Lab-grade VO2 Max testing has arrived in Chester. Instead of chasing a university sports lab or a private clinic over the border, you get your true aerobic ceiling, your measured ventilatory thresholds and personalised training heart-rate zones on a treadmill at Fortitude Gym on Knutsford Way. Full medical report within 48 hours.
From £150 per test
Lab-grade metabolic cart · Treadmill-based protocol · Full medical report within 48 hours
Quick explainers covering how the test works, what it measures and how to get a clean result.
The gold-standard measure of aerobic fitness: the maximum oxygen your body can use under load. Read the full VO2 Max guide →
What to eat, what to wear and how to train in the days before, so your result reflects your true ceiling. Read the prep guide →
Getting a proper lab-based VO2 Max test near Chester has meant booking into a university sports-science lab with a waiting list or paying clinic rates over in Liverpool or Manchester. For a runner in Hoole, a rower on the Dee or a cyclist heading out through the Cheshire lanes, that's a half-day round trip. TELOMYX brings a mobile metabolic testing unit to Fortitude Gym on Knutsford Way instead, with free on-site parking and the option to come to your club or gym anywhere across West Cheshire.
We measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide in every breath with a clinical metabolic analyser, the same method used in sports-science labs. Not a wrist-based estimate from a watch. Our Chester unit is at Fortitude Gym, Knutsford Way (CH1 4NS), free parking and a mile and a half from the city centre.
Within 48 hours of your test, with your VO2 Max, ventilatory thresholds and training heart-rate zones. Not a single number you can't act on.
Your report converts the raw data into the exact heart-rate zones to train in, so every session has a purpose instead of guesswork.
Clinically led from day one. No supplements, no transformations, no upsells. Just the data and what it means.
Recent reviews from clients who had a VO2 Max test at our Chester venue. Verified via Google Business Profile.
★★★★★
"Got the VO2 Max about eight weeks out from the Chester Marathon. It showed my easy pace was far too quick and my threshold sat well above where I'd been training. I rebuilt the plan around the measured zones and ended up running a big PB. Having it on my doorstep rather than a trek to Manchester sealed it."
★★★★★
"I row out of one of the Dee clubs and wanted real threshold numbers rather than estimates off my watch. The test gave me clear power and heart-rate zones and the team talked me through how to apply them on the water. My ergo sessions have been a different animal since."
★★★★★
"Booked it as a health check in my late forties more than anything. My watch had been guessing a number for years; the lab test gave me a real one plus zones I could actually train to and a proper explanation of what the thresholds mean. Clear, straightforward, no upselling."
Six things every Chester VO2 Max client gets, as standard.
The maximum volume of oxygen your body can use per kilo per minute, the single best lab measure of aerobic fitness and a strong predictor of long-term health. Measured by lab-grade metabolic cart at Fortitude Gym, Knutsford Way (CH1 4NS).
Your true training zones based on measured ventilatory thresholds, not the generic age-based formula your watch uses.
How your body switches between burning fat and carbohydrate as intensity rises, useful for endurance fuelling and body-composition goals.
Emailed within 48 hours with your full data set and reference ranges. Share it with your coach, club or GP.
Alongside your report, a member of the TELOMYX team will give you specific recommendations based on your own biology and results, so you know exactly how to train, not just what your number is.
The test itself is around 20 minutes of progressive effort to exhaustion. From walking into Fortitude Gym to walking back out, plan for about an hour. More on VO2 Max →
Our metabolic testing setup is mobile across Chester and West Cheshire. Below is where you can currently book a Chester VO2 Max slot. To see all tests and testing locations currently available in Chester click here.
Tests available: DEXA scan · VO2 Max test · RMR test
These are just a handful of the most common reasons people in Chester book a VO2 Max test with us. There are many more. For the full list, hit Goals in the top navigation bar to see every use case TELOMYX testing supports.
For all other goals (longevity, women's health, weight loss, sport-specific preparation and more), see Goals in the top navigation.
Book online in 60 seconds. Pick a slot at Fortitude Gym, Knutsford Way (CH1 4NS). No referral is needed for a VO2 Max test, so you can book directly.
Read your pre-test guidelines. You'll receive a confirmation email with the full pre-test guidelines for a VO2 Max test. These cover what to eat, what to wear and how to adjust your training in the days before so your result reflects your true ceiling. Please read them in full before your appointment.
Arrive and warm up. A member of the TELOMYX team meets you at Fortitude Gym reception and fits your mask and heart-rate monitor. After a short warm-up, the treadmill protocol begins and the intensity steps up gradually while we measure every breath.
The test itself. Around 20 minutes of progressive effort, building to your maximum. The full appointment runs to about 60 minutes including set-up, warm-up, the test and your results walkthrough.
Results walkthrough and targeted advice. A member of the TELOMYX team walks you through your VO2 Max, your ventilatory thresholds and your training zones, and gives you specific recommendations based on your biology and goals, not a generic printout explanation but advice tailored to you.
Full medical PDF report within 48 hours. Comprehensive multi-page report emailed to you, ready to share with your coach, club, GP or training partner. Includes reference ranges so you can benchmark properly.
VO2 Max gives you your aerobic ceiling and training zones. Pair it with DEXA and RMR for the full body-composition and metabolic picture.
£210
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Measure exactly how many calories your body burns at rest, the foundation of any nutrition plan.
No. Unlike DEXA, a VO2 Max test involves no radiation and needs no medical referral, so you can book directly online. If you have a known heart condition or your doctor has advised caution with maximal exercise, let us know in advance and we'll confirm suitability before your appointment.
A lab test directly measures the oxygen and carbon dioxide in your breath as you exercise, which is the gold-standard method. Watches and fitness trackers estimate VO2 Max from heart rate and pace using an algorithm, and can be off by 10–15% or more. If you want a number you can actually base your training zones on, a measured lab test is the only reliable option.
The test itself is around 20 minutes of progressive effort. Including set-up, warm-up, the test and your results walkthrough, plan for about 60 minutes at Fortitude Gym, Knutsford Way. Free on-site parking is available. Your full medical PDF report follows by email within 48 hours.
A VO2 Max test is a maximal effort, so the final couple of minutes are genuinely hard. The protocol starts easy and the intensity steps up gradually, and a member of the TELOMYX team is with you the whole time. You stay in full control and can stop at any point. Most people are surprised that the build-up makes the hardest part feel manageable.
VO2 Max is measured in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min) and depends heavily on age and sex. A typical untrained adult might sit in the low-to-mid 30s, a regular recreational runner in the 40s, and a competitive endurance athlete in the 50s or 60s. Your report includes age- and sex-matched reference ranges so you can see exactly where you sit.
A standalone VO2 Max test is £150. Multi-test bundles combining VO2 Max with DEXA and RMR offer the biggest savings, see our bundles page.
Most clients re-test every 6–12 months, or before and after a major training block. Runners preparing for the Chester Marathon or Chester Half often test at the start of a block to set zones and again afterwards to confirm the gains.
As you exercise harder, your body passes through two key tipping points: the first ventilatory threshold (where you shift from mostly easy aerobic effort) and the second (where lactate accumulates faster than you can clear it). These thresholds define your real training zones. Training relative to your measured thresholds, rather than a generic age-based heart-rate formula, is what makes each session count.
Wear normal gym kit and trainers you'd run in. Avoid a heavy meal in the two to three hours before, avoid caffeine and alcohol on the day, and don't do a hard training session immediately beforehand. Your confirmation email includes the full pre-test guidelines, and following them gives you the cleanest, most accurate result.
Our standard Chester protocol is treadmill-based, which suits runners and general fitness clients best. If you're a cyclist, rower or triathlete and would prefer a sport-specific protocol, get in touch before booking and we'll let you know what we can arrange at your venue.
No. While serious runners, rowers and cyclists use it to fine-tune training, VO2 Max is also one of the strongest single predictors of long-term health and longevity. Plenty of our Chester clients book it simply to get an honest baseline of their cardiovascular fitness in their 40s, 50s and beyond, and to track it over time.
A VO2 Max test measures your aerobic capacity and metabolic thresholds. It does not measure your body composition (that's DEXA), your resting calorie burn (that's RMR), your muscular strength, or your blood markers. It answers one question precisely: how much oxygen your body can use under load. Many clients pair it with DEXA and RMR for the full picture.
From £150. Full medical report within 48 hours. Lab-grade metabolic testing, no referral needed.
