What is VO2 max, and how do I improve it?
You’ve probably heard of VO2 max, especially if you’re keen on keeping fit. It’s one of the best ways to monitor your fitness levels and identify improvements in your cardiovascular health and endurance. It measures the changes in your body over time to help you track your progress.
To measure your VO2 max, you will need a piece of wearable technology for several hours to check the changes in your heart rate. Most fitness trackers provide a two-digit score that indicates your cardio endurance and compares it to the average person in your age group.
However, even the most expensive consumer wearable products won’t be 100% accurate. If you want to get a more accurate reading of our VO2 max, you would need advanced machinery. Usually, this type of equipment is only found in laboratories that specialize in sports and exercise science.
What is VO2 Max?
VO2 max describes maximal oxygen uptake. It refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that can be utilized by your whole body at once, and it depends on the efficiency and capacity of your heart and lungs. It is measured in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of mass per minute.
In really simple terms, VO2 max measures your aerobic capacity. The more oxygen that you can take in per minute while you’re exercising, the more energy your body will be able to produce, and the better your performance. If you get a good VO2 max score on your fitness watch, it means that you have a great level of endurance compared to others your age.
How Can You Improve Your VO2 Max?
The best way to improve your VO2 max is to perform high-intensity exercise regularly. The more you challenge your heart and lungs through intense training, the more efficient and stronger they will become.
Ideally, you should train within 90 to 95% of your maximum heart rate. Of course, it would be very difficult to train at this level for prolonged periods of time, so performing interval training is the perfect way to go.
Training in intervals enables you to push your body to the max. It will help to increase the amount of blood that your heart needs to pump around the body, the amount of oxygen that your lungs take in, and the strength of your skeletal muscles.
To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 25 years old, your maximum heart rate will be 195. Working at an intensity of 90% of your maximum heart rate means you should be aiming for a heart rate of 171 beats per minute.
Interval training can take on a number of forms. You can try sprints in the park or on a treadmill, you can do lap intervals in the pool, or you can create a HIIT circuit in the gym.
When you want to improve your VO2 max, one of the most important things is to continue challenging yourself. The only way to improve the efficiency and strength of your cardiovascular system is to push yourself with every training session that you do.
Make sure to keep track of your workouts and monitor your heart rate each time you do a training session. Use an app or a notepad to track your progress over time.