Zone 2 Blood Lactate Assessment
Optimize your aerobic training!
Pinpoint your unique Aerobic Threshold (AeT) and define the upper limit of your Zone 2 with a Zone 2 Blood Lactate assessment.
Zone 2 is defined as the highest metabolic output/intensity that you can sustain while keeping your lactate level below two millimole per liter of blood.
Benefits of Zone 2 Training
Improved Endurance
Zone 2 training helps build a strong aerobic base, which is crucial for endurance performance.
Enhanced Fat Burning
By training in this zone, your body becomes more efficient at burning fat for fuel.
Improved Mitochondrial Function
Zone 2 training stimulates the growth and function of mitochondria, the powerhouses of your cells, which are responsible for energy production.
Enhanced Lactate Clearance
Zone 2 training helps your body become better at clearing lactate, a byproduct of intense exercise, which can lead to fatigue.
Active Recovery
Zone 2 training can also serve as a great form of active recovery, helping your body recover from more intense workouts.
Increased Aerobic Capacity
Zone 2 training increases your body's ability to use oxygen efficiently, leading to improved cardiovascular health.
Reduced Risk of Injury
By focusing on building a strong aerobic base, you can reduce the risk of injuries associated with overtraining or high-intensity workouts.
Improved Performance
By improving your body's ability to use oxygen and burn fat, you can perform better in endurance events and other activities.
How it Works
A Zone 2 Blood Lactate assessment is performed on either a bike or a treadmill (walk or run). It consists of a 15-minute warm up followed by 4-5 minute stages of increasing intensity. Intensity is increased through speed, incline and/or watts depending on preference and abilities. Once 2mmol/L of lactate is measured, the test is ended.
Blood samples via finger prick are collected at rest, every 5 minutes during the warm-up and then again at the end of each stage. We try not to go over 10 samples. Heart rate is also monitored via Garmin/Polar chest strap.
VO2max FAQs
A VO2max assessment uses gas chamber analysis to analyze levels of expired O2 and CO2. The ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide will determine aerobic and anaerobic heart rate zones presented in beats per minute. Total volume of oxygen consumed and utilized during peak physical exertion will determine VO2max measured in ml/kg/min.
You will receive:
- VO2max fitness ranking and score in ml/kg/min
- Unique Heart Rate training zones
- Frequency, intensity (in beats per minute) and duration for aerobic and anaerobic training
Prep instructions are emailed prior to your appointment and below.
- Dress in comfortable exercise attire and closed toe workout shoes.
- Refrain from exercise/heavy endurance training for 24-hours prior to the assessment.
- No food, tobacco, alcohol, or caffeine for at least 3 hours prior to the assessment.
- Avoid wearing facial make-up as it may compromise the fit of the mask.
- Continue medications as usual.
Your appointment is scheduled for 45 minutes. Your actual assessment time will be 10-15 minutes on average.
You will have a discussion with your exercise physiologist to determine the best suited protocol (walk, run or cycle) for your fitness level. You will be fitted with a mask and heart rate monitor. Your technician will demonstrate how the assessment will go start to finish.
You can choose the modality that best suits you – walk, run or cycle. We encourage you to choose the modality that you are most comfortable with and that you currently use or plan to use for cardiovascular training.