VO2 MAX TEST IN MANKATO, MN
Real data on your cardio engine, Zone 2, and longevity.
Unlock how your heart, lungs, and muscles really perform with a medical-grade VO₂ Max test at DexaFit Mankato. VO₂ Max is one of the strongest measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and long-term health. It shows how efficiently your body uses and transports oxygen during exercise and identifies your true heart-rate training zones based on real data—not guesses or generic charts.
With protocols for all adult ages and all fitness levels, you’ll see how your body responds at different intensities so you can train with confidence instead of trial and error.
What You’ll Walk Away With
Your VO₂ Max score — a clear snapshot of your current fitness and longevity profile
Personalized heart-rate training zones — including your most efficient and effective fat-burning Zone 2
Fuel-use insights — how much fat vs. carbs you burn at different intensities and how efficiently you switch fuels as effort increases
Targeted training guidance — know when to push, when to back off, and how to avoid both over-training and under-training
A simple weekly cardio plan — built around your personal zones to support heart health, fat loss, and long-term vitality
Want to Nerd Out a Little More?
🎙️ Tune into “Metabolic Mastery” by KORR Medical Technologies with Dr. Marc Humbert and Dr. Cameron Garber. They dive deep into metabolism, VO₂ Max, and Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)—using the same Cardio Coach Pro system we use at DexaFit Mankato—so you can better understand the science behind your results.
Know your Cardio Engine with
DexaFit Mankato
Work out smarter, not harder.
A DexaFit VO₂ Max test upgrades your understanding of your cardio fitness, heart health, and longevity. Using the same Cardio Coach Pro system trusted by health professionals and sports scientists, we measure how efficiently your body uses oxygen and translate that into practical, everyday guidance.
Here’s what that means for you:
Dialed-In Zone 2: Get your exact Zone 2 heart-rate range for walking, jogging, running, cycling, or any cardio—so you can build endurance, improve metabolic health, and burn more fat without burning out.
Boosted Stamina: See where your aerobic capacity stands today and what it will take to increase your energy and endurance over time.
Smarter Training: Use clear training zones to balance harder efforts with easier ones, reduce injury risk, and recover well.
Health & Longevity Indicator: VO₂ Max is a powerful marker tied to cardiovascular health and long-term outcomes, not just “athletic performance.”
Cellular & Mitochondrial Support: Training at the right intensities helps your cells produce and use energy more efficiently, supporting better health from the inside out.
Burn More Fat. Feel More Energy.
Most people are guessing about their “fat-burning zone.” A VO₂ test removes the guesswork.
VO₂ testing shows the exact intensity where your body burns the most fat efficiently—your personal Zone 2. Instead of wondering if your “moderate” walk or workout is doing anything, you’ll know the specific heart-rate range that keeps you in the sweet spot for fat loss and steady energy.
With DexaFit VO₂ testing, you get:
Your precise Zone 2 heart-rate range for your favorite activities
A clear plan to burn more fat while avoiding over-training and burnout
More day-to-day energy by training where your body uses oxygen and fuel most efficiently
You’re no longer hoping your workout is effective—you’ll know it is.
Every Breath of Yours Tells a Story
VO₂ Max measures how much oxygen your body can use during increasingly intense exercise. It started as a lab tool for scientists and elite athletes to identify who had the strongest “engine”—the best cardiovascular fitness and stamina.
Now, that same level of insight is available to everyday people who want to:
Protect their heart
Improve their healthspan
Train with purpose, not guesswork
The Engine of Your Health
For the rest of us, VO₂ Max testing is a key tool for smarter training, better recovery, and long-term heart health. A DexaFit VO₂ Max test:
Shows how strong your cardio engine really is
Identifies your personal heart-rate zones, including your true Zone 2
Helps you balance HIIT and easier efforts so you can train hard and recover well
Instead of guessing if your workouts are “enough,” you’ll know exactly how each breath is moving you toward better fitness, health, and longevity.
Your Path to Longevity
VO₂ Max isn’t just about performance—it’s about how long and how well you live.
Research shows VO₂ Max is one of the top predictors of all-cause mortality, meaning it provides a powerful window into your long-term health and vitality as you age. Improving your VO₂ Max can help:
Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
Support healthier blood pressure and metabolic health
Extend your healthspan—the years you feel active, capable, and strong
With DexaFit’s advanced reporting and app, you can track your numbers over time and see how your training decisions are impacting your fitness and longevity.
Get DexaFit in 3 easy steps
Step 1: Setup and warm-up
We’ll start with a warm-up on a treadmill after fitting you with a specialized breathing mask for the VO2 Max test.
Step 2: Increasing intensity
While incrementally increasing exercise intensity, our system tracks your oxygen use and CO2 output.
Step 3: Expert guidance
Post-test, you'll get a nuanced breakdown of your performance, revealing key insights into your aerobic efficiency and more.
FAQs
VO2 Max is the most powerful marker for longevity.
— Dr. Peter Attia,
author of Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
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Picture your body as a high-performance vehicle in an endurance race, where your VO2 max symbolizes the size and efficiency of its engine, specialized in oxygen usage. This test is about measuring your body's ability to take in oxygen, transport it through your bloodstream, and use it in your muscles to create energy at peak exertion.
For instance, if you're jogging leisurely, you might use around 2 liters of oxygen per minute. Increase your pace, and this consumption goes up. At a fast, challenging pace, you might hit 4 liters per minute. But then, you reach a point where, despite pushing harder, your oxygen usage plateaus. This plateau is your VO2 max.
During a VO2 max test, you'll typically engage in an activity like running on a treadmill or cycling, with the intensity gradually increasing. Wearing a mask connected to a device, your oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output are measured. The objective is to push you to your limit to find where your oxygen consumption peaks.
Let's say your VO2 max result is 43 ml/kg/min. This indicates the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use per minute for each kilogram of body weight during intense exercise. It's a benchmark of your aerobic capacity. For context, elite athletes like Lance Armstrong have recorded VO2 max levels around 84 ml/kg/min, whereas sled dogs, known for their incredible endurance, can reach a VO2 max of over 200 ml/kg/min.
Your VO2 max score isn't just about speed; it’s more about the power of your aerobic engine. A higher VO2 max indicates a greater potential for endurance performance, much like a car with a bigger engine potentially going faster.
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A high VO2 Max is crucial not just for athletic performance but also for your overall health and longevity. It's a key indicator of your cardiovascular health, with a direct correlation to reduced risks of chronic diseases and lower all-cause mortality rates. Improving your VO2 Max can significantly enhance your quality of life, allowing you to maintain an active lifestyle as you age.
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Improving your VO2 Max through targeted training like high-intensity interval exercises can lead to numerous health benefits. Enhanced VO2 Max improves your body's efficiency in using oxygen, which is vital for endurance and overall fitness. Regular training adapted to boost your VO2 Max also contributes to better heart health, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and improved metabolic function.
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Zone 2 training involves moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, typically maintained at 60-75% of your maximum heart rate. This level of intensity is where your body maximizes fat oxidation and improves aerobic capacity. An example of a Zone 2 workout could be a steady, moderate-paced run, cycle, or swim where you can comfortably hold a conversation.
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While Zone 2 training focuses on sustained, moderate intensity to improve endurance and efficient oxygen use, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) contrasts sharply with its structure. HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest or low-intensity periods. For instance, a HIIT session might include 30 seconds of sprinting followed by a minute of walking, repeated several times. HIIT is designed to improve anaerobic capacity and metabolic rate.
Zone 2 training is recommended for building a strong aerobic base, vital for long-term cardiovascular health and endurance. HIIT, on the other hand, is excellent for boosting metabolic health and improving strength and power. Balancing these two types of workouts can lead to a well-rounded fitness profile, catering to both endurance and strength aspects of physical health.
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During a VO2 Max test, you'll perform a graded exercise test on a treadmill or bike, starting at low intensity and gradually increasing to your maximum effort. You'll be fitted with a mask that measures your oxygen consumption and CO2 output, providing data on your aerobic capacity. The test is designed to safely determine your fitness level under careful monitoring.
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The VO2 Max test is ideal for anyone interested in optimizing their fitness, from amateur exercisers to elite athletes. It’s especially beneficial for those looking to tailor their exercise program for specific health or performance goals, or for anyone curious about their cardiovascular fitness level.
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Absolutely. Understanding your VO2 Max can be a game-changer for those struggling with weight loss or a fitness plateau. Tailoring your workout intensity based on VO2 Max data can lead to more effective exercise sessions, helping break through barriers and achieve desired results.
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From the VO2 Max test, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of various crucial aspects of your fitness and health, including:
Aerobic Capacity: The primary outcome, VO2 Max, is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during intense exercise. It's a definitive indicator of your cardiovascular fitness.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Thresholds: The test identifies at what point your body switches from aerobic (oxygen-using) to anaerobic (oxygen-lacking) metabolism during exercise. This helps in optimizing training intensity for endurance and performance.
Energy Utilization: Understand how your body uses different energy sources (fats and carbohydrates) at various exercise intensities. This insight is crucial for tailoring diet and exercise plans.
Heart Rate Zones: The test delineates your unique heart rate zones, allowing for more precise and effective training regimens, especially for endurance sports.
Respiratory Efficiency: Gain insights into how efficiently your lungs transfer oxygen to your blood and how effectively your muscles use that oxygen.
Beyond these fundamental metrics, our advanced AI technology takes the data analysis a step further. It synthesizes your test results to provide a simple yet profound metric: your biological age.
This AI-derived insight offers a clear picture of your overall health and fitness in relation to your chronological age, giving you a more comprehensive understanding of your body's true condition and potential areas for improvement. With this knowledge, you can tailor your lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition plans to not just meet, but exceed, your health and fitness goals.