100 Moments

10:10 10.10: Anatomy of a Moment

Cleveland Clinic Canada

Toronto
10:10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time

You can learn a lot about someone’s health if you strap a mask over their nose and mouth and put them through their paces on a treadmill. Joel Huard, CSEP-CEP, R.Kin, is preparing to do just that.

Thirty stories in the sky, in a gym with sweeping views of the Toronto cityscape, a metabolic cart stands at the ready. The device measures VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during intense exercise. This provides an excellent window into overall heart and lung function.

Joel is an exercise physiologist and registered kinesiologist. He’s also part drill sergeant. “My job is to push people to their limit,” he says, “which they might underestimate.”

The VO2 max test is offered as part of the personalized comprehensive evaluation for patients in Cleveland Clinic Canada’s Executive Health Program. It encompasses medical assessments, lifestyle recommendations and preventive screenings to help optimize well-being. 

A typical exam will include 30 minutes or so in the gym. In addition to two treadmills, the well-equipped space has a high-tech stationary bike, a leg press machine, a cable machine and a Roman chair (for back extensions), as well as free weights and yoga blocks.

This is Joel’s natural habitat. A former competitive swimmer, he always had a passion for fitness. Now he prides himself on helping others stay healthy.

Outside in the distance, planes are landing at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, skimming over the harbor like dragonflies. Inside on the treadmill, heart rates soon will be soaring as Joel gets the most from those in his care.

“I know you’re feeling tired, but hang in there!” he’ll tell them. “Keep going! You can do this!” 

Photograph by Heather Oliver