8,153
edits
Changes
From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
VO2max
,no edit summary
[[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 you 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.
=V̇O<sub>2</sub>max and vV̇O<sub>2</sub>max=