fitness test

[johnha71@yahoo.com]

I am looking for some feedback, on what would be the best fitness test to have done. A VO2 max test or Lactate Threshold test. Any imput would be appreciated.

 

[Andrichuk]

Can't you do a VO2 test and test for lactate threshold at the same time?

 

[TheNJDevil]

Include a Measured Resting Metabolic Rate test.

 

[Tapeworm]

As mentioned you should be able to test both, and it would also depend on the kind of racing you are doing.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

I am looking for some feedback, on what would be the best fitness test to have done. A VO2 max test or Lactate Threshold test. Any imput would be appreciated.

It depends very much on what you expect to do with the results.

Some lab tests are nice, but can be a waste of money, which, depending on what you are trying to achieve, might be better saved up to buy a power meter so you can test and monitor every time you hop on your bike. Far more practical and superior than doing 2 or 3 labs tests per year.

But you don't need to do either to assess fitness changes. Go find a hill to ride up and time yourself:
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/training-homebrew-fitness-testing-19175

And one can set HR training zones quite easily if you know your max HR or your average HR from a time trial effort. That costs nothing as well.

If you do use a power meter, then there are a range of very useful tests you can perform for yourself.

 

[Tapeworm]

FWIW universities quite often need test subjects in which often involve a "free" test of some description. I say "free" because you will then be poked and prodded for several weeks. I have had about 10 free tests over the tears.

 

[the big ring]

FWIW universities quite often need test subjects in which often involve a "free" test of some description. I say "free" because you will then be poked and prodded for several weeks. I have had about 10 free tests over the tears.

Some of those pokes are more painful than others, eh? ;-)

 

[Tapeworm]

Muscle biopsies. Never. Ever. Again.

Hell, even the er... core tempurature probe was better than the biopies.

Though it's still fun being part of sports science.

But yes, mistype (albeit appropriate).

 

[tadung]

Hi all, nice to see you all here.
Hope that i can learn something interesting in this forum

Have fun

 

[JessyBurke]

I think you should undergo both tests.

 

[Zippywhoosh]

My thoughts: sub-maximal testing

I often wondered about these things and I've come to a few conclusions. Testing is best suited if it predicts performance and is easily and cheaply done multiple times to gauge progress in training. So a few years ago I decided to implement my own testing regime which worked exceptionally well for me and was directly correlated to my race performance.

Having a maximum heart rate of ~180 bpm I set a sub maximal heart rate range of 155-160 bpm (86-89%). I chose a sub maximal value as I wanted to remove motivation/mental factors that can colour the results of a maximal test. (Also it's not that unpleasent that you avoid doing it.) I then ride my rollers (fitted with a turbo fan) where I have ensured exact tire presurre of my other tests, and placed two large fans infront of me (minimizes heat load). I do a perscribed 25 minute warmup followed by a 10 minute test where I try to ride a maximum distance while maintaining my target heart rate and a comfortable cadence (80-85). The results are simple: the longer I can ride the better my fitness.

As an anecdote. Several summers ago I was feeling tired. Lots of training, and weekly crits and I thought I should be feeling better on the bike. So I ran one of my many tests of that summer. It turned out I bettered all of my previous tests. Decided to jump in the car and headed to a not-so local road race (~ 450km away) for the weekend. I turned out to be what I considered my best performance ever on a bike. What I took from that was that despite a fatigued mental condition my body was performing really really well. I think my sub-maximal test showed me that.

Now I know the hazards of a small population statistics (n=1) but I strongly believe in well controlled and regular testing to help gain insight. I don't think sporadic VO2/lactate/muscle biopsy testing for a keen amateur cyclist is the route.

my 2cents.