SuperUser Account
/ Categories: Fitness, Health & Wellness

VO2 Max - Pinpointing the Weakest Link in Your Training

Fit young woman running on a treadmill with a respirator on, completing a VO2 max test

Written by: Mehran Tabrizi, Personal Trainer, Cambridge Club

As life gets busier and more complex, time becomes our most precious commodity. That’s why optimizing your workouts based on your unique physiology and goals is key to getting results - especially for busy moms.

A VO2 max test and report can pinpoint the weakest link in your training, helping you work smarter, not harder. For moms juggling family, work, and personal time, squeezing in workouts can be tough. Add in the hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause - which impact energy levels, sleep quality, and weight regulation - and it becomes even more challenging.

Many people work incredibly hard but still don’t see the results they’re after. One common reason? They lack a strong fat-burning base or aren’t hitting the right intensity zones during workouts. Without clear insight into your heart rate zones, it’s easy to push too hard in your easy cardio sessions - and not hard enough during high-intensity efforts in Zone 4.

Here’s where VO2 max testing makes all the difference.

Your mitochondria - the "engines" in your cells - produce 90% of your body’s energy. When we measure your Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER), we can identify exactly what heart rate range burns the most fat, and when you’re simply overtaxing your body without meaningful return. Think of it like revving your engine at full throttle while stuck in first gear - it’s exhausting and inefficient.

By discovering your optimal training zones, you gain a personalized roadmap for smarter, more effective workouts. Structured zone training helps you tap into supercompensation - improving performance while minimizing wear and tear on your joints and soft tissue.

Let’s unlock your personal user manual and make every minute count.

Previous Article Playing Better Golf Starts Before the First Tee
Next Article Endurance Training: The Good, The Bad, and The Fabulous
Print
2104
10 Ways Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Can Help with Endometriosis
Endometriosis is more than just painful periods - it’s a chronic condition that can deeply impact daily life, mobility, and overall well-being. While medical treatments like hormone therapy...
Read More
Endometriosis: Symptoms & Diagnosis
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the endometrium (the lining of the uterus) grows outside the uterus. These growths, called lesions or implants, commonly...
Read More
The not-so-hidden benefits of Our Fitness Clubs
More Canadians than ever have home gyms. We cite convenience, lower cost, and privacy as huge benefits. Which makes sense. For decades we have complained that we can’t exercise because we...
Read More
What is Preventative Health?
Preventative health isn’t just a buzzword - it’s a game-changer. Imagine feeling your best and catching potential issues before they mess up your routine. Sounds amazing, right? One of...
Read More
Why Kegels are sometimes Not the Answer
Kegels are exercises that involve contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles to improve strength, endurance, and control. They are commonly recommended for pelvic floor dysfunction,...
Read More
What IS Functional Training anyhow?
While I don’t add the word functional to describe the type of training I do with my clients, you wouldn’t be wrong if you labelled it as such. The human body needs a number of things...
Read More
Losing Weight: Simple and Tricky
Lots of people speak to me about wanting to lose some weight. Yet despite 3 decades of experience and being up on all the latest research on the topic, I’m often at a loss to know exactly...
Read More
Blue Monday - Tips & Hints
Okay, let’s get real! Blue Monday is a term that’s often claimed to be the ‘most depressing day of the year’. It is usually the 3rd Monday of January (in 2025 that was this...
Read More
124678910Last