Transforming classrooms: UWGB readies campus for fall semester

Awaiting UWGB biology students this year is an upgrade to the Exercise Physiology lab with state-of-the-art treadmill and high-end cycle ergometer to measure oxygen consumption (V02). The ability to measure oxygen consumption (VO2) enables the testing of athletes’ maximum aerobic capacity, or “VO2 max.”

According to Prof. James Marker, knowing VO2 max helps determine fitness levels, assess adaptations to training (increases), and prescribe exercise intensity. (e.g., training at 75% VO2 max.) Since oxygen consumption can easily be converted to caloric expenditure, being able to measure oxygen consumption can be used to determine caloric expenditure of a given activity, i.e., how many calories one burns. One can also use oxygen consumption to determine how efficient a person is when exercising.

Green Bay Cross County Coach Mike Kline helped Professors Marker and Amanda Nelson run some initial graded exercise tests as the manufacturer of the equipment and Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences Scott Furlong look on. The equipment is used in the Exercise Physiology classes and in research by UW-Green Bay faculty.

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