What is VO2 max?
VO2 max is a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen that your body can utilize when you are working at a maximal level. Everybody has a different value and this value is an accurate measurement of an individual’s level of aerobic fitness. The greater your VO2 max, the higher your level of aerobic fitness. VO2 max has a genetic basis, but can be significantly improved by consistent involvement in cardio-type aerobic activities – the kind of activities you will be involved with in the TIGER Study!
By: Tinman Layman’s Definition VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen consumed by a runner during a graded exercise test (a test in which the intensity is increased in stages, often using a treadmill). A runner with a “high VO2 max” has a strong heart, plenty of red blood cells to carry oxygen, a great number of small blood vessels called capillaries, as well as numerous mitochondria (known as the “powerhouses of the cell”) to process oxygen and lots of enzymes to help carry away metabolites (waste products) which cause fatigue. VO2 max is more than a measurement. It is an oxygen-carrying, energy-producing system. The VO2 Max Test The runner warms up with 5-10 minutes of easy treadmill running. At that point, the treadmill belt increases speed every minute or two. Once the runner can’t keep up with the treadmill speed, he or she signals the tester to end the test – or simply steps off the treadmill. During a VO2 max test, a special mask is worn which allows a runner to breathe in room
VO2 max is a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen that an athlete can use. It is measured in millilitres per kilogramme of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). As you increase your effort when you exercise, the amount of oxygen you consume to produce energy (and hence the rate at which you exhale carbon dioxide) increases. However, there is a maximum level of oxygen consumption, beyond which increases in exercise intensity don’t lead to further increases in oxygen consumption. This level of oxygen consumption is called the VO2 max. (The initials simply stand for volume of oxygen. ) Some experts believe that VO2 max is a key physiological determinant of an athlete’s running performance, and that it is an important objective of a training programme to improve it. Other sports scientists argue that the limits to an athlete’s running performance are determined by a range of factors – such as adaptation of muscles, running efficiency, metabolism – and that VO2 max is simply a measure of t
