Have any of you ever had an fitness testing done? If so what?
Options
leanme85
Posts: 67 Member
I'm curious to know about people use of fitness testing, have you ever had an body comp test, V02max, resting energy expenditure, etc?
0
Replies
-
VO2 max and max heart rate test in a sports science lab - a ramp test to failure on an exercise bike while hooked up to a gas analyser. Fascinating and useful data but extremely tough if you push yourself to the limit (took me three days to recover!).
Mostly I just do regular FTP tests on an indoor bike trainer equipped with a power meter. A useful indicator of my training level and speed endurance.
Also tried a series of body comp tests using a BodPod but wasn't impressed and ultimately no more useful (and less convenient) than a wiggly trend line from a 4 point BIA device at home.0 -
Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.1
-
NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
He's a cyclist...power meter on a bike.1 -
I’ve done lots of things, ree , lactate, threshold, v02max, sweat test, body comp, I’ve had detailed running and cycling tests done. Um... I’m sure there are more. It’s all interesting. I would say for general well-being the resting energy expenditure test is the most valuable. Especially if you can have a sit-down with a dietitian afterwards.0
-
NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
I'm a road cyclist. Runners can use their pace on level ground as a gauge of their fitness, but on a bike things like wind and traffic have too much effect for your speed to mean much. So we measure torque vector and angular velocity which gets you power. Being able to make more power is like being and to run faster or lift more weight.
I'm a sprinter, I'm able to produce lots of power over a short time. But it's an endurance sport, and I believe in training to improve your weaknesses. So once a month I'll go out and ride as hard as I can for 20 minutes, and take the average watts for that period. When the number goes down it usually means I haven't been riding enough.2 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
It's the max that can be done for 20 min.
So it's not your 1RM if more familiar with that from lifting, but rather your 20RM say.
It's harder to judge say doing that mile as fast as you can, rather than all out for the 50m sprint.
I don't think RMR test is testing fitness, neither is body comp.
What is would be VO2max, HRmax usually a part of that (though can be done on your own), and what I found more valuable from those tests - Lactate Threshold (which can be estimated on your own with that FTP on bike or similar running or rowing).
Of course if the results don't effect the training then they are merely interesting numbers.3 -
I’ve done lots of things, ree , lactate, threshold, v02max, sweat test, body comp, I’ve had detailed running and cycling tests done. Um... I’m sure there are more. It’s all interesting. I would say for general well-being the resting energy expenditure test is the most valuable. Especially if you can have a sit-down with a dietitian afterwards.
There are things that aren't measurable or easy to measure. I'm online training buddies with a guy that is the over 60 Australian Indoor rowing champ. The Aussie Olympic team dissected this guy (because he's just in such great shape for a guy over 60) to see what his "magic sauce" was. They did every test known to mankind on him.
What they found out? His lactic acid tolerance was other worldly. He could tolerate ridiculous amounts of it, that's what made him such an exceptional athlete. Sure he had great V02 measurements, but nothing else was super off the charts. Performance and lab tests aren't always the same.1 -
I’ve done lots of things, ree , lactate, threshold, v02max, sweat test, body comp, I’ve had detailed running and cycling tests done. Um... I’m sure there are more. It’s all interesting. I would say for general well-being the resting energy expenditure test is the most valuable. Especially if you can have a sit-down with a dietitian afterwards.
Can you expand on why you feel that a REE test is valuable?
I can't think of any practical use for it for me!1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
It's the max that can be done for 20 min.
So it's not your 1RM if more familiar with that from lifting, but rather your 20RM say.
It's harder to judge say doing that mile as fast as you can, rather than all out for the 50m sprint.
I don't think RMR test is testing fitness, neither is body comp.
What is would be VO2max, HRmax usually a part of that (though can be done on your own), and what I found more valuable from those tests - Lactate Threshold (which can be estimated on your own with that FTP on bike or similar running or rowing).
Of course if the results don't effect the training then they are merely interesting numbers.
The way I see it is that FTP and 1RM tell you how hard to go in your workouts. Stuff like vo2max and 20 (or just N) minute MMP are more like "is my training producing results?"
My Garmin estimates vo2max from power and heart rate and most people who've fine a treat say it's pretty close. But my
20 minute MMP is exact, and it's also a closer measure to what I'm trying to achieve.1 -
I took something similar to the ree test years ago. Put me in a glass coffin with no clothes on for 20 minutes.
Then they told me to shop at Lane Bryant and Women’s World, cause I was never gonna lose weight. (Bariatric Doctor).
Said I couldn’t cut calories enough to lose weight, couldn’t survive on less than 800 calories per day. How is that helpful to
Anyone for any reason?2 -
NorthCascades wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
It's the max that can be done for 20 min.
So it's not your 1RM if more familiar with that from lifting, but rather your 20RM say.
It's harder to judge say doing that mile as fast as you can, rather than all out for the 50m sprint.
I don't think RMR test is testing fitness, neither is body comp.
What is would be VO2max, HRmax usually a part of that (though can be done on your own), and what I found more valuable from those tests - Lactate Threshold (which can be estimated on your own with that FTP on bike or similar running or rowing).
Of course if the results don't effect the training then they are merely interesting numbers.
The way I see it is that FTP and 1RM tell you how hard to go in your workouts. Stuff like vo2max and 20 (or just N) minute MMP are more like "is my training producing results?"
My Garmin estimates vo2max from power and heart rate and most people who've fine a treat say it's pretty close. But my 20 minute MMP is exact, and it's also a closer measure to what I'm trying to achieve.
But if your say VO2max or LT (or MMP test similar) go up - do you continue to train to what may have been old levels?
Or workouts for specific type of training are now matched up with hopefully higher values?
I know at a certain point any type of training is going to improve things, and likely could keep eeking out improvements past that point.
But if desire was for more focused improvement, wouldn't the results dictate changes in training?
Now, if that type of specificity isn't being done then no loss. I'm currently not, I'm trying to base build though I hate the slow speed/pace.
Like you, I seem to do well for shorter intense efforts, though I can stretch that out over longer endurance times because I seem to have quick recovery.
But I know each one of those efforts sucks bigger glycogen stores which doesn't recover just because I lightened up, compared to an nice level effort.
So I have trained per LT to improve that ability. I know I could do the same thing with watts.
As well as setting better base-building level. Maybe I don't need to go so slow!0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
It's the max that can be done for 20 min.
So it's not your 1RM if more familiar with that from lifting, but rather your 20RM say.
It's harder to judge say doing that mile as fast as you can, rather than all out for the 50m sprint.
I don't think RMR test is testing fitness, neither is body comp.
What is would be VO2max, HRmax usually a part of that (though can be done on your own), and what I found more valuable from those tests - Lactate Threshold (which can be estimated on your own with that FTP on bike or similar running or rowing).
Of course if the results don't effect the training then they are merely interesting numbers.
The way I see it is that FTP and 1RM tell you how hard to go in your workouts. Stuff like vo2max and 20 (or just N) minute MMP are more like "is my training producing results?"
My Garmin estimates vo2max from power and heart rate and most people who've fine a treat say it's pretty close. But my
20 minute MMP is exact, and it's also a closer measure to what I'm trying to achieve.
But surely the numbers going up in FTP or 1RM tests also tell you your training is producing positive results just like an improvement in MMP or VO2 max?
FTP is my main measure as for the same reason as you pick MMP, as it is best marker of what I'm trying to achieve, speed endurance is my goal rather than sprinting. Some of it is novelty factor as I only discovered endurance in my 50's as had always done sprint or stop/go sports up to then (I used to think a 400 metre run was an endurance event....
). 2 -
NorthCascades wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
It's the max that can be done for 20 min.
So it's not your 1RM if more familiar with that from lifting, but rather your 20RM say.
It's harder to judge say doing that mile as fast as you can, rather than all out for the 50m sprint.
I don't think RMR test is testing fitness, neither is body comp.
What is would be VO2max, HRmax usually a part of that (though can be done on your own), and what I found more valuable from those tests - Lactate Threshold (which can be estimated on your own with that FTP on bike or similar running or rowing).
Of course if the results don't effect the training then they are merely interesting numbers.
The way I see it is that FTP and 1RM tell you how hard to go in your workouts. Stuff like vo2max and 20 (or just N) minute MMP are more like "is my training producing results?"
My Garmin estimates vo2max from power and heart rate and most people who've fine a treat say it's pretty close. But my
20 minute MMP is exact, and it's also a closer measure to what I'm trying to achieve.
But surely the numbers going up in FTP or 1RM tests also tell you your training is producing positive results just like an improvement in MMP or VO2 max?
FTP is my main measure as for the same reason as you pick MMP, as it is best marker of what I'm trying to achieve, speed endurance is my goal rather than sprinting. Some of it is novelty factor as I only discovered endurance in my 50's as had always done sprint or stop/go sports up to then (I used to think a 400 metre run was an endurance event.... ).
It's the same in rowing. Huge discrepancy between the power guys (that do 500m sprints that roughly take 60 to 80 seconds) and the endurance guys (or FTP guys). And the marathoners are a whole different class. "Crazy Bear" is going on right now. It's these nuts that do 30 half marathons in 45 days of the Holiday season (on a rower). Insane volumes. And running times and rowing times are roughly equivalent (around 90 minutes for a half and 3 hours for a marathon for a decent rower).0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
It's the max that can be done for 20 min.
So it's not your 1RM if more familiar with that from lifting, but rather your 20RM say.
It's harder to judge say doing that mile as fast as you can, rather than all out for the 50m sprint.
I don't think RMR test is testing fitness, neither is body comp.
What is would be VO2max, HRmax usually a part of that (though can be done on your own), and what I found more valuable from those tests - Lactate Threshold (which can be estimated on your own with that FTP on bike or similar running or rowing).
Of course if the results don't effect the training then they are merely interesting numbers.
The way I see it is that FTP and 1RM tell you how hard to go in your workouts. Stuff like vo2max and 20 (or just N) minute MMP are more like "is my training producing results?"
My Garmin estimates vo2max from power and heart rate and most people who've fine a treat say it's pretty close. But my 20 minute MMP is exact, and it's also a closer measure to what I'm trying to achieve.
But if your say VO2max or LT (or MMP test similar) go up - do you continue to train to what may have been old levels?
Or workouts for specific type of training are now matched up with hopefully higher values?
I know at a certain point any type of training is going to improve things, and likely could keep eeking out improvements past that point.
But if desire was for more focused improvement, wouldn't the results dictate changes in training?
Now, if that type of specificity isn't being done then no loss. I'm currently not, I'm trying to base build though I hate the slow speed/pace.
Like you, I seem to do well for shorter intense efforts, though I can stretch that out over longer endurance times because I seem to have quick recovery.
But I know each one of those efforts sucks bigger glycogen stores which doesn't recover just because I lightened up, compared to an nice level effort.
So I have trained per LT to improve that ability. I know I could do the same thing with watts.
As well as setting better base-building level. Maybe I don't need to go so slow!
You've probably heard the saying "it doesn't get easier, you just get faster." In cycling we have the concept of a functional threshold power, it's our closest thing to 1RM, the most amount of power you can put out for 60* minutes if your life depends on it.
I try to work out my FTP "from time to time." I've been doing sweet spot training which is basically riding just under my FTP for as long as I'm able. When that feels too easy or hard, it's time to adjust the numbers.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Testing is training and training is testing. I "like" to do a 20 minute maximal mean power test once a month.
What does that consist of? Isn't maximum power exerted over a very short period of time (i.e. vertical jump). power=force/time
It's the max that can be done for 20 min.
So it's not your 1RM if more familiar with that from lifting, but rather your 20RM say.
It's harder to judge say doing that mile as fast as you can, rather than all out for the 50m sprint.
I don't think RMR test is testing fitness, neither is body comp.
What is would be VO2max, HRmax usually a part of that (though can be done on your own), and what I found more valuable from those tests - Lactate Threshold (which can be estimated on your own with that FTP on bike or similar running or rowing).
Of course if the results don't effect the training then they are merely interesting numbers.
The way I see it is that FTP and 1RM tell you how hard to go in your workouts. Stuff like vo2max and 20 (or just N) minute MMP are more like "is my training producing results?"
My Garmin estimates vo2max from power and heart rate and most people who've fine a treat say it's pretty close. But my
20 minute MMP is exact, and it's also a closer measure to what I'm trying to achieve.
But surely the numbers going up in FTP or 1RM tests also tell you your training is producing positive results just like an improvement in MMP or VO2 max?
FTP is my main measure as for the same reason as you pick MMP, as it is best marker of what I'm trying to achieve, speed endurance is my goal rather than sprinting. Some of it is novelty factor as I only discovered endurance in my 50's as had always done sprint or stop/go sports up to then (I used to think a 400 metre run was an endurance event.... ).
I'm assuming but honestly don't know, that non bike aerobic exercise is more likely to show up in vo2max than FTP. I might only ride a hundred miles this month, but I've already gained and lost a little over 3 km on skis this season.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.7K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 394 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 944 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions