The Human Performance Agenda (HPA) is a service to assess and evaluate athletic fitness and potential as well as prescribe methods to enhance training and competitive performance. Exercise physiologist, Dr. Robyn Walters, has more than 20 years experience in the physiological testing and performance assessment of athletes at levels from novice to professional. Dr. Walters also adds the real-world knowledge of many years of coaching experience at the elite level.
The primary goals of HPA analysis are:
- To allow individuals to have an increased knowledge of personal fitness strengths and weaknesses
- To use assessment data paired with relevant personal characteristics to improve training programs with precision
- To improve sport performance
Athlete Testing Includes:
- Comprehensive Report of Findings
- Client Performance Assessment, verbal and written formats
- Assessment of Strengths and Weaknesses
- Normative Comparison Charts
- Advice for Enhancing Training and Competitive Performance
- Evaluation of current training and lifestyle parameters
- Prescription for individualized training zones
Services
- Evaluation of and recommendations for technique, position, and other biomechanical factors
of performance
- Nutritional assessment and guidelines for sport performance
- Body Composition by Skin-fold Analysis (%body fat, %lean body mass)
- VO2max Analysis (functional aerobic capacity)
- Lactate Curve Analysis with VO2max (requires 2 visits)
- Maximal Lactate Steady State (MLSS) Analysis with Lactate Curve (requires 2-3 visits)
- Anaerobic Capacity Analysis with VO2max and Submax VO2-Power Analysis (requires 3 visits)
- with Lactate Curve Analysis additional
- Basal Metabolic Rate with gas analysis (resting, fasting)
Individual athletes in any sport will benefit from the knowledge of personal physiological and biomechanical characteristics in achieving performance goals. Whether novice or elite, the information generated from this type of testing is critical to determine appropriate and efficient training techniques for the individual sport and athlete. Sport club team members will find that the athlete testing facility offers a variety of physiological testing measures that are geared toward a high precision of information regarding aerobic capacity, lactate/anaerobic thresholds, anaerobic capacity, pulmonary and heart function, and body composition.
Experience testing elite athletes and state-of-the-art equipment allows THIM to generate guidelines for training and competition that can be critical to performance success.
Explanation of Physiological Assessment Procedures
1. Blood Hematocrit Test. This test involves taking a small sample of blood from the capillary bed of a finger, and analyzing it for a ratio of red blood cells to blood plasma. This test is also part of the protocol for the Blood Lactate Analysis.
2. Body Composition. This test involves measurement of body height, weight, and body fat levels. Body fat is determined using skin-fold calipers. Specific anatomical sites will be pinched and measured as data to input into valid prediction equations for % body fat.
3. Progressive Maximal Test. A progressive maximal test measures an individual’s maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 max) and corresponding heart rate. In the laboratory, maximal aerobic capacity can be measured several different ways including; bicycle, treadmill, and rowing ergometers. In each case, the athlete will have his/her ventilation and heart rate continually monitored by the appropriate electronic equipment. Tests are usually incremental; meaning the initial workload is fairly light and then increases gradually through to such a level that the athlete cannot sustain the work rate.
4. Anaerobic Tests – Cycle. These tests, conducted on a bicycle ergometer, assess anaerobic power and capacity, or “outright speed” and “sustained speed,” respectively. The first of these is assessed by a 30-second “all-out” or greatest possible effort and the latter by an “all-out” 30- to 240-second effort. The former usually presents no problems; however, a 30- to 240-second test is very exhausting, and some individuals may feel ill afterward.
5. Anaerobic Tests – Treadmill. Individuals will be required to run to exhaustion in either a peak power (30 sec) or a anaerobic capacity (1-4 minutes) protocol on a fast-moving treadmill on a moderate gradient. These tests require a high level of skill and fitness and is used only with trained runners.
6. Blood Lactate Analysis. A blood lactate analysis is done to measure an individual’s blood lactate transition thresholds at a given workload. The protocol is similar to that of the progressive maximal test, but varies in that small blood samples are collected pre-, post-, and during the test; stages are between 5-7 minutes with workloads gradually increasing, and may include a short rest period in between increasing workloads for blood to be taken.
7. Maximal Lactate Steady-State Analysis. A 30-minute time trial with lactate analysis to serve as a standardized performance task reflecting fitness in a fixed-duration test. The protocol requires the steady-state output approximately equal to power or speed/grade associated with the Individual Anaerobic Threshold (IAT) found in previous day’s lactate curve analysis. Lactate samples are taken every 5 minutes and at 2, 4, & 6 minutes post-test. As well, heart rate, work (kJ), and expired air are analyzed.
8. Basal Metabolic Rate. To estimate basal energy requirements as the sum of sleeping metabolic rate and the energy cost of arousal. In an awake, but relaxed supine state, indirect calorimetry will be performed through gas analysis. Two consecutive 15-20 minute samples will be taken to assure reliable results.
This document has been modified from the Explanation of Physiological Assessment Procedure List of
the Australian Sports Commission ã 2000.