Exercise Physiology Testing

• The test involves a number of exercise stages (approximately 8-10) lasting at least 3 minutes per stage. They will be easy to begin with but will gradually get harder up to a high-intensity level.
• The test can be performed on a treadmill or static bike.
• At the end of each exercise stage, the following will be measured:
  • Heart rate (from a heart rate monitor)
  • Perception of effort using a numerical scale
  • A small blood sample taken from a finger or ear prick to measure blood lactate
• The test itself will last approximately 45 minutes, although you will be with us for up to around 1.5-2 hours
• Information collected will be analysed and incorporated within a physiological report that will be sent to you. The two thresholds will be identified and used to set your training zones. There are two types of report, standard and enhanced, but the exercise test is the same irrespective of which report you choose. See below for a description of each report and an example of how the data is plotted for each.
  • Standard report – this shows blood lactate and HR for each exercise stage, with the two thresholds identified along with the training zones.  General information will be provided about the training zones and how these relate to types of training and race distances.
  • Enhanced report – this includes the above, but also incorporates the training and race paces provided by you, mapped onto the curve. This allows you to see where these sit relative to the two thresholds. This helps to identify whether your current training and race paces fall where one would expect, and provides some insight into whether your goals are realistic. Some recommendations will be made based on this.

Using lactate data to set your personalised training zones

Training zones refer to the intensity you train at. Heart rate is often used to express training intensity combined with running speed, or power output for cyclists. Three training zones are commonly identified using lactate data, including low-intensity training (zone 1), moderate-high-intensity training (zone 2), and interval training (zone 3). However, there are alternative approaches, and the number of zones can be expanded according to your needs. 

The highest amount of oxygen an individual can use during exercise is known as maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and indicates one’s aerobic potential. This is the gold standard measure of aerobic capacity. This test also measures your peak aerobic power or running speed along with maximal heart rate and the data can be used for setting training intensities. The test is a maximal test that will push you to exhaustion. 

What to expect:

• Using our breath-by-breath gas analysis machine, you will wear a mask over your nose and mouth to allow respiration to be measured which is used to calculate your oxygen uptake
• You will wear a heart rate monitor
• The test involves small increments in exercise intensity every minute
• The exercise stages are easy to begin with but gradually get harder using small increases in running speed and/or gradient (for treadmill protocols) or power output (for cycle protocols) until exhaustion
• This exercise test will last approximately 10-12 minutes although you will be with us for around 1 hour
• All information will be collected, analysed and incorporated within a physiological report that will be sent to you after the test

Using our BodPod, we can determine body fat percentage. This is a highly accurate test which can detect small changes in body fat so can be used to measure the success of nutritional interventions and/or exercise programmes. Resting metabolic rate can be estimated too along with total energy expenditure. 

Please note that this test does not differentiate between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat, and muscle mass is not specifically measured. 

What to expect

Clients sit relaxed in the BodPod chamber for a few minutes whilst 2-3 short readings are measured. In brief, the BodPod measures the volume of air displaced by the body.  During this process you may hear some minor sounds of valves opening and closing and you may be aware of some slight air pressure changes in the chamber. These measures are used, along with a very accurate measure of your weight, to calculate body density and finally body composition. It is a safe and comfortable procedure. 

To ensure accuracy, the following instructions are important:

• It is important that minimal, form-fitting clothing is worn (Males: speedo or form-fitting lycra shorts with no padding; Females: swimming costume or form-fitting lycra shorts with no padding and a sports bra with no wire or padding).
• Avoid food and drink, including caffeine, for at least three hours prior to testing
• Avoid exercise prior to the test
• You will be asked to remove glasses and jewellery for the test
• A swim cap will be provided to compress any air pockets within the hair

A report detailing your results will be available immediately.

Using our breath-by-breath gas analysis machine, you will wear a gas sample mask to allow respiratory measures to be determined which are used to calculate the number of calories you use at rest (resting metabolic rate) and during exercise.  This method is called indirect calorimetry.  This can be useful if you are balancing energy intake and expenditure for a desired goal, for example, weight loss.  The number of calories you expend during exercise can be measured on a treadmill or on a stationary bike.  We can also measure heart rate at the same time, this way we can advise on the number of calories you are likely to use at certain heart rates.  Again, this is useful if you have a particular calorie deficit target.  Furthermore, if you currently use a device that estimates your energy expenditure, we can assess how closely that monitors calories used.

What to expect

• You will be fitted with a mask covering your nose and mouth to allow respiration to be measured for subsequent calculation of energy expenditure
• Initially, you will sit relaxed to measure resting energy expenditure
• To measure energy expenditure during exercise, you will walk, run or cycle at a few different exercise intensities ranging from low to moderate intensity, for around 4 minutes at each.  This test does not involve high intensity exercise
• All information collected will be analysed and incorporated within a physiological report that will be sent to you after the test

To ensure accuracy, the following instructions are important:

• Avoid food and drink for at least 3 hours prior to testing
• Please avoid caffeine prior to the test
• Avoid exercise prior to the test
• Please wear suitable clothing for exercise