"Which test should I start with?" is one of the first questions that athletes and active individuals ask when they begin exploring performance testing. With test covering aerobic fitness, running mechanics, strength, power and metabolism, it can be difficult to know which test will provide the most useful information.
The answer depends on what you’re trying to improve.
The best first test isn’t necessarily the most advanced or comprehensive option. It’s the assessment that answers the most important question about current performance, training, or nutrition.
At FORGED by RF, we often recommend starting with the “low-hanging fruit”: the area where better information could lead to the greatest improvement in your training or performance. In other words, we help you identify the test that is likely to give you the most useful insight and the greatest value based on your goals.
This article will explain the different performance tests available at FORGED by RF, who they’re suitable for, and how to decide where to begin.
What is Performance Testing?
Performance testing uses structured assessments to objectively measure specific aspects of how your body performs, such as your physiological, biomechanical, and metabolic capacities. This provides clear data on how your body generates energy, moves under load, and adapts to stress.
At FORGED by RF, performance testing is divided into three main categories:
Domain | Test | What does it measure | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
Physiological | VO2max Test | Aerobic Capacity | Measures oxygen uptake during graded exercise |
Physiological | Lactate Threshold Test | Endurance Capacity | Identifies the point where fatigue accelerates. |
Biomechanical | Force Diagnostics | Strength and asymmetry | Capture force production, asymmetry, and rate of force development. |
Metabolic | Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) | Determines baseline energy demands for optimal fuelling | Measures how many calories your body burns at rest to sustain essential functions like breathing, circulation, and cell repair, helping define your true baseline energy needs. |
* Data is collected in real time using laboratory-grade equipment, then interpreted by performance technicians to provide actionable insights.
Start With Your Main Goal
There isn’t one performance test that everyone should complete first. Start by identifying the main question you want the assessment to answer.
Your main goal | Consider starting with | What it can help you understand |
|---|---|---|
Understand your overall aerobic fitness | VO₂max Test | Your maximum aerobic capacity and how your body responds to progressively harder exercise |
Establish more individualised endurance training intensities | Lactate Threshold Test | How your blood lactate response changes as exercise intensity increases |
Improve your running mechanics or choose suitable shoes | 3D Running Gait Analysis + Shoe Recommendation | Your running movement patterns and factors to consider when selecting running shoes |
Identify running-specific physical limitations | Run-Specific Strength and Power Profiling | How you produce force and power in movements relevant to running |
Assess general strength and power qualities | Functional Strength and Power Profiling | Your force production, power characteristics and areas that may deserve greater attention |
Understand your how many resting energy requirements | Resting Metabolic Rate Test | How much energy your body uses while at rest |
You can also refer to the table below to find out which tests are relevant depending on your background!
Profiles | VO₂max Test | Lactate Threshold Test | RMR Test | 3D Gait Analysis + Shoe Recommendation | Run-specific Strength and power Profiling | Functional Strength and Power Profiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Professional Runners | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
Recreational Runners | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |||
HYROX athletes | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ||
Strength athletes (Powerlifter/Olympic lifters) | ✔️ |
If you’re still unsure which performance test matches your goal? Speak to the FORGED by RF team and we’ll help you identify the most appropriate place to start.
What Happens During Performance Testing at FORGED by RF?
- Assess
- Book and complete your chosen test to collect data on your body, movement, or performance.
- Analyse
- Receive your results with a clear explanation of what they mean for your training.
- Apply
- Use the findings to make informed decisions about your programme. FORGED also offers personalised recommendations and structured programming with its coaches.
- Depending on the assessment, your results may help guide decisions on:
- Adjusting training zones, strength priorities, and recovery.
- Retest:
- Retesting is most useful after you’ve completed a meaningful period of consistent training or programming changes
The appropriate timing will depend on:
- The assessment you completed
- The adaptation you’re trying to achieve
- The consistency of your programme
- Your competition schedule
- Whether the result is likely to change meaningfully within that period
Where possible, repeat the assessment under similar conditions so the comparison is more useful. The FORGED by RF team can advise you on an appropriate retesting timeline after reviewing your initial results and goals.
Conclusion
Choosing the right performance test to start with sets the foundation for smarter, safer, and more effective training. Whether you’re a runner, HYROX athlete, or simply performance‑driven, the right test provides clarity and confidence.
At FORGED by RF, we offer a wide variety of tests and bundles that are suitable for athletes of all experience levels at 1 Raffles Link, B1-23 CityLink Mall, Singapore 039393. Contact the FORGED team via WhatsApp for guidance, compare the available testing bundles, or book your first assessment at FORGED by RF.
