"VO2 max is an intimidating word for an easy-to-understand biometric: It's how well your body uses oxygen when you push yourself. Short for "maximal oxygen uptake," it's been the gold standard for assessing cardiorespiratory fitness since the 1950s. Until recently, it's mostly lived in research labs and elite training centers, helping coaches squeeze every last drop of performance out of elite skiers, runners, and cyclists."
"I tested mine last year at Canyon Ranch's Performance Lab Center, where they fitted me with a heart rate monitor and a tight, Darth Vader-esque mask at 8 am. After a night of little sleep and zero food, the lab technician put me on a treadmill and ramped up the speed and incline until I couldn't keep going. No music. No hyper-caffeinated instructor yelling positive affirmations."
VO2 max measures maximal oxygen uptake and reflects the body's capacity to consume and use oxygen during intense exercise. The metric served as the gold standard for cardiorespiratory fitness since the 1950s and moved from research labs and elite training centers into mainstream devices like fitness trackers and clinical settings. A VO2 max test requires progressively harder exercise while measuring oxygen consumption until it plateaus, revealing aerobic ceiling. Results correlate with cardiorespiratory health and longevity but depend on maximal effort, testing conditions, and individual context. Interpretation requires understanding limitations and complementary measures rather than treating the number as definitive.
Read at WIRED
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]