Intro to fitness testing & VO2 demonstration

Question 1

What 3 categories are considered to define an individual’s fitness capacity

Answer 1

• Cardiorespiratory capacity/power
• Body composition
• Musculoskeletal fitness

Question 2

What 4 factors make up the ‘Testing Loop’?

Answer 2

• Testing
• Analysis
• Feedback
• Inform

Question 3

What are the different types of skill related fitness?

Answer 3

Agility, Balance, Coordination
Speed
Power
Reaction time

Question 4

Cardiorespiratory fitness refers to the interactions between what?

Answer 4

The heart (cardiac) and the lungs (respiratory) that maximise performance and recovery.

Question 5

Define cardiorespiratory endurance

Answer 5

The ability of an individual to perform a strenuous task for a prolonged period (where large muscle groups are used).

Question 6

What factors should be taken into account when considering ‘what test is best?’

Answer 6

• Lab vs field-based?
• Reliability vs validity (for specific performance demands)
• Consider population being tested

Question 7

Does oxygen uptake increase linearly?

Answer 7

Yes - Oxygen uptake increases linearly until maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) is reached.

Question 8

What is the gold standard for verification of VO2 max?

Answer 8

a plateau in O2 consumption despite an increase in work rate.

Question 9

If a plateau in O2 consumption is not achieved, what secondary criteria can confirm VO2 max has been achieved?

Answer 9

1. Reaching age-predicted max heart rate (+/- 10 beats/min).
2. Achieving blood lactate concentration of 8 mmol/L or higher.
3. Attaining a respiratory exchange ratio (RER = VCO2/VO2) of 1.15 or higher.
4. Verification test

Question 10

What factors effect physiological adaptations from endurance training?

Answer 10

• Duration
• Frequency
• Genetics
• Intensity
• Training history

Question 11

What factors don’t effect physiological adaptations from endurance training?

Answer 11

Weight

Question 12

What is typically the Vo2 max of elite endurance athletes (m and f)?

Answer 12

M - 70+
F - 60+

Question 13

What is running economy?

Answer 13

The oxygen cost of running at a different speed

Question 14

What is fractional utilisation?

Answer 14

The ability to sustain a high % of VO2 max

Question 15

What is fractional utilisation mainly determined by?

Answer 15

Lactate threshold - the max intensity at which lactate production and clearance are in equilibrium and above which,
lactate accumulates and exercise becomes unsustainable.
- Therefore lactate threshold is a stronger predictor of performance than VO2max for longer distance events (15+ min)

Question 16

What is anaerobic capacity?

Answer 16

The ability to produce, tolerate and sustain maximal/supramaximal work rates through anaerobic energy production.

Question 17

What is ‘velocity at VO2max’?

Answer 17

The speed at which VO2 max is elicited - how fast are you actually running when you reach VO2max.
- Stronger predictor of endurance running performance than VO2max alone (particularly for middle distance events run ~95-120% VO2 max (800m-5k)).