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VO2max / Maximal Oxygen Uptake
Rating
VO2max (maximal oxygen uptake) is the largest volume of oxygen the body is able to absorb and use per minute of intense work. A key indicator of aerobic fitness.
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VO2max and VDOT
In detail
Measured in milliliters of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). The higher the VO2max, the more energy the body can produce aerobically — without producing excess lactic acid. In untrained people VO2max is usually 30-40, in elite endurance runners — 70-85. It can only be precisely measured in a lab with a gas analyzer; from a race result it can only be estimated.
How to use it
VO2max grows more slowly than any other trainable indicator, mostly through high-intensity interval work — don't expect quick progress, this is a long-term adaptation that takes months.