Health Fitness Strength & Balance
HEALTH TESTS ARE USEFUL FOR EVERYBODY
In order to achieve excellent results, everyone – from beginners to professional athletes – needs to check what physical shape they’re in regularly. Health tests are especially important for those who have little experience of sports or who’ve taken a long break in training.Health tests produce precise results about the way your body works. Based on this information it’s possible to establish intensity and load levels, recommended pulse and other important factors. Correct starting points make training as effective as possible and help keep health problems at bay.
​
EVALUATING BODY COMPOSITION
Often only body weight is taken as an indicator of whether you’re in shape. In reality, it’s more important to know the percentage of fat in your body, how much of your body is made up of muscles and so on. For example, if a person's weight fits the norm but the percentage of fat in their body is too high, this could cause serious health problems in the long run. If you take a health test, your data are analysed by a specialist who will point out problems and advise you on what to do to rid yourself of them. Evaluation of body composition includes:weighing and measuring;calculating your body mass index;measuring the percentage of fat in your body;a lactate test, i.e. stress test;data analysis; andrecommendations for further action.
LACTATE TEST i.e. stress test
Lactate is the salt from lactic acid. It is generated during intense muscle exercise and is thereafter absorbed in the blood. Excess lactate in the blood causes a heavy feeling in the muscles, as well as occasional soreness. If you exercise at the correct pulse intervals, the concentration of lactate will not exceed the permitted limits and your body will quickly return to its normal state. Foods rich in carbohydrates (porridge, pasta, rice, juice and so on) should be eaten two to three hours before the lactate test. Drinks containing caffeine or taurine should not be consumed on the day of the test, nor should any intense exercise be done. Intense physical exercise should also be avoided the day before the test. If you fall ill during the week leading up to the lactate test, the test has to be postponed.
The lactate test measures:
-
the body's capacity to function;
-
aerobic and anaerobic levels;
-
pulse intervals during exercise of different levels of intensity; and
-
the body's consumption of carbohydrates and fat during different training regimes.
The lactate test takes 30 to 60 minutes and is done on a treadmill or exercise bike. The intensity is raised gradually and a blood sample is taken after each increase from the earlobe or fingertip. The level of lactate is determined via these blood samples.
You should bring comfortable exercise clothes and shoes, a bottle of water, a towel and, if possible, a heart-rate monitor and chest belt when you come to take the lactate test.