Sports Conditioning Tests

[Veronica]

For my birthday last year Thom gave me a gift certificate to go to UC Davis and have a bunch of tests done. I finally made the appointment today for late Oct. They'll do VO2 max (I get to bring my own bike and put it into a trainer), Lactate Threshold Analysis, Training Zones and Body Composition.

I wonder how much body fat I can lose in six weeks? (Ha ha)

It will be very interesting to compare the numbers to what my heart rate monitor says for VO2 max. Polar states that they very accurate. We'll see.

Veronica

[MightyMitre]

Cool present! Should be an interesting day . I've no idea what my VO2 max is. I generally use my heart rate to monitor things.

I 've got a book called The Heart Rate Monitor book by 2 women called Sally which is good, with lots of programs or classes to follow on the turbo-trainer. By following all their notes I managed to work out my different HR zones, but it was a bit of a mathematical challenge. ( not keen on Maths, give me English lit. any day ) I think the VO2 might be a step too far.

Or am I wrong? If using VO2 figures is going to be helpful then is this something I should be considering?

[Veronica]

VO2 is a measure of the efficiency of your lungs. It's largely a genetic thing. My heart rate monitor does a test that estimates it. Mine has only gone up four points in 2.5 years. I know my heart rate monitor uses it to calculate the calories it believes I'm expending.

In spin classes I tend to keep my heart rate very high (85 - 90%) during intervals and I only let it drop to about 75% during the soft pedals. My heart rate drops very quickly so I keep an eye on it. It's really funny to look at my workouts on the tandem. On the downhills my heart rate drops way down because all I have to do is tuck down behind Thom and not move.

Anyway the monitor somehow uses the VO2 measure and the heart beat to calculate calories. I want to get it to be more accurate. And I just like to know the numbers.


Veronica

[aka_kim]

Very cool present! Will you be able to plug the new improved VO2 max and HR training zones back into your Polar? Maybe that Polar is worth the arm & leg it costs .

I always thought it would be cool to know body fat pct until I found out what mine really is (or what it's estimated to be). Yuck! I'm apparently a walking tub o lard.

So, six weeks of training until the tests?

Kim

[Veronica]

Actually only 5 weeks. And I'm sitting here eating a brownie.

Yep, I'll be able to adjust the numbers in my heart rate monitor to reflect what I learn.

I want to know my body fat because... well I have a large family. And according to BMI I am still too heavy to be healthy. I find that a little disconcerting. So, I'd like to know.

Kim your body fat can't possibly be that high. Unless your bike shorts have some super duper girdle thingie in them.

Veronica

[aka_kim]

Chocolate is good for you.

Both in appearance and activities you don't seem "too heavy to be healthy" at all. These BMI (and body fat) things must make strange assumptions. It will be interesting to see what you learn at Davis.

Yell when you want to borrow my super duper girdle thingy

[MightyMitre]

Re body fat. I suppose it depends which charts / statistics you're looking at to decide if you're BMI is still too high.

If you're looking at the figures for a trained athlete then I'd also be way over the scale ( pass the super duper girldle thingie... )

For example, if a professional Tour de France rider walked into a doctors surgery, most of them would be slammed in an ambulance and rushed to hospital suffering all the symptoms of serious malnutrition! I think Lance Armstrong % of body fat is something crazy like 6%!

By the way - just like to add that yes, chocolate is VERY good for you.