VO2 Max and Fitness Testing

Here at DexaFit we ask a question you may not hear often, “if your body could talk, what would it tell you?” We believe that in order to transform your life, your health, and your fitness level, you need to know and understand your body. In doing so, you will live a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life.

A phrase frequently repeated during training is “no pain, no gain,” but we don’t agree with that philosophy. While we believe in training hard, we place more emphasis on training smarter than harder. That’s where our VO2 Fitness Test comes into play.

What is the VO2 Fitness Test?

In the fitness world, it is common knowledge that different training zones yield different results, such as enhancing endurance or burning fat. However, the training zones that are usually provided by most fitness tests typically only tell you heart rates based on averages that are based on height and weight.

This is not the case with the DexaFit VO2 Cardio Fitness Test. The VO2 test actually measures your precise target heart rate using your anaerobic threshold and identifies your own Target Intensity Zones—a unique customization other fitness tests do not provide. Knowing these zones and your specific heart rates allows you to optimize your exercise and maximize your results. As a result, it’s the most efficient way to train.

Why Are These Zones So Important?

When you train too hard or in a way that isn’t optimized to your body, it increases after-workout soreness and causes exercise-related injuries such as stress fractures. This can add stress on your immune system, inevitably leading you to catch colds or become sick.

VO2 testing minimizes after-workout soreness and allows you to train in a way that is the safest for your individual body, reducing the risk for exercise-related injuries. There is no longer guesswork about which target heart rate zone you should be in for aerobic or fat burning exercise. After taking the VO2 Cardio Fitness Test you will know the precise level of intensity and heart rate zone to maximize the amount of body fat to burn.

Once you know your personalized heart rate and intensity zones from taking the VO2 Cardio Fitness Test, you can get a DexaFit DXA scan. These body fat-testing scans will measure your total body fat and include the exact breakdown of bone mass, fat tissue, and muscle in your body. When paired with VO2 testing you’ll know just the problem areas you want to lose fat and build muscle in, all while knowing the exact heart rates and intensity level you need to be in to accomplish that goal.

How the VO2 Test Works

The test is simple and straightforward. You put on a heart rate strap and a facemask, which is attached to DexaFit’s Metabolic Testing cart. You will then exercise on a treadmill or cycle with a professional trainer who will instruct you to gradually increase your intensity over a period of 10-20 minutes. Once your VO2 Max test is completed, you can cool down while your Target Intensity Zones are calculated and printed in a simple, easy to understand report. This is also conducted in a short, thirty-minute window.

Why the VO2 Fitness Test Will Help You

If you’re like most of the population, there are parts of your body you’re unsatisfied with. And, if you’re like most of us, these problem zones are stubborn and have plagued you for a long time. Despite working out, targeting these areas, and actively paying attention to the heart rate zones your workout machine is recommending, you just can’t seem to tone the area or shed those pounds.

The VO2 Fitness Test can help put a stop to this endless cycle. Once you understand your body’s exact heart rate and fat burning zones, your aerobic base, anaerobic threshold, and the max you are able to push yourself, there is no more guessing of how to work these problem areas. You’ll finally know, and can put that knowledge into action. Utilizing the VO2 Cardio Fitness Test will help you become your strongest, fittest, and healthiest self.

DexaFit has locations through out the United States. These locations not only offer VO2 Cardio Fitness Testing, but body fat measurement, body composition analysis, metabolic tests, biomarker tests, and much more as well. Our technology—known as DXA or DEXA Scans, is recognized as the best method to measure your body fat percentage, metabolism, and fitness. Whether you’re an athlete, a trainer, or just someone who is curious, we’re here to help.