Performance Testing Case Study
Name: David Beeley
Sport: Road and mountain biking
Occupation: Proprietor – Big Bear Bikes,
Pickering, North Yorkshire
Goal: To podium in the 2011 Brownbacks
Mountain Bike Race Series
As a regular and competitive cyclist, David, 45, was keen to
explore new ways of training to ensure that he obtained the maximum
performance benefit following the 2010 race season when his best
placing was sixth in the Brown Backs Racing
Series.
Recognising the vital importance of knowing the exact level of
his current fitness, David attended the YSJActive Performance
Centre at York St John University in June 2010. Here the
University’s sports scientists undertook a detailed physiological
assessment with particular focus on aerobic capacity,
VO2 max, lactate threshold and cycling economy.
Recommendations were also made to include three key sessions
within David’s training plan. These sessions were based on
individualised heart rate and power output values to ensure David
was training at the optimal intensity.
After a focused period of training David
returned six months later for re-testing and the results were
impressive! A 30% increase in peak power, 14% increase in
relative VO2 max and a significant improvement in
cycling economy. As training continues, he is looking forward
to see how this translates into race success and will be back for
another assessment at the end of the 2011 racing season.
David commented "I am delighted with my
improved fitness, gained thanks to the detailed knowledge and
training advice provided. I am continuing to build on that
training base and am looking forward to the new summer
season. The test
session experience at the lab is great but quite nerve
racking as it is all down to you and there is 'no place to hide'
and no excuses! The staff were great, very friendly, expert and
reassuring."
David can be contacted on 01751 474220 or david@bigbearbikes.co.uk. For
more information about Big Bear Bikes please visit http://www.bigbearbikes.co.uk/ or
search 'Big Bear Bikes' on Facebook.
For more information about performance testing, get in contact
via the details on the right.