Athlete Testing

Our goal is to help endurance athletes perform at their highest level. Part of how we do this is by offering lab testing to obtain valuable data to our athletes and / or their coaches through lactate threshold testing. This data is a great tool to have to drive individualized programming, ensuring an effective & efficient training plan that sees results. After all, if we aren't assessing, we are guessing.

Lactate is produced as a byproduct of carbohydrate metabolism. Lactate threshold represents the point at which lactate production exceeds the body’s ability to clear and reuse it, leading to rising blood lactate levels - the point you are training on borrowed time

Lactate threshold (the breakpoint area) is commonly defined as the highest intensity an athlete can sustain while blood lactate remains relatively stable.
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Purpose of Testing

A lactate test allows athletes to:

Identify individual metabolic profiles

Establish personalized training zones

Track physiological adaptations over time

Inform training priorities

In other words, if you understand the two points lactate starts accumulating within your body, you will know which paces (and heart rates) you should be training at to maximize fitness improvements.

Lactate threshold testing is for any athlete who is curious about their current fitness level, but even more so for athletes who would like to improve their performance and ensure their training program is most efficient for their individual metabolic profile. This is also an option for coaches who are curious about their athletes current LT1 and LT2 levels so that they can more efficiently create individualized training cycles based on physiological data

We begin with a couple baseline measurements (eg, heart rate), and instructions and then your warmup will begin on the treadmill. This will be at low intensity for 3 minutes, at which point you will be asked to prick your finger or earlobe (we show you how) so that we can gather a sample of your blood with our portable lactate reader and disposable strips. We increase the intensity for another 3 minutes before taking another sample, and this process is repeated until you pass your second lactate threshold. We follow this up with an easy cool down for 5 minutes, then you are finished. Most individuals will complete approximately 10 stages before exhaustion. Throughout the test, we also monitor your heart rate and rate of perceived exertion (RPE)

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

Please bring clean indoor running shoes & water, and wear comfortable, breathable clothing that you can move well in

HOW LONG IS THE TEST?

Your appointment is booked for an hour, but the testing itself should take approximately 45 minutes

HOW DO I PREPARE?

Eat a good meal 2 hours prior to the test but avoid any high carb / high sugar foods or drinks 2 hours prior. Make sure you are well hydrated and well rested. Ideally no hard efforts in the 48 hours prior to testing and no alcohol.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DO THIS?

It's great to have your lactate tested 1-2 times per year, usually before a big training block, and in the middle. This ensures you will be training at the right paces, and can be a good measure of fitness improvement over time

HOW DO I BOOK AN APPOINTMENT?

Please text Rachel (905) 321-6580 to set up your appointment

HOW MUCH DOES THIS COST?

Lactate testing is $200 CAD

CAN I HIRE YOU FOR MY TEAM?

Yes. We are able to travel within the Niagara Region to test groups of athletes in their setting. Text Rachel to discuss details further.