Taking the First Steps of my Last Semester

Hello all! I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break. This semester marks the final stage of my journey here at The Universities at Shady Grove, as I will be graduating with my Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science this upcoming May. Next up, I am preparing to begin my internship next Monday, which will be one of the last phases of my undergraduate program. In April, I am also planning to take my exam to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, or NSCA.

This week, I participated in a Metabolic Assessment at LifeTime Athletic. On Monday, I met with a personal trainer, who conducted my resting metabolic assessment. The purpose of these metabolic fitness assessments are to help fitness professionals establish a set of baseline measurements to create a tailored exercise prescription for their clients. Today, I completed my active metabolic assessment on the treadmill, which wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to me. Through my coursework here at USG, we have completed similar submaximal exercise tests, such as the Bruce protocol on the treadmill.
For both assessments, I was asked several questions in regards to my current lifestyle, including my eating and sleep habits the night before my exams. The active metabolic assessment helps determine specific heart rate zones for a client, including information regarding how an individual burns carbohydrates and fats.

LifeTime

At first, I donned a Darth Vader face mask and kicked things off by starting on the treadmill. Breathing solely through my mouth, I did my best to power through the assessment like a Jedi (sorry, I’m a huge Star Wars nerd!). Overall, the test included a thorough dynamic warmup of about 10 to 12 minutes, then a short break, and then I continued on to complete the final part of the metabolic assessment.

In the end, I was pleased to find out that my VO2 Max, or total oxygen consumption during exercise, was measured at around 45 ml/kg/min. According to my age bracket, my VO2 Max was considered to be above the Optimal range. Overall, the metabolic assessment was a fun experience. I plan to use the information with my own exercise prescription. Last semester, I wrote a short piece about my passion for martial arts, specifically with my group, Abada Capoeira DC. I am currently planning for two martial arts events, including my upcoming Batizado and traveling to Brazil for the Jogos Mundiais (World Games) in August. I am excited to begin blogging again, and I hope to share more about my journey with you all.
Thank you!
Jade Esmeralda