They want to see your "maximum" heartrate. This is calculated as 220 minus your age. EG, if you're 24 it would be 196. This is set on the ECG machine, and away you go.
Starts at walking pace at 2.7km/hr and 10 degree gradient. Then increases every 3 minutes. Stage 2 is 4 km/hr and 12 degrees. Stage 3, 5.5 km/hr 14 degrees stage 4, 6.8 km/hr 16 degrees. And so on increasing each 3 minutes. As the pace and incline keep increasing so will your pace. Check out the Bruce Protocol for the parameters. You can watch the ECG machine beside the treadmill and watch your heartrate increasing. If you calculate your maximum rate beforehand you can see how you are going for time. The doctor is interested in the "squiggles" on the screen, and if problems occur there would be warnings on the screen for him or the nurse who are monitoring it.
If you are fit, it will take some jogging by the end to achieve the maximum rate. If you're an older or unfit person you may reach the required rate with fast walking.
Last edited by zube; 2nd Sep 2009 at 05:47.