Performance Testing · London

Metabolic, movement and force testing for athletes in London.

VO₂ max with blood lactate at every stage, movement strategy assessment and force plate testing. Each assessment returns measured values and a written report.

KORR CardioCoach MAX · Hawkin Dynamics force plates · UNTIL Liverpool Street · UNTIL Marylebone

Book an assessment View all assessments

Blood lactate and oxygen uptake, measured at every stage

Intensity rises in stages. Expired gas is analysed breath by breath and a fingertip blood sample is taken at the end of each stage. The two curves define where each training zone begins and ends.

Values below are representative of an incremental treadmill protocol and are not an individual record. Your own thresholds, zones and VO₂ max are measured during the assessment.

Stage 1 — Zone 1, Recovery. Blood lactate 0.9 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 24 ml/kg/min, heart rate 118 bpm, speed 8.0 km/h. Blood lactate at rest level. Used for recovery sessions and warm-ups.
Stage 2 — Zone 2, Aerobic base. Blood lactate 1.1 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 32 ml/kg/min, heart rate 132 bpm, speed 10.0 km/h. Lactate stable and clearance matches production. Mitochondrial density and fat oxidation adapt in this range.
Stage 3 — Zone 2, Upper aerobic base. Blood lactate 1.8 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 41 ml/kg/min, heart rate 146 bpm, speed 12.0 km/h. The top of the range that can be sustained for long durations without accumulating fatigue.
Stage 4 — LT1, First lactate threshold. Blood lactate 2.1 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 49 ml/kg/min, heart rate 158 bpm, speed 14.0 km/h. LT1 marks the ceiling of genuine low-intensity work and the point at which carbohydrate use increases.
Stage 5 — Zone 3, Aerobic power. Blood lactate 2.9 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 56 ml/kg/min, heart rate 168 bpm, speed 16.0 km/h. Lactate is elevated but steady. Tempo and sustained race-pace work sit here.
Stage 6 — LT2, Second lactate threshold. Blood lactate 4.0 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 62 ml/kg/min, heart rate 176 bpm, speed 18.0 km/h. Maximum lactate steady state — the highest intensity that can be held without lactate accumulating progressively.
Stage 7 — Zone 4, Above threshold. Blood lactate 6.8 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 66 ml/kg/min, heart rate 184 bpm, speed 20.0 km/h. Lactate accumulates faster than it clears. Used in controlled intervals, not sustained efforts.
Stage 8 — VO₂ max, Aerobic ceiling. Blood lactate 9.4 mmol/L, oxygen uptake 68 ml/kg/min, heart rate 191 bpm, speed 21.5 km/h. Oxygen uptake plateaus while intensity continues to rise.

Find the assessment that measures it

VO₂ Max & Blood Lactate Testing

£350 · 1 hour

Measures oxygen uptake breath by breath and blood lactate at each stage, which is what defines LT1, LT2 and your training zones.

Movement Strategy Analysis

£350 · 1 hour

Assesses how you organise pressure and shape under load using the UHPC model, which identifies what is driving a restriction.

Power Output Assessment

£300 · 1 hour

Hawkin Dynamics force plates record peak force, rate of force development and left-right contribution for each protocol.

Resting Metabolic Rate Testing

£135 · 20–30 minutes

Indirect calorimetry measures oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide produced at complete rest, which gives your measured daily energy requirement.

Sweat Rate Testing

£125 · 30 minutes

Pre- and post-exercise measurement under controlled conditions gives fluid loss per hour at race intensity.

Complete Athlete Profiling Assessment

£895 · 3 hours

Combines metabolic testing, movement strategy analysis and force plate testing in one session, read together in a single report.

Four measures, read together

Aerobic capacity sets the ceiling. Lactate thresholds determine how much of that ceiling is usable. Force output governs how much can be produced in a single effort. Movement strategy determines how efficiently that force is organised and transferred.

Measured separately, each answers one question. Measured in the same session, they explain each other: a force asymmetry shows up in running economy, and a movement restriction shows up in the shape of the lactate curve. The report is written across all four rather than four reports in one envelope.

Aerobic capacity — VO₂ max and the intensity at which it is reached.
Lactate threshold — LT1 and LT2, and the zones between them.
Movement strategy — how the body organises pressure and shape under load.
Force output — peak force, rate of force development and left-right contribution.

On the day

01 Intake — 10 minutes. Training history, current load and the target event are recorded. The protocol is selected from that.
02 Setup — 10 minutes. Metabolic mask fitted and the analyser calibrated for gas and flow. Heart rate strap and lactate sampling kit prepared.
03 Incremental protocol — 20–30 minutes. Intensity rises in stages on treadmill or Wattbike. Expired gas is analysed breath by breath and a fingertip sample is taken at the end of each stage.
04 Results — 15 minutes. Thresholds, zones and VO₂ max are reviewed on screen before you leave.
05 Written report — within 24 hours. Every measurement, your zones, and what the data indicates for training.

Coaching

In-person coaching is £150 per hour. Online coaching is £350 per month. Hybrid coaching is £650 per month. Every coaching programme begins with an assessment.

Strength & Conditioning

For athletes training to perform better in their sport — speed, power, aerobic capacity and injury resilience.

Hypertrophy & Body Composition

Structured muscle growth and body composition change, programmed from assessment data.

Health & Performance

Movement quality restored first, strength built on top, drawing on the UHPC model.

Locations

UNTIL Liverpool Street

280 Bishops Square, London EC2M 4RB

Liverpool Street · Moorgate · Shoreditch High Street · Aldgate

UNTIL Marylebone

1 Orchard Street, London W1H 6HJ

Bond Street · Marble Arch · Baker Street

Common questions

Where does testing take place?

At UNTIL Liverpool Street, 280 Bishops Square, London EC2M 4RB, and UNTIL Marylebone, 1 Orchard Street, London W1H 6HJ. All assessments are available at both sites by appointment.

What does each assessment cost?

Complete Athlete Profiling is £895. VO₂ Max & Blood Lactate Testing is £350. Movement Strategy Analysis is £350. Power Output Assessment is £300. Resting Metabolic Rate Testing is £135. Sweat Rate Testing is £125.

How long does an assessment take?

VO₂ Max & Blood Lactate Testing, Movement Strategy Analysis and Power Output Assessment each take one hour. Resting Metabolic Rate Testing takes 20 to 30 minutes. Sweat Rate Testing takes 30 minutes. Complete Athlete Profiling takes three hours.

What equipment is used?

The KORR CardioCoach MAX for breath-by-breath gas analysis, Hawkin Dynamics force plates for power and neuromuscular assessment, and a blood lactate analyser for fingertip sampling at each test stage. Movement Strategy Analysis uses the Bill Hartman UHPC model.

Is blood lactate testing charged separately?

No. Blood lactate sampling is performed at every stage of the VO₂ Max Testing protocol and is included in the £350 price.

When are results available?

Results are reviewed on screen at the end of the session. The written report is sent by email within 24 hours.

How should I prepare?

Arrive well-rested and well-hydrated. Fast for at least three hours before a metabolic test, or four hours before a resting metabolic rate test. Avoid intense training the day before. Wear exercise kit.

How often should testing be repeated?

Every 12 to 16 weeks. That interval allows measurable physiological change to develop between tests.

Is coaching available?

Yes. In-person coaching is £150 per hour, online coaching is £350 per month and hybrid coaching is £650 per month. Every coaching programme begins with an assessment.

Book an assessment