VO2 Max Test

I've been wanting to do a VO2 Max test for some time, mainly to find out what MY optimum heart rate training zones are. Using the traditional generic formula gives me some insane low ranges, and that is just wrong. Especially with taking up trail running, I think this is important, especially the "red" zone. I've scheduled this for 7:30 Monday morning, and I chose the spin bike method rather than the treadmill. I hate treadmills, and beyond a certain speed I find them intimidating. That could cause a problem with a test like this.

Has anyone else had this test? Was it useful for you?

I had one done several years ago. It just confirmed what I had been seeing on my HRM.

Here's my write up.

I am able to sustain a higher heart rate when biking than when running.

Veronica

Thanks Veronica! I just need to know what my actual training zones are rather than selecting them via some generic formula. My HRM just takes the values that I give it, it doesn't estimate my zones. The interesting thing is my heart rate gets MUCH higher on the inside rubberized track at my gym than it does when I am trail-running. Either environment matters or I am pushing myself harder at the gym than I do on the trails without realizing it. Probably the latter.

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Originally Posted by Veronica

I had one done several years ago. It just confirmed what I had been seeing on my HRM.

Here's my write up.

I am able to sustain a higher heart rate when biking than when running.

Veronica

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V., have you kept up with the correlation between the FirstBeat algorithm vs actual lab measurements? Some people in the Garmin 620 forum are talking about that, since it's Garmin's first watch to incorporate that technology. I'm assuming that FirstBeat has refined their algorithm quite a bit since you had yours done. The few people in the Garmin forum who've had theirs lab tested report a result *fairly* close to what the watch came up with. I've never had a lab test, but my watch is telling me my VO2 Max is 47, which seems insanely high to me.

No, I stopped paying attention to calories burned a LONG time ago, so never cared about VO2 max accuracy either. I was shocked to see that my testing was in 2003 and to think how much my riding has evolved - double centuries, triathlons, now mountain biking...

And now I weigh about the same but have increased my muscle mass. :p I have a lot of history in my posts on TE!

Veronica

Oak - 47 while perhaps being hight for a non-athlete, doesn't seem unreasonable for you - it's in the pretty normal range for a female cyclist.

I've had it done twice. Once very professionally by a coach/pt on stationary trainer with my own bike and once for a research study I signed up for - that time it was on a treadmill and was an estimate. The first time was real - I was about to the point of wanting to puke when it was over. The second one was pretty inaccurate, I barely got past a fast walk before I was stopped… and the chart the machine produced didn't have a wide enough range.

For me the test pretty well confirmed what I knew about my hr zones, but did allow me to set power zones.

How 'real' this is Monday will be pretty much up to me, so I am going to make it as real as possible. It isn't cheap and I want to take full advantage of the test. It's been described to me and it will continue until I either call a stop or I cannot physically keep up with the prescribed cadence. I would LIKE to try the dreadmill, but I am pretty sure that the fear of falling will get in the way of taking that route. I guess some have used kettlebells to get there as well, I would consider that if I didn't have my shoulder issue - unsure I could keep the desired pace for as long as needed. This will be interesting!

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Originally Posted by Eden

Oak - 47 while perhaps being high for a non-athlete, doesn't seem unreasonable for you - it's in the pretty normal range for a female cyclist.

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A Cat 2 female, from what this says: http://blog.fascatcoaching.com/2012/...2-max-testing/

I'm 54, never got beyond Cat 4 and that was because there was no Cat 5 when I was racing 20+ years ago - and I'm lucky to blow a peak flow of 400 L/min when my asthma *isn't* acting up - anyway. :p

Catrin, have "fun" - hope the information you get is as useful as you're going for. Are you doing it on the step-up box or on the stationary bike?

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

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Catrin, have "fun" - hope the information you get is as useful as you're going for. Are you doing it on the step-up box or on the stationary bike?

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On the spin bike, one that I can clip into so I don't have to worry about my feet flying off :)

I will be interested to see your results. I stopped using my HR monitor years ago, as it just told me what I already knew; like Catrin and Veronica, my HR goes really high when I am working hard, but it always has. At my age, I think my "working" zone is supposed to be some ridiculously low number around 140 or even 135. I know that is not accurate for me. I also have a low resting HR when I wake up. Not 45 (although when I practice yoga it does go down to that), but around 55. I know that if it's above 60 before I get out of bed, I am getting sick or over training, or not had enough sleep. I got tired people of telling me my HR was too high, so now I just use RPE. I rarely have had that "gonna puke" feeling when riding; once on the 10 mile climb in Spain (Cat 2 climb in the Vuelta) and once on Monterrey Rd. out in the Berkshires. And like Oak, my peak flow, even when healthy is ridiculously low.

I've done VO2 max testing at least 4 different times and I'd have to say that it's always been enlightening. Though once I got used to using my HR zones from the VO2 max testing in conjunction with my HRM, I got a good sense of where my zones are by feel and now I rely on my perceived exertion more than an HRM. Getting the VO2 max done and using that data with the HRM was key for learning that skill.

I had the Vo2 Max test this morning and it was certainly challenging to say the least! I am VERY glad that I went the spinning bike route rather than the treadmill. It wasn't until about 6 minutes into the test that I actually started feeling anything, but things certain changed! My "score" was 34.7, the high end of "excellent" for my age group. Very interesting, and I found that I cross the anaerobic threashold earlier than I thought.