I want to test for my Max Heart Rate & VO2 Max

heybales

So most of the good HRM's will allow you to put in your own MHR, which is then used to figure out some zones for you, and possibly more importantly, to calculate calorie burn as accurately as possible.
Even if the HRM doesn't allow changing the MHR manually, you can lie about your age to get it to change. And MHR effects calorie calculation more than age.

So you can search my past posts for a submaximal test, if you are not in shape and have not been exercising for several months.
But it doesn't take long for your aerobic system to get in shape. It also doesn't take long for it to lose it if you stop.

So this is for semi in shape. If you have been running for a year, you need one of the other tests on this site probably.

So here is a lovely test that most gym treadmill's can handle. Some of them don't go high enough in % grade to handle it, but most can get up to 15%, which if you can go higher than that - you go girl (or guy), to the other test.

So here is site for test and where you take the results to get your VO2 Max estimate, which is great for adjusting your training zones better. Because you can effect your VO2 max to some degree, once you are a tad fit, you can't adjust your genetically set MHR. And of course if you really push yourself, your MHR.

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/balketread.htm

So you need a treadmill that will go up by .5% grade, for women. Men are whole values.
And an assistant that can adjust the grade for you when needed and offer encouragement. Or find a treadmill where you can enter in your own interval workout. A certain StarTrac model will do this.
And of course a HRM.

Then you do the following.

This test requires the athlete to run for as long as possible on a treadmill whose slope increments at timed intervals

The athlete warms up for 10 minutes
The slope of the treadmill is set to 0%, for active and sedentary men the speed is set to 3.3 mph (5.3 km/hr) and for active and sedentary women 3.0 mph (4.5 km/hr)
The assistant gives the command “GO”, starts the stopwatch and the athlete commences the test
The assistant adjusts the treadmill slope at the appropriate times as follows:
For active and sedentary men the slope is set to 2% (1.2°) after 1 minute and then every minute thereafter the slope is increased by 1% (0.6°)
For active and sedentary women the slope is increased by 2.5% (1.4°) every 3 minutes
The assistant stops the stopwatch when the athlete is unable to continue and records the time - this ideally should be between 9 and 15 minutes.

So the table, if this formats right, would look like this.

Min_____Men slope_____Women slope

---

0_________0______________0
1_________2______________0
2_________3______________0
3_________4______________2.5
4_________5______________2.5
5_________6______________2.5
6_________7______________5
7_________8______________5
8_________9______________5
9_________10_____________7.5
10________11_____________7.5
11________12_____________7.5
12________13_____________10
13________14_____________10
14________15_____________10
15________16_____________12.5
16________17_____________12.5
17________18_____________12.5
18________19_____________15
19________20_____________15

If you really reached the end there and could have continued but the treadmill could not, you probably need to take the other test instead. But your figure from here, or when the treadmill maxed out on grade, can be used down the road to see your improvement, without doing the harder test again.

This is more stressful test.
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/treadmill.htm

dane11235813

bump for input

snookumss

bump!

therealangd

I'm looking forward to trying this. Thanks for posting.

jennifershoo

bump

Spamee

bump

butters1

bump

twisted88

bump

beaner1st

bump

usteward

bump

rileysowner

Too bad I do not have a treadmill or access to one.

heybales

Too bad I do not have a treadmill or access to one.

Ah ha!

You got the thread for VO2max formula, so that is covered.

And above gave submaximal test you can do for the HRmax value. Either step test, or some have you walk a mile as fast as you can, logging the last 2 minutes or such, and adding an amount on.

Just Google it, treadmill is very interesting and allows using formula for VO2max, but a good hill and method will point out HRmax too.

Enjoy sprinting up hills?

gogojodee

Bump!

vtachycardia

Of course, if you have access to later model Life Fitness machines they have a FIT TEST mode that you operate for 5 minutes and it calculates your VO2 MAX for you.

Perhaps other machines have this facility.

heybales

Of course, if you have access to later model Life Fitness machines they have a FIT TEST mode that you operate for 5 minutes and it calculates your VO2 MAX for you.

Perhaps other machines have this facility.

Well, as the study this formula is based on found, those submaximal VO2max tests have great variability, and just using this formula was more accurate than those tests.

Now, do those machines have a submaximal HRmax test? That would be useful since that is also an important stat in the HRM's.

yecatsml

bump!

vtachycardia

Of course, if you have access to later model Life Fitness machines they have a FIT TEST mode that you operate for 5 minutes and it calculates your VO2 MAX for you.

Perhaps other machines have this facility.

Well, as the study this formula is based on found, those submaximal VO2max tests have great variability, and just using this formula was more accurate than those tests.

Now, do those machines have a submaximal HRmax test? That would be useful since that is also an important stat in the HRM's.

Good question, I will have to scoot to the Life Fitness web site to check. Regarding the VO2 Max (Fit Test) is pretty much the standard test - time, effort, hr = vo2 max then at Brian Mac you can take estimated VO2 max taken from test and RHR + HR to calculate MHR pretty similar to your highlighted methodology.

plafleur76

bump for further investigation and calculating later

chubby_checkers

So I can check later

Timmmy40

Thanks heybales. Good stuff!

heybales

Thanks heybales. Good stuff!

And here's new one with more rigorous test you'll need to use probably.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1061893-testing-heart-rate-max-vo2-max-for-hrm-settings

Azdak

No a Life Fitness treadmill does not have a test to estimate HR Max from sub max values. The 5 min test is not bad, but it is subject to the same HR variabity issues, ie if your actual HR max is higher than the age-predicted estimate, it will underestimate VO2 max. And it is useless if you are on any meds that lower heart rate. The test is best done with a chest strap HR transmitter so you don't have to hold on to the handrails. But it is easy and simple and does provide a decent estimate for those whose HR max is closer to "average".

heybales

No a Life Fitness treadmill does not have a test to estimate HR Max from sub max values. The 5 min test is not bad, but it is subject to the same HR variabity issues, ie if your actual HR max is higher than the age-predicted estimate, it will underestimate VO2 max. And it is useless if you are on any meds that lower heart rate. The test is best done with a chest strap HR transmitter so you don't have to hold on to the handrails. But it is easy and simple and does provide a decent estimate for those whose HR max is closer to "average".

See, I need to test the treadmills at the gym to find out those types of things, unless you think manuals admit what they are doing honestly.

One of the trainers at the gym gave me the trainer code several of the newer treadmills are programmed with, to get to some of the enhanced programs. They have a range of very old to perhaps old equipment, maybe some is newer, I doubt it though.

You think those serial numbers are like most, first couple digits are date code, or letters are?

Azdak

No a Life Fitness treadmill does not have a test to estimate HR Max from sub max values. The 5 min test is not bad, but it is subject to the same HR variabity issues, ie if your actual HR max is higher than the age-predicted estimate, it will underestimate VO2 max. And it is useless if you are on any meds that lower heart rate. The test is best done with a chest strap HR transmitter so you don't have to hold on to the handrails. But it is easy and simple and does provide a decent estimate for those whose HR max is closer to "average".

See, I need to test the treadmills at the gym to find out those types of things, unless you think manuals admit what they are doing honestly.

One of the trainers at the gym gave me the trainer code several of the newer treadmills are programmed with, to get to some of the enhanced programs. They have a range of very old to perhaps old equipment, maybe some is newer, I doubt it though.

You think those serial numbers are like most, first couple digits are date code, or letters are?

The 5-minute test is definitely based on sound science--or at least accepted science for a single-stage submaximal exercise test. The Life Fitness documentation is not textbook-quality explanation, but it does provide some detail about testing and exercise program protocols.

What I was referring to is the same HR - variability that confounds all submax tests, HRM calorie estimates, "zone training" guidelines, etc. A submax test compares HR response to a measured workload and then projects the workload that one would be able to achieve if one went to true max effort. The projection is based, as you know, on the linear relationship between HR and VO2 and it uses age-predicted HR max as the endpoint. So, obviously, if one's true HR max is 20 bpm higher than the age-predicted estimate, the test will project "max effort" at a much lower heart rate and thus underestimate VO2 max. And vice versa. How do you know it's underestimating? Well, that's where experience and observation come in.

We use the Life Fitness 5-min test for our fitness assessments, mainly because it is safe and easily tolerated by a wide range of members. When I started in my current position, I did my own little "validation" study with several of my co-workers. I tested them with 3 different protocols: a multistage cyling test, a 1-mile run field test, and the LF 5-min treadmill test. The projected VO2 max numbers I got on all 3 tests were within 2-3 ml/kg/min of each other, which is more than acceptable. The numbers I got for myself were entirely consistent with my workout performance at the time.

Most of the test protocols and the workout programs on LF cardio products have not changed much at all in the last 15 years, maybe longer, so it is likely that those programs are the same across the board, unless you have some really old stuff. If you wanted to check the sell date of a cardio piece, the easiest thing to do is call 1-800-351-3737 (LF Tech Support), push the button for parts ordering or technical support and give them the serial number. I don't know of any special significance or coding of the serial numbers. Usually the first 3 letters represent a new model and the last 6 digits is the cumulative total of units produced. So, if the serial number is "TGT 001893" the "TGT" would refer to a specific model version, and the number means it's the 1893rd of that type produced.