How to know what is our VO2 max?

Our collaborator Personal Running tells us on this occasion that it is the VO2 max and what tests we can do to know it

El VO2 max: maximum oxygen consumption, is the maximum volume of oxygen that the body is capable of metabolizing per unit of time.

This value is usually expressed in values ​​relative to weight, dividing the absolute value by the weight of each subject, represented by ml / kg / min, although it can also be expressed in absolute values, expressed in L / min.

This value is a good scale for measure the state of form and la aerobic capacity of people, given that the greater the amount of oxygen that is transported to the muscles per unit of time, the better performance the subject can have.

Therefore, it will be a good predictor of success in resistance tests, although not decisive, since many other factors influence the practice of the activity.

The VO2 max, and therefore the aerobic capacity, will decrease with age from the 25-30 years, but a trained person who performs resistance activities regularly will be able to greatly reduce that fall and will achieve higher oxygen consumption values ​​much higher than a sedentary person.

It is advisable that finding the value of VO2 max our fitness is acceptable and relatively stable, because if we perform the tests to know our VO2 max after a period of inactivity or before starting to train it is likely that in a few months the VO2 max does not have much to do with the initial one.

Methods to calculate our VO2 max:

There are several ways to calculate our VO2 max:

The most effective way is to do it through direct methods, as are the stress tests.

These stress tests are performed in a laboratory, performing a incremental progressive activity, reaching the maximum effort.

They are performed both on ergometers (treadmill) and on cycloergometers (stationary bicycle) where either the speed is gradually increased, in the case of the treadmill, or the watts in the case of the bicycle, until the subject reaches maximum capacity.

In these tests, gas analysis masks are used, through which the oxygen used by the cardiorespiratory system during the activity will be obtained in a real way, and therefore we will know exact form what is our VO2 max.

Stress tests can only be done in a specialized center with sophisticated machinery, but we can also get a very real approximation through indirect methods or tests that can be done simply by having at your disposal a measured circuit to know the distance to travel, a stopwatch and in some of them a heart rate monitor (or by measuring the pulse manually, although reliability would be lost).

One of the simplest and most reliable tests to estimate our VO2 max is through the Cooper test.

It must be done Max test of 12 minutes, where the subject should try to travel the maximum possible distance during those 12 minutes. The terrain must be level and there must be no obstacles so that the results are not distorted by these conditions.

Once the test is done and the distance in meters has been obtained, the following equation must be carried out to find our VO2 max:

VO2 max = 0,0268 x Distance (m) -11,3

For example, if when performing the test the result is 2500 m, our VO2 max would be the following:

VO2 max = (0,0268 x 2500) - 11,3 = 55,7 ml / kg / min

There are other indirect methods to find the VO2 max, such as Rockport test.

This method will be used for people with a lower physical condition who are unable to endure 12 min followed by running. It should be complete the distance of one mile (1.609 m) but you can only walk fast, without being able to run throughout the route, taking into account the heart rate and the time used to complete this distance.

Once these variables are obtained, the following equation will be made to obtain the VO2 max:

VO2 maximum = 132,6 - (0,17 x PC) - (0,39 x Age) + (6,31 x S) - (3,27 x T) - (0,156 x FC)

PC: Body weight.

S: Sex (0: women, 1: men).

T: Time in minutes.

FC: Heart rate.

Finally, to name a third indirect method, the Test of Course Navette.

In this last test you have to have a special audio recording that sets the pace of the race in the different series that make up the test. The subject must move from one point to another located at 20 m. making a change of direction to the rhythm marked by the audio recording. This sound signal will be accelerated progressively. The subject must perform the test until he can no longer complete the distance in the time marked by those signals.

To find the VO2, the last series that could be completed will be taken into account, resulting in the speed obtained. And once we have this data the following equation will be applied:

VO2 Max = 5,857 x Speed ​​(Km / h) - 19,458

Once the VO2 max has been found by any of the previous methods, we can consult the following graphs to establish in what physical condition we are based on our VO2 max:

Further information: http://personalrunning.com/

Photo: La Finca, Rebook Sport Club