VO2 max is a measurement of aerobic potential, and VO2 max represent the maximum amount of oxygen that a person’s body can use during intense exercise. VO2 max is often described as the ceiling of aerobic potential because VO2 max dictates how many oxygen the body can process. For many people, VO2 max is a metric that can be improved through consistant training and improved cardiovascular health.
However, elite athletes possesses VO2 max levels that are significantly higher than the VO2 max levels found in an average person. An elite athlete can transport and utilize oxygen at a rate that is nearly double the rate of a recreational mover, and this ability allow the elite athlete to maintain high speeds for long periods of time. The high VO2 max of an elite athlete is caused by several internal adaptation in the body.
What Is VO2 Max and How to Improve It
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One adaptation is increased stroke volume, and stroke volume is the ability of the heart to pump a large amount of blood with every single beat. Additionally, elite athletes possess a dense network of capillaries, and these capillaries are small vessels that deliver oxygen to the working muscle. If the heart pump blood but the muscles cannot extract oxygen from the blood, the aerobic system will not function efficiently.
Thus, the elite athlete must have both a strong heart and efficient muscles to maintain a high VO2 max.
A person must also consider the role of genetics in determining VO2 max. While a person can train the heart and the lungs to be more efficient, a person cannot change the DNA that they were born with. Many scientists suggests that a significant portion of VO2 max is heritable, which means that some people are born with a higher VO2 max then other people. This means that a person may reach a biological limit regardless of how much training a person complete.
Therefore, the worlds best athletes are often individuals who were born with high genetic potential and who also used training to reach that potential. Reaching an elite level of VO2 max requires many years of specialized training. Data indicate that it can take over a decade of high-volume training to reach elite status, and this high volume of training is necessary to create structural change in the body.
For example, high-volume training can increase mitochondrial density, and increased mitochondrial density allow for higher oxygen uptake. Because these changes are structural, the process of increasing VO2 max is a slow process that requires a person to dedicate many hours to training every year. To determine a person’s true VO2 max, a person must undergo rigorous laboratory testing.
A person cannot find an accurate VO2 max measurement simply by using a smartwatch, so a person must use professional equipment to find an accurate measurement. During these tests, a person often wears a mask while exercising on a treadmill or a stationary bike to measure oxygen intake. This testing is a difficult process, but the testing is the only way to see exactly when the bodys aerobic system begins to fail.
Understanding the mechanics of VO2 max is useful for everyone. Even if a person do not reach the elite levels of VO2 max seen in professional cyclists or skiers, a person can still improve there own aerobic capacity. By understanding how the heart, the blood, and the muscles work together, you can train your body with more intentional.
You may not reach the extreme levels of VO2 max achieved by elite athletes, but you can still work to improve the efficiency of your own body.
