How to find VO2 max

VO2 max is a term used for maximal oxygen uptake and is found usually by maxing out your effort on a treadmil or something and at that point finding some peak respiratory rate value. so higher would be better.

if you go to a pulmanologist, they can usually strap you onto a stationary bike and hook you up to a mouthpiece and from that can see exactly how much oxygen goes in at any given point as well as what gasses you exhale etc etc. its probably rather pricey though, but im not sure.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 Max) is accepted as the criterion measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. Maximal oxygen uptake is the product of the maximal cardiac output (L blood x min-1) and arterial-venous oxygen difference (mL O2 per L blood). Significant variation in VO2max (L x min-1) across populations and fitness levels results primarily from differences in maximal cardiac output; therefore, VO2max is closely related to the functional capacity of the heart.

Open-circuit spirometry is used to measure VO2max. In this procedure, the subject breathes through a low-resistance valve (with nose occluded) while pulmonary ventilation and expired fractions of O2 and CO2 are measured. Modern automated systems provide ease of use and detailed printout of test results that save time and effort. However, attention to detail relative to calibration is still essential to obtain accurate results. Administration of the test and interpretation of results should be reserved for professional personnel with a thorough understanding of exercise science. Because of the costs associated with the equipment, space, and personnel needed to carry out these tests, direct measurement of VO2max generally is reserved for research or clinical settings.

When direct measurement of VO2max is not feasible or desirable, a variety of submaximal and maximal exercise tests can be used to estimate VO2max. These tests have been validated by examining: 1) the correlation between directly measured VO2max and the VO2max estimated from physiologic responses to submaximal exercise (e.g., heart rate at a specified power output); or 2) the correlation between directly measured VO2max and test performance (e.g., time to run 1 or 1.5 miles, or time to volitional fatigue using a standard graded exercise test protocol).

Common Field Test Equations to Estimate VO2max.

Rockport Walking Test (1-Mile Walk)

VO2max (mL/kg-1/min-1)= 132.853-0.1692(body mass in kg)-0.3877(age in years)+6.315(gender)-3.2649(time in minutes)-0.1565(HR);

(SEE=5.0 mL/kg-1/min-1)

(gender= 0 for female, 1 for male; heart rate(HR) is taken at end of walk)

1.5-Mile Run Test

VO2max(ml/kg-1/min-1)=3.5+483/(time in minutes)

(time in minutes = 6 minutes 30 seconds is 6.5 minutes...7 min. 45 seconds is 7.75 minutes etc...)

You can also go to

www.exrx.net

and click on fitness calculators, and then clickin on either Walkport or distance run and entering the requested information and it will give you the information you want.

Hope that helped/helps....

*BUMP*

Anyone have Malmo's old post on Vo2max, Place, and Time? Good readding.

Alan