What is VO2 max?VO2 max is the maximum volume (V) of oxygen (chemical symbol O2) that an athlete can use. Typical units used are milliliters per kilogram of body mass per minute (ml/kg/min). This is a critical indicator of an athlete's ability to feed the body's need for oxygen, and, therefore how much effort an athlete is able to sustain and for how long.With increases in effort, your oxygen consumption will naturally increase. At a certain point, this will plateau and will not increase. No matter how much you try, you are unable to increase the amount of oxygen you consume, and, therefore, the amount of energy your body can produce.There is disagreement about whether VO2 max is the limiting factor in an athlete's performance. Some say that this is the limiting factor in performance, while others argue that other characteristics-such as muscle adaptation, efficiency of technique, and metabolism-are equally or more important.However, it is clear that VO2 max is an important gauge of athletic performance.How important is VO2 max?VO2 max matters because the amount of energy your body produces is proportional to your body's utilization of oxygen.On its own, the simple VO2 max doesn't predict performance very well, but if incorporated as the minimal velocity at which an athlete reaches VO2 max and the amount of time an athlete can stay at VO2 max, the statistics become highly predictive of performance.How do I measure VO2 max?The only way to really measure VO2 max is a laboratory test in which you breathe into a mask. However, there are many ways to estimate VO2 max, including:2.4km TestFor this test, warm up for ten minutes. Then run six laps of a 400 meter track while an assistant times you. Your VO2 max is 85.95 - 3.079 * run time in minutes.Balke TestWarm up for 10 minutes. Have an assistant time you as you run around a 400 meter track. After fifteen minutes, the assistant records the total distance covered in meters. The VO2 max is approximately: ((total distance/15 - 133) * 0.172) + 33.3.Multistage Fitness TestFor this test, you need to mark off a 30 meter length with cones. You also need an audio player that has a recording of the MSFT bleeps. You start at one cone and run to the other, trying to make it before the next bleep. If you make it before the bleep, wait until the bleep before running back. If you don't make it to the cone before the bleep, you have two or three more bleeps to regain the pace. Your assistant records the stage and shuttle that you reached before falling off pace, then consults the MSFT table to find your VO2 max.Other methods to estimate VO2 max can be done using:TreadmillErgometric cycleSwim speedStep testIt can even be estimated for athletes in wheelchairs.How does my VO2 compare to others?If you are looking to compare your fitness to norms for your age group, use the following tables for women:AgeVeryPoorPoorFairGoodExcellentSuperior13-19<25.025.0 - 30.931.0 - 34.935.0 - 38.939.0 - 41.9>41.920-29<23.623.6 - 28.929.0 - 32.933.0 - 36.937.0 - 41.0>41.030-39<22.822.8 - 26.927.0 - 31.431.5 - 35.635.7 - 40.0>40.040-49<21.021.0 - 24.424.5 - 28.929.0 - 32.832.9 - 36.9>36.950-59<20.220.2 - 22.722.8 - 26.927.0 - 31.431.5 - 35.7>35.760+<17.517.5 - 20.120.2 - 24.424.5 - 30.230.3 - 31.4>31.4And men:AgeVeryPoorPoorFairGoodExcellentSuperior13-19<35.035.0 - 38.338.4 - 45.145.2 - 50.951.0 - 55.9>55.920-29<33.033.0 - 36.436.5 - 42.442.5 - 46.446.5 - 52.4>52.430-39<31.531.5 - 35.435.5 - 40.941.0 - 44.945.0 - 49.4>49.440-49<30.230.2 - 33.533.6 - 38.939.0 - 43.743.8 - 48.0>48.050-59<26.126.1 - 30.931.0 - 35.735.8 - 40.941.0 - 45.3>45.360+<20.520.5 - 26.026.1 - 32.232.3 - 36.436.5 - 44.2>44.2How do top athletes compare?Here are some VO2 max values from famous athletes:AthleteEventVO2 Max Bjorn DaehlieCross country skier90.0 Miguel IndurainCyclist (winner of Tour de France)88.0 John Ngugi5 times world cross country champ85.0 Dave Bedford10km World Record holder85.0 Steve Prefontaine1 mile in 3:54.684.4 Lance ArmstrongCyclist (winner of Tour de France)84.0 Joan BenoitMarathon runner (2:24:52)78.6 Bill RodgersMarathon runner (2:09:27)78.5 Sebastian CoeMiddle distance (1 mile WR)77.0 Grete WaitzMarathon runner (WR 1980)73.0 Frank ShorterMarathon runner71.0 Derek ClaytonMarathon runner (WR 1969)69.7How can I improve my VO2 max?There is some controversy about this question. On the one hand, many people believe that a person's VO2 max is largely genetically determined. Others claim that training can increase your VO2 max. Reported increases to VO2 max generally range from 5% to 20%, but for some people training makes no difference.How does altitude affect VO2 max?VO2 max decreases at altitudes in excess of 5250 feet, falling by about 8-11% for each 3000 additional feet.
