TRAIN WITH VO2 MAX

VO2 max stands for a measurement of the maximum (max) volume (V) of oxygen (O2) your body can take in and use during intense aerobic exercise.

- Lauren Bedosky

It’s measured in millilitres of oxygen consumed in a minute per kilogram of body weight (mL/kg/min).

You need oxygen to exercise, and the more efficiently you can consume and use it – the higher your VO2 max – the easier exercise will feel at specific intensities.

“It might help to think of your VO2 max like a car’s engine, but for your body,” says exercise physiologist Todd Buckingham, PhD. “The bigger your engine, the greater your capacity for being a good endurance athlete.”