TUNTURI -T WARE

Test en besturing software

verkrijgbaar als extra aanvulling tbv. tunturi E60, E80, E85, T60, T80, T90

 

FAQ

Terms and Explanations
General
Performance Test
Training


Terms and Explanations

  1. T-Ware
  2. VO2 max
  3. Ergometer test
  4. Maximal heart rate
  5. Heart rate at rest
  6. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise
  7. Lactic acid
  8. Determining the right intensity of an exercise
  9. BMI
10. Home activities
11. Anaerobic treshold
12. Aerobic treshold
13. Aerobic exercise
14. Aerobic fitness exercise
15. Maximal aerobic exercise
16. MET


1. T-Ware

T-Ware is a new type of analysing and follow-up system for performance and training. It's advantages include e.g. the notably improved accuracy of measurements, repeatability and the quality and quantity of feedback information when analysing maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) or exercise. In addition to being an excellent everyday tool from athletes to normal people and, one of its main uses will be using it as
a preventive health care centre at home.

2. VO2 max

Maximal oxygen consumption. A test measuring VO2 max is
a test where you measure the functionality and effectiveness of the cardiovascular system, the lungs, strained muscles and the systems supporting them. VO2 max is essentially the same as physical fitness.

3. Ergometer test

An ergometer test means measuring VO2 max with an arm or
a bicycle ergometer. Normally the test is performed with
a bicycle ergometer. A treadmill is also commonly used to measure exercise capacity.

4. Maximal heart rate

The highest heart rate with which an individual's heart can beat in maximal strain. The normal range of variation within the same gender and age group is about 30-40 beats/min.

5. Heart rate at rest

The lowest heart rate of an individual while resting.
The normal range of variation is about 30-90 beats/min.

6. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise

During aerobic excercise the muscles work mostly with fats and oxygen. The amount of lactic acid remains on a fair level.

During anaerobic excercise the muscles use more carbohydrates and work without oxygen. The amount of lactic acid rises steeply and the excercise is so intense that the individual can only keep it up for a few minutes before having to quit because of fatigue.

7. Lactic acid

Lactic acid is a protection mechanism in a human's system that is launched by the system's metabolism during exercise. Its utmost meaning is to prevent the heart and lungs from working over their maximal capacity. The forming of lactic acid during exercise is a normal reaction that is in no way dangerous, as isn't the fatigue and possible pain caused by it in the muscles. The tolerance against lactic acid can be increased through exercise so that one can work on the same heart rate on
a higher level of output for an extended period of time.

8. Determining the right intensity of an exercise

It is wise to define the optimal training intensity after your VO2 max and thresholds have been reliably measured.
Of course it is important to take sex, age, medication, aim etc. into consideration before starting an exercise program.

9. BMI

A widely used, simple method for analyzing excess weight.
In most cases estimating the excess weight is managed with sufficient accuracy. Though well built or big boned individuals can easily be granted the wrong classification.

10. Home activities

Home activities cover all physical activities that aren't actually classified as sports or exercise. These activities include e.g. gardening, cleaning your house, hunting, fishing etc.

11. Anaerobic threshold

A level of energy metabolism where the formation of energy changes from aerobic to anaerobic. A normal person can't work above this threshold for more than 1-2 minutes and even trained athletes can do 7 minutes at the most.

12. Aerobic threshold

The level of energy metabolism where energy is mostly produced from fats.

13. Aerobic exercise

During exercise this equals the level of exertion of about
40-60% of VO2 max. Most of the positive health effect of exercise is achieved already on this level of exercise, including decreased blood pressure, lowered weight and increased performance (especially on people with low exercise capacity)

14. Aerobic fitness exercise

During exercise this equals the level of exertion of about
60-80% of VO2 max. Exercise on this intensity effectively increases VO2 max and most of the positive effects of exercise are achieved on this level of strain.

15. Maximal aerobic exercise

During exercise this equals the level of exertion of about
80-100% of VO2 max. Exercise on this intensity increases VO2 max and anaerobic capacity very effectively, while the health effects are minor and the risk of injury grows significantly.

16. MET

Metabolic equivalent. Is a multiple of oxygen consumption in rest. 1 MET equals 3.5ml/kg/min. This is the amount of oxygen that a person needs while in rest. For example, a result of an exercise test, be it 13 METs, means the person can exceed his resting oxygen consumption 13 times. A person's maximal MET value equals his/her maximal oxygen consumption in ml (ml/kg/min); it's just expressed in different units.

General

  1. Why is the measuring of VO2max so important?
  2. Is sedentary lifestyle dangerous to your health?
  3. What kind of exercise improves my endurance fitness?
  4. Does good aerobic fitness affect the amount of active years?
  5. What fitness level is sufficient when considering health?
  6. How smoking and alcohol affect aerobic capacity?
  7. Can an overweight individual possess good form?
  8. Are home activities useful when it comes to aerobic capacity?
  9. Is exercise considered a typical medicine?
10. Are extra nutritive of any use to athletes?
11. What does heart rate mean when measuring levels of fitness?
12. How should you measure the amount of storage fats?
13. What's the importance of muscle tests?

1. Why is the measuring of VO2 max so important?

The measuring of VO2 max is a commonly used and valued test, for it tells the most as a singular measurement of the individual's performance and capacity. The result of the test is normally used to plan an optimal training program and it has
a notable prognosis value, considering working capacity.
In addition to this the test might give indications about heart- and cardiovascular, or respiratory diseases.

2. Is sedentary lifestyle dangerous to your health?

According to new research, a sedentary lifestyle is a more notable risk factor for heart and cardiovascular diseases than smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or obesity!

3. What kind of exercise improves my endurance fitness?

Versatile exercise that stresses different aerobic zones. The length of the exercises, their weekly frequency and the type of sports are also important factors.

4. Does good aerobic fitness affect the amount of active years?

According to research good aerobic capacity can extend one's lifespan for up to 7 years; on the other hand the amount of active years can be considered even more important.

5. What fitness level is sufficient when considering health?

According to research 10 METs are enough. Many American experts say that 13 METs gives excellent protection against heart and cardiovascular diseases, even if other risk factors were present.

6. How smoking and alcohol affect aerobic capacity?

Smoking has a significant effect on aerobic capacity. The effect depends on the type and amount of smoking. The decrease in performance might temporarily be close to 25 percent, though normally the effect is approximately about 5-10 percent. Slight alcohol usage hasn't been proven to affect performance, and fair usage has been recently proven to have a positive effect on the heart muscle's functioning. Copious use of alcohol is
a different story altogether...

7. Can an overweight individual possess good form?

Yes, and these individuals are found often in the middle-aged group, that aren't interested in looking fit, but exercise in abundance. Being overweight is not as dangerous as weak aerobic performance when it comes to health.

8. Are home activities useful when it comes to aerobic capacity?

Home activities help in increasing low exercise capacity, and help even in upping a normal level of fitness. Home activities are always better than no exercise at all.

9. Is exercise considered a typical medicine?

Exercise has many medicine-like effects, preventive, treating and even rehabilitative. It's hardly far-fetched to claim that exercise is the best medicine considering the price/quality ratio.

10. Are extra nutritive of any use to athletes?

In most cases a normal, versatile and healthy diet is sufficient.

11. What does heart rate mean when measuring levels of fitness?

The heart rate on itself doesn't necessarily tell anything about the level of fitness; for example a very high or low maximum heart rate does not indicate a good or a bad level of fitness. Only knowing the exercise capacity (VO2 max) and thresholds gives the heart rate a real meaning.

12. How should you measure the amount of storage fats?

A full-body mirror is an excellent device for analysing excess fat, though some more technical equipment is available also.
In home use the accuracy of these should be sufficient.

13. What's the importance of muscle tests?

Muscle tests are used to complete the total image of one's performance capacity, and they can be used in follow-up when motivating exercise. The prediction value of muscle tests related to health is quite weak.

Performance Test

1. What is a T-Ware performance test like?
2. Are there risk factors in the exercise test?
3. Can resting heart rate be used to determine VO2 max?
4. Which are the factors influencing on improved VO2 max?
5. How fast does aerobic capacity (endurance fitness) increase?
6. How is the thresholds determined on the basis of an exercise
    test?

7. Can performance be measured during medication?


1. What is a T-Ware performance test like?

The test is a biking trip, which starts with a gently sloped downhill, and starts to steepen. Ultimately, the ends on the top of one's personal hill. The workload (uphill) rises smoothly all the time, but very gently. On the top of the hill, when you quit pedalling, the test program knows the output you've pedalled (W) and accurately calculates your maximum heart rate. With the combined information of the heart rate curve, output and maximal heart rate the program is able to calculate your maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) very accurately.

2. Are there risk factors in the exercise test?

The ergometer test used by T-Ware is one of the safest performance tests, whereas muscle tests concluding in maximal performance might bring up big problems. If you have
a disease, notable risk factor or you think you need help or advice please consult your personal doctor and ask for information on things related to testing and training.

3. Can resting heart rate be used to determine VO2 max?

Resting measurements haven't lead to reliable results when measuring any factors related to physical performance, and
to find out the maximal performance, one must be strained
at least almost maximally.

4. Which are the factors influencing on improved VO2 max?

Improvement of VO2 max is based on the changes, which occur in human body because of the right type, intensity and duration of the training:

Blood flow in the muscles increases, the amount of capillaries increase, thus bringing more oxygen to the tissues.

The stroke volume increases and so in that way increases also the minute volume.

5. How fast does aerobic capacity (endurance fitness) increase?

Increasing weak performance is an easier and faster procedure than trying to increase your performance from an already good value. The type, intensity and frequency of exercise mainly affect the speed of the increasement. Though normally the increase is shown in measurement just after a few weeks.

6. How is the thresholds determined on the basis of
an exercise test?

The thresholds are classified as follows:

Anaerobic threshold is 80% of the measured VO2 max

Aerobic threshold is 60% of measured VO2 max

The lower limit of the aerobic zone is 40% of the measured VO2 max

Do note that exercise that is below the lower limit of the aerobic zone has mainly social and mental health effects.

7. Can performance be measured during medication?

Depends on the medication and the ailment it's been used for. Consult your doctor on the matter. In most cases the test can be performed, as long as you take caution, find out the effects of the medicine on performance and heart rate and remember that the results are of a test performed while taking medication. If the person tested has medication that affect heart rate or other notable risk factors, the test can be conducted by adding EKG and blood pressure monitoring.

Training

1. Which type of exercise gives you the best possible aerobic
    capacity?

2. Which kind of exercise has health effects?
3. Can exercise have negative health effects?
4. How do I control that I am training right?
5. How do I recognise that I have trained too hard (overtraining)?
6. Is it important to follow-up heart rate during the exercise?
7. What kind of an exercise is efficient in losing weight?
8. Is it normal to have sore muscles after training?
9. How do the training effects differ if you train inside your home
    or outside?


1. Which type of exercise gives you the best possible aerobic capacity?

The best types of exercise for a normal healthy person are such activities, which activate big muscle groups work dynamically. Such activities include walking, jogging, running, cycling, rowing, swimming, gross and country skiing, etc. Low aerobic capacity improves remarkably if training happens on the Aerobic Zone.

If a person with normal exercise capacity wishes to improve his fitness level, he must train harder and on aerobic fitness zone. The better fitness one wants the harder and more often he must train.

It is very important to understand relationship between training and rest.

2. Which kind of exercise has health effects?

In principal all kinds of exercises have health effects.
The benefits of exercise can be physical, social or mental. To gain specific effects the duration, type, frequency and HR level must be appropriate.

3. Can exercise have negative health effects?

Very hard or wrong kind of exercise may worse state of certain illnesses. Always discuss your doctor, before starting
an exercise program.

4. How do I control that I am training right?

Training with Tunturi (or Polar HR monitors) and T-Ware software is the most precise way available today. Heart rate monitor is a good way of controlling the endurance exercises, when you are training out of home. Muscle training is another thing. There is no similar device as HR monitor at the moment. If you do not have Tunturi or HR monitor and you wish to know on which aerobic zone you are training, you might try this:

When you exercise and you begin to sweat, and you have no difficulties in talking: you are training on a Aerobic Zone.

When sweating increases and you have difficulties in speaking: you are training on a Aerobic Exercise Zone.

When you feel yourself near exhaustion and are not able to speak: you are training on a Maximal Exercise Zone

5. How do I recognise that I have trained too hard (overtraining)?

If you find 5 symptoms, which fit you, from the list below, you are probably exercising too hard. First aid: 2 weeks
NO EXERCISE. If the symptoms wont disappear, please consult your doctor.

Decreased exercise capacity

Increased resting heart rate

Increased diastolic blood pressure

Muscular pain and leg exhaustion

Joint pain

Impaired co-ordination

Tiredness, drowsiness

Sleeping disturbances

Weight loss

Loss of appetite

Gastrointestinal problems, e.g. diarrhoea

Irritability, depression, lethargy

Tired appearance

6. Is it important to follow-up heart rate during the exercise?

If you were an athlete, I would say yes. And if seeing your heart rate motivates you, it is all right, as long as there is no harm of it, and you make the right conclusions from the readings. If you are trying to lose weight, I see no use of using HR monitor, just listen to your body.

7. What kind of an exercise is efficient in losing weight?

All kinds of exercise consume energy and thus burn calories. Losing weight is in fact very simple: burn calories with exercise more you eat. The most reasonable level of exercise stress is the one you can keep up well about a 1 hour. So it is not so important what you do, but that you do it! And remember that exercise should be regular, daily if possible.

8. Is it normal to have sore muscles after training?

It is quite normal, that muscles become sore after exercise, especially if you have just started to exercise. When exercise becomes regular the muscles get used and the pain eases. It is very important to have proper warm-up and cooldown every time. It prevents injuries and lessens pain afterwards. Remember that you must not massage inflamed muscles

9. How do the training effects differ if you train inside your home or outside?

There is no difference on physiological effects. Sometimes training inside is safer. Of course training in clean nature is something which you can not experience inside.