The Åstrand Test, a cycle test devised by professor Per-Olof Åstrand, a pioneer in modern exercise physiology at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH) in Stockholm. The objective of the 6-minute submaximal cycle test is to monitor the VO2 max, which is beneficial for athletes as well as for medical rehabilitation as patients do not need to perform at maximum capacity.
Based around the same principle and with modern technology, Monark Exercise is one of the leading manufacturers of ergometers for testing and training. The bikes can handle extreme loads and are the obvious choice amongst athletes with tough demands on their training and for researchers in sports medicine. For medical use, the product range is especially beneficial as it can be controlled by different ECG systems.
ASTRAND-RHYMING CYCLE ERGOMETER TEST
The Astrand Test is a submaximal cycle ergometer aerobic fitness test best suited in rehabilitation and health purposes.
- equipment required: cycle ergometer, clock or stopwatch, heart rate monitor, ECG monitor (optional)
- description: Athletes pedal on a cycle ergometer at a constant workload for 7 minutes. Heart rate is measured every minute, and the steady state heart rate is determined.
- scoring: Generally the lower the heart beat the better your fitness. The steady state heart rate is looked up on published tablesto determine an estimation of VO2max.
- advantages: simple test to administer, reasonably accurate and appropriate for ECG monitoring during exercise.
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