Two stage bicycle test
Instructions:
1. This test is performed on a bicycle ergometer that can accurately measure workload in watts. You also need a heart rate monitor.
2.
First workload is chosen so that heart rate stabilizes between 120 and 140 bpm after 5 minutes of bicycling.
3. Second workload is chosen so that heart rate stabilizes between 140 and 160 bpm after an additional 5 minutes of bicycling.
3. Enter workload in watts and heart rate for the two workloads
Background:
This test is based on the linear relationship between heart rate and VO2. The graphical output in the calculator illustrates this. By extrapolating from the datasets for workload 1 and workload 2 up to estimated maximal heart rate, a maximal workload is calculated. This estimated maximal workload is then converted to an oxygen uptake. Finally to get relative VO2max the oxygen uptake is divided by body weight.
The calculator uses 220 - age to estimate maximal heart rate. If you know the actual maximal heart rate you can enter the specific age into the calculator that will correspond to the known maximal heart rate. Let's say that known maximal heart rate is 180 and the person tested is age 30. You could then enter age 40 in to calculator as this will result in an estimated maximal heart rate of 180. To get a correct evaluation of the result, you should then use the tables presented here: How to evaluate your fitness test result