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Home > Forum > Triathlon Forum > $135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It?

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$135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It?
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JimMoss
Mar 5, 07 12:49
Post #1 of 7 (893 views)
I was reading Training With Power last night by Joe Friel and he seems to say that expensive lab testing is not necessary to identify Critical Power zones for training with a PowerTap (or other power meter). He makes Lactate Threshold testing sound like it is no better than HR testing. His advice is to do several field tests with Indiv TT using the power meter.

I'm scheduled for the full battery of tests (VO2, LT, HR) on Thursday and everytime I ask the question "is this worth it?" to someone who has done it I get the shoulder shrug + "I don't know..." from the person I'm asking.

Thoughts?
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Re: $135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It? [jackbauer] [ In reply to ]
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rroof
Mar 5, 07 13:18
Post #2 of 7 (858 views)
That runs $150 around here. FWIW.
____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD
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Re: $135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It? [jackbauer] [ In reply to ]
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Tom Demerly
Mar 5, 07 13:26
Post #3 of 7 (836 views)
The value of any expenditure like this; be it physio testing, a heart monitor, a power meter, Training Peaks software, etc, it dependent on your ability to correctly interpret and employ the data provided by the given testing/measurement protocol.

If you put the data to good use it will benefit you. The data, in and of itself, is worthless.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
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Re: $135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It? [jackbauer] [ In reply to ]
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JoB
Mar 5, 07 16:52
Post #4 of 7 (725 views)
In my opinion, I'd cancel it. Put the $ towards a power meter which you are able to calibrate (SRM) or validate (Powertap).

They sure are fun tests (I've participated in and conducted them), so if it's free and you trust the person doing it, by all means, go for it!

In Reply To:
I was reading Training With Power last night by Joe Friel and he seems to say that expensive lab testing is not necessary to identify Critical Power zones for training with a PowerTap (or other power meter). He makes Lactate Threshold testing sound like it is no better than HR testing. His advice is to do several field tests with Indiv TT using the power meter.

I'm scheduled for the full battery of tests (VO2, LT, HR) on Thursday and everytime I ask the question "is this worth it?" to someone who has done it I get the shoulder shrug + "I don't know..." from the person I'm asking.

Thoughts?

Josef
-------
blog
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Re: $135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It? [jackbauer] [ In reply to ]
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tim_sleepless
Mar 5, 07 17:10
Post #5 of 7 (706 views)
I'd say its worth doing... both on the running and cycling side of things.

If you get it done, you've got a good calibration straight away, rather than having to mess around doing time trials. In addition, how reliable a 30 min time trial is for indicating LT will vary from individual to individual... For example, I can happily run for an hour at 5bpm above tested LT.
Last edited by: tim_sleepless: Mar 5, 07 17:23
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Re: $135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It? [jackbauer] [ In reply to ]
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eganski
Mar 5, 07 17:12
Post #6 of 7 (703 views)
Interesting article in this month's Men's Journal about that testing with a picture of the slowtwitcher who's gonna dominate Itseazy at Lake Placid in May.

Do you have a coach, or are you able to take the data and use it properly in training?
Quote Reply
Re: $135 for VO2/Lactate/HR Testing - Worth It? [eganski] [ In reply to ]
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JimMoss
Mar 5, 07 17:18
Post #7 of 7 (695 views)
I have a coach.
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