Fitness Professionals

Whether you are a devoted athlete or a professional trainer dealing with unfit clients, it is important to individualize the training program to achieve a person’s set goals. 

The first step is to determine physical capabilities and limitations.  This measure is best obtained through a comprehensive test such as the CPET, which gives a precise measurement of VO2 max (oxygen consumption at maximal exercise).  The VO2 max denotes the efficiency of all the bodily systems involved in exercise. 

A person’s VO2 max may only marginally increase with fitness training.  However what is most important about this measurement is that it identifies the point at which exercise can be maintained for a long period of time.  This may only be at the area where energy is produced aerobically in certain individuals and others can function under certain anaerobic conditions. This is what we call the “critical power.”

Critical power, as well as the anaerobic threshold, can be manipulated and increased with training, even when the VO2 max has not increased.  The CPET data helps to achieve this because it helps the trainer and the trainee to find the ideal zone to target.  We call this “your fit zone.”   

Once this individual data is known, it can be applied differently depending on fitness goals and types of sports a person participates in.

Here are a few examples:

Endurance training

Training for a marathon involves several cycles: base training, mileage building, strength building, speed work, tapering, and post recovery.  The length of time devoted to each cycle depends on the fitness level of the runner.  Some critical questions include determining how early to begin the training program and maintaining the proper dietary program so that energy can be produced more efficiently.

In long endurance tasks such as marathon running, a very important skill is pacing. This can only be accomplished if people know at what point their body is performing.  Remember, the CPET identifies the point at which exercise can be maintained for a long period of time.  By using the information gained from the CPET, runners will know whether to speed up their pace or slow it down so that they can finish their run.

Power training and extreme sports

At the other end of the spectrum is training for an anaerobic sport such as baseball.  Anaerobic sports rely on ATP – that is, creatine phosphate system with short bursts of high intense activities that exceed the anaerobic threshold in certain muscle groups. Since the average play in baseball lasts only about 5 seconds, a training program must be designed to reach well above the anaerobic threshold for a short period of time followed by recovery enough to last a game that may last over 2 hours.

Ideally, programs for these types of activities will include interval training with short rest periods.

Weight loss and conditioning

Overweight individuals who want to loose weight or “fat” content must target another zone.  They should not do excessive cardio exercise that can result in muscle loss.  Since muscle consumes calories, the presence of muscle helps burns more fat

The data obtained in the CPET allows people to see the point where muscle or fat is used for energy by the chart of the “respiratory exchange ratio,” also known as “RQ.”   This will allow trainers to further individualize an exercise program based on the needs for an individual.

This respiratory exchange ratio also allows you to learn what “fuels” are being burned.  This can help formulate special or individualized diets that can further help people to lose weight. 

Improving performance for the all around athlete

Every person should have an “ideal intensity” that produces results when they exercise.  The level of ideal intensity is however different for each individual.  With the data obtained through the CPET, a trainer can apply the principle of the “gradual progressive overload.”  The GPO principle allows a person to increase the challenge and avoid excessive accommodation while at the same time avoid excessive tear and injury when exercising. 

Similarly, by learning their fit zone, people can also train to apply the “over-under” principle to increase endurance and avoid fatigue with the required task.