VO2 Max Testing

Welcome to the UKBF Performance Lab!

Professional Physiology Testing to support Amateur Athletes

What is VO2 Max Testing, And How Can It Help Me?

Your VO2 Max is essentially your maximum rate of Oxygen consumption. It tells you how efficiently you can take in Oxygen via your lungs.

Knowing your VO2 Max is important for cyclists, as cycling is predominantly an aerobic exercise. The bigger your VO2 Max, the bigger your “aerobic engine”, and the more power you can put out in a sustainable way.
If your VO2 Max is lower, you will cross over into using your anaerobic system quicker. This means that the power you are pedalling at becomes unsustainable, and fatiguing by-products are produced more rapidly.

VO2 Max is one metric used to determine fitness, but there is a much bigger picture. We always recommend combining a VO2 Max test with a Lactate Threshold Test. Generally speaking, the closer your Lactate Threshold is to your VO2 Max, the better. This means that you can sustain a higher percentage of your VO2 Max, without creating those fatiguing by-products, which includes lactate.

For example, someone with a VO2 Max of 80 who can only hold 60% of that value at their Lactate Threshold, will be worse than someone with a VO2 Max of only 70, but can hold 80% of that for extended periods of riding.

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Testing Specifically Designed For Amateur Athletes

Most amateur or recreational athletes usually think something along the lines of, “I’m not good enough for Performance Testing”. This couldn’t be further from the truth…

Every hour of a recreational cyclists’ training time is precious. You need to train around other commitments in your work and family life. A professional cyclist has the luxury of being able to ride their bike for 30+ hours every week.

Our testing is designed to enable you to get the most out of your available time, by targeting your training to your physiology. Our expert Physiologist will spend time helping you to understand your results in a way where you can implement them into your training.