VO2 Max

The VO2 Max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise.  A higher VO2 Max means that you should have a greater amount of physical output and elevated endurance capabilities.  VO2 Max also refers to the amount of oxygen, in mL, that you use in 1 minute per 1 kg of body mass.  A person’s mode of exercise, heredity, training level, gender, age, and body composition are all variables that will affect their VO2 Max. 

As one increases their altitude level, their VO2 Max will drop.  A test done on six collegiate athletes showed that as they rose in elevation, their VO2s declined greatly.  At 300m, their VO2 Max was 78%; at 2300m, 60%; at 3100m, 56%; and at 4000m, 39%.  Athletes involved in cross-country skiing, distance running, cycling, and swimming often have higher VO2 Maxes. 

Some example VO2 Maxes:
          Males: Cross-country skiers: 83%, Middle-distance runners: 80%, Cyclists: 75%, Rowers: 62%, and Non-active: 44%
          Females: Cross-country skiers: 65%, Runners: 59%, Swimmers: 56%, Speed Skaters: 54%, and Non-active: 39%

There are many different formulae and equations that are used to determine one’s VO2 Max.  For my experiment, I will be using the Rockport Fitness Walking Test.  In the test, you are to walk/run 1 mile (1609 m) as fast as you can.  As soon as you complete the mile, record your heart rate in beats per minute (BPM).  Next, plug the data into the following equation:

132.853- (.0769 x weight in lbs) – (.3877 x age in years) + (6.315 x gender [1 for male, 0 for female]) – (3.2649 x time in minutes and hundredths of minutes [total # of seconds divided by 60]) – (.1565 x BPM). 

Your answer is a percentage equal to your VO2 Max.