Hydrostatic Body Composition ``Dunk`` Test
The hydrostatic body fat testing has been around for over 50 years, and it is based on Archimedes’ Principle, which states that “when a body is submerged in water, there is a buoyant counter force equal to the weight of the water which is displaced.”
Hydrostatic body fat testing will determine your body composition by separating your body into two masses: body fat and lean mass (bone, muscle, connective tissue). The principle can be applied here because the two masses stay constant. Keep in mind that body fat is less dense than water, and lean mass is more dense than water. A person with more body fat will weigh less underwater and be more buoyant; a person with more muscle will weigh more underwater and sink. Simply put, fat floats and muscle sinks!
Whether you are trying to lose weight or gain weight, it is important to understand your body composition and periodically measure it throughout your fitness journey. Many make the mistake of being too concerned with their weight and only want to reduce the number on the scale, but not all weight is the same.
Instead of “losing” or “gaining” weight, we like to think of it this way: you are simply improving your body composition with an ideal body fat percentage!
Here is an example. You are currently at 200 lbs with a 25% body fat percentage, and your goal is to get down to 175 lbs. 25% body fat percentage at 200 lbs means that you are carrying 50 lbs of fat. To get to your goal healthily and to an ideal body composition, you can be on a program to lose 25 lbs of fat. However, if you are currently at 200 lbs and 15% body fat, and your goal is to get down to 175 lbs, you most definitely will NOT follow the same program as the person at 200 lbs and 25% body fat. If you did, you would get down to an unhealthy 3% body fat percentage. That’s a professional body builder’s competition physique!
This is why it’s important to understand what your body is comprised of, so we can customize a fitness and nutrition program just for you.
By tracking and measuring your body composition over time, you will begin to understand how your body responds to food, exercises, and other factors involved in reaching your health and fitness goals. There is a plethora of information about diets, exercise, stress coping mechanisms, etc., but there is not one that is best for you. Every individual is as unique as your fingerprint. So come in and get your body composition measured at The Fit Lab and figure out what works best for you.
You will expel all the air from your lungs forcefully as you submerge yourself under water. Once you’ve expelled all the air, you will stay motionless for a few seconds while the underwater weight is measured. This is necessary as air, just like body fat, is less dense than water. In hydrostatic body fat testing, AIR = FAT. The dunk test takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes.
With your land weight and water weight, our specialized software will calculate your body fat and lean mass percentage. No matter how often you weight yourself on an ordinary land scale, because it cannot separately measure your body fat and lean mass, you will never understand if you are losing body fat or lean mass. The Fit Lab’s Hydrostatic Dunk Tank will give you an accurate measurement of what you are losing, or gaining.
Please bring a towel and a bathing suit of your choice. For men, preferably compression shorts, speedos, boxer briefs. For women, bikini – the tighter the better so it doesn’t trap air. Remember, AIR = FAT!
1 Dunk Test $65.00
2 Dunk Tests $120.00
3 Dunk Tests $165.00
Please scroll to the bottom to see package pricing with various tests.
VO2 Max Test
A VO2 max test finds the body’s maximum ability to consume oxygen, an indication of physical fitness. From that number, we can estimate your lactate threshold—the point at which muscle fatigue sets in, forcing you to slow down—determine personalized heart rate training zones, and tell you how many and what type of calories, carbs or fat, you’re burning within those zones.
A comprehensive metabolic profile can:
- Give you a baseline of your current level of fitness
- Assess the effectiveness of your current training plan
- Identify areas where performance gains are possible
- Determine individualized target heart rate and power zones for training
- Identify precise caloric expenditure at various exercise intensities, providing tools for fueling strategies
You will wear a face mask so we can directly measure the volume and gas concentrations of inspired and expired air. During the test, you will either exercise on a treadmill, a bike, or an ergometer at an intensity that increases every few minutes until exhaustion. We obtain your maximal heart rate from this test, which, along with resting heart rate, can be used to develop a more precise target heart rate range. You leave the lab with an excellent idea of your current fitness level and also how to use this information to improve your fitness.
Please bring exercise clothes and running shoes, as well as water & snacks for after the test!
1 VO2 Test $135.00
Please scroll to the bottom to see package pricing with various tests.
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Test
Testing your individual RMR measures your unique personal daily caloric requirements. It will give you a snapshot of where you and your body are today, in terms of how your body burns fuel when it is at rest and when it is exercising. In other words, it is important deciphering the daily number of calories you need to lose, maintain or gain weight as desired. Your RMR changes with weight loss/gain, athletic training cycles and changes in muscle mass.
Traditional Metabolic Rate Formula estimates can be off by as much as 500 calories per day, the amount of calories it takes to gain or lose a pound per week! Testing and analyzing your individual metabolic rate gives you the exact measurement you need to succeed in your weight control efforts and athletic performance.
Metabolic Rate and Weight Loss
Individuals who struggle with their weight often have a metabolic rate that is atypical, which makes estimating calorie needs for weight loss practically impossible. Scientific studies show that even people of similar height, weight, age, and body composition can have very different metabolic rates. Metabolic rate testing determines the number of calories you can eat each day in order to achieve your weight loss goal, gain weight properly, or maintain your current health. Knowing your metabolic rate zones will prevent you from eating TOO LITTLE while dieting, which causes your body to store fat rather than lose extra pounds.
Metabolic Rate and Athletic Performance
Due to variations in muscle mass, athletes’ metabolic rates are often far from average. These variations can cause difficulty with weight loss or inadequate refueling during and post workouts. Metabolic testing allows athletes to get the most out of their workouts, decrease fatigue post workouts and burn more fat. Professional athletes use RMR testing to ensure they are eating enough calories each day to perform at their best. You also deserve to know your daily calories needs to achieve your body weight goals and maintain (or improve) your current health without sacrificing energy or training intensity.
You simply sit back, relax and breathe. During the test, the air you exhale is analyzed to determine exactly how much oxygen your body consumes. The RMR test takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes. Once completed, your metabolic rate is used to calculate your Target Caloric Zones, complete with charts and graphs explaining what you burn and how much you should eat. Your Zones will show you the maximum amount of food you can eat and still lose weight. The test also tells you how your metabolic rate matches up with others of your sex, age, height and weight.
Please wear comfortable clothing.
For best results:
- Fast 12 hours before your test. You may drink up to 12 oz. of water.
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and caffeine for at least 6 hours before your test
- Avoid exercising for at least 12 hours before your test as it will elevate your blood pressure and resting heart rate, invalidating these measures
- Get a good night’s sleep before the test
- Please let us know if you suffer from any acute respiratory infection or related condition
1 RMR Test $95.00
Please scroll to the bottom to see package pricing with various tests.
Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Test
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a tool used to identify asymmetries (tightness and weakness in the body) which result in functional movement deficiencies. The FS aims to identify imbalances in mobility and stability during seven fundamental movement patterns. Each movement isolates a different area of the body to prevent you from compensating and hiding weakness.
The FMS test gives a good baseline of abilities and, through rescreening, provides a consistent measure of progress. With the results, we are able to design a specialized workout for you that reenforces proper movement patterns, putting less stress on your weak spots.
The FMS consists of seven movement patterns which require mobility and stability. The seven following movement patterns are scored from 0-3 points, with the sum creating a score ranging from 0-21 points.
- Deep Squat
- Hurdle Step
- In-line Lunge
- Active Straight-leg Raise
- Trunk Stability Push-up
- Rotary Stability
- Shoulder Mobility
Please wear comfortable clothing.
1 Functional Movement Screen $150
Please scroll to the bottom to see package pricing with various tests.
PACKAGE PRICING
Our most popular packages:
Dunk and RMR $140.00
RMR and VO2 $205.00
Dunk, RMR and VO2 $240