The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide 37
How to Estimate Your Maximal Aerobic Capacity
Exercise testing is often conducted for assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness.
Types of protocols currently used to assess cardiorespiratory fitness or aerobic capacity are
incremental work rate tests, where the exercise work rate is increased by a uniform
amount at predetermined time intervals, and constant work rate tests, where the subject
works at a submaximal constant work rate for a specified time period. Your heart rate at the
specific work rates are used to estimate maximal oxygen uptake. Although the most
accurate test is conducted on a treadmill, a bicycle will give a good estimate. If you have
access to a stationary bicycle, you can test yourself by using the incremental test protocol
described. Although it is best to use a heart rate monitor, you can manually take your pulse
at various times during the test.
Bicycle Exercise Test Instructions
This test is an incremental submaximal test with four stages; each stage lasts two
minutes. If desired, you can continue to increase the work rate and exercise for five to six
stages. If you use a bike that monitors revolutions per min (RPM), your RPM must be
maintained at 60. This seems like a slow pace, since you would usually bike at 70 RPM,
but in order to achieve the desired work rate, 60 RPM pace is critical. Whatever type of bike
you use, you must check to determine how to regulate kcal/hr.
Test Procedures
Adjust height of seat and handle bars to fit you, then if available, hook up a heart
rate monitor and then start pedaling at a comfortable workload (See Table 3-2). If the
bicycle permits, key in your body weight. This will make the test more accurate. After a
couple minutes of warm-up, begin to exercise at level 1 or around 450 kcal/hr (± 25 kcal/
min); record heart rate after two minutes (end of stage one). Increase the workload to level
2 or approximately 550 kcal/hr and continue for two more minutes. Remember that all
stages are 2 minutes, so proceed to levels 3 (650 kcal/hr) and 4 (750 kcal/hr) at the
appropriate time. The test should take no longer than 8 minutes, after warming-up. Record
your heart rate at the end of each stage (Table 3-3).
DO NOT STOP Pedaling While
Recording Your Heart Rate.