What is VO2max and how does it affect sports
If you are involved in the field of endurance sports it is very likely that you have heard the term "maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max)". However, most people do not know exactly what it means or how this quality affects sports performance
Why is oxygen important in sports?
One of the most important roles of oxygen in the body is to convert glucose and fatty acids in the mitochondria of cells into a molecule called ATP which is used by the body to produce energy. The more ATP produced, the more energy is available to muscles and other organs. Therefore, a high oxygen consumption value means you can run faster and farther in a given time period.
How is "maximal oxygen uptake" measured?
To measure it, the athlete needs to undergo a laboratory test. The measurement of VO2Max is done by wearing a mask that calculates the difference between the oxygen you inhale and the oxygen you exhale. From this difference during an exercise which becomes progressively more difficult, is the maximum amount of oxygen that a person can consume, i.e. VO2Max.
How does maximal oxygen uptake increase?
VO2max depends on several factors and one of them is the amount of blood that the heart can transport to the tissues, i.e. the cardiac output. Another thing that matters is how efficiently a person can use oxygen to produce ATP and the number of mitochondria in their cells plays a role in that.
While genetic factors play an important role in VO2max, anyone can increase it through training. In fact, the research shows that in the case of non-gyms, every exercise helps in a greater intake of oxygen, even stretching. For well-trained athletes, high-intensity interval training is recommended. But in reality all intensities do their job because oxygen consumption tends to increase with any intensity as long as the exercise is sustained.