VO2max is a term that you may have heard if you are interested in fitness, especially endurance sports like running or cycling. But what does it mean and why is it important? In this article, we will explain what VO2max is, how it is measured, and how you can improve it.
Table of Contents
What is VO2max?
VO2max stands for the maximum rate of oxygen consumption that your body can achieve during physical exertion. It is expressed in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min). Oxygen is essential for producing energy in your muscles, so the more oxygen you can use, the more energy you can generate and the longer you can sustain exercise.
VO2max reflects your cardiorespiratory fitness, which is the ability of your heart, lungs, and blood vessels to deliver oxygen to your muscles and remove carbon dioxide and other waste products. It also indicates your aerobic capacity, which is the ability of your muscles to use oxygen efficiently for energy production.
How is VO2max Measured?
The most accurate way to measure VO2max is in a laboratory setting, where you perform an incremental exercise test on a treadmill or a bike while wearing a mask that measures your oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output. The test starts at a low intensity and gradually increases until you reach your maximum effort. The highest value of oxygen consumption that you achieve during the test is your VO2max.
However, laboratory tests are expensive, time-consuming, and not widely available. Therefore, there are alternative methods to estimate your VO2max using submaximal exercise tests. These tests involve performing an exercise at a fixed or increasing intensity for a certain duration or distance while measuring your heart rate or speed. Then, using mathematical formulas or tables, you can calculate your VO2max based on your performance and other factors such as age, gender, and weight.
Some examples of submaximal exercise tests are:
– The heart rate ratio method: This method uses the ratio of your heart rate at rest and at submaximal exercise to estimate your VO2max. You need to measure your resting heart rate in the morning before getting out of bed and then perform a 15-minute exercise at 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age). Then, you divide your resting heart rate by your average heart rate during the exercise and multiply by 100. The result is an index that you can compare with a table to find your VO2max.
– The multistage fitness test: This test, also known as the beep test or the 20-meter shuttle run test, involves running back and forth between two lines 20 meters apart at a pace that increases every minute according to audio signals. You stop when you can no longer keep up with the pace or complete two consecutive shuttles. The number of shuttles that you complete corresponds to a level and a score that you can use to estimate your VO2max.
– The Rockport fitness walking test: This test involves walking one mile (1.6 kilometers) as fast as possible on a flat surface while measuring your time and heart rate at the end. Then, you plug these values into a formula along with your age, gender, and weight to calculate your VO2max.
What are the Average VO2max Values?
VO2max varies widely among individuals depending on factors such as age, gender, genetics, training status, and health conditions. Generally speaking, VO2max tends to be higher in younger people, males, athletes, and people who exercise regularly. It also tends to decline with age and inactivity.
According to Healthline , the average VO2max values for healthy adults are:
| Age | Male (mL/kg/min) | Female (mL/kg/min) |
|—–|——————|——————–|
| 20-29 | 43-52 | 33-42 |
| 30-39 | 40-49 | 31-40 |
| 40-49 | 37-46 | 28-37 |
| 50-59 | 34-43 | 26-35 |
| 60+ | 31-40 | 24-33 |
However, these values are only rough estimates and may not reflect your true potential or fitness level. For example, elite athletes can achieve VO2max values exceeding 90 mL/kg/min , while some people with chronic diseases may have very low values.
How Can You Improve Your VO2max?
The good news is that you can improve your VO2max by engaging in regular aerobic exercise that challenges your cardiovascular system and increases your oxygen demand. Some examples of aerobic exercises are running, cycling, swimming, rowing, hiking, and dancing.
The intensity, duration, frequency, and type of exercise that you choose will affect your VO2max improvement. Generally speaking, you should aim for:
– Intensity: You should exercise at a moderate to high intensity, which means that you should feel your heart rate and breathing increase, but not to the point where you can’t talk. A common way to measure intensity is using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale, which ranges from 0 (no effort) to 10 (maximal effort). You should aim for an RPE of 5 to 8 during your exercise. Another way to measure intensity is using a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which is roughly 220 minus your age. You should aim for 60% to 85% of your maximum heart rate during your exercise.
– Duration: You should exercise for at least 20 to 30 minutes per session, but you can increase this gradually as you improve your endurance. You can also break up your exercise into shorter bouts of at least 10 minutes each, as long as you accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.
– Frequency: You should exercise at least three times per week, but preferably more if you want to see faster and greater improvements. You should also allow for at least one rest day per week to avoid overtraining and injury.
– Type: You should choose an exercise that you enjoy and that involves large muscle groups and continuous movement. You can also vary your exercise type to prevent boredom and work different muscles. For example, you can alternate between running, cycling, and swimming.
In addition to aerobic exercise, you can also incorporate some anaerobic or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your routine. This involves alternating between short bursts of very intense exercise (such as sprinting or jumping) and longer periods of lower-intensity exercise (such as jogging or walking). This can help you increase your VO2max by stimulating your muscles to use more oxygen and improving your lactate threshold, which is the point at which your muscles start to fatigue and produce lactic acid.
However, HIIT is not suitable for everyone and should be done with caution and under supervision if you have any health issues or are new to exercise. You should also limit HIIT to once or twice per week and allow for adequate recovery between sessions.
What are the Benefits of Improving Your VO2max?
Improving your VO2max can have many benefits for your health and performance, such as:
– Increasing your energy levels and stamina
– Enhancing your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of heart disease
– Lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels
– Improving your blood sugar control and reducing your risk of diabetes
– Boosting your immune system and preventing infections
– Supporting your weight management and preventing obesity
– Improving your mood and mental health
– Reducing your stress and anxiety levels
– Enhancing your cognitive function and memory
– Delaying the aging process and increasing your lifespan
Conclusion
VO2max is a measure of how much oxygen your body can use during physical exertion. It reflects your cardiorespiratory fitness and aerobic capacity, which are important for your health and performance. You can measure your VO2max in a laboratory or estimate it using submaximal exercise tests. You can improve your VO2max by engaging in regular aerobic exercise that challenges your cardiovascular system and increases your oxygen demand. You can also incorporate some anaerobic or high-intensity interval training into your routine. Improving your VO2max can have many benefits for your health and performance, such as increasing your energy levels, enhancing your cardiovascular health, lowering your blood pressure, improving your blood sugar control, boosting your immune system, supporting your weight management, improving your mood and mental health, reducing your stress and anxiety levels, enhancing your cognitive function and memory, delaying the aging process and increasing your lifespan.
