pacer test safe?

[toaserovn]

im a high school student and my school require taking the pacer test, which if u dont kno is running back and forth across a gym with music that get gradually faster, starting and stoping continuously. i personally take some sports outside of school, i row, take aikido and some other physical things, but i am not really in physical shape, just bc of my body type, and i am also a nerd, i sit at the computer 24/7 and do homework etc. and from this pacer test, i have seen a number of my friends, who are also nerds and get a minimal amount of excercise, pass out and nearly faint from this test. is this test even safe in the fact that it requires one to start and stop ones heart contantly for a really long time? last year we just ran a mile, which is safe bc its at a constant rate, and i nearly passed out from that, but the pacer test is going probably going to kill someone. i took it this afternoon and i can still taste the blood in my throat and im wheezing like mad, even with the sports i take. is this pacer test safe???????????

 

[fballguy]

I took that test without a problem i think i got like a 74 or something last year. My test was designed for people to stop when they couldn't go anymore. Then you rest and go get a drink and do whatever. My classmates were not doing the same stuff that you say your classmates were. They were fine it took a while for them to get their breath back but they were fine.

 

[Ildiran]

I do not believe the pacer test (which I also take in my school), is dangerous, at least for the majority of people. I believe my scores averaged around 80 on the one man pacer, and I never passed out. You just need to know your limit, when to stop. Everyone is different, one person may run 50, while another may run 100. The only way you would pass out is if you pushed yourseld WAY too hard.

Maybe you and your friends just pushed yourselves a bit too hard.