Here is a list of VO2max norms:

• Elite Athletes: 60–85+ mL/kg/min
• Fit Individuals: 40–60 mL/kg/min
• Average Adults: 30–40 mL/kg/min
• Sedentary Individuals: <30 mL/kg/min

After yesterday’s post about cardio intensities, I figured I would follow with an important indicator of cardiovascular fitness, conditioning, & aerobic capacity. Let’s dive into how VO2max works.

• During activity & exercise,  your muscles require oxygen in order to produce energy. 
• The highest rate at which your body can deliver oxygen to the working muscles, as well as use it efficiently enough to produce energy. 

Why does understanding VO2max matter? As I have said before, cardio is not only a tool for fat loss & creating caloric deficits. Boosting cardio can boost VO2max/oxygen uptake. Increasing VO2max can:

• Be a great indicator for Cardiovascular Fitness. Higher VO2max suggests that your heart, lungs, & muscles are working efficiently together. 
• Boost overall health. Higher values correlate with lower risk of cardiovascular disease & chronic disease development.
• It’s particularly important for endurance athletes like runners, cyclists, and swimmers, as it predicts their ability to sustain performance during prolonged exercise. 

What are the factors that can affect VO2max?

• Genetics: Some people are susceptible to higher predisposed VO2max rates in comparison to others
• Age: VO2max can naturally decline with age. Regular activity & exercise can slow down the aggressiveness of the decline. 
• Gender: Men generally have higher VO2max levels. Differences in hemoglobin levels & muscle mass cause this. 
• Training: Aerobic training, especially high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can improve VO₂ max by increasing the heart's capacity to pump blood and the muscles' efficiency in using oxygen.
• Altitude exposure: Training at higher altitudes! This will improve your VO2max, stimulating the production of more red blood cells. 

How can you improve your VO2max?

• HIIT: Involve short bursts of intense effort, followed by recovery. An example would be a 20 second sprint, followed by a 40 second walk, etc. 
• Using progressive overload: Gradually boost intensity, duration of your workout, load, etc. challenge your cardiovascular system!
• Integrate strength training!: While not directly tied to VO₂ max, strength training improves muscle efficiency and endurance.
• Endurance training: Sustained moderate-intensity cardio (e.g., running, cycling, swimming) over longer periods. Great method to integrate into your aerobic regimen weekly. 

VO₂ max is a valuable tool for gauging fitness progress and tailoring training programs, especially if you're focused on endurance or overall cardiovascular health. It can be read/measured by getting a VO2max lab test done, or wearing a device like a smart watch or fitness tracker (obviously a bit less efficient in comparison to lab testing). DO YOUR CARDIO!