You should probably get tested…

The best way to know and track your health and performance improvement over time, is regular testing! There are many different tests one can use to gain insights into health and fitness metrics, and we’ll summarize a few relevant ones here and why we use them over at Tri Nerds HQ!

First up, there are 2 categories of fitness testing; Field Testing and Lab Testing. 

Field testing occurs “in the field” or in an environment you would regularly train or compete in. A great example of this is the 2400m Cooper Test [[insert link to Field Test page]] we use regularly for athletes. 

A lab test is done “in lab” or an environment that is far more contrived and controlled than a Field Test. An example of this is the Graded Treadmill VO2 Max test, where the athlete is on a treadmill with specific loads applied to them while wearing all sorts of gear and measurement devices.

While neither of these categories are “better” or “worse,” they both can give us different insights into holistic athlete development.

A Field Test can, generally, be given to an athlete with very little oversight required from a coach or trainer. These tests can be conducted on your own, or in a group environment. These tests are not easier by any means, recall (if you dare) the days of Middle School PE classes and the dreaded Beep Test… These tests generally will have one, or more, metrics being recorded. Completing these tests will have more of an emphasis on individual motivation than raw physiological capacity, but when used correctly can be VERY accurate at estimating their physiological counterparts. In the 2400m Cooper Test, athletes must complete 6x 400m laps on a track to determine their approximate Maximal Oxygen Uptake (VO2 Max), not only does this require an athlete to have good pacing skills to push themselves as close to their limit without going over, but it also requires the athlete to be motivated enough to do so for a sustained duration!

In a Lab Test, there will be at least 1 Administrator. This will be a coach, trainer, exercise physiologist, or similar individual. The test will usually involve a single athlete tested at a time, and involves the measurement of two or more specific spetrics. This emphasis on more vectors allows the coach to get a more robust and accurate perspective on the athlete’s fitness. In the Graded Treadmill VO2 Max Test, there are standardized protocols used to elicit a maximal performance from an athlete. The athlete merely has to “hang on for the ride,” partly relying on the treadmill to hold them at pace but also maintaining focus on the task to ensure an accurate test result. The athlete doesn’t have to do as much “mental work” as in the Cooper test, all of their paces and the duration of each stage is controlled externally.

Both of these tests help find the same number, the VO2 Max . This number, though not the definitive assessment of an athlete’s potential, is a good indicator of fitness. This number, in its raw form, can be used as a benchmark to approximate how far from the floor or ceiling an athlete is.The difference is in the accuracy and the quality of data before the VO2 Max is determined. 

When using a Field Test, it is difficult to find any data or information about the athlete leading up to the termination of the test. The athlete runs at their maximal pace until they finish or they can’t, and that final duration and Heart Rate are used to determine VO2 and it’s corresponding heart rate. In the Lab test variant, the athlete is slowly coaxed up to their peak effort, giving us access to relevant data along the way. These data are what set the Lab Test apart from the Field Test. The Lab results provide us with so much more context to the story of the VO2 Max, context like the First- and Second- Ventilatory Threshold’s, the Maximal Fat utilization rate, the peak ventilatory frequency as well as its depth, and many other useful data points. 

Knowing when to use the various methods of testing and how to apply the data achieved is what working with an exercise professional is about. Testing and applying the principles can still be done on your own, just make sure you don’t get too bogged down in the data and understand it’s a process. Improvement is periodized, meaning you don’t have to get better every year all the time. There are points in the year/cycle when it’s better to let fitness go down so you can recover adequately and optimize your health in different areas to ensure greater long term success.