LT test Friday - what to expect?

[moo2]

I'm having a professional, lab quality LT/VO2Max/MaxHR test done on Friday at the local uni. Does anyone have any advice on preparation, what to expect, etc.?

Should I continue training right up to the test day, or should I take Thursday off?

Am I correcting in assuming that I should consider the test on Friday to be that day's workout?

I was told to bring my bike, but they didn't mention anything else. Obviously I'm bringing shorts, shoes, jersey and gloves. I assume that I won't need my helmet since the test is done in a lab. Should I worry about hydration? This brings up another question; how long is this type of testing usually?

Also, since they're using my bike for the test, do I need to worry about frame damage? I'm not sure what exactly they'll be connecting to my bike, but I assume it will be similar to an indoor trainer. I would never think of going all-out on my trainer for fear of frame damage.

For anyone interested who's in my area (South Florida), I'm having the test done by the Exercise Science department of FAU, for about $150.

I'm not expecting stellar results, since this is my first season of serious training in a decade, but I wanted some acurate numbers with which to base my training zones.

[streners]

I'm only guessing here but it probably will be on an indoor trainer, one of the nice ones that hook up to a computer. I wouldn't worry about frame damage, the frame will flex more than on the road, but unless the frame is already weakened or damaged it should be fine, particularly for a one off. As for hydration, you may as well take something to drink, who knows how long it may take and how hot the lab will be. Taking it with you won't affect your performance after all, whilst being dehydrated will. Personally I find any indoor training sessions seem to use at least two waterbottles worth for me. For V02 max stuff I presume they'll be working you on intervals, and for lactate threshold more prolonged zone 4 area work. At a guess I reckon it would be a couple of hours. It all depends what equipment they use. If I were you, I would give them a call and check exactly what it involves and what you need.

Oh yeah and bring a towel as well, Max HR will make you sweat something chronic.

[nathank]

last spring i had just the LT test, so yours will be more with the VO2 and MaxHR...

the day before should be a rest day! at best you should treat it like a competition day to get the best results. i made this mistake last year and had planned a rest day and then i had a time conflict and had to do the test 1 day earlier - after a hard interval day! my peak Watts of power were much lower than i expected and i presume b/c of this (my muscles were actually somewhat sore during the test - not good)

for the LT test, generally you go through incremental steps of resistance... mine was on a fixed spinning bike and i just used my pedals and shoes. so you go x minutes at a certain level (2-5 minutes) and then you HR is measured and your blood is taken (usually from the earlope). then it is increased and so on until you you can't go any more.

i would guess that after this you would have a short rest and then take the max HR test (b/c you need to be warm for than) which will probably be some form of short burst intervals - probably doing as many as possible until you can't

for VO2 max i'm not sure - probably it will be done along with the LT test by also measuring your oxygen intake/outtake...

in all the test riding should be much less than an hour although the process will take 1-2 hours.

the test can probably be considered a workout - kind of like and interval/speed day - although you could go for a spin ride afterwards - a good spin home is a good idea to get the stuff out of the legs.

as to the trainer... i don't own one so i don't know. i would expect they are used to expensive bikes if they asked you to bring yours as most people getting tested are a) serious and b) not poor or else pros.... it could also be that the test is on an indoor fixed-trainer and they just want to use you bike to get like measurements - no idea here, sorry.

have fun! for mine they printed out a whole booklet of charts and graphs and we then discussed the results a while as a group (about 8 guys from my club all did the test so we got it cheaper for $60 - but just the LT test)

[Guest]

A few tips:

Please, DO NOT WORK OUT WITHIN 24 HOURS OF YOUR TEST!!!! If you fatigue your muscles, you will not be able to perform to your maximum potential.

Also, get a good night's sleep- the 8 hours is a must. If you can get 8 hours of sleep every night leading up to the test, even better.

If you do plan on working out 48 hours before your test, make it no more than a medium intensity workout for the minimum amount of time you can do. You do not want to overfatigue your muscles in any way.

Purge yourself of caffeine or other stimulants that can skewer test results. Also, make sure you are drinking your 8 glasses of water per day. If you can drink more, even better (but don't overhydrate- you don't have to go crazy here!).

Bring water to the session with you. You may need it.

Wear loose clothing (or comfortable clothing) for the tests.

THe day of the test, give it your best effort! Of course, you already know that.

As far as time, I haven't been to a testing facility that's taken less than 45 minutes. So block out anywhere between 1- 2 hours for the test.

Let us know how it goes!

Koffee

[Lost Coyote]

As the other posters said, rest up. Take a sports drink for after the test. You are not going to be able to drink while being tested as you will be breathing through a mouthpiece and you nose will be plugged. You shouldn't need a jersey as you should have electrodes for ekg stuck all over you. I don't think the gloves would be needed either. The tests basically tell what's going on at different heart rates. It is not a test of how long you can work out at any given heart rate. What they do is bring you up progressively to different levels, get a reading and then move on to the next level until you die (just kidding). The test really doesn't take long, you'll be amaized how fast they'll thrash you.

[moo2]

Well, the test is done!
I must say, it's not at all like I expected it to be.

I arrived at the lab, and they bolted my bike to their Velotron something-or-other, and I got changed. They strapped a HRM on my chest (no EKG), and took a finger-prick blood sample to get a resting lactate level.

Then, they had me start riding at a comfortable cadence, power set to 25 watts. After only a few minutes (my warm up I guess), they started the test at 50 watts.

Every three minutes, they would increase the power by 25 watts, and take another finger-prick blood sample. All the while, I had the VO2 respirator thingie stuck in my mouth.

Let me just say that it is not pleasant at all to breathe through this thing, and I'm sure I would have done better on the test if I didn't have this big honking plastic scuba looking thing stuck in my mouth.

Also, it is neither pleasant nor easy to take one hand off the bar while keeping the same power output, and hold it still for about two minutes while the doctor takes a blood sample.

I'm not going to post the results here, but I can probably assume that I won't be climbing Ventoux with Mr. Armstrong this year. So, I found out that I didn't do bad, but I'm also no genetic freak like some athletes either.

I went into this thing hoping to get a baseline LTHR for setting my training zones. It turns out that my LTHR estimate is probably right on the money.

All in all, it was a good experience, but the procedure is a little cumbersome. I'm probably going to have another test done at the end of the season, in order to guage my progress.

Thanks to all who responded.

[Lost Coyote]

Yeah, it's real different to breath through that mouth thing with your nose pinched off. Most people I've talked to who've done the test were all kinda dissapointed, and thought they could have done better some how. The test told me what I already knew, I was training too hard and needed to slow down to stay in my zone, dag gum it!

[moo2]

Yes. About 1 second after I finally gave up and stopped the test, I realized that I could have given it some more gas.

That's always been my point of view. Psychology is such a big part of it. You just have to stop listening to the pain, and your brain telling you to quit, and keep on truckin. I'm not an expert at that myself, but I do realize that my sub-stellar genes and body could perform much better than they do now, if I can just disconnect my brain from the equation.

Ha ha. Easier said than done for sure.

[roadbuzz]

It's kind of like a group ride vs. riding alone... seems like you can always dig deeper if there's a degree of competition. But would it change your lactate threshold or VO2 max, or just cause you to work harder under the deficit?

[Spire]

On Lance's Homepage he has a simple (but only ballpark) way to estimate your V02Max, I couldn't find it just now, I'll look again and post the link.

[moo2]

The added effect of competition would not change your LT or LTHR per se, but I believe it would effect your lactate tolerance, or your ability to maintain power despite the onset of lactate buildup.