Evaluating the Validity and Reliability of Harvard Step Test to Predict VO2max in Terms of the Step Height According to the Knee Joint Angle

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the validity and reliability of Harvard step test (HST) to predict the maximum oxygen uptake (Vo2max) through different methods, the first method via traditional Harvard step test (THST) with step height 50.8 cm, the second method by Multi-Height step according to the knee joint angle (KJAHST), where the researcher detects to Criterion-Related Validity between the two methods and the laboratory test via treadmill gas analysis system according to the established protocol ( ZAN 600 device ) , and in order to achieve the best method to predict (Vo2max) correct values through the Harvard step test in healthy college students, Participants (N = 120) age 20.06 ± 0.56 years, height 171.79 ± 5.83 cm, weight 70.39 ± 6.39 kg, the values of vo2max were calculated with the previous methods, the results showed that the value of correlation coefficient between (THST) and laboratory test was r = 0.818, while the value of correlation coefficient through (KJAHST) and the laboratory test was r = 0.905, which indicates that the two methods are valid to predict vo2max correct values, but the researcher recommended the usage of (KJAHST) method because it is more valid and accurate than (THST) , also there weren’t any significant differences between testing and re-testing for the second method (KJAHST) and the value of correlation coefficient was r = 0.913, so the researcher built Z-scores levels using the second method to be the standard in evaluating (Vo2max).