A team led by Dr Federico Formenti looked at a common measure of aerobic fitness called VO2 max. While it can be measured accurately in a laboratory, it is often more practical to use techniques that estimate VO2 max for individuals by getting them to exercise to their maximal level. These include the ‘bleep test’ of shuttle runs used by police forces and the Royal Air Force among others, or tests using a cycle ergometer, also known as an ‘exercise bike’.
Pedalling like Chris Froome or Alberto Contador might seem appealing, but researchers from our Department have found that for most of us it’s likely to reduce rather than improve our performance.