For many colleges and universities, teaching metabolic testing has traditionally been limited to laboratory environments equipped with large metabolic carts.
While these systems remain valuable for certain methodologies, they often restrict students to conventional testing protocols such as treadmill or cycle ergometer assessments.
Berea College wanted to give students the opportunity to study additional real-world activities and sport specific movements.
By integrating the portable VO2 Master Analyzer into its exercise science program, the college expanded both its teaching capabilities and research opportunities, allowing students to apply metabolic testing in real-world environments while gaining practical experience with modern exercise physiology tools.
The Challenge
Berea College wanted students to learn beyond traditional laboratory testing.
Conventional metabolic carts limited research and teaching to fixed laboratory equipment, making it difficult to investigate activities such as resistance training, circuit training, climbing, mountain biking, and other field-based exercises.
Human Performance Lab Director A.J. Mortara wanted a solution that would allow students to explore metabolism during the activities they were most interested in while maintaining an accurate and efficient testing process.
The Solution
The VO2 Master portable metabolic analyzer gave Berea College the flexibility to integrate portable metabolic testing throughout its curriculum.
Students begin by performing a traditional graded exercise test (GXT), building a strong understanding of exercise physiology principles and metabolic assessment techniques.
From there, they are encouraged to design and conduct metabolic testing in activities aligned with their interests and research goals.
Current and future applications include:
- Resistance training
- Circuit training
- Rock climbing
- Mountain biking
- Tactical performance training
- Outdoor exercise research
By removing the limitations of a fixed laboratory, students gain valuable experience designing protocols and collecting physiological data in environments that better reflect real-world performance and ecological validity.
The Results
Since implementing the VO2 Master Analyzer, Berea College has experienced several key benefits.
Greater Learning Opportunities
Students actively lead the testing process, from calibration through data collection, building confidence with modern metabolic testing techniques while gaining valuable hands-on experience.
Expanded Research Possibilities
Using the VO2 Master analyzer has opened the door to research projects that were previously difficult or impossible using traditional laboratory equipment.
Faculty and students can now investigate the metabolic demands of a much broader range of activities and environments.
Improved Efficiency
The streamlined setup and simple calibration process reduce preparation time, allowing more time for teaching, experimentation, and data collection.
The Impact
“We can complete research accurately and faster due to the shorter setup time and ease of use. The VO2 Master also allows us to teach in a more hands-on manner, which is highly beneficial to the students.”
A.J. Mortara CSCS*D Ed.D
By combining portability, ease of use, and reliable metabolic measurements, the VO2 Master Analyzer has become an important teaching and research tool within Berea College’s Exercise Science program.
Students graduate with practical experience using portable metabolic technology while faculty continue expanding research into exercise environments that extend far beyond the traditional laboratory.
Key Takeaway
For educational institutions, the value of portable metabolic testing extends well beyond convenience.
The VO2 Master Analyzer enables universities and colleges to modernize exercise science education, expand research opportunities, and prepare students with practical skills that mirror today’s evolving health and fitness advancements.
By moving metabolic testing beyond the lab, Berea College is giving students the opportunity to explore exercise physiology in the environments where it occurs thus making the results more relevant and valid.
