VO2 max: What it is, and how you measure it

VO2 Max is the ability for your body to take in, process, use, and expel oxygen. It is used as a way of measuring cardiac ability. The precise measurement of this is actually quite a complicated process that involves a lab setting with analytical equipment hooked up to a subject on a treadmill. Luckily however a method has been developed that is within a +/- 5 ml/kg/min degree of accuracy. So, if through this method you compute your VO2 max to be 45 ml/kg/min, it is 68% likely that your actual VO2 max is between 40 and 50 ml/kg/min. Not bad for using no equipment at all other than a stopwatch and your fingers to read your pulse. This test is called the Rockport Walk Test.

To begin the test, do an easy warm-up and then walk as briskly as possible for one mile. As soon as you finish, record your heart rate using your pulse and the stopwatch.

You can either enter the data into this website, or compute it yourself using the actual equation stated below (this is the same equation that the website uses).

VO2 max (ml/kg/min) = 132.853 - (0.0769 x body weight in [pounds]) - (0.3877 x age [years]) + (6.3150 x gender [female = 0; male = 1]) - (3.2649 x 1-mile walk time [in minutes and hundredths]) - (0.1565 x 1-minute heart rate at end of mile [beats per minute]).

So how did you rate? Here is a website that lists the norms for cardiac ability.

Calculating target heart rate for cardiac improvement

Many people wish to improve their cardiac ability but when they step onto a piece of equipment such as a treadmill, bike, eliptical, etc. they just start exercising, and largely ignore their heart rate and the sophisticated devices installed on the equipment to monitor their HR during the workout. You have probably heard it before, but here it is again: Cardio exercise conducted at 70% - 85% of your maximal heart rate is the target range for improving cardiac ability.

So how do you know what this range is? Here is the equation:
For the lower limit (what you should not let your heart rate drop below) can be found by: .7 x (220-age)

For the upper limit (what you should not continuously let your heart rate go above) can be found by: .85 x (220-age)

So, with these equations we can say for example: A 54 year old man wants to improve his cardiac ability. He should stay between (.7 x (220-54)) = 116.2 BPM and (.85 x (220-54)) = 141.1 BPM.

Get ripped at home

If you are like most of the population then you know that after a long day at work it can be a painful task to leave the house after you get home to hit the gym. Lucky for you, there are many great exercises you can do right at home to fill in the days that you can't get to the gym.

1.
The pectoral muscles, or "Pecs", as they are commonly referred to, can be built with old fashioned push-ups. Your hands should be shoulder width apart, and your body flat like a board (or knees bent if you are having difficulty). You should concentrate on getting as close to the ground with your chest as possible (like when you are doing the bench press you bring the bar right to your chest). Do as many as you can, take a minute break, and then repeat for two more sets.

2.
Your abdominals can be some of the hardest and most difficult muscles to build and tone and standard crunches often end up targeting the wrong muscles. The Plank is an exercise where you lie face down on the floor resting on your forearms with your elbows shoulder width apart. Raise up onto your toes and rest on your forearms. Keep your body as flat as possible, and hold this position for a target time (say 60 seconds). While in this position, continually contract and release your abdominals while keeping your body as straight as possible. Repeat this exercise for two more sets.


3.
The triceps are a group of muscles that can be targeted by doing triangle push-ups. Triangle push-ups are very similar to regular push-ups, but you put your hands close together and make a triangle between your index fingers and thumbs. Concentrate on contracting your triceps to raise off the floor instead of using your chest.






4.
The Latissimus dorsi, or "Lats" as they are commonly known as, can be trained at home with pullups. Many companies sell pull-up bars that are easily installed in doorways - just make sure they are properly secured before using or you could end up in a painful situation. The most common mistake people make when doing pull-ups is not letting their body down far enough. Make sure you let your body go all the way down before pulling back up. You want to hang with your arms straight between each pull-up. If you don't do this you are only cheating yourself and will not see the results you could have if you did the exercise properly.




All of these exercises will also target support muscles and various other muscles of the body. The muscle groups targeted in this article do not fully comprise all of the muscles in the body, but should give you enough of a workout to tide you over until you can hit the gym and get a complete workout.

Choosing the best diet for weight loss

With all of the commercials and advertisements in the media today it is hard to sort through the bias to determine what is actually the best diet schedule to follow. All of these diet programs suggest different ratios of carbohydrates to protein, so what one is right and what ones are just trying to sell snake oil?

Thanks to a recent study we have some more insight into which diets work the best. In the experiment, 161 obese participants were assigned to different groups:

Group 1 = no exercise + no diet control
Group 2 = no diet + exercise group
Group 3= high energy (2,600 kcal), high carbohydrate, low protein [2,600 kcal; 55:15:30 %] [kilo calories; % carbohydrate: % protein: % fat]
Group 4= a very low carbohydrate, high protein [1,200 kcal; 7:63:30 %]
Group 5=a low carbohydrate, moderate protein [1,200 kcal; 20:50:30 %]
Group 6= a high carbohydrate, low protein [1,200 kcal; 55:15:30 %]

Participants in exercise groups performed a pneumatic resistance, circuit training program three times per week.

The results found that fat loss after 14 weeks was significantly greatest in Group 4 (-5.2% body fat, -3.2 kg), Group 5 (-4.0% body fat, -1.9 kg) and Group 6 (-3.8% body fat, -2.1 kg). All exercise groups improved significantly in muscular fitness. Leptin levels decreased in all groups, except for group 1, after two weeks of dieting and remained lower throughout the 14 week program. Participants noted that exercise resulted in significant improvements in quality of life and body image when evaluated.

The conclusion from this study is that a very low carb, high protein diet (1,200 kcal; 7% carb: 63% protein: 30% fat) is the most effective regiment to follow when combined with exercise for weight loss. Please note however that this does NOT mean no carbs and no fat. Carbohydrates and fat are important and play vital roles in the human system. As always, consult your physician before starting any dieting or exercise routine.

- Kerksick C, Thomas A, Campbell B. Nutrition & Metabolism 2009, 6:23 doi:10.1186/1743-7075-6-23. Published May 14, 2009.

Effect of Short-Term High-Intensity Interval Training versus Continuous Endurance Training on Exercise Performance

In a recent study conducted by The University of Western Ontario, the effects of short-term high-intensity interval training versus continuous training on oxygen utilization (VO2) , muscle deoxygenation, and exercise performance were measured. What they found was truly amazing.

"Both short-term high-intensity interval training (HIT) and continuous endurance training (END) showed similar training-induced adaptations with respect to exercise
performance, VO2 kinetics, HR kinetics, LT and L, with no differences occurring between training programs... These results suggest that VO2 kinetics (and muscle O2 utilization kinetics) is influenced similarly by both training programs and that the early adaptation begins as early as after 2 training days."

The High Intensity Interval training "consisted of a 5 min warm-up followed by 1 min exercise at 120% of the pre-training WRmax (maximal work rate) followed by 1 min “loadless” cycling. This interval was repeated 8 times on training days 1 and 2 and progressed to 12 repeated intervals by the eighth session."

The Continuous Endurance Training consisted of "90-120 min cycling at an intensity equivalent to 65% of the pre-training VO2 max."

So, what does this mean to you? It all boils down to this:

High Intensity Interval Training (HIT) shows very similar effects on cardiac ability and muscle oxygen utilization to Continuous Endurance Training (END) , in ∼90% less time! Although this is not a suggested way to achieve weight loss goals, it is a sure fire way to increase your exercise performance and VO2 max. Given that free time is becoming harder and harder to come by, this is an excellent method to achieve a good fitness level and reduce your risk for a multitude of diseases including CHD, COPD, diabetes, etc. in a short amount of time.

-Bryon R McKay, Donald H Paterson, and John M Kowalchuk. Effect of Short-Term High-Intensity Interval Training versus Continuous Training on O2 Uptake Kinetics, Muscle Deoxygenation and Exercise Performance. Journal of Applied Physiology, (May 14, 2009). doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.90828.2008.