So I got in on this cycle study at the Human Performance Lab. It's a study that is determining the effectiveness of a warm up on a 5K time trial. I thought 5K on my bike no big deal. I didn't realize the 5K would be on a 3% grade hill. It's a little tough, but kinda fun to do. The participants get a free lab work-up (bike) for helping them with this study. I thought it might be interesting to see what the deal was. Most of my friends (athletic ones) have been to HPL and gotten tested, so I didn't want to miss out.
So on the first visit, they did my testing and showed me what the study would be...including that hill climb!
Testing was interesting: they did the standard height and weight, then skin fold tests (so much fun to have your fat measured), then on the bike you spun at increasingly harder intervals while they have this mask on your face (to check your exhaled breath for things) and prick your ear every (I think) 3 min to get your lactic measurements, and check your heart rate throughout, and you have a chart to point at to tell them how hard it feels to you. The chart is because it's hard to talk when you are working hard, but even harder with the mask on. The testing day mask that I had was bigger than any of the other ones I've had since, but they told me they were trying a new one out. I did get my results from my test, it said I need to keep working on getting fitter and leaner. It wasn't a surprise.
Every time after I just go in and they weigh me, and take my blood pressure, get the mask put on, get a starting ear prick, I do the protocol (either warm up for x amount of time, or not warm up at all), do the ride, get an ending blood pressure and ear prick (I do have a heart rate monitor on the whole time too), and then do my own cool down.
I should mention, before I get on my bike there, someone has to sit and spin on it for 10 minutes to warm up the trainer so that the tests are all accurate. *smiles*
I have one more time in. I think there are about 20 people doing the study. I hope they'll let us know the results when it's all done.
Chris E warming up my bike.
Photo Op - before I got to sweaty. It's the mask that makes me look so good...right??
Getting my ear pricked at the end.
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