VO2Max what is it and why does it matter?

If you are like me you’ve seen this word thrown around in various running groups and may have wondered what it is. VO2Max stands for maximal oxygen uptake and it's a training tool used by a fitness professional to determine an athlete’s capacity to sustain exercise.

Now you might be thinking but I just started running so why would I want to know this information. Well if you have dreams of running a half or full marathon or maybe even one day doing an ultra run or even a triathlon then knowing your VO2Max will help you when it comes to designing your training program. What we are looking at is your aerobic endurance capacity here. How much oxygen can an individual utilize during intense exercise.

In order to find out your VO2Max you would have to do one of these things:

You would go to a facility that specifically tests for VO2MAx by connecting you to a computer along with an apparatus that measures the amount of air you exhale. More than likely you will either be on a treadmill where the intensity will be increased until you can not go any further. The computer will measure the volume of carbon dioxide and oxygen of the air you expired during the test.

An indirect way to figure out your VO2Max would be to walk as fast as you can for 1 mile. Note the amount of time it takes to complete the mile and then take the heart rate. Next is to use this calculation VO2 = (HR x SV) x a-vO2 .... HR = Heart Rate and SV = Stroke Volume and a-vO2 represents the oxygen in the muscle cells & the the volume of oxygen that is released.

As you continue to train/run your VO2Max will naturally increase. You will notice this when you look back and say to yourself “wow I am not out of breath after a mile or two”. The muscles in your body will respond accordingly meaning you won’t feel exhausted after the run. These are signs that you are increasing your aerobic capacity which ultimately means your VO2Max has increased as well.

If you want some more tips on training/preparing for your next up and coming race drop some comments below

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