Vo2 Max!!! Maximize your Power Training!

Vo2 Max...what?
We've discussed it. Some of you have had it tested and know what it is. Do you know what percent you can function at your Vo2 Max? 75% or 97-99%?? The deep endurance base of an athlete will be able to function or hold their VO2 Max longer depending on their training. Vo2 Max is a genetically inherited predisposition, however with training it can be altered some or moved up... this pertains to AT (Anaerobic Threshold) training and LT (Lactate Threshold Training). V02 Max is a number that corresponds with your athletic cardiovascular sport: cycling, Triathlon, Running, XC Skiing... It's generally assumed that though Lance Armstrong has a super-human VO2 MAX capacity, there are a lot of us out there who don't know our own limits and Vo2 Max capacity and we need to train by it, smarter, not harder to get results.

What is Vo2 Max?? A number... See charts linked below.

What happens in the body?
V02 Capacity and MAX is a point or threshold where it is your body's capacity to process oxygen (o2) in the blood... evenly. So, when you reach your Vo2 Max and about your AT (Anaerobic Threshold) there becomes more carbon dioxide in the blood than oxygen and lactic acid is present (that soreness burn you feel) in the muscles and blood. The body processes in exercize even parts of oxygen and carbon dioxide up until that AT or Threshold... after that the law of diminishing returns comes in to play and the body takes over in producing more C02 than 02, and lactate/lactic acid builds.... In simple terms, training up to your Vo2 Max increases HR capacity, increases, power, and when we train smart and do intervals with power watts and sub threshold training our body pulls up our AT and increases our ability to function at or just below our V02 Max capacity.

Where to Test in TC:
ACCUA (www.accua.net)
Dr. Dan Carey University of St. Thomas Human Labratory
Lifetime Fitness (MAP test and 02 Test, not same quality to get percentile of Vo2Max)


Testing the Competitive Athlete

PERCENTILE VALUES FOR MAXIMUM OXYGEN CONSUMPTION

Source: ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Training and Prescription
Maximum Oxygen Consumption | Home
Try also: Table of Normal Values (Sport)
Age
Percentile 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
Men
90 51.4 50.4 48.2 45.3 42.5
80 48.2 46.8 44.1 41.0 38.1
70 46.8 44.6 41.8 38.5 35.3
60 44.2 42.4 39.9 36.7 33.6
50 42.5 41.0 38.1 35.2 31.8
40 41.0 38.9 36.7 33.8 30.2
30 39.5 37.4 35.1 32.3 28.7
20 37.1 35.4 33.0 30.2 26.5
10 34.5 32.5 30.9 28.0 23.1
Women
90 44.2 41.0 39.5 35.2 35.2
80 41.0 38.6 36.3 32.3 31.2
70 38.1 36.7 33.8 30.9 29.4
60 36.7 34.6 32.3 29.4 27.2
50 35.2 33.8 30.9 28.2 25.8
40 33.8 32.3 29.5 26.9 24.5
30 32.3 30.5 28.3 25.5 23.8
20 30.6 28.7 26.5 24.3 22.8
10 28.4 26.5 25.1 22.3 20.8
Dr. Dan Carey Phone: (651) 962-5972
Health & Human Performance Fax: (651) 962-5910
University of St. Thomas dgcarey@stthomas.edu
See table and where to test at this link: http://personal1.stthomas.edu/dgcarey/vo2tnv.html