Got any recommendations where to go for that? Checking out Yelp, it seems that Coach Gareth is the top result, but wanted to see if the STers are using someone else.
Thanks!
Google search will pop up lots of results. I would call around and ask some questions:
- What kind of equipment are you using? I am not a fan of New Leaf. Parvo Medics is my favorite. A good metabolic cart is going to cost in excess of $25,000. Most places are using cheap systems.
- How do you calibrate your equipment? If they say that it does not need calibration, go somewhere else.
- What type of protocol do you use? I personally prefer a 1% grade with 1 minute stages to exhaustion. However, you will get a slightly higher VO2 max number with a protocol involving more incline. It is a tradeoff. However, they should be smart enough to be able to justify their protocol.
- What happens after the test? Do you get a report? What kind of debrief is performed. It is useless if all you get is a number.
- Are you going to assess running economy? A true running economy assessment involves a different kind of protocol but you can get a resonable assessment during a VO2 max test.
- Are you going to do lactate sampling as well? It is a nice bonus and can be done cheaply ($1-2 per lactate strip).
- Can you video my run during the test. It is nice to get some video footage while running different speeds. Even if someone holds your I-phone during the test, it can be insightful.
Thank you. This is very informative!
Strangely neither google nor yelp return a lot of results. Maybe I am searching with the wrong terms? Should I be searching for “VO2 testing”? Something other than that?
Even in LA I wouldn’t think there would be THAT many places offering VO2 testing to the general public.
One thing I’ll add in addition to what Mike said (and Mike is one of The Guy’s when it comes to this stuff & one of the few who’s every post I read) is to consider how you are going to change/tweak your training based on the results.
Doing the test is fine, but taking action based off the results is better.
Right. I am going to plug the number into the zone tables found in the Friel’s “Your Best Triathlon” book and essentially follow his recommendations. After 3 months, I’ll get tested again to see if the number moves.
This appears to be the case.
So, not to derail the thread, but what kind of action would one take after knowing his VO2 Max?
Its always seemed to me like placing a stamp of my athletic limitations right on my forehad, and thus something I’d honestly rather not know.
So, not to derail the thread, but what kind of action would one take after knowing his VO2 Max?
Its always seemed to me like placing a stamp of my athletic limitations right on my forehad, and thus something I’d honestly rather not know.
I couldn’t agree more.
This is what will happen:
-You pay them money
-Administer puts you in a test
-You are given a number to tell all of your friends.
-Person who administers the test says, “This is a decent number. If you want to improve it, I would suggest more interval training.”
-You walk away with $100 less in your pocket, an arbitrary number that ultimately means nothing to anybody else because every Body performs different, and you “learn” something that you really already knew.
So, not to derail the thread, but what kind of action would one take after knowing his VO2 Max?
Its always seemed to me like placing a stamp of my athletic limitations right on my forehad, and thus something I’d honestly rather not know.
VO2 max can improve with training. Significantly in some cases.
Weight loss is also an issue. Relative VO2 max (which is the number everybody reports) is a ratio of aerobic power / body weight. Weight goes up, VO2 max goes down and vice versa. The number you get when you test is not a “stamp of your athletic limitations.”
Right. I am going to plug the number into the zone tables found in the Friel’s “Your Best Triathlon” book and essentially follow his recommendations. After 3 months, I’ll get tested again to see if the number moves.
You are trying to achieve a level of precision in your training that is both unimportant and unknowable. You might think that your training will get much better if you dial your training zones down to a high level of precision. It will not. Getting in the general ballpark is plenty good enough. Training adaptations occur on a continuum with no clear thresholds. Consistent training is going to be the 90% solution. It is not going to make one bit of difference if you are 5-6 beats per minute off or running at an 8:45 pace instead of an 8:35 pace.
Also, if you use a heart rate based zone system, you really don’t need to adjust your heart rates with training. As you get more fit, your heart rate response to the same workload decreases. As a result, the adjustment is automatic. Just keep the same zones and you will go faster and faster at the same heart rate.
Really, you can set up decent heart rate training zones with nothing more than your max heart rate. You can get this on your own without spending any money. Then just stick to those zones. No need to adjust them. Easy, cheap, effective.
Thank you again for you input. So the max HR - do you base it off something like Maffetone’s number based on 180-age? I am not really sure how to find it short of doing some extreme intervals type of stuff.
So the max HR - do you base it off something like Maffetone’s number based on 180-age?
Nope
I am not really sure how to find it short of doing some extreme intervals type of stuff.
Yup
.
Not exactly LA, but Kevin Rausch in South OC has announced to my club he is now doing it. He’s a PT. Nice guy, can’t speak to his work as I’ve not seen him in that capacity.
I am not really sure how to find it short of doing some extreme intervals type of stuff.
Alex,
Mike may disagree, but I’ve had good luck driving my heart rate to max by racing a 5k and making sure to absolutely hammer the heck out of the last 400 meters or so of it. .It’s also an excellent workout that many triathletes seem to avoid like the plague.
YMMV,
Hugh
Thank you again for you input. So the max HR - do you base it off something like Maffetone’s number based on 180-age? I am not really sure how to find it short of doing some extreme intervals type of stuff.
What Sci-guy said would get you really close. Otherwise, just get on a treadmill at 1% grade and an easy jog pace. Jog for 5-10 minutes really easy, then increase the speed or grade every minute until you absolutely cannot go on any more. An example might be starting at 5 miles per hour and increasing by 1 MPH every minute until failure. The max heart rate you reach would be very close to your max heart rate.
180-age is crap for predicting max heart rate. There is too much individual variability for that to be useful.
Hi Mike, question, if you don’t mind
Person A comes in for testing. You measure his VO2 to be say 60 and his Anaerobic threshold to be at say 80% of VO2max. Not bad, right ? But his running economy quite poor.
Person B comes in. VO2 max is 60, Anaerobic threshold at 70% of VO2max, but decent economy.
Both have identical 10km and 15km times.
What do you prescribe differently for the two ?
Hi Mike, question, if you don’t mind
Person A comes in for testing. You measure his VO2 to be say 60 and his Anaerobic threshold to be at say 80% of VO2max. Not bad, right ? But his running economy quite poor.
Person B comes in. VO2 max is 60, Anaerobic threshold at 70% of VO2max, but decent economy.
Both have identical 10km and 15km times.
What do you prescribe differently for the two ?
It is going to depend on running history. A SWAG with the little bit of information I have is the poor running economy guy needs big mileage in zone 2. I might add some strength training like plyometrics or single legged squats to help economy, depending on what I see when he runs. The poor AT guy needs to add some threshold type work in zone 4 (on a 5 zone system).
Hi Mike, question, if you don’t mind
Person A comes in for testing. You measure his VO2 to be say 60 and his Anaerobic threshold to be at say 80% of VO2max. Not bad, right ? But his running economy quite poor.
Person B comes in. VO2 max is 60, Anaerobic threshold at 70% of VO2max, but decent economy.
Both have identical 10km and 15km times.
What do you prescribe differently for the two ?
It is going to depend on running history. A SWAG with the little bit of information I have is the poor running economy guy needs big mileage in zone 2. I might add some strength training like plyometrics or single legged squats to help economy, depending on what I see when he runs. The poor AT guy needs to add some threshold type work in zone 4 (on a 5 zone system).
thanks. I was asking for 2 reasons
a) you confirmed what a couple of other sources I trust say about improving economy. thanks.
b) doesn’t this show their is value in testing in order to zero in on areas to work ? If you simply have them run a 10km and look at their results you wouldn’t see the differences.
Hi Mike, question, if you don’t mind
Person A comes in for testing. You measure his VO2 to be say 60 and his Anaerobic threshold to be at say 80% of VO2max. Not bad, right ? But his running economy quite poor.
Person B comes in. VO2 max is 60, Anaerobic threshold at 70% of VO2max, but decent economy.
Both have identical 10km and 15km times.
What do you prescribe differently for the two ?
It is going to depend on running history. A SWAG with the little bit of information I have is the poor running economy guy needs big mileage in zone 2. I might add some strength training like plyometrics or single legged squats to help economy, depending on what I see when he runs. The poor AT guy needs to add some threshold type work in zone 4 (on a 5 zone system).
thanks. I was asking for 2 reasons
a) you confirmed what a couple of other sources I trust say about improving economy. thanks.
b) doesn’t this show their is value in testing in order to zero in on areas to work ? If you simply have them run a 10km and look at their results you wouldn’t see the differences.
Improving Economy is going to have a few factors:
Metabolic: Increased mitochondrial density (Low intensity: high volume)
Mechanical: Increased musculotendinous stiffness (strength / plyos)
Neuromuscular: Increased motorunit coordination (High intensity intervals)
There are also other factors such as muscle pennation angle and attachment locations that factor, but we can’t do much about (unless some rumors are true…{cough} eastern european olympic lifters {cough})
Reasons such as this are why I am a large proponent of lab based testing in addition to field testing.