# Breathing Tips For Step test



## Teamfm (23 Mar 2004)

I was just wondering if there are any techniques for breathing while doing the step test that will keep your heart rate rather low. I have a step test this Thursday. I can run the 2.4km in 11 minutes but am alittle nervous about this step test, I am not nervous about completing it, I know I can no problem, just worried about my heart rate staying in good range because I use to be overweight. Thanks!


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## bossi (23 Mar 2004)

Your question poses an ethical dilemma.
If somebody is looking for ways of "cheating" on a test, I hope nobody helps them.
However, if somebody is simply asking for clarification of what to expect, and how to avoid "false" results or inadventently failing, that‘s fair ball.

One of my friends (a marathon runner) had problems passing the step test when it was first introduced - his heart rate would shoot up too quickly in the first couple of dances, and they wouldn‘t let him go any further.
Out of frustration he went to a civilian fitness clinic where they put him through a more thorough battery of test - they determined that his heart rate did indeed increase quickly ... but then levelled out at quite a reasonable plateau, and went on, and on, and on, and on, and ... (you get the picture - a veritable "Energizer Bunny")

Also - please keep in mind that this and many other tests are intended to be a measure of your fitness.  "Tricking" the test isn‘t the aim - you‘re only fooling yourself if you do, and you‘ll fail later on ...

Now, having said all of the above, let‘s talk about any test:
People often get nervous when facing the unknown, and their heart rate can go up ... (i.e. a test could unwittingly becomes a test of nerves, instead of ... whatever).
So, the best advice is to stay calm.
Ultimately, you know how fit you are, and you should be confident that you‘re fit enough to join the Army.

To avoid "false" readings due to unnecessary nervousness, get familiar with the environment you‘ll be tested in (i.e. remove the fear of the unknown).
There‘s no law against practicing, either, as long as it‘s not for the intent of cheating (i.e. if the ONLY cardio exercise you do is the stair climber/master, you‘re only fooling yourself - you‘ll fail once the test criteria changes to running or marching with a full rucksack ...) 
And, since you know how to use the Internet well enough to arrive here, you should be able to do your own research by searching for "step test" or "Harvard step test".
Good luck.


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## Barb (23 Mar 2004)

When I did my test I was very nervous!!  I would run every second day and on the days I wasn‘t running I used the stair climber.  Not the life step but the one where you acutally have to lift your legs to climb the stairs.  I had a completely different work out when I used the stair climber.  
On the day of your test make sure you don‘t have any caffeine.  I knew I would be nervous so when I did my step test I explained them that I did not want to talk while I was on the stairs as I knew it would increase my heart rate.  They were great about it and I passed with no problem!!

Good luck with your test and remember to breath when you are stepping.

BTW I also practised on my home stairs just like the test would make you go.  I was worried about tripping when I came back down!!


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## Infanteer (23 Mar 2004)

.....

It‘s a fricken step test...

Quit posting so much on the BASIC fitness test, there is nothing to it, I‘ll do it right now if you want.  How come there are never posts here asking for advice on how to max the Cooper‘s Test?

I want to hear about how far people have pushed themselves, not about fears of arms giving out after 4 pushups.


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## Tyrnagog (23 Mar 2004)

Infanteer... you may think it‘s nothing, and for all we know, it is.  However, not all of us are in the peak physical form that comes with being in the forces.  A lot of us have lived sedentary lifestyles, and are starting to build themselves back up physically. 

Last year at this time, I could have done maybe 5 push ups if my life depended on it.  I am at a much better place, but it takes time.  When I go for my PT, even though I know I will pass, I am still nervous.  The nervousness of the unknown.  These people (and myself included) are trying to get as much information as possible, so we can do as good as possible.  We want to do ourselves and the Forces proud.  

That being said, do you have some advice for maxing the Cooper‘s test?  What is the best you have done on this?

Thanks...


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## Infanteer (23 Mar 2004)

I responded because there is a new thread every week, never fails, that trys to get angles on the BASIC PT requirements.  How is there angles on doing 19 pushups and situps?

I just get the impression that people feel that the PT standards are the biggest hurdle they have to overcome before settling into a cozy uniform.

PT should be seen as a way of life, not as some inconvienence to be encountered in the recruiting process.

As for the Cooper‘s Test, ask a specific question and I‘m sure someone here can help you.


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## Tyrnagog (23 Mar 2004)

True enough.  It does get frustrating when people don‘t even bother doing a search.  It ain‘t that hard, people...

I agree with you as well that PT is a way of life.  This was something in my life that I had to change about a year and a half ago...  and it has become a part of my life.

I only wish that PT was the hardest obstacle.. lol... but then, what would I have left to shoot for.

As for the Coopers test, I did a search at  http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/gentest.htm  as to what the Cooper‘s test entailed, and it said it was a measure to see how far you could run in 12 minutes.  Infanteer (or anyone else), what is the best way that you have found to increase your speed in the short run?  I do a series of sprints up a large hill (about a 30 degree or better grade, for at least 150 m)... and it seems to help with my speed.. what do you do?


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## girlfiredup (23 Mar 2004)

Hey Tyrnagog, I‘ve been trying to find the Coopers Fitness standards also and with much searching, I was only able to find the fitness norm for Law Enforcement.

I think what the Coopers Institute does is develop a program based on the needs/requirements of the team.

Here is the procedure and sequencing of physical fitness tests in law enforcement.  It‘s a pdf file so you‘ll need Adobe Acrobat.

 http://dev.cooperinst.org/shopping/lawstand3.pdf


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## Tyrnagog (23 Mar 2004)

very cool... thanks GirlFiredUp.  That‘s a great resource...  a bunch of interesting bench-marks!


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## bossi (23 Mar 2004)

For Tyrnagog:
I don‘t run unless I have to (no need to frighten the troops ...)

Until such time as a running expert intervenes ... it‘s the same old story - fitness tests are intended to test your fitness - if you‘re looking for "tricks" to cheat on a test, it‘ll only come back to haunt you ...
However, if you‘re simply looking at ensuring you don‘t inadvertently fail a test due to nerves, inexperience, whatever ... okay.

Last time I did the CF shuttle run, the instructor cautioned us not to "stop dead in our tracks" but to try and maintain momentum when we changed direction (I do know about skating, so I understand the principle - on skates you stop by leaning backwards ... and thus you‘re leaning in the direction you‘re already leaning in the next direction you want to go in).  Unfortunately, I forgot, and wasted a lot of momentum each time I changed direction ... sigh ... (don‘t worry - I still passed).

If you‘ve got a stop watch, time yourself on your practice runs (i.e. on a measured distance, back and forth) - it‘s just wind sprints, with the wrinkle thrown in that the sprints are back-to-back, in opposite directions ...
You should be able to figure out what works and what doesn‘t (i.e. same as any athletic endeavour - exercise, rest, nutrition, attitude).


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## Tyrnagog (23 Mar 2004)

I am not trying to cheat on this fitness test... this is for my own personal betterment.  I have pretty good endurance for runs, but I want to be able to decrease my time for those runs.

but thanks for the info!


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## Northern Touch (23 Mar 2004)

Infanteer, I would love to know tips on how to get a 100 points on a coopers test.  For me, I would never be able to get the max points for the bench press, (im a measly 18 yr old, 145lbs soaking wet) but ive tried and have maxed out on the run, I can get all the points for the sit ups, most of them for the push ups, but the pull ups (palms forward?) cause some problems too, I can only squeeze out about, 9-10 maybe.  Id ask how the scores work, but im sure I can find that on a search.

As for the original post, ummm, why dont you just breathe the same way u breathe when you run?  It‘s not cheating, its a simple way to keep your heart rate lower and controlled.  There is a reason why runners breathe in through there nose and out there mouth.  Just keep in controlled and steady.


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## Teamfm (23 Mar 2004)

Hey thanks for the reply‘s. I‘m not trying to "cheat" on the test obviously. I run 3km every single day and in good time. I am just worried that yes, I will get nervous and all this hardwork will pay off for nothing! It‘s stupid that they have this step test, it says you have to run 2.4km. Why not make it so you actually have to run 2.4km cause I would have no problem in that. Just wanted tips on helping my breathing to relax me! thanks.


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## GrahamD (23 Mar 2004)

Fast and shallow breaths = bad

Slow and overly deep breaths = bad

Steady and controled breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth = good

Cheating = spending the morning huffing oxygen from an O2 canister to oxygenate your blood.
Cheating = putting a litre of your blood in the fridge for a few weeks while you train and injecting it back in the morning of your PT test.

If you‘re really super worried about the PT test, you could always drive out to the nearest mountain and train at several thousand feet above the elevation of your CFRC.


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## Andyd513 (23 Mar 2004)

If you need to huff oxygen or pack your blood for such a basic fitness test you shouldn‘t be trying to get in the army.   

Its truly easy, the step test doesnt even test you to the 2.4 k in 12 minutes standard. Or at least seemed like it was going much slower to me.

If you‘re young and not over-weight you can reach 19 pushup reps in weeks, and situps should generally be easy. You aren‘t tested in chinups or pullups and as long as you‘ve worked with your hands at least sometime in your life you should be able to grip 75 kg of weight.


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## girlfiredup (24 Mar 2004)

When was the last time someone concentrated on their breathing when they climbed a flight of stairs in their home, or office building, or at an arena, etc..??  Breathing is something we do naturally.  Everyone at least once in their lifetime has had to climb a flight of stairs and I guess what I‘m saying is it would be a waste of energy if we had to concentrate on breathing a certain way just to do what the body does naturally.  Just me 2 cents.


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## andrewvalentine83 (24 Mar 2004)

> Originally posted by Infanteer:
> [qb] .....
> 
> It‘s a fricken step test...
> ...


I went to do my PT test on Monday, and the recruiter told me that half the people who take the test fail it.  I asked him if he was kidding, but he was serious.


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## GrahamD (24 Mar 2004)

One guy failed during my first testing session.  I felt bad for him, but he was trying for res infantry so obviously he needed some more work.


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## Jarnhamar (24 Mar 2004)

Cheating = spending the morning huffing oxygen from an O2 canister to oxygenate your blood.
Cheating = putting a litre of your blood in the fridge for a few weeks while you train and injecting it back in the morning of your PT test.

Yes because this happens quite often.
If you fail the step test then you shouldnt be in the military. Thats a harsh truth.
Theres no real way to help someone pass on a really short notice. Theres no secret tricks except breath in through your nose and out your mouth.


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## GrahamD (24 Mar 2004)

I was just kidding.


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## Tyrnagog (24 Mar 2004)

> Cheating = putting a litre of your blood in the fridge for a few weeks while you train and injecting it back in the morning of your PT test.


So... if I can‘t use it for that reason... what can I use it for?

sigh... back to the medical waste with you!


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## dave_conolly (24 Mar 2004)

I‘m confused, I have been training as though I would be tested to see if I could do a 2.4km run in under 11:56.  Do they just check to see your running fitness on a step up?  Do you actually do no running at all?


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## CWeb26F (24 Mar 2004)

That‘s right Dave, read the whole thread and others on this forum about the Step Test to learn what it‘s all about.


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## girlfiredup (24 Mar 2004)

Or do a search on here for "step test".. you‘ll hit the jackpot.


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## Tyrnagog (24 Mar 2004)

What do you mean, GirlFiredUp... people have posted about the step test on this board before?

No way...  lol

sorry... just went for my evening run... those endorphins are kicking in right about now...

woo-hoo!


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## spenco (24 Mar 2004)

> Originally posted by Andy_d:
> [qb]
> If you‘re young and not over-weight you can reach 19 pushup reps in weeks, and situps should generally be easy. You aren‘t tested in chinups or pullups and as long as you‘ve worked with your hands at least sometime in your life you should be able to grip 75 kg of weight. [/qb]


I‘m young and overweight and i have no problem whatsoever with pushups, about a month ago i was doing 15 w/ hands way out to side, now im doing 25-30 to standard...it just takes practise, practise and more practise.


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## Duotone81 (25 Mar 2004)

For all you nervous nellies out there:



> The best and most efficient way to increase your aerobic capacity is to run slightly faster (10 to 30 seconds per mile) than your 5-K race pace. Faster runners should be closer to the 10-second figure, and slower runners closer to the 30-second figure. For example, if you can race a 5-K at 7:40 per mile, you should run your max VO2 workouts at 7:20 to 7:30 pace. This isn‘t a pace that you can maintain very long in training. You can run for distance (800 meters) or time (3 to 5 minutes).
> 
> After each repeat, jog for four to five minutes, and then do another. The workout is finished when you‘ve completed three to four repeats (for beginning and intermediate runners) or six to eight repeats (for advanced runners).


Increasing your max VO2


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## Tyrnagog (26 Mar 2004)

thanks for the link!


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## Garry (26 Mar 2004)

I really try hard not to be negative here, but I simply must echo Infanteer‘s original response: for anyone even considering joining the combat arms, the express test is a joke. 

19 push ups? congrats. I have a Bud (with a big mouth) who averaged 1500 push ups a day on his CLC. The rest of us weren‘t too far behind (we didn‘t quite have his mouth   

You can run a whole 2.4 Kms? Wonderful. That may be morning PT for the clerks, but plan on a lot farther in a Regiment- and you‘l learn the phrase "rear rank to the front- move!".

And while I think of it, you won‘t do this after a full nights sleep, in the sun, with gator-aide, spandex, and 200$ running shoes....with the option of stopping if you‘re feeling a little peaked.

Guys, this is a hard life. The Forces will train you. You can help yourself by getting in shape before you arrive- or spend the entire training cycle on remedial PT.

And on that note, please do not confuse basic training standards with regimental standards. A whole new ball game.

The reason why it‘s a hard life? You will find yourself from time to time facing other folk who truly don‘t like you- and I guarantee that THEY are hard. I‘ve done a lot of training in my years, but I‘ve never trained to loose.

Cheers-Garry


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## yot (26 Mar 2004)

> Originally posted by dave_conolly:
> [qb] I‘m confused, I have been training as though I would be tested to see if I could do a 2.4km run in under 11:56.  Do they just check to see your running fitness on a step up?  Do you actually do no running at all? [/qb]


u don‘t need to run for the pt test, they test ur step test, and measure ur heart beat.


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## spenco (26 Mar 2004)

> Originally posted by Garry:
> [qb] I really try hard not to be negative here, but I simply must echo Infanteer‘s original response: for anyone even considering joining the combat arms, the express test is a joke.
> [/qb]


This might sound really stupid but in your guys opinion should they have different (from all other trades) basic fitness requirements to join combat arms?


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## dimmer (30 Mar 2004)

Garry thank you that is probably the most honest response i have seen in here .


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## Infanteer (30 Mar 2004)

> This might sound really stupid but in your guys opinion should they have different (from all other trades) basic fitness requirements to join combat arms?


No, every soldier should be a rifleman first.  Winning the ground war is the primary mission of any army, and if your not working towards that, than your wasting space.


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## Jason Bourne (2 Apr 2004)

Garry, your response has got to be the most honest one on here. I was one of the people going through my application process thinking the bare minimums but that alas, will get you no where. Thanks, everyone here needs to know how hard of a line of work they‘re really signing up for.


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## fleeingjam (4 Apr 2004)

Dude just run 5k every **** day...thats the only way ure gonna do it there‘s now way around it, I started to do it twice in one day early morning than 11 at night. Basicly this lead to the ripping of one of my leg muscles and a week in the hospital but hey i cant say it wasnt worth it good luck man.


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## GrahamD (4 Apr 2004)

Hmmm, 

Maybe advising someone to exercise to a degree that landed you yourself in the hospital for a week isn‘t really good advice at all.

Quote: "Dude just run 5k every **** day...thats the only way ure gonna do it there‘s now way around it,"

That‘s not the only way to acheive the minimum cardiovascular standard for the step test.
It‘s not even a particularly good way to achieve a good time for your 5k runs.

If you want to do cardio every day, you really need to mix up your exercises.  Doing high impact cardio exercises every day is going to lead to injury, as you obviously discovered.

IMO doing a low impact cardio exercise inbetween your running days is the way to go.  Go for a swim, get on a rowing machine, or an eliptical step machine, or anything else that doesn‘t put a lot of pressure on your ankles, knees, tendons, and leg muscles.
Plus in running, or biking every day you don‘t give your muscles a chance to fully heal, and your progress will probably be significantly hindered because of it.


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