VO2 Test Results (Page 2)

I don't know that there is one.  Personally, I would go with race performance, as that is what training leads to for most people.

The tests here are more to determine effort levels for training, not really to determine fitness, so to speak.

Absolutely with a BIG caveat;  what most triathlon training books or many coaches (I’ve done the same mistake) use as the definition of LT is not correct hence we contribute to the big confusion floating around about this term so let’s get straight up.

Lactate Threshold is scientifically defined as the increase of 1 mmol/liter over the athlete’s exercise baseline, IOW when your lactic acid concentrations exceed 1 mmol/liter over you baseline (when you are at rest) then you have achieved your LT which can also be equated around the time your body is using roughly the same % of glycogen and lipids for fuel. This can be tested via blood concentrations and they usually get your baseline at rest and then make you start exercising slowly increasing your intensity; as soon as your lactate concentration increases by 1 mmol/liter BAM, you reached your LT.

Following the above definition, real LT intensity (power/pace) is much lower of what refer to LT. The way it is used in endurance sports is usually related to the Maximum Lactate Steady State (MLSS) which is a bit more intense than lactate threshold and it refers the exercise intensity/pace that can be maintained with lactate at a higher level than at rest but still not increasing over time and roughly for most athletes this happens around the pace/power one can sustain for around 1 hr. Of all measures of aerobic fitness, the power/pace at MLSS has the highest predictive power of endurance performance.

VO2 max on the other hand is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual. This volume is expressed as a rate usually millilitres per kg bodyweight per minute (ml/kg/min) that’s why if your weight goes down your VO2 max usually goes up. Since oxygen consumption is linearly related to energy expenditure, when we measure oxygen consumption, we also are indirectly measuring an individual's maximal capacity to do work aerobically.

VO2max indicates potential so if you have a high VO2 max it just indicates you could perform very well but having a high value doesn’t automatically mean that you in fact will. Athletes with lower VO2max can outperform others with higher VO2 max due to other factors such as better efficiency/economy and most important better power/pace at MLSS. OTOH if your power/pace at MLSS is better than the next athlete (expressed in Kg/w for instance), then all things been equal you should be able to outperform those with lower values, hence it is a better performance predictor.

I have  had one test done, don't remember the numbers... but I have a couple of questions.

How often do you have these numbers tested? 

Is there a status quo for frequency of testing to monitor zone training parameters?

Other than determining approporate zones how do you use these numbers in develpoing your training programs?

Thanks,

Mark

I think you are getting too wrapped up in HR again and are assuming all these numbers are directly comparable when they may not be.

But whatever your VO2 is, it's higher than most.  And you're faster than most as well.  As long as you are getting faster than you were, keep doing what you're doing.

Bryan,

If you don't mind me asking, what was the testing protocal?  I assume by the numbers and past conversations that this was a run test.

As part of a study I had mine done on a stationary bike.  The protocal was for me to keep it at 65 rpm as the resistance increased.  The total test took 17 min with a 3 min warm up and 2 min cool down.  At the 3 min point, she increased the resistance 51 times until I couldn't keep the rpm's.  I had one of those gas exhange masks on which was kinda cool.  I'm still researching some of the data, but here you go for funsy:

Gas Exchange:
Peak V02 (L/min) = 4.3
Peak VO2 (ml/kg/min) = 60
Cardiovascular:
HR at AT = 110
HR at peak = 152
BP at rest = 98/60
BP at peak = 170/60
AT (ml/kg/min) = 33.3 (anarobic threshold)
Other:
Peak workload(watts) = 375
HR after 2 min reco = 95
BP after 2 min reco = 130/60

So after all of this what do I get out of it?

I'm going to have to trip you somewhere on course in order to beat you to the finish line.

bryancd - 2009-02-27 12:06 PM

JohnnyKay - 2009-02-27 10:37 AM

I think you are getting too wrapped up in HR again and are assuming all these numbers are directly comparable when they may not be.

But whatever your VO2 is, it's higher than most.  And you're faster than most as well.  As long as you are getting faster than you were, keep doing what you're doing.

Oh, I hear you JK, I was just throwing this out for discussion. I will be using a new HR zone for the bulk of my IM training and racing, but that's just how I roll.

Yeah, I realize it's "just for discussion".  But you seem to direct it toward the numbers "showing" some changes in fitness or efficiency that they may or may not.  That is, in my opinion, the disussion should first be about whether you can you use the numbers to base your question.  I don't think you can.

As far as how you use your zones in training, as always we could quibble on the details but the reality is that the work you are actually doing pretty much speaks for itself.

They indicate you've got huge frickin' balloons for lungs and can gulp down some serious air.

Other than that?  With those numbers and $3.95 you can buy a Grande Mocha at Starbucks ....

Or skip the numbers entirely and he could have had Grande Mochas every day for a month. 

Honestly?  I don't think they mean anything.  It's not at all clear to me that you can even compare your own tests in this case, let alone drawing something more meaningful out of it that you can use in training.  I really don't think you can infer that there's any kind of "performance push" due to fitness and aging from the data.

OH!  I saw that in Rocky IV.  Drago was on the fancy treadmill at the insane incline and Rocky was climbing mountains because he's old school like that.

You're Drago...I'm Rocky.  We know how that one ended up. 

Now say it with me so we can get this started Bryan:  "I must Break you" (with Accent)