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VO₂ Max Testing

VO₂ Max Testing

Book a VO₂ Max Test
A person runs on a treadmill while wearing a breathing mask. A second person stands alongside, next to a computer display and other equipment. A person runs on a treadmill while wearing a breathing mask. A second person stands alongside, next to a computer display and other equipment.
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Sport Physiology Tests
About the HubSport Physiology Tests

VO2 max testing in Cardiff

Understand your aerobic fitness and train more effectively with VO2 max testing at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Our laboratory-based VO2 max test measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise, providing an accurate assessment of your aerobic fitness and endurance capacity.

Testing is carried out by experienced sport physiologists at our Cyncoed Campus in Cardiff and is suitable for runners, cyclists, triathletes, team-sport athletes and anyone looking to better understand and improve their fitness and performance.

What can a VO2 max test tell you?

Your results provide objective information about how your body responds to exercise, helping you understand your current fitness and make more informed decisions about your training.

  • Measure your aerobic fitness and endurance capacity
  • Establish personalised training zones
  • Understand how your body responds to increasing exercise intensity
  • Identify strengths and areas for improvement
  • Track changes in fitness and performance over time
  • Train at intensities appropriate to your goals

Choose your VO2 max test

VO2 max testing

A short, progressive test to exhaustion, typically lasting around 6–15 minutes, to establish your maximal rate of oxygen consumption.

Your results include:

  • VO2 max – a key measure of aerobic fitness and endurance performance
  • Maximal heart rate – useful for understanding exercise intensity and helping to establish training zones

Price: £100

Book a VO2 max test

VO2 max & lactate threshold testing

Our most comprehensive endurance assessment, combining submaximal and maximal testing to provide a detailed picture of your fitness, physiology and training zones.

Your results include:

  • VO2 max
  • Lactate curve
  • Personalised training intensity zones
  • Threshold-to-VO2 max relationships

Price: £180

Book combined testing


Why choose the Sport Physiology Hub?

The Sport Physiology Hub at Cardiff Metropolitan University combines specialist laboratory facilities, research-level equipment and expertise in applied sport physiology.

Our experienced sport physiologists work with athletes and active people across a range of sports and fitness levels, using established testing methods to provide results you can understand and apply to your training.


Frequently asked questions

A VO₂ max test measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in and use during intense exercise. It is widely used as a measure of aerobic fitness and can provide valuable information about your endurance capacity and physical performance.

During the test, exercise intensity gradually increases while specialist equipment measures the oxygen you breathe in and the carbon dioxide you breathe out. This allows our sport physiologists to assess how your body responds as exercise intensity increases and determine your VO₂ max.

VO₂ max testing is suitable for a wide range of people, from competitive athletes to recreational runners and cyclists and those who simply want to better understand their aerobic fitness. You do not need to be an elite athlete to benefit from testing.

Yes. VO₂ max testing can be carried out using exercise appropriate to runners and cyclists, allowing your results to be relevant to the way you train and compete.

You will receive preparation guidance before your appointment. Generally, you should arrive well rested and avoid strenuous exercise immediately before your test to help ensure your results accurately reflect your fitness.

Wear comfortable sports clothing suitable for high-intensity exercise. If your test is cycling-specific, bring any cycling clothing or footwear you would normally use for training where appropriate.

VO₂ max testing measures your maximum aerobic capacity, while lactate threshold testing examines how your body responds as exercise intensity increases. Combining the two can provide a more complete understanding of your endurance physiology and help establish personalised training zones.

VO₂ max testing is available at the Sport Physiology Hub at Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Cyncoed Campus in Cardiff. Testing is carried out in our specialist sport physiology facilities by experienced sport physiologists.