VO2max
$179
In modern preventative medicine, VO2max is considered a vital sign. Moving from the lowest fitness quartile to the highest can cut all-cause mortality risk by up to five-fold, making aerobic capacity one of the most modifiable variables for a long, healthy life.
Disclaimer: This testing and any associated results debrief are for informational, fitness, and educational purposes only. They do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified medical professional before starting any high-intensity exercise programme or making significant changes to your training regimen.
Who is this for?Anyone who takes their long-term health seriously and wants a genuine measure of their aerobic reserve, not a wearable estimate. Anyone motivated by their longevity data who wants to know exactly where they sit against the mortality risk curve, and what to do about it. Those whose GP has flagged a cardiovascular or metabolic concern who want objective fitness data to act on. Anyone starting a new exercise programme who wants a real baseline to measure progress against, rather than guessing.
If you want a fuller picture alongside your VO2max, resting metabolic rate and body composition testing build out the rest of your health profile.
How do I prepare?No exercise for 24 hours before your test
No food or caffeine for 3 hours beforehand; water is fine
For cycling, bring your shoes and tell us your pedal system when booking
Wear comfortable exercise clothing
What is it?
VO2max is one of the most powerful predictors of long-term health we have. For anyone focused on health and longevity, it matters because a VO2max below the 20th percentile for your age and sex is independently associated with a significantly elevated risk of death from all causes, comparable in magnitude to established risk factors like smoking or heart disease. Your capacity also drops by an average of 10% per decade after age 30.
Knowing your number is the first step to doing something about it. Build your reserve now.
How we test
You'll be tested on the VO2 Master Pro, a breath-by-breath analyser that measures your oxygen use directly and in real time, not an estimate derived from heart rate or a submaximal formula.
We use a ramp protocol, increasing intensity in stages until you reach your true maximum. This gets you to your genuine aerobic ceiling before muscle fatigue can end the test early, so the number you walk away with reflects your engine, not your legs giving out first.
Testing is available on the Wattbike Proton, the Impulse RT700 treadmill, or the Concept2 RowErg; if you'd rather test on your own bike, we can also set you up on a Wahoo Kickr Core. Tell us your sport and setup when you book.
What the results tell you
Your VO2max in mL/kg/min, your exact aerobic ceiling, benchmarked against population norms for your age and sex;
Your true maximum heart rate, tested under maximal load, not estimated;
Your ventilatory thresholds, VT1 and VT2, identified from your breathing pattern during the test to mark your Zone 2 boundary and your high-intensity training ceiling;
Personalised training zones, heart rate and pace or power, derived from your actual test data;
And a results debrief where we explain what your numbers mean and how to use them.
All prices NZD inclusive of GST.
How long does this take??Allow 45 to 75 minutes, including set-up, the test protocol, and results review.