Metabolic & Performance Analysis
Objective Physiology. Personalized Insights. Better Decisions.
Why Metabolic & Performance Analysis?
Whether your goal is improving your health, maximizing longevity, optimizing your training, preparing for competition, recovering from injury, or simply understanding how your body works, objective physiological testing helps answer important questions, guides program design and provides the feedback you need to ensure your approach is effective.
At Prime Performance, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all testing. Every assessment begins with understanding your goals, training history, health status, and the questions you’re trying to answer. We then work shoulder to shoulder with you in the clinic to customize the testing protocol that will provide the most valid and meaningful information for you.
Rather than simply collecting data and handing you a report, we pay careful attention to the details, analyze the data and develop an understanding of how your cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic systems are working together to identify what may be limiting your health or performance. We then synthesize everything and deliver practical recommendations to help you move forward.
We firmly believe that metabolic and performance analysis takes time. Rather than rushing clients through standardized protocols, we schedule appointments that allow adequate time for preparation and high quality testing, then we take our time to carefully interpret your data and provide a summary with personalized recommendations.
Many facilities provide testing. We provide analysis.
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Analysis
60-Minute Appointment
Nutrition calculators, wearable devices, and predictive equations provide estimates. We directly measure your metabolism using the COSMED Q-NRG Max, a laboratory-grade metabolic analysis system that evaluates how much oxygen you consume and carbon dioxide you produce at rest. Measuring oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production allows us to quantify your resting energy expenditure and substrate utilization (carbohydrates vs fats vs protein) at rest while breathing directly into the system or while comfortably resting under a canopy.
Your appointment includes an initial discussion of your goals and health history, preparation for testing, approximately 15-20 minutes of metabolic measurement, and a personalized review of your results. We use COSMED OMNIA software to analyze the RMR data and calculate your estimated Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) based on your lifestyle and activity level to help guide practical nutrition recommendations.
During your assessment we measure:
- Resting metabolic rate (RMR)
- Oxygen consumption (VO₂)
- Carbon dioxide production (VCO₂)
- Respiratory Quotient (RQ)
- Resting heart rate (RHR)
- Breathing frequency (Rf) and tidal volume (VT) with breath by breath approach only
Your analysis includes:
- Actual daily resting calorie requirements
- Fat vs. carbohydrate utilization at rest
- Personalized calorie and fueling recommendations
- Estimated Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
- Practical nutrition and training strategies based on your physiology
Ideal for:
- Weight management
- Body composition
- Athletic performance
- Healthy aging & longevity
- Injury recovery
- RED-S / Low Energy Availability
- Perimenopause & menopause
- Anyone who wants objective guidance for nutrition or training
Metabolic Performance Testing & Analysis
Every exercise test and analysis is individualized.
Some clients want an accurate measurement of VO₂max. Others want personalized training zones. Others want to understand why they’ve plateaued, why breathing limits their exercise, or how to optimize their health and fitness over time.
Rather than administering the same protocol to every client, we design each protocol around your unique physiology, capability, and the questions you’re trying to answer.
Choose the Level of Testing That Fits Your Goals
Not every athlete needs the same level of testing or analysis. Some athletes already work with a coach, understand metabolic testing data, or simply want objective physiological data to guide their training. Others want a deeper understanding of what the data mean, how their body is responding to exercise, and how to apply the findings to training and performance.
That’s why we offer two levels of metabolic and performance testing.
Metabolic Performance Testing
High-quality physiological testing and the essential data you need.
Designed for athletes who already work with a coach, are comfortable interpreting performance data, or simply want accurate testing without an extended analysis or consultation.
Testing may include a ramp or step protocol, depending on the athlete and testing objective.
You’ll receive key physiological results including:
- VO₂max or VO₂peak
- Ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2)
- Heart rate and workload at identified thresholds
- Metabolic and cardiorespiratory data from your exercise test
- COSMED-generated testing report and data
This option gives you the objective data you need to take back to your coach or incorporate into your own training.
Comprehensive Metabolic Performance Analysis
More measurement. Deeper analysis. Greater context.
Designed for athletes who want to understand not only what their numbers are, but why they look the way they do and what they mean for performance and training.
In addition to metabolic exercise testing, the comprehensive experience includes:
- Pre- and post-exercise spirometry
- Muscle oxygen (SMO2 + THb) monitoring with Moxy Monitors
- Integrated analysis of metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular responses
- Identification and interpretation of VT1 and VT2
- Training intensity and physiological profile interpretation
- Detailed review of key findings and performance opportunities
- Written post-test summary with actionable takeaways
- 30-minute follow-up consultation to review your results and answer questions
Rather than looking at VO₂max or thresholds in isolation, we integrate multiple physiological signals to build a more complete picture of how you produce energy, transport and utilize oxygen, ventilate during exercise, and respond as intensity increases.
The goal is not simply to give you more data. It is to help you understand what is driving your performance, where your opportunities may be, and how the findings can inform your training.
Not Sure Which Option You Need?
If you already have a coach who will interpret your results, or you know exactly what data you’re looking for, Metabolic Performance Testing may be all you need.
If you want us to investigate your physiology, interpret the relationships between multiple data streams, and help you understand how the findings apply to your performance, choose the Comprehensive Metabolic Performance Analysis.
Ramp Test
90-Minute Appointment
Our recommended starting point for nearly every client interested in exercise physiology testing.
The Ramp Test uses a continuously progressive protocol such as the Modified Bruce Protocol or a customized protocol with one-minute stages, beginning at a comfortable, low intensity and increasing gradually every minute until you reach maximal effort. Most tests are designed to reach exhaustion in approximately 9–12 minutes, providing an efficient and accurate assessment while minimizing unnecessary fatigue.
The extended appointment allows time for an interview, equipment setup, pre-test spirometry, an individualized warm-up, metabolic testing, post-test spirometry, and a detailed review of your results and recommendations.
The Ramp Test measures:
- Laboratory-grade VO₂max
- Aerobic (VT1) and anaerobic (VT2) thresholds
- Exercise economy
- Cardiovascular response to exercise
- Respiratory performance
- Muscle oxygen utilization
- Personalized training zones
- Physiological strengths and opportunities for improvement
Step Test
2-Hour Appointment
Once your physiology has been established with the Ramp Test, longer protocols allow us to answer more advanced physiological questions.
Unlike the Ramp Test, Step Tests typically use 3- to 6-minute stages, allowing your body to reach a physiological steady state at each workload before progressing. This provides a much deeper understanding of how your body performs across individual training zones.
The additional appointment time allows for longer exercise stages and more detailed physiological analysis.
Rather than administering the same protocol to every client, we design each assessment around the questions you’re trying to answer.
Step Testing allows us to:
- Confirm thresholds identified during the Ramp Test
- Evaluate performance within individual training zones
- Quantify energy expenditure at different exercise intensities
- Better understand fueling requirements during exercise
- Identify physiological limitations that emerge during sustained efforts
- Evaluate pacing strategies for endurance events
- Refine individualized training recommendations
Why Prime Performance?
Our team integrates expertise in physical therapy, applied sport science, exercise physiology, performance coaching, breathing assessment and training, Pilates, acupuncture, and massage therapy to translate complex physiological data into practical recommendations.
We don’t simply measure VO₂max or calculate calories.
We help you understand:
- What your results mean
- Why they matter
- What’s limiting your health or performance
- What to do next
Every client receives individualized recommendations designed to improve training, nutrition, recovery, and long-term health.
Who Benefits?
Our metabolic and performance analysis services are designed for:
- Endurance athletes
- Cyclists
- Runners
- Triathletes
- Climbers
- Tactical athletes
- Crossfit athletes
- Hyrox athletes
- Combat athletes
- Dancers and performing artists
- Strength athletes
- Active adults
- Individuals focused on healthy aging and longevity
- Anyone who wants objective answers about their physiology
Measure Smarter. Understand More. Perform Better.
Whether you’re pursuing better health, preparing for your next race, optimizing your nutrition, or investing in your long-term health, our goal is simple:
📞 Call us or book online to schedule
Transform objective physiological data into meaningful action.