Your VO2 Max Decides Your Stamina And Athletic Performance

What do you think VO₂ max stands for?

No, it’s not a new compound and definitely not an apparel brand.

VO₂ max is a term that’s familiar to most athletes or fitness enthusiasts. In fact, many of us have heard of VO₂ max, but haven’t really understood what it means. 

Well, here’s the background - V stands for volume, O₂ for oxygen and max for maximum. So in other words, VO₂ max is the maximum volume of oxygen consumed during an exercise.

Importance of VO₂ max

Your body’s ability to produce energy for a required activity is dependent on the amount of oxygen you consume during the activity.

It’s understandable that an individual performs more efficiently with increased energy. And due to an increase in the intensity of activity, the demand for oxygen goes up.

Why measure VO₂ max?

VO₂ max plays a key role in knowing and improving your performance.

By measuring the maximum amount of oxygen you consume, your efficiency or endurance during a specific act can be measured by comparing your VO₂ max value with standard values for a particular activity for a given age group.

After a certain time point, your oxygen consumption plateaus out and so does your efficiency in performing the activity.

How is VO₂ max measured?

VO₂ max is measured in millilitres per kilogramme of body mass per minute (mm/Kg/min). It can be measured while performing any physical activity like walking, running, swimming, rowing, etc. at a very high intensity for a specified time period.

VO₂ max is calculated in relation to maximum heart rate (HR_max).

The result is then compared to the values of Cooper VO₂ max tables and can be assessed as very poor, poor, fair, good, excellent or superior. The mean value is different for each gender, age group, the intensity of activity and type of activity.

Factors affecting VO₂ max

Physiological Factors like heart and lung capacities

Biochemical Factors like the capacity of muscle tissues to effectively utilise oxygen

Age - Your VO₂ max reduces due to ageing

Gender - Generally, the VO₂ max of males is greater than that of females

Altitude - VO₂ max decreases after an increase in altitude above 1.6 km above sea level

Can you increase your VO₂max?

Studies have shown that VO₂ max can be increased by working out three to five times a week at a high intensity for twenty minutes continuously, where your heart rate surges to 65% to 85% of its maximum capability.

The amount of time that you’re at VO₂ max is more important than your VO₂ max value.