Bruce treadmill test Print E-mail
bruceThe Bruce treadmill test is a maximal running test performed on a treadmill. It is one of the most commonly used tests in USA.

Instructions:
1. You need a treadmil that has reliable incline and speed possibilities.
2. Follow the protocol described below. (printer friendly pdf-sheet click here)
3. Note the time at the point of exhaustion.

Every three minutes speed and grade is changed as follows

 Time (min)
 3 6 9 12 15 18 21
 Speed (mph)
 1.7 2.5 3.4 4.2 5.0 5.5 6.0
 Grade (%)
 10 1214  16 18 20 22

 


 Float this calculator Float this calculator

 

Reference:
ACSM's Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. Seventh edition. pp 99-100

Comments (4)add comment

Morten Z said:

It is true that the calculation does not go beyond 24 minutes, but only very few people will be able to achieve that. An aerobic fitness of above 75 ml/kg/min means that you rank as a winning elite athlete.
November 04, 2009

Steve C said:

It seems that this test will "max" at 24 minutes and after that the scores decline. How does one compute beyond the 21 minutes?
November 04, 2009

Morten Z said:

Your treadmill only allows you to do the first 9 minutes of this test, because the maximal inline on your treadmill is 15 %.
Stage 1 - should be at 10 %
Stage 2 - should be at 12 %
etc.

That is one of the drawbacks of this test, that it requires you to have access to a treadmill that can handle a steep incline.
October 20, 2009

Audrey Lee said:

I have a precor treadmill and am trying to figure out the amount of incline I should be at. I don't understand the percentage. Could you refigure for me. In other word:
Stage 1 - I should be at 1.0
Stage2 - Do I bump it up to incline 2.0?
Stage 3 - 3.0?

My treadmill goes up to an incline of 15.0.

Thanks!
October 19, 2009


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