IrishFit Fitness Testing and VO2max

Triathletes – runners – cyclists – Games Players (football/ rugby)
Know just how fit you are with our state of the art testing which can be done either running or cycling and if you are a serious triathlete or cyclist we can even do the testing on your own bike.

Diet and Calorie Management
Want to know how many calories you need everyday to cover your lifestyle and exercise needs and still lose weight?

At IrishFit we measure your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and assess your exercise and lifestyle to accurately predict how many calories you need to lead a healthy lifestyle while achieving your dietary goals

Personalised Weight Management Programme
Whether you want to lose weight, maintain weight or gain weight we provide you with an individualised training programme which provides you with all the information you need to achieve your goals
This includes

Assessing and Developing Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Cardiorespiratory fitness relates to the ability to perform large muscle, dynamic, moderate to high intensity exercise for prolonged periods (ACSM, 2006). It is important because:

Maximum oxygen (VO2max) uptake is accepted as the criterion measure of the functional capacity of the cardiorespiratory system and hence, cardiorespiratory fitness.
VO2max / Aerobic Endurance is a measure of how much oxygen can be supplied and utilised by the muscles during exercise and thus signifies an athlete’s endurance ability, Svensson and Durst (2005). A player or athlete with a high VO2max also possesses a greater ability to recover from short bouts of high intensity activity.
Aerobic fitness is the ability of the body to supply the muscles with oxygen. This is dependant on the levels of haemoglobin concentration in the blood which determines how much oxygen can be carried and also on the cardiac output which determines how much blood is pumped around the body with each heart beat, both of which can be increased with aerobic training. Testing VO2max gives an accurate assessment of Cardiorespitory and cardiovascular function as well as muscle oxygen utilisation.

Aerobic Capacity is the ability to sustain a higher percentage of VO2max for a longer duration or in other words possess a higher speed at the anaerobic threshold.

Anaerobic Threshold is the percentage of VO2max when amount of oxygen getting to the muscles is not enough to prevent the build up of lactic Acid and the subsequent onset of fatigue.

Health and Fitness Testing
Assess your current fitness level relative to the health standards and age matched norms
Calculates:

Performance Testing
Clarifies the ability to complete and compete in endurance events
Calculates:

Assessing and Developing a Healthier Diet
Metabolic rate is the rate at which the body expends energy at rest and during exercise. It has a calorie equivalent which indicates how many calories are consumed for any given activity.

Resting Metabolic Rate is the minimum energy required for normal daily activity or how many calories a body needs for activities of daily living which does not include exercise. Norms lie between 1800 and 3000 kilocalories per day.

Kilocalories are the energy the body needs to function which it gets from burning of fuel, either carbohydrates or fat. It is what everyone refers to as a calorie.

Respiratory Quotient (RQ) is the amount of carbon dioxide made compared to the amount of oxygen taken in. By measuring the RQ we can determine how much carbohydrates or fats the body is burning during any given activity.

Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) is the ratio of carbon dioxide CO2 to oxygen O2 exchanged at cellular level which during steady state exercise is equal to the RQ. By measuring this and the heart rate at given levels of exercise intensity we can individually tailor Heart Rate (HR) zones so that you can work at the right heart rate to burn either fat or carbs, lose weight or get fitter whatever your goal may be.

Weight Loss & Training Zones
As HR matches the change in exercise intensity which is measured by VO2max we can determine how long and for what intensity you need to work at to have a positive effect on your body mass and body composition. At Irish Fit we can tailor these guidelines for individuals.

Accurate VO2 measurements for resting & Exercise Testing
VO2max and sub-max V02
Resting Energy Expenditure, Resting Metabolic Rate (REE, RMR)
Fitness Assessment, Body Composition and Cardiovacular Risk Analysis
You also receive an Individual Weight Management program, an Exercise prescription and your HR/VO2 Training zones

Activity Caloric Cost, to measure EEKcal/day, exercise capacity during
any physical activity (working, lifestyle etc.)
Fitness Assessment (Muscular Strength, Flexibility)
Body Composition
Weight Management Program
Standard Measurements (Working HR, Blood Pressure, Waist & Hip Circumference, Resting Heart Rate, Body Mass Index etc.)
Cardiovascular Risk Analysis

For repeat testing we can show you trends among tests performed on different dates to show your increase in fitness levels over the duration of a training regime.

We provide you with a comprehensive prescription report that includes Cardio Vascular, Muscular and Flexibility development.
In addition you can set your HR training zones (fat burning, endurance, VO2max etc.) based on the relationship between VO2 and HR that helps you get the most out of your training sessions.

Who Should do a Fitness Test?
Anyone interested in their health and well being. This isn't just for serious athletes. People starting to train for their first Marathon or even people who are just gym enthusiasts whose goal is to lose a bit of extra weight can benefit from this testing.
Probably the most important reason for this test is that it is the only accurate way to find your proper Heart Rate Training zones and once you know these ranges you can target specific Heart Rates in your training sessions for more efficient fat burning. By doing this you will increase your fitness levels much faster.
When you know your daily Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) you will know how many calories you burn every day doing no exercise and with this you can then adjust your diet as well to help with an overall weight loss program.

What is VO2max?
VO2 max, or maximal oxygen uptake, is one factor that can determine an athlete's capacity to perform sustained exercise and is linked to aerobic endurance. VO2 max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise. It is measured as "milliliters of oxygen used in one minute per kilogram of body weight."
This measurement is generally considered the best indicator of an athlete's cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance. Theoretically, the more oxygen you can use during high level exercise, the more ATP (energy) you can produce. This is often the case with elite endurance athletes who typically have very high VO2 max values.

How Is VO2 Max Measured?
Measuring an accurate VO2 max requires an all-out effort (usually on a treadmill or bicycle) performed under a strict protocol in a sports performance lab. These protocols involve specific increases in the speed and intensity of the exercise and collection and measurement of the volume and oxygen concentration of inhaled and exhaled air. This determines how much oxygen the athlete is using.
An athlete's oxygen consumption rises in a linear relationship with exercise intensity -- up to a point. There is a specific point at which oxygen consumption plateaus even if the exercise intensity increases. This plateau marks the V02 Max.

Can You Change Your VO2 Max?
Research shows that although VO2 max has a genetic component it can also be increased through training. The two methods for increasing VO2 max include increases in both training volume and intensity. Research also indicates that the less fit an individual is, the more they can increase their VO2 max through training. In fact, novice exercisers have been able to increase VO2 max by 20 percent through proper training. Fit athletes have a harder time increasing their VO2 max, most likely because they are already so near their genetic potential.

Aside from genetic factors, three other components have a large influence on VO2 max:
Age - Although it varies greatly by individual and training programs, in general VO2 max is the highest at age 20 and decreases nearly 30 percent by age 65.
Gender - Many elite female athletes have higher VO2 max values than most men. But because of differences in body size and composition, blood volume and hemoglobin content, a woman's VO2 max is in general about 20 percent lower than a man's VO2 max.
Altitude - Because there is less oxygen at higher altitude an athlete will generally have 5 percent decrease in VO2 max results with a 5,000 feet gain in altitude.

V02 Max Values
The average for a sedentary individual is close to 35 ml/kg/min. Elite endurance athletes often average 70 ml/kg/min. One of the highest recorded VO2 max results (90 ml/kg/min) was that of a cross country skier. Cyclist Lance Armstrong's VO2 max was reported at 85 ml/kg/min.

MAXIMAL OXYGEN UPTAKE NORMS FOR MEN (ml/kg/min)

MAXIMAL OXYGEN UPTAKE NORMS FOR WOMEN (ml/kg/min)

All annual members of FitnessDiary.ie can avail of a €20 discount.
IrishFit Marathon Club members can avail of a 10% discount.