VO₂max Testing
Want to push your body to its limits? VO₂max testing is the ultimate assessment of aerobic fitness!
Highlights:
- State of the art equipment
- Sub-max and maximal assessments
- Blood lactate and glucose bolt-ons
What: Progressive sub-maximal and maximal aerobic exercise in a controlled laboratory with expert supervision, monitoring, and feedback.
How: For maximal testing, a single graded treadmill or cycle ergometer session (8–15 minutes) with continuous monitoring of expired gases, heart rate, and perceived exertion. SPRU members capture VO₂, VCO₂, RER, ventilatory thresholds, and max heart rate. Submaximal testing follows a similar protocol, with added blood lactate and glucose sampling via finger prick.
Why: VO₂max defines aerobic power. Testing provides precise benchmarks for training zones, pacing, and recovery. It helps track progress, refine intensity, and highlight physiological strengths or limits. With expert oversight, athletes can reach true maximal effort safely and gain actionable insights for performance gains.
Cost: £75 – £250