For testing, VO2max is typically measured as the highest oxygen consumption over 20-60 seconds during a ramp or step protocol where cycling power or running speed is continually increased until exhaustion. During the test, heart rate, and CO2 creation are also measured.

If we think of the human body as a car, VO2max represents the size of your car’s aerobic engine. The larger the engine, the higher the maximal horsepower and the higher the potential for performance is.

High VO2max is linked to better endurance performance across groups of athletes of different talent levels, however, in elite-level athletes VO2max is not the best predictor of performance!

Takeaway: VO2max represents your bodies maximal capacity for transport and utilization of oxygen. Therefore, improving VO2max increases your aerobic engine and is a great way to increase performance potential! More specifics on how to test and train VO2max are on the way!

Sources: Bassett DR, Howley ET. Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10647532/ Levine BD. .VO2max: what do we know, and what do we still need to know? J Physiol. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18006574/

The purpose of the current post/paper is to assess the effects of strength training in middle- and long- distance race performance via meta-analysis.

Are you an endurance athlete? Most likely yes! Are you doing any strength training? If not, you may be leaving performance potential on the table! Check out the below thread for the benefits of strength training for endurance performance!

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the energy currency of the cell.

The third phosphate bond of ATP is hydrolyzed (broken down) to form ADP and Pi, the breaking of this bond releases energy that can be harnessed to do cellular work.

Cellular work can involve muscle contraction, ion transport, nerve signal propagation, and much more. Therefore, ATP is required for continued skeletal muscle contraction during exercise!

Big Picture: Skeletal muscle contraction requires A LOT of ATP.

At the start of exercise, skeletal muscle contracts to generate the force output necessary to accomplish the necessary task. This requires energy. ATP is broken down and used to power muscle contraction.

ATP is the cellular energy currency. Hydrolysis of ATP results in energy release from the terminal phosphate group, which can be harnessed to power muscle contraction and many other cellular processes.

New post exploring some VO2max intervals I completed, where I look at heart rate, SmO2, and power output response! See this Instagram post by @criticalo2 instagram.com/p/CWlVj9vJ1Zj/…

New article exploring if 9 weeks of combined strength and endurance training interfere with each other. See this Instagram post by @criticalo2 instagram.com/p/CWqRNiXF0XM/… Source: Lee MJ-C et al. (2020) doi.org/10.1371/journa…

If you are a triathlete and don't strength train you should! Check out the new article below!

Just posted a photo instagram.com/p/CWvkc4oJYb7/…

Question and answer time, what are your burning questions about endurance physiology!? @criticalo2 instagram.com/p/CW0sRaZro-h/…

How to maximize strength training, by avoiding the interference effect!

Want to know how to test your VO2max? Check out the new Instagram post! instagram.com/p/CW8c0S_p50a/…