Before your appointment

How to prepare

Preparation helps you get the most accurate and useful results from your session. Review the instructions for your service before arriving, and complete any required forms before your appointment.

Portable metabolic testing device with a digital display showing performance and physiological measurements during exercise testing.

Required forms

For any medical testing, please arrive prepared as advised by your Performance Cardiology clinician

Please fill out the required forms and send them to rmishay@fortlewis.edu before your appointment.

  • Optimized for exercise performance as possible, generally speaking from your experience. Consider arriving well rested and without any residual or acute fatigue and/or muscle soreness from recent training, so that you feel mentally and physically prepared for the exertion expected according to your scheduled exercise testing.
  • Appropriately nutritionally "fueled" for the testing protocol, this is not the occasion to "try out" new pre-exercise meals or diet (unless this is clearly part of a training/testing protocol). Consider appropriate and timely consumption of foods and beverages as you typically would for a workout as expected in your scheduled exercise testing.
  • Clean and properly functioning exercise equipment for your testing protocol, for example (protocol dependent): properly functioning personal bike or skis, calibrated power meter, fully charged equipment batteries, clean cycling/running shoes, custom insoles, etc.
  • Be prepared with the following items as needed: additional personal hydration & food, personal towel, change of clothes, personal computer (for training data review)

  • Bring your personal bike(s) in clean and fully-functional condition: tires and suspension with appropriate air pressure, clean and lubricated drivetrain, batteries charged, etc.
  • Bring skin-tight fitting cycling clothing which allow exposed skin contact points with your knees, elbows, and palms (regular tight cycling bibs/shorts and a cycling jersey work well).
  • Bring your personal cycling shoes and custom insoles if you have.
  • Bring additional bike parts (relating to a bike fitting session) that you’d like test or replace (i.e. cleats, aerobar spacers, saddles, stems, etc).
  • Avoid using any lotions on your legs and arms prior to your session. Arrive physically prepared and bring hydration and food as needed, as bike fitting session may last up to 2 hours per bike.

  • Arrive with light clothing (or change of clothes with you) that allows skin contact with feet and hands (i.e. exercise shorts and t-shirt)
  • Do not eat or drink anything within 4 hours of the test
  • Do not engage in moderate or vigorous exercise within 12 hours of the test - Void completely within 30 minutes of the test
  • Abstain from alcohol consumption within 48 hours of the test
  • Do not ingest any diuretics, including caffeine, prior to the test, unless prescribed by a physician
  • For females, postpone testing if you perceive to be retaining water during the stage of the menstrual cycle that you’re in

  • Avoid intake of any food, caffeine or beverages (including alcohol) for >6 hours prior to your test (non-excessive consumption of water is permitted)
  • Avoid smoking or any nicotine for at least 2 hours prior to your test
  • Prior to your test, do not participate in: light physical activity within 6 hours, moderate physical activity within 12 hours, or vigorous physical activity within 24 hours prior to your test
  • Arrive rested and relaxed

When to contact DSL before your appointment

Contact DSL before your appointment if your health status changes, you are unsure whether you have completed the correct forms, you have equipment questions, or you are unsure how to prepare for your test.