Northwest Fitness
217 S Broadway, Coos Bay Oregon 97420
VO2 MAX AND RMR TESTING
VO2 Max calculation is a great way for athletes and enthusiasts to maximize their training, by using the leading science related to heart rate training.
While exercising, athletes wear a mask collecting exhaled breath. Those breaths are separated in a mixing chamber identifying the volume of exhaled gas and the concentration of oxygen. This determines how much oxygen is used during each minute of the exercise test. Using this method we are able to establish with clinical accuracy aerobic threshold, anaerobic threshold, and maximum heart rate.
VO2 MAX FAQ
Max What is the difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic excercise?
What is VO2 Max?
VO2 max the largest volume of oxygen (O2) your body can send to your muscles during maximal exercise. This number is influenced by your cardiac output and the amount of oxygen taken from your blood as is passes through muscles. VO2 max is a great measure of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.
What is the difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic exercise?
Aerobic exercise, aka cardio, is dependent on available oxygen. Aerobic exercise occurs at an intensity low enough that the cardiovascular system can provide O2 to the muscles without the build up of lactate. Anaerobic exercise does not require the presence of oxygen but can only be maintained for a limited time before the excess buildup of lactate forces the body to lower energy outputs.
What is aerobic threshold?
Aerobic threshold is the point at which exercise changes from aerobic to anaerobic. This varies between people and is higher in those who are more fit. A VO2 max test provides you with a ventilatory response chart that correlates with your heart rate so you know what heart rate range to be in for aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
What is anaerobic threshold?
Anaerobic threshold (AT) is the intensity of exercise at which lactate begins to accumulate in the blood faster than it can be removed. As this happens, your brain triggers your body to stop working, you fatigue, giving it time to clear out the excess lactate. A VO2 max test can pinpoint your heart rate when this happens so you modify your workouts accordingly. By increasing your AT you can increase the intensity of your workouts to become stronger, faster, and increase your endurance.
What is lactate threshold?
Lactate threshold (LT) is the maximum intensity of exercise you can maintain while being able to clear lactate from the blood as it is produced. Lactate threshold occurs at a slightly lower level of exercise intensity than anaerobic threshold. All world class and Olympic athletes incorporate LT training into their workouts with maximum steady-state training at their LT and with interval training where they work for a short time above their AT. Without access to VO2 max testing, a Rate of Perceived Exertion scale is used to determine when you are at your LT. As you can imagine, this is not a precise measurement and greatly depends on the mental toughness of the athlete.
Why test your VO2 max?
Aerobic threshold, anaerobic threshold, lactate threshold, and your VO2 max can all be determined from one test. Armed with this knowledge, you can vastly improve performance by maintaining a specific heart rate during workouts to meet your goals. Periodic retesting will track improvements and help you work past plateaus. The test also determines the number of calories burned during every level of exercise, providing valuable information when designing a weight loss program.
RESTING METABOLIC RATE (RMR) TESTING
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Testing great way for athletes and enthusiasts to maximize their training, specifically identifying the body's caloric needs.
Your metabolic rate is a measure of the amount of food or stored fat your body converts to energy in a day, and therefore is a keystone component in developing effective training strategies. By identifying this number with clinical accuracy, participants are able to maximize their results, no matter if your goals are weight loss, muscle gain, or athletic performance.
RESTING METABOLIC RATE (RMR) FAQ
Your metabolic rate is a measure of the amount of food or stored fat your body converts to energy in a day. Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the amount of energy needed to maintain your basic bodily functions while at rest. This is the number of calories you would burn if you stayed in bed all day long! Resting metabolic rate is the largest component of your body’s daily caloric budget. This number is crucial when restricting calories for weight loss and even small errors can result in large, long term consequences. While there are plenty of RMR calculators on the internet, none provide personalized accuracy, and instead are all based on statistically significant predictions. Even the best RMR equations only measure with 10% accuracy. While 10% is statistically acceptable, for the individual wanting to lose weight an RMR estimate that is 10% higher (2200 kCals) than an actual measurement of 2000 kCals a day would be significant. That additional caloric intake would result in 21 pounds gained in one year! Our test gives you a precise measurement of your personal daily caloric needs, no guesswork.
What is a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)?
Resting metabolic rate is the number of calories, or amount of energy, your body needs to perform basic bodily functions while at rest. This includes things such as respiration, digestion, maintaining the function of your nervous and renal systems, etc…
Why should I get my resting metabolic rate tested?
Pinpointing your daily caloric needs will determine exactly how many calories you may consume to lose or maintain weight.
How Does Metabolic Testing Work?
Indirect calorimetry (a measurement of metabolic rate) relies on the fact that burning one calorie (Kilocalorie) requires 208.06 milliliters of oxygen. Because of the direct relationship between caloric burn and oxygen consumed, measurements of oxygen uptake (VO2) and caloric burn rate are virtually interchangeable. The process requires the volume and oxygen concentration of all the air you breathe out while resting quietly be measured, this then reveals your RMR.
Will cardio increase my RMR?
No. Your body utilizes fat as its primary fuel source during low intensity aerobic exercise but because you are not significantly increasing your lean muscle mass during aerobic exercise you do not significantly increase you RMR.
Will strength training increase my RMR?
Yes. Strength training promotes changes in body composition, decreasing body fat while increasing lean muscle mass therefor it increases or at least maintains your RMR as you lose body fat. Fat free or lean muscle mass is a key determinant of resting metabolic rate.
What do I need to do to prepare for my RMR test?
Avoid eating a meal 4 hours prior to the test. Avoid exercise on the day of the test. Avoid consuming caffeine on the day of the test.
What do I do during the test?
Bring a magazine, book, or you phone, all you will need to do during the test is sit back, relax, and breathe through a tube for just under 15 minutes.