Knowing how your body is functioning during exercise is critical to knowing how to train correctly.  Every breath of life and all tissue are supported by oxygen.  Thus, oxygen utilization gives important information about how our body is operating, both at rest and during exercise.  By directly measuring oxygen utilization and carbon dioxide production, how hard you body is working can be precisely determined for any given intensity.  The following highlights are some of the specific information available through The Claremont Club’s Metabolic Assessment and how it will be invaluable to training success.

Quantification of intensity – determining precise heart rate training zones based on changes in oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and ventilation.

Quantification of supportable training loads – the watts or speeds associated with particular thresholds will help those training with power or speed to know precisely what work loads or speed their body can support.

Differentiate between training modes – assessment can occur in cycling, running, or walking formats, so that the degree of specificity in target training zones and work loads is enhanced.

Ability to precisely quantify oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production –Not only will VO2max be determined, but the calories(carbohydrates and fat) required at various intensities allowing for determination of proper nutrition before, during, and after exercise to support your training goals.

The following graph is an example of a Metabolic Assessment and how the delivery of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the body changes at increasing power outputs and how those changes are reflected in heart rate.  The two major thresholds are easily seen.  VT1 is known as the First Ventilatory Threshold and is sometimes called the Lactate Threshold (if measuring lactate) or Aerobic Base.  VT2 is the Second Ventilatory Threshold and is sometimes referred to as the Anaerobic Threshold (this is a misnomer as your body’s aerobic system does not shut off but anaerobic glycolysis predominates and its byproducts (not necessarily lactate) will cause exercise to slow after a short period of time).

The Training Zones derived from this assessment would look something like this: