking with a Polar H10, which counts your steps and confirms you kept to the beat
- Works best with a Bluetooth chest strap, and also with an optical armband or Apple Watch via the free WatchHR app
- Free export to Apple Health, and any result shareable as a digital card
- An optional public leaderboard by age group, sex, and country, free for a limited time

MADE FOR

- Athletes tracking aerobic fitness across training phases
- Anyone getting back into exercise after a period of inactivity
- People keeping an eye on their fitness as they age

Find out how you rank against your peers, in your country and worldwide. Download VOSTEP and take your first test today.

VOSTEP is a fitness app, not a medical device, and its results are estimates. Check with your doctor before starting any vigorous exercise.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

VOSTEP Pro is available monthly or yearly. It renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and can be managed in Settings on your iPhone.

LINKS

- Website: vostep.app
- Leaderboard: leaderboard.vostep.app
- Contact Us: trackteam.net/contact
- Privacy Policy: trackteam.net/privacy
- Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Guided Testing, Paced by Metronome and Voice

A metronome sets your pace while spoken cues announce each stage and heart rate milestone. A live ring tracks your heart rate as the screen shifts through your training zones, and with a Polar H10 the app tells you to speed up or slow down if you drift off the beat. Afterwards, it records your recovery.

See How You Rank, in Your Country or Worldwide

Opt in and your latest result joins a public leaderboard covering the past 30 days. Filter by age group, sex or country to compare yourself with your peers, or show only results validated by a Polar H10. Only your initials are shown, and one tap shares the board as a web link.

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Every Result, Explained

With VOSTEP Pro, every test comes with a short summary that explains what your result means and how it compares with your recent tests. It picks out the numbers that matter most, such as your heart rate at a fixed workload, your recovery, or a change of sensor, and suggests one thing to try next time.

The Right Step, at Home or the Gym

The test needs a firm step exactly 30 cm (12 inches) high. Most gyms have a plyo box, but for home the VEVOR 12 inch plyometric box is the right height at around US$40 on Amazon. It's steel, with rubber feet and a non-slip top, and comes in several sizes, so be sure to order the 12 inch.

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