Your VO2max provides important information about your fitness. It is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen that your body is able to use during exercise. The higher your VO2max the more oxygen your body can consume, the more energy your body can provide for exercise or activity.
There are a range of tests that can be used to estimate VO2max but the best way to measure it is to use purpose-built equipment that directly measures the air you breathe in and out. Maximal oxygen capacity tests should only be undertaken out by healthy people as the test requires you to exercise to exhaustion.
Tests will generally be carried out in our lab at EIT ISH but can be undertaken at remote sites using our wireless test equipment.
Regular testing can help you track your progress as you get fitter. In general, changes are larger when beginning a fitness programme then decline as you get fitter.
Cost:
VO2max test (including analysis and report) $140 per individual
Sub-maximal VO2max testing is recommended for individuals who are unused to regular activity and might have underlying medical conditions.
The sub-maximal tests are usually carried out on a treadmill or exercise bike and are terminated when you reach around 80% of your estimated maximum heart rate or when you have had enough.
Well-researched data is then used to provide a good estimate of your VO2max that can be compared to norms for your age and sex.
Cost:
Sub-maximal VO2max test (including analysis and report) $125 per individual
The lactate threshold test helps to determine the point at which lactate builds up in the bloodstream above resting values. Increasing levels of lactate in the blood affect fitness to the point where exercise cannot be continued.
The lactate threshold helps to predict the pace or speed that can be maintained over an extended period without fatigue. Athletes or people who train regularly typically reach their lactate threshold at a higher percentage of VO2max.
Endurance performance can be improved using specific programmes of training aimed at improving the lactate threshold by recreational and serious athletes alike.
Cost:
Lactate Threshold Test $150 per individual
Lactate Test combined with a VO2max $210 per individual
Short sprinting efforts are important for many sports that require frequent, quick, all-out efforts.
The Wingate test requires you to undertake a 30 second all-out effort on a stationary bicycle in response to the rapid application of a load.
The Wingate Test measures the peak anaerobic power at the start, and the mean anaerobic capacity produced throughout the test.
Tests will be carried out at our lab EIT ISH.
Cost:
Wingate Test $100 per individual
