what measure is this?

[spacejamz]

I participated in a fitness study (pretty cool study where i get my VO2 max measured by the study's doctors for free)...My measurements were taken while using a stationary bike while breathing into a mouthpiece with some nose clips to prevent me breathing through my nose.

My output was measured at 240 volts. What exactly does that mean?

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

 

[SociallyChallenged]

VO2max, in my experience, is always reported in Liters/min or ml/kg/min (and I'm an exercise physiologist). Honestly, 240V means nothing - I've not once seen that as a measurement. Can you ask them if they converted it to L/min or ml/kg/min? That's way, way more useful

 

[spacejamz]

sorry..i didn't mean to imply that the volts was a VO2 measurement...

They did mention that for someone my age, weight, etc, that 180 volts was normal, so I suppose that is a good sign.

It was one of the measurements they took while I took the VO2 test...I won't get my VO2 measurement until next week when I go back for the 2nd set of tests. (They will measure my body fat percentage in a water tank which is more accurate than calipers or shooting the voltage through your body)...

 

[spacejamz]

ooopsss..it was watts not volts...

 

[Exodist]

My first thought as well.. LMAO... :biggrin:

 

[edcarman]

ooopsss..it was watts not volts...

What did the test involve? How long did it last? Did they give any context to the wattage number - was it your power at VO2max, a peak power or the average power for the test? What do you weigh?

Wattage is a measure of the amount of power you produced on the bike. By itself, a number like 250W doesn't really say anything. Cycling power values are usually presented in the form of average watts per kilogram of bodyweight for a certain duration.

A value of 4W/kg for 5min, for example, means that a 70kg person averaged 280W over 5min.

About halfway down this page (http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/cycling/power-profiling.aspx) is a power profiling page that give typical W/kg values for all-out efforts over very durations. For power at VO2max, you'd be looking at the 5min power values.

The spreadsheet classes anything below 3W/kg for a male as untrained (i.e non-cyclist), a good amateur cyclist would be between 4W/kg and 5W/kg. A top level amateur would go up to about 6W/kg and a top level pro would be above 7W/kg.

For a 70kg male, this corresponds to VO2max powers of 210W for untrained, 280W-350W for good amateurs, 420W for top amateurs and 490W+ for top level pros.