Performance Testing
METABOLIC RATE DETERMINATION: Metabolic rate testing is crucial for an athlete attempting to achieve a higher power: weight ratio, an individual who wants to lose fat or gain muscle, or someone who is just curious whether they have a "high or low" metabolism. Your resting metabolic rate is related to your lean body mass and is the number of calories your body burns everyday at rest. The simple 15 minute assessment includes a complete follow-up report that tells you exactly how to use your metabolic rate determination to achieve your weight goals as quickly as possible.
Metabolic Rate Test $50, $40 for follow-up tests.
Body Fat Composition $20
An excellent first evaluation, this test gives a good picture of overall fitness level and performance potential. Futhermore, from this test we can provide heart rates and power values that correlate to the athlete's ventilatory threshold (a good estimate of lactate threshold). From this value, we can establish training zones and intensities for the athlete.
The blood lactate profile is the most important predictor of endurance performance potential in steady-state events (e.g. time trials in cycling, cross-country skiing, rowing, speed skating, triathlons and running races, especially marathons). The lactate profile test is the gold standard used by elite endurance athletes to determine optimal training intensities and is the most effective way to track the progress of training. After determining a lactate profile, we will provide training zones based on both heart rate and wattage.
Lactate Testing
Being able to measure training intensity is the most important thing an athlete can do in order to improve. Taking a blood lactate test at the UF Orthopaedics ands Sports Medicine Institute is the best way to do this. Many athletes and physiologists have used lactate analysis over the last decade as a tool for predicting endurance performance. Specifically, the higher the percentage of VO2max, or the higher the pace at which the lactate threshold occurs, the fitter the athlete.
Lactic Acid - What is it?
Lactic acid is a normal byproduct of muscular contraction. It is a key element used by the body to produce energy and is always present in our blood no matter what we are doing. When the lactate levels increase, hydrogen charged ions increase the acidity in your blood. This in turn lowers the efficiency of the muscle contractions. The hydrogen ion will eventually make the muscle stop functioning if it accumulates.
Why is lactate testing important?
The lactate test reveals the level of training in which there is balance of producing and using up lactate. The lactate threshold level is a measure of an athlete's maximal steady state, the level of intensity he or she can hold over a period of time for example during a 40-km time trial on a bike or a 10k pace for a runner.
Finding Lactate Threshold
A lactate threshold test is conducted by putting an athlete on a treadmill and gradually increasing the speed every three minutes. After each three-minute stage, blood is taken from a finger prick and the lactate is measured. Also, the athlete's speed, heart rate, and perceived exertion for the stage are recorded.
This process continues until a significant increase in blood lactate is observed from one stage to the next. This point is defined as the lactate threshold. At this point training zones are established, not only looking at the lactate threshold, but also the data collected leading up to the lactate threshold. After this testing, athletes receive a detailed report that contains their intensity zones based on heart rate and speed (min/mile for running and wattage for cycling).
Resting Metabolic Rate Testing: $50
Initial Dietary Consultation: $85 (1 hour)
Follow-up dietary Consultations: $55 (30 minutes)
