I did it to find out if I had any genetic talent for endurance. After years of training and wondering if there was some depth of talent i wasnt reaching, i had to know. As you take the test you can see how much oxygen you are utilizing at different exertion levels, I guess if you want to get scientific, the knowledge of these numbers might help you, but my #s got shuffled aside somewhere. BTW...on the average, you can only improve vo2 by 10% through training, you cant beat genetics!

Where do you get this testing done? Is there a type on facility or physicians office that regularly does this type of testing that I can contact? Thanks!

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Andy

'You'd be surprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Thinsg Are As They Are.'

ooooo! I was going to start a similar thread...mind if I ask the experts a related sub-question?:

If you get your VO2max measured in one discipline (lets say on the bike), will your VO2 be similar in another disciple (lets say running)?

Obviously, the wattage you can produce at VO2max in either discipline will vary greatly, depending on whether you are primarily a runner or a cyclist etc. Question is: is the maximum VO2 (in L/min or L/min/kg) independent of actual speed/proficiency at tested discipline? Ie would a runner with a 70mL/min/kg also produce that same VO2max in something he is not proficient in, eg, XCskiing? (recognizing his speed at that VO2max on skis will be very slow)

Ziva

as per the initial question: elites usually get tested in order to gauge how their speed at given % of VO2max is improving over time. While you cannot improve absolute VO2max numbers, you can significantly improve your speed at a given level with training.

any local university with an exercise science program would love to have 100-200$ to test you...If your a phenom w/ an impressive resume, they might even pay you to do it. Dr's office....not a chance. Good luck.

From the little I have read, knowing your VO2 Max doesn't really provide any insight into what sort of workouts or at what levels you should be doing them. You do hear people say "I'm doing Vo2 Max intervals today", either on the bike or run, and I guess if you had the test done, you would know at what speed / wattage / Heart Rate you reached your Max, but I still don't think it's that useful. (Unless you want to see how you stack up to Lance's reported value of 89!) I would think that working with someone who could help you determine your Lactate / Aerobic / Anaerobic thresholds would be much more insightful in planning workouts.

FWIW I've read that the range of VO2 max values for elite endurance athletes is pretty variable, but for the most part, they are > 70.

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"The more you sweat today, the less you bleed tomorrow"

actually you cannot improve total vo2max in
mlO2/min, but you can improve your vo2max
w.r.t. weight in mlO2/min/kg as you can lower your
weight significantly over the years.

I think theoretically, your vo2max for any sport is the same, but many times this is not true because of different levels of expertise in each sport, like not spinning enough on the ergometer will have you with a lower HR and lower vo2 at the end etc....

"in theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is"

your ability to suck in oxygen and absorb it is the same no matter what your doing, but in getting tested, can you take yourself to the edge of vomit on a treadmill or stationary bike? whichever you can go harder at will give you a more accurate max #. Most would probably feel better on the bike as you cant fall.They jack the incline on those treadmills pretty high for testing. Cross country ski max test? guess you could do it on one of those Tony Little machines. Im no expert, but this is what i gather.

Hey Ziva,

There are actually two tests. One for running and one on the bike. I did them both and let me tell you, stick to the one on the bike. The running VO2 test was probably the hardest workout I ever had. I was shaking for like 3 hours afterward. The good news is that my VO2 max shows, from what the tester said, that I have the ability to do quite well in endurance events with proper training. She also told me, based on the results, that my endurance was very good on the bike, I should work on my speed and strength (my max watts were low). But the exact opposite with the run. Very true.

I also walked away with exact training zones.

I did it in Atlanta and it was $150 for both. Link is http://www.coachjay.com/index2.html

it was meant to say you cannot improve it past what was said in previous post...that is roughly 10% (actually I have read 15-20% in some cases) past what your genetic sets.
sorry, if I didn't specify more, thought it was clear from previous posts.

and when you do not want to offend someone, you do not say "this is a complete load of crap"...FYI...

Here is some additional info:

"Although you can make significant strides toward improving your overall fitness and your VO2 max, there is a genetically-determined “ceiling” beyond which you cannot climb. There also are a number of both internal and external factors which influence the VO2 max. The major limiting factor is the heart’s output of blood each minute."

By Dr. John Macknight (UVA) http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/nuclear-cardiology/vo2max.cfm




"How do some elite runners make up for lower levels of VO2 max?

Although all elite runners have VO2 max values well above the population mean, the correlation between VO2 max and performance is not absolute. Derek Clayton only had a VO2 max of 69 ml/kg/min. and Frank Shorter only recorded a value of 71 ml/kg/min., yet both of these runners ran marathon times of under 2:11 and surely outperformed runners with higher values. This variation in VO2 max values among the elite is possible because VO2 max is only one of several factors that determine running performance. These other factors include mental attitude (ability to tolerate pain), running economy (how efficiently one runs), and lactate threshold (fastest pace you can maintain without accumulating large amounts of lactic acid in your blood). A runner with a relatively low VO2 max, but high in these other performance factors, could outperform a runner with a significantly higher VO2 max but with poor running economy and a low lactate threshold. For example, Derek Clayton and Frank Shorter compensated for their lower VO2 max values with their high efficiency and ability to run their marathons at a high percentage of their VO2 max without accumulating too much lactic acid (high lactate threshold)."

by David Hampson http://www.worldfitness.com/archive/topic/17.html

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"The more you sweat today, the less you bleed tomorrow"

Thanks to all for replying!

Ive had VO2max tests done on the rowing ergometer (im a sculler), and come up with 62ml/min/kg at my winter weight of 59kg... Ive never had one done running or biking...so Id been wondering...

However, looking at performance tables from Noakes and similar ones, comparing with that rowing VO2 value, I should really be running much faster than I am (I dont run much though). I figured that the VO2 uptake should be similar, even among disciplines, whether one is used to them or not, but thank you for backing me up on that. Therefore, while the maxVO2 is a standard between running/biking/whathaveyou, the actual speed produced is a determinant of efficiency (ie, how your VO2 related with the wattage you can put out during the particular sport)

And yes, like Francois said, VO2 in ml/min plateaus with training to some individual level and cannot be changed significantly through additional training. However, losing weight (without sacrificing efficiency, or wattage) can have a significant effect on the numbers. In my case 3.7L/min...at winter weight that translates into 62.7ml/min/kg, race weight 66.0ml/min/kg.

So...I have the physiological potential of running faster, but am not living up to it due to biomechanical/weight efficiency.

Also backs up the fact that the test numbers dont mean much-- its the numbers that you see on your watch when you cross the finish line that do :)

Z

I think the question is what you hope to accomplish by getting it done. If you find out you have a high VO2 max you may be disappointed that you are not living up to your potential. If you find you have a low VO2 max you may be disappointed that you have already maxed out your potential. Psychological issues aside, you need to have a clear idea of what you hope to accomplish. Most people can engage in a regular program of intervals to get a good idea of where they begin producing too much lactic acid and can use this information to come up with training zones and racing strategies.

FWIW, Dr. Eschbach over at Meredith here in Raleigh does this kind of testing. He's a very talented, semi-retired triathlete. I've never bothered to get tested because I wouldn't do anything different with the results. To me ~$200 is a lot of money to spend just to get some numbers on a piece of paper.

If anyone who lives in the metro tri state NY area, I offer Vo2 testing at the New York health and Racquet Club in NYC. Anyone can check out my website http://www.vo2testing.com, call me at NYHRC at 212-220-0771 or at 646-229-2515 for the direct line and Ask for Jason, or email me for more info.

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

I regularly get tested on both the bike and the run and my VO2 is always much higher on the run. I'm a much stronger cyclist than runner but I've always assumed it's higher because I'm using so many more muscles that are consuming oxygen when I run. For some people, results may be the same for both disciplines, but if you really want to get some accurate training zones, I would highly recommend getting tested in both. I have also switched over to lactate testing since VO2 max testing gives you less practical information for ironman training. It's nice to know your speed/wattage at 2mM lactate to find your proper training/racing zone. I do all of my testing through UC Davis Sports Medicine with Dr. Massimo Testa. If you are ever in the Sacramento area, he is the greatest.

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TriDi

For running: For the athlete or coach: no benefits. It is one of those totally uneccesarry measures that interest those who know nothing more and those who no much less. Usually scientists and average coaches attempt to use them.

It is totaly worthless and definately not worth your money - or your time if it is free. I get offered one or two free tests every year through my local Univeristy - never bothered.

Any decent coach can tell you everything you will ever need to know through field tests.

For swimming would think the same.

My cycling knowledge is not super - but would not imagine that they are necessary.

A grad student at a local university was looking for participants in a study, and as a result I got a free V02max test as and hydrostatic weighing. It wasn't the perfect test for my purposes (the steps were a little short) but hey - for that price, I had no complaints. ;)

My advice if you want a free test is to hit the Ex-Phys lab at your local university and see if anyone needs lab rats. If you want a more specific test, you'll have to pay. $150-250 seems to be the range for a full battery of tests at most high-perf test labs.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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