Although most individuals recognize the significance of cardiovascular exercise, many still have questions about which form of cardio practice is ideal. Should you do a low and slow treadmill walk in Zone 2, a long bike ride in Zone 3, a sprint in Zone 4, and/or a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program in Zone 5?
To answer these questions, first determine your current fitness level by calculating your VO2 max. The maximum (max) rate of volume (V) of oxygen (O2) that your body can consume during physical exercise is referred to as your VO2 max (1). By assessing how well your heart, lungs, and muscles are operating, a high VO2 max is a good predictor of peak athletic performance as well as longevity (2).
A VO2 max test can offer a baseline evaluation of your present physiological capabilities if you are an athlete aiming to improve your performance numbers. This value can help you develop a more effective training program and then evaluate its success by retesting your VO2 max.
Even if endurance training isn’t your primary goal, increasing your VO2 max is crucial. A high VO2 max is a good predictor of all-cause and disease-specific mortality (2). According to one study with over 100,000 participants, persons with the highest degree of fitness have a fivefold lower death rate when compared to people with the lowest level of fitness (3). It has also been demonstrated that boosting cardiovascular fitness improves life expectancy at all levels, with no maximum limit (3).
There are three major methods for determining your VO2 max. To begin, you can have a cardiopulmonary exercise test performed at a medical facility or exercise lab. Wearing a mask to assess your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels while undertaking cardiovascular exercise, such as treadmill jogging, stationary bike, or rowing, will be required for the exam. To determine your cardiovascular stats, medical experts will measure your outputs at escalating levels of intensity. Second, you can go to a licensed private facility, such as Dexafit, and have your VO2 max determined utilizing performance-based VO2 max testing using medical grade technology. Third, you can get an idea of your score by taking one of the fitness tests listed below.
In the Cooper Test, you run or walk as rapidly as you can for 12 minutes, and the distance you cover corresponds to your VO2 Max (4). Here’s how it works: (35.97 miles) – 11.29, or use an online calculator. If you run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes, your VO2 max is approximately 42.6.
You run 1.5 miles or 6 regular track laps in the 1.5 Mile Run Test and use your time to compute your score using a chart or an online calculator. For example, a 25-year-old male who finishes in 10 minutes has a VO2 max of 52, but a 25-year-old male who finishes in 18 minutes has a VO2 max of 41.
A wearable heart rate monitor, such as your whoop, Oura ring, Apple Watch, FitBit, or Polar H10, and a motorized adjustable incline treadmill are required for the Modified Bruce Protocol. You will walk on the treadmill in three-minute increments, increasing your speed and grade with each stage. If you are unable to walk/run any further or your heart rate exceeds 85% of your projected maximum heart rate (220 – age) (5), the test will be terminated. The stages are as follows:
00:00 – 03:00 – Stage 1: 1.7 mph, 0% grade
03:01 – 06:00 – Stage 2: 1.7 mph, 5% grade
06:01 – 09:00 – Stage 3: 1.7 mph, 10% grade
09:01 – 12:00 – Stage 4: speed of 2.5 miles per hour, gradient of 12%
12:01 – 15:00 – Stage 5: 3.4 mph, 14% grade
15:01 – 18:00 – Stage 6: 4.2 mph with a 15% grade
18:01 – 21:00 – Stage 7: speed of 5.0 miles per hour, gradient of 15%
21:01 – 24:00 – Stage 8: 6.0 mph with a 15% grade
Your score will be determined by your overall duration, which can be seen on a chart or an online calculator.
After completing your VO2 Max test, you should be given a figure in milliliters per kilogram of body weight per minute (6). To put this figure into perspective, one metabolic equivalent (MET) is the amount of oxygen consumed while sitting at rest, and one MET equals 3.5 ml O2/kg/min (7). It usually takes about 10 MET to run one mile at 10:00 speed, which is about 35ml. The average 30-year-old should be over the 35 ml mark. Elite athletes, such as professional cyclist Oskar Svenson, who reached a VO2 max of 97.5, and 1984 Olympic marathon champion runner Joan Benoit, who reached a VO2 max of 78.6 (8), can score more than 90 ml.
This figure changes drastically depending on your age, weight, height, and gender. Also, starting about the age of 40, a sedentary person’s VO2 max declines by 10% every decade, whereas an active person’s VO2 max declines by only 5% per decade. Improving VO2 max at any age is critical to preventing this deterioration (9).
Working backwards from how healthy you want to be in your 80s is the simplest way to think about your future health span. For example, if you wish to run a marathon in under four hours and 30 minutes in your 80s, you must run at a 10 minute per mile pace, which necessitates a VO2 Max of 35ml (10). If you exercise regularly, you will lose 5% of your VO2 max every ten years. As a result, you’d require a 37ml VO2 Max at 70, a 39ml VO2 Max at 60, a 41ml VO2 Max at 50, and a 43ml VO2 Max at 40.
Perhaps all you want to do in your 80s is be able to climb four flights of stairs (60 steps) in under a minute. This would necessitate 6 METs or a minimum VO2 max of 21ml (11). Assuming you lose 10% of your VO2 Max every 10 years due to inactivity, you would need to have a 19ml VO2 Max at 70, a 21ml VO2 Max at 23, a 41ml VO2 Max at 50, and a 25ml VO2 Max at 40 (7).
Median Vo2 max values by age group
How can you increase your VO2 Max? Exercising at any intensity above 60% of your VO2 max has been shown in studies to improve maximal oxygen uptake. Working at high intensity, near-maximal intensity of around 90%, on the other hand, may be the best range for eliciting the largest degree of VO2 max improvement (13).
One study looked at four different workout groups to see which one had the greatest rise in VO2 max. Group 1 ran a long, sluggish distance at 70% of their maximum heart rate (HR max). Group 2 ran a lactate threshold run at 85% of their maximum heart rate. Group 3 did 4×4 intervals in which they ran for 4 minutes at 90% and then actively rested for 4 minutes at 70% of their maximum heart rate. Group 4 ran 15/15 intervals, running 15 seconds at 95% of their maximum heart rate and then resting for 15 seconds at 70% of their maximum heart rate. High-intensity aerobic interval training in Groups 3 and 4 increased VO2 max significantly more than lower threshold exercise in Groups 1 and 2. Surprisingly, the 4×4 group (14 points) outperformed the 15/15 group.
There are numerous advantages to attempting to boost your VO2 Max, since it can help you live longer, live healthier, and perform better. For the most advantage, try to raise your heart rate above 60% at least once a week, or do 4×4 interval sprints to maximize your VO2 Max improvement. If you look after your heart, your body will look after you.