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[[File:VO2max.jpg|right|thumb|x200px|A graph showing that O<sub>2</sub> consumption increases with exercise intensity until a maximum is reached, which is V̇O<sub>2</sub>max.]]
V̇O<sub>2</sub>max is the maximum (max) volume (V) of oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) you can use during exercise. Measuring V̇O<sub>2</sub>max requires specialist equipment, but there are many locations with the facilities and the cost is usually under $100. The procedure involves running on a treadmill while wearing a mask to capture your breath. There is a warm up period, and then you run at a reasonably stressful pace while the treadmill gradient is steadily increased until you can't keep going. For most of the test, as the workload increases so does the O<sub>2</sub> you use. However, there will come a point where the increased workload does not have a corresponding increase in O<sub>2</sub> usage. This is the point where you are using as much O<sub>2</sub> as you are capable of and the increased workload is coming from anaerobic systems. While V̇O<sub>2</sub>max is interesting, it does not include details of [[Running Economy]], so it does not give a complete picture of a runner's capabilities. Arguably, [[VDOT]] is a more useful measure of fitness.
=Estimating VO2max==V̇O<sub>2</sub>max can be estimated from a race performance, and vV̇O<sub>2</sub>max=The velocity that this is reached at V̇O<sub>2</sub>max implemented in the [[VDOT Calculator]]. Another approach is called vV̇O<sub>2the Cooper test developed in 1968 found that the distance that could be covered in 12 minutes was strongly correlated with VO2max<ref name="Cooper1968"/sub>max. An approximation However, the Cooper test requires a lot of motivation and a good sense of pacing, as 12 minutes is a relatively long period for this type of vV̇O<sub>2test<ref name="Billat-1996"/sub>max . A similar technique is to increase running speed every two minutes until exhaustion, then VO2max can be estimated from the mile race pace, but a more accurate maximum speed that was achieved using Léger & Mercier formula is shown below:<ref name="Léger-1984"/>.: vV̇OV̇O<sub>2</sub>max = V̇O<sub>2</sub>max /speed * 3.5
Where V̇O<sub>2</sub>max is in ml/Kg/min and vV̇O<sub>2</sub>max is in km/hr.
=V̇O<sub>2</sub>max and V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak=
[[File:VO2peak.jpg|right|thumb|x200px|This graph shows that V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak, which is the highest O<sub>2</sub> observed, without the plateau that defines V̇O<sub>2</sub>max.]]
Some research uses the term V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak rather than V̇O<sub>2</sub>max, and while the two are similar, there is an important difference. Where V̇O<sub>2</sub>max is the highest O<sub>2</sub> uptake seen, even though exercise intensity has continued to increase, V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak is simply the highest O<sub>2</sub> seen<ref name="Whipp"/>. It's possible for V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak to be the same as V̇O<sub>2</sub>max, but only if the test is terminated at just the right point. The biggest problem with V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak is that a training program might result in a subject getting better at the test, which would result in a higher V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak value, without actually changing their V̇O<sub>2</sub>max. For instance, I might have a V̇O<sub>2</sub>max of 60, but find the testing protocol so hard that I give up when my V̇O<sub>2</sub> reaches 50 which would only give a V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak value. If I do some high intensity training, I'd be more comfortable at these high workloads and I might reach a V̇O<sub>2</sub>peak of 55, which would look like a 10% improvement, but is actually not a change in physical fitness.
=V̇O<sub>2</sub>max and vV̇O<sub>2</sub>max=The velocity that is reached at V̇O<sub>2</sub>max is called [[vVO2max| vV̇O<sub>2</sub>max]], and the time that [[vVO2max| vV̇O<sub>2</sub>max]] can be sustained for is called T<sub>lim</sub> or T<sub>max</sub>.
=References=
<references>
<ref name="Whipp">THE PEAK VERSUS MAXIMUM OXYGEN UPTAKE ISSUE, Brian J. Whipp, Ph.D., D.Sc., Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology, University of Leeds,Leeds, UK</ref>
<ref name="Cooper1968">{{cite journal|last1=Cooper|first1=Kenneth H.|title=A Means of Assessing Maximal Oxygen Intake<subtitle>Correlation Between Field and Treadmill Testing</subtitle>|journal=JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association|volume=203|issue=3|year=1968|pages=201|issn=0098-7484|doi=10.1001/jama.1968.03140030033008}}</ref>
<ref name="Billat-1996"> {{Cite journal | last1 = Billat | first1 = LV. | last2 = Koralsztein | first2 = JP. | title = Significance of the velocity at VO2max and time to exhaustion at this velocity. | journal = Sports Med | volume = 22 | issue = 2 | pages = 90-108 | month = Aug | year = 1996 | doi = | PMID = 8857705 }}</ref>
<ref name="Léger-1984">{{Cite journal | last1 = Léger | first1 = L. | last2 = Mercier | first2 = D. | title = Gross energy cost of horizontal treadmill and track running. | journal = Sports Med | volume = 1 | issue = 4 | pages = 270-7 | month = | year = | doi = | PMID = 6390604 }}</ref>
</references>
