Zoladztest

On my Dutch site I have shown my test results on the Zoladz tests before and discribed how it should be performed (for those who want to give it a try check it out here).
What is the test? Like a coopertest it give you an indication of your level of fitness. However where the coopertest only gives you one figure: The distance run in 12 minutes. The Zoladztest gives you your fitness level in relation to your heartrate. Let me explain how.
Before you start you have to do a bit of homework > you have to figure out your Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax). If you have not measured it you can calculate as follows: HRmax = 220 - (80% of your age). So lets say you are 35 like me, your calculated HRmax will be 220-28=192. This is just an indication as I know for sure that my HRmax is higher. Besides this figure you need a track of other means to measure your distance.
Do a moderate warming up with a few accelerations and some stretching just as you do your usual warming up. Than start your test.
Run 6 minutes at a average heartrate interval of HRmax - 50 (in this example = 142) than rest for 2 minutes and write down the distance you have run.
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-40
Rest 2 minutes
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-30
Rest 2 minutes
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-20
Rest 2 minutes
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-10

Relax and do your cooling down!
For every interval you write down the distance run. Take care, te last interval can be to strenuos for some runners and with my last test I did not manage to run this highest interval. If you are not sure about your own level of fitness than do this test under supervision of an expert.

Know you have gathers 5 distances (or 4). Plot them in a graph as shown below where you see the results of a couple of test I have done.
What can you learn from this test? Like with the cooper test: The more you can run in the intervals the more fit you are. But there is more. Ideally al the measured distances should be on a straight line. If there are measurements below this line you know that you have put more effort in training in the heartrate zone and the best thing is...this will help to lift the whole line higher, thus increasing your level of fitness overall. So in the last measurement from oktober 2007 you can see that I have to work on my lower heartrate (around 150bmp) where on some of the older measurements I had to work on the higher heartrates around 170 bmp (temporuns and interval).
So compared to the cooper test it is not only a measurement of fitness but it also gives you insight where you should put your training effort!