A VO2max test is a powerful tool for understanding your body’s efficiency in using oxygen during exercise, serving as a key indicator of cardiovascular and aerobic fitness1. This test, commonly used in athletes’ training programs, also has valuable clinical applications for monitoring heart health and assessing overall health and fitness.
In this article, we’ll explore what a VO2max test at AYUN entails, the specific metrics it provides, and how to apply these insights to enhance training, track fitness progress, and support overall health and longevity.
Understanding VO2max testing
A VO2max test measures the highest level of oxygen consumption (VO2) reached during a cardiopulmonary exercise test, typically performed on a treadmill or stationary bike2. It is often used as a key indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness (the capacity of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen to the muscles during training) and overall physical fitness3.
VO2max is useful not only in assessing fitness in athletes but also in designing, adapting, and optimizing their training plans. In patients with heart failure, VO2max test protocols are used to assess functional capacity and can provide a measure of disease progression or treatment response when repeated regularly4,5.
For people who may not tolerate this intense test, such as older adults or those with heart disease, submaximal alternatives, such as the 6-minute walk test, can provide a VO2max estimate without being as demanding6,7.
Measures resulting from a VO2max test
VO2max
If the primary measure obtained from the test is high, this indicates8:
- Better cardiovascular fitness
- More efficient oxygen utilization by the muscles
- Higher aerobic endurance capacity
However, VO2max is not the only meaningful measure that you get out of a VO2max test.
HRmax
HRmax, which stands for maximum heart rate, is the highest heart rate achieved during the test9. Knowing your maximum heart rate is essential because it allows you to:
- Determine appropriate training zones
- Set heart rate targets for different types of workouts
Heart rate at VT1 and VT2
VT1, or the first ventilatory threshold, typically sits around 50-60% of VO2max. It is often referred to as the aerobic threshold, as it is the point at which the body begins to use the aerobic system more intensively for energy10. VT2, the second ventilatory threshold, usually falls between 80-90% of VO2max. It is also known as the anaerobic threshold and occurs when the aerobic system can no longer meet the body’s energy demands, meaning the anaerobic system becomes dominant10.
Identifying your ventilatory thresholds is important in assessing aerobic and anaerobic fitness, with improvements in ventilatory thresholds representing improvements in fitness, as well as determining appropriate training intensities10,11. The ventilatory thresholds determine where the different trainings zones start and finish, with fully aerobic zone ending at VT1, aerobic-anaerobic zone sitting between VT1 and VT2, and the anaerobic zone being anything above VT2.
Heart rate at Fatmax
Another measure that is usually obtained from VO2max tests is the heart rate at Fatmax. Fatmax is considered to be the optimal intensity zone for burning fat12. It is typically around 70% of HRmax in trained athletes and a little bit lower, at around 60-65% of HRmax, in novice or less fit athletes.
How to apply VO2max test results to your training
Understanding the different metrics from a VO2max test protocol is helpful, but how exactly do they translate to practical improvements? There are many ways that you can apply VO2max test results to enhance your training and improve your health and fitness.
Personalized workout design
Knowing your current HRmax and heart rate at VT1 and VT2 will help you or your coach establish precise training zones for different intensity workouts. This allows you to target different adaptations depending on your goals, such as burning fat or improving endurance, speed, or VO2max13.
For example, the heart rate at VT1 can establish the required intensity for Zone 2 training, while the heart rate at VT2 can establish the intensity for high-intensity interval training (HIIT). A combination of both of these training styles, also known as polarized training, is optimal for VO2max improvement14,15.
Performance Prediction
Your VO2max and training zones can be useful indicators of your potential performance in endurance events, which will help you to set realistic goals and develop an optimal training plan that will allow you to meet those goals.
Progress monitoring
Considering that VO2max is a key indicator of physical fitness, the data acquired from these tests can be useful in monitoring progress16. Your initial VO2max results serve as a baseline, providing a benchmark for future comparisons. Undergoing regular retests can help you track how you’ve improved over that time and adjust your training plan accordingly to keep progressing.
The impact of VO2max on overall health and longevity
VO2max can only improve if the body’s underlying systems also improve. Therefore, a higher VO2max reflects:
- Enhanced oxygen utilization by the muscles
- More efficient heart and lung function
- Better heart health
- Better oxygen transport
As a result, individuals with a high VO2max can generally perform everyday activities more efficiently and with less fatigue. Research has shown a correlation between VO2max and longevity, with VO2max being considered a strong and independent predictor of overall mortality16,17. While VO2max naturally declines with age, regular and tailored exercise can slow down this process significantly16,18.
Regular monitoring of VO2max and associated tailoring of training can therefore have a remarkable impact on overall health and longevity. Testing should be included as part of a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, including regular exercise, optimal nutrition, stress reduction, and a focus on sleep.
Conclusion
VO2max test results give you a comprehensive view of your cardiovascular and aerobic health, offering valuable insights to optimize both performance and longevity. By analyzing VO2max along with measures like heart rate thresholds and Fatmax, you can adapt your workouts to maximize endurance, optimize fat burning, and track your fitness progress. As a key indicator of health and longevity, monitoring your VO2max can play an important role in optimizing your fitness and supporting your long-term health.
Are you ready to take your training to the next level? Book your Longevity Check-up at AYUN and get tailored insights to boost your performance.
- Tomlin DL, Wenger HA. The relationship between aerobic fitness and recovery from high intensity intermittent exercise. Sports Med Auckl NZ. 2001;31(1):1-11. doi:10.2165/00007256-200131010-00001
- Lipscomb T, Weyden MSVD, Boolani A, Andrews BS, Martin J. Agreement of Air Bike and Treadmill Protocols to Assess Maximal Oxygen Uptake: An Exploratory Study. Int J Exerc Sci. 2024;17(4):633.
- Astorino TA, Emma D. Utility of Verification Testing to Confirm Attainment of Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Unhealthy Participants: A Perspective Review. Sports Basel Switz. 2021;9(8):108. doi:10.3390/sports9080108
- Roibal Pravio J, Barge Caballero E, Barbeito Caamaño C, et al. Determinants of maximal oxygen uptake in patients with heart failure. ESC Heart Fail. 2021;8(3):2002-2008. doi:10.1002/ehf2.13275
- Piepoli MF, Spoletini I, Rosano G. Monitoring functional capacity in heart failure. Eur Heart J Suppl J Eur Soc Cardiol. 2019;21(Suppl M):M9. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/suz216
- Šagát P, Kalčik Z, Bartik P, Šiška Ľ, Štefan L. A Simple Equation to Estimate Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Older Adults Using the 6 min Walk Test, Sex, Age and Body Mass Index. J Clin Med. 2023;12(13):4476. doi:10.3390/jcm12134476
- Deka P, Pozehl BJ, Pathak D, et al. Predicting maximal oxygen uptake from the 6 min walk test in patients with heart failure. ESC Heart Fail. 2020;8(1):47. doi:10.1002/ehf2.13167
- Coulson M, Archer D. Practical Fitness Testing: Analysis in Exercise and Sport. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC; 2011.
- Guazzi M, Arena R, Halle M, Piepoli MF, Myers J, Lavie CJ. 2016 Focused Update: Clinical Recommendations for Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Data Assessment in Specific Patient Populations. Circulation. 2016;133(24). doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000406
- Boulay MR, Simoneau JA, Lortie G, Bouchard C. Monitoring high-intensity endurance exercise with heart rate and thresholds. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;29(1):125-132. doi:10.1097/00005768-199701000-00018
- Milani JGPO, Milani M, Cipriano GFB, Hansen D, Junior GC. Exercise intensity domains determined by heart rate at the ventilatory thresholds in patients with cardiovascular disease: new insights and comparisons to cardiovascular rehabilitation prescription recommendations. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2023;9(3). doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001601
- Jeukendrup A, Achten J. Fatmax : A new concept to optimize fat oxidation during exercise? Eur J Sport Sci. 2001;1(5):1-5. doi:10.1080/17461390100071507
- Cao L, Jiang Y, Li Q, Wang J, Tan S. Exercise Training at Maximal Fat Oxidation Intensity for Overweight or Obese Older Women: A Randomized Study. J Sports Sci Med. 2019;18(3):413.
- Stöggl TL, Sperlich B. The training intensity distribution among well-trained and elite endurance athletes. Front Physiol. 2015;6:295. doi:10.3389/fphys.2015.00295
- Seiler KS, Kjerland GØ. Quantifying training intensity distribution in elite endurance athletes: is there evidence for an “optimal” distribution? Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2006;16(1):49-56. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.00418.x
- Strasser B, Burtscher M. Survival of the fittest: VO2max, a key predictor of longevity? Front Biosci Landmark Ed. 2018;23(8):1505-1516. doi:10.2741/4657
- Webster DE, Tummalacherla M, Higgins M, et al. Smartphone-Based VO2max Measurement With Heart Snapshot in Clinical and Real-world Settings With a Diverse Population: Validation Study. JMIR MHealth UHealth. 2021;9(6):e26006. doi:10.2196/26006
- Montero D, Díaz-Cañestro C. Endurance training and maximal oxygen consumption with ageing: Role of maximal cardiac output and oxygen extraction. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2016;23(7):733-743. doi:10.1177/2047487315617118
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