Human Performance Clinical Research Laboratory Performance Health Analysis

Body composition refers to your total body mass and is broken down into fat mass (adipose tissue) and lean mass (muscles, bone, vital organs, bodily fluids). Body composition is an important indicator of health as excessive fat mass is linked to many chronic diseases and can be harmful to your health.

• Protocol Description:
  • Our body composition package consists of a scan in a Bod Pod machine which uses air displacement plethysmography to determine the ratio of fat mass to lean mass.
  • Subjects are asked to sit comfortably inside of the Bod Pod machine and to breathe into a tube connected to the machine.
  • Appointments last approximately 30 minutes with <5 minutes spent in the Bod Pod machine.
  • Minimal tight clothing is necessary for a Bod Pod test, spandex based clothing items (sports bra, compression shorts, or swimsuit) are recommended. A swim cap is provided during the test.
• Data Generated: % fat, % fat mass, fat mass, fat free mass, body mass, body volume, body density and thoracic gas volume
  • Results are available immediately

This is a gold standard test of peak aerobic capacity.  A VO2 Max Test provides information on the body’s ability to utilize oxygen and is determined through measuring gas exchange while exercising to volitional exhaustion (maximal effort).

• Protocol Description:
  • This test is performed running on a treadmill or cycling on an exercise bike (we can also perform the test on an athlete’s own bike connected to a Wahoo Kickr).
  • Expired gas is collected during exercise through a mouthpiece and analyzed while heart rate is measured continuously.
  • This test lasts approximately 8-20 minutes and the exercising individual progresses through stages increasing in speed or resistance until they cannot continue further.
  • Total appointment lasts approximately one hour and the test can be customized to match the athlete’s ability level.
• Data Generated: VO₂max (maximal oxygen consumption rate), maximal heart rate, maximal ventilatory rate

Lactate is generated as a byproduct when muscle cells use glucose. With higher intensity exercise, more glucose is utilized as an energy substrate, and more lactate is produced. Inherent ability and/or effective training allows less lactate to accumulate for any given running pace or cycling power output and can be an indicator of endurance efficiency. The ability to attenuate lactate accumulation and efficiently process and remove lactate is a powerful predictor of endurance performance.

Protocol Description:

• This test is performed running on a treadmill or cycling on an exercise bike (we can also perform the test on an athlete’s own bike connected to a Wahoo Kickr).
• The athlete will run at various sub-maximal paces or cycle at various power outputs to achieve multiple steady-states to determine endurance efficiency.
• Each effort is three to five minutes in duration with six to ten bouts total. It is customized to the athlete’s ability and goals. Usually, one bout is at or near an athlete’s race pace or functional threshold power or pace.
• Lactate is measured during the test by collecting small amounts of blood via an earlobe prick.
• From this lactate profile, a “lactate threshold” will be determined which can be used for planning a training regimen and/or estimating training zones. (See FAQ below for lactate threshold definition)
• Data Generated: Lactate threshold, heart rate

This is an advanced test measuring your blood lactate and oxygen consumption to determine your six physiologic training zones.  You can build a training program around these training zones to maximize results and decrease the risk of overtraining. This may be particularly helpful if you want to establish “Zone 2” training or to follow a more polarized training regimen.

• Protocol Description:
  • This test is performed running on a treadmill or cycling on an exercise bike (we can also perform the test on an athlete’s own bike connected to a Wahoo Kickr).
  • The athlete will run at various sub-maximal paces or cycle at various power outputs to achieve multiple steady-states, the subject moves through stages increasing in speed or resistance until they cannot continue further.
  • Expired gas is collected during exercise through a mouthpiece and analyzed while the heart rate is measured continuously.
  • Lactate is measured during the test by collecting small amounts of blood via an earlobe prick.
• Data Generated: Lactate threshold, maximal heart rate, maximal ventilatory rate, training zones

Resting metabolic rate measures the amount of energy required to perform basic functions including, breathing, brain function, and heartbeat. Many aspects affect a person’s resting metabolic rate including weight, age, body composition, gender, hormone levels and genetics. This test provides information regarding the amount of calories that are burned while at rest. This accounts for approximately 70% of a person’s total daily energy expenditure.

• Protocol Description
  •  It is required that participants fast from all food and drink (except water) for 12 hours
    prior to the test and refrain from intense exercise and drinking alcohol for 24 hours prior
    to the test.
  • Participants are asked to lay down comfortably on a bed for 40 minutes with a hood over
    their head. This hood will be collecting all expired gasses.
  • During the test a technician will remain in the room to ensure participants minimize
    movement and do not fall asleep.
• Data Generated
  • Total daily calories burned at rest

• Aerobic Capacity or “VO2max” refers to the body’s maximal oxygen uptake. An individual’s VO2max is a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness reflecting the body’s ability to use oxygen while engaging in strenuous activity.
• VO2Max is determined by measuring gas exchange while exercising at increasing intensity until an individual reaches volitional exhaustion (cannot exercise further). VO2max is expressed in milliliters of oxygen consumed in a minute and is then adjusted for an individual’s body weight in kilograms ml/kg/min
• Factors influencing VO2max include age, gender, genetics, body composition, and training status.

Lactate is a metabolic byproduct produced during glucose metabolism that acts as a fuel source during exercise.

• Lactate threshold (anaerobic threshold) refers to an intensity of exercise where blood lactate accumulation is greater than lactate removal. 
• Lactate threshold can be used to create a training program. With training, an individual can increase their lactate threshold allowing them to tolerate higher intensity activity over longer durations.

You will receive your test results within two weeks from your test date in an easy to read report. Some data points such as body composition or VO2Max can be provided immediately after test completion. Our team is happy to schedule a phone call or follow up consultation to review your results with you.

Our facility is located on the Northwest side of CSU’s campus at 910 Moby Drive. We are directly east of Moby arena with an entrance facing the CSU softball and intramural fields.

NO. While endurance athletes frequently take advantage of our performance health analysis program, we are open to community members of all ages and activity levels. We specialize our testing protocols based on an individual’s goals and physical activity background to ensure a safe testing experience.

Yes, a member from our team will provide you with a parking pass upon arrival to our facility.