Low Vo2 Max - what it means?

getyourbeans

Hi there,

I recently had a barrage of health testing done and have been told that I have a very low Vo2 max - the guy testing it told me it was actually much lower than he'd anticipated and that I need to work hard on increasing it. (it's "very poor" I believe - embarrassing!)

I'm not really sure what that means for me - I assume it's saying that I am very aerobically unfit. I'm not altogether surprised by that - I walk for between 1.5 - 2 hours per day, but only jog maybe once per week and that is interspersed with walking,too. I otherwise don't do a lot of cardiovascular exercise, rarely get my heart rate high. I am fairly new to a lifting program.

What I'd like to know is:
1. Is a low V02 relative to BMR? (i.e. is this indicative that I have a low metabolism); and
2. How do I increase it?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

shadow2soul

http://www.livestrong.com/article/447500-vo2-max-training/

stefjc

1. No
2. Aerobic exercise

I too have low VO2max but mine is linked to anaemia and bit tricky to manage. All you need to do is slowly, key term there, slowly increase the intensity of your walks. If you walk for that long you may well be ambling and sporadic jogging won't do much either.

Fortunately your new lifting programme will help.

Have a look for a programme you like the sound of Couch to 5K, Runner's World stuff, power walking - that one would be my recommendation - anything you like, or think you could grow to like.

Also check with your GP, if it is very low then you could have an underlying condition, as I do. But you should be able to improve your VO2max just by modifying your current exercise regime.

getyourbeans

1. No
2. Aerobic exercise

I too have low VO2max but mine is linked to anaemia and bit tricky to manage. All you need to do is slowly, key term there, slowly increase the intensity of your walks. If you walk for that long you may well be ambling and sporadic jogging won't do much either.

Fortunately your new lifting programme will help.

Have a look for a programme you like the sound of Couch to 5K, Runner's World stuff, power walking - that one would be my recommendation - anything you like, or think you could grow to like.

Also check with your GP, if it is very low then you could have an underlying condition, as I do. But you should be able to improve your VO2max just by modifying your current exercise regime.

Thanks for the feedback Stef - ambling is probably a pretty good description when it comes to my exertion levels :-) Hopefully this is the prompt I need to actually do something about my fitness levels :-)

Funnily enough, I have anaemia too - although I think my V02 reading is likely more relevant to my general distaste for working up a real sweat. Relieved to know it doesn't necessarily mean my BMR is below average.

ahamm002

although I think my V02 reading is likely more relevant to my general distaste for working up a real sweat. Relieved to know it doesn't necessarily mean my BMR is below average.

And that's exactly the problem. If you want to get in better shape and increase your VO2 Max then you need to start working up a real sweat when you exercise. I personally think slowly increasing your steady state cardio is a suboptimal method for increasing VO2 max. You want to start adding in some high intensity interval workouts in addition to your steady state cardio. And of course the resistance training will help out quite a bit, but only if you work out hard. Focus on compound movements and try to do them as part of a circuit.

Remember, getting into shape can be brutal. But once you're in shape the exercise becomes fun!

stefjc

Erm... suboptimal, brutal.... just a thought...

Beginners should NEVER begin with the brutal route for both physiological and psychological reasons. OK if you are generally healthy then do push on, but have half a thought for injury. Also if it hurts then a beginner is far less likely to continue. The idea is to become knowledgeable about your own body and capabilities, to avoid injury and being put off before you have even started.

If you are, like me, physiologically broken, then pushing, working out hard will never work anyway. A graded entry / re-entry to exercise is the only way to ensure success. That doesn't mean you need to dawdle, take it easy or never feel the burn. It just means that a modicum of restraint is required, initially.

But I really do appreciate that, being a bit old school and working with obese and very unfit people, I am not with it, hip to it or, in anyway current

I do HIIT though - it is great for someone with low VO2max, a wannabe mesomorph currently inhabiting and endomorphic body. Come to think about it, my heavy bag routine is a bit brutal... I may not be so fluffy after all :-D

pcastagner

Speed rope for the win!

rjmudlax13

Firstly, what method was used to figure out your VO2max? Some methods can be very inaccurate, so I would take it with a grain of salt.

Regardless, it does sound like adding some cardio training is needed in your case. As some have said, start slowly. Running is a good start. Then when you get more confortable, you can add some interval training and even some HIIT. Keep in mind that there are genetic factors that come into play for VO2max as well.

stefjc

Speed rope for the death (though I am getting better )

Hayley - what kind of excercise/activities do you like? What equipment have you got? I am currently setting out on my own re-entry to exercise so am starting to practice what I preach. I am happy to help here or in a pm if you would like.

ahamm002

Erm... suboptimal, brutal.... just a thought...

Beginners should NEVER begin with the brutal route for both physiological and psychological reasons. OK if you are generally healthy then do push on, but have half a thought for injury. Also if it hurts then a beginner is far less likely to continue. The idea is to become knowledgeable about your own body and capabilities, to avoid injury and being put off before you have even started.

If you are, like me, physiologically broken, then pushing, working out hard will never work anyway. A graded entry / re-entry to exercise is the only way to ensure success. That doesn't mean you need to dawdle, take it easy or never feel the burn. It just means that a modicum of restraint is required, initially.

But I really do appreciate that, being a bit old school and working with obese and very unfit people, I am not with it, hip to it or, in anyway current

I do HIIT though - it is great for someone with low VO2max, a wannabe mesomorph currently inhabiting and endomorphic body. Come to think about it, my heavy bag routine is a bit brutal... I may not be so fluffy after all :-D

If you read the OP's post you'd see that she's been exercising regularly. Furthermore she doesn't look old or broken in her photo. Yet she's not getting the results she wants. Why is that? Because she's not working out hard enough! It's as simple as that. Of course avoiding injury is important, but you have to also push yourself to get into better shape.

stefjc

But the advice to change from ambling along to be brutal is misplaced. It is a matter of degree. At least I considered the reasons behind Hayley's exercise patterns and she replied as expected, she doesn't like/feel comfortable with high intensity work. Offering suggestions on a gradual increase so she can acclimatise are much more helpful that go for it or you will fail suggestions.

Sometimes the psychological blocks are far greater than any physiological ones.

uboom

VO2 Max is not trainable. You have what you have. It is a genetic measurement of how well you can take oxygen from the air and put it in your blood stream. What you can do is train your body to spend longer periods of time at Threshold and at VO2 max efforts.

getyourbeans

Thanks for the replies - unfortunately I'm one of those people that loves the idea of being fit and sporty, just no good at putting it into practice. My philosophy has always been no pain, no pain.

I think it's partially from previously losing weight by super low calories (i.e. no energy to work out) but otherwise it's just laziness. I think a psychological block is a great way to describe it, actually. I definitely do not like to be uncomfortable! (I do realise that makes me sound incredibly lazy, but it's true). I eat more now, so the feeling weak excuse is gone... I guess I just need to figure out how to get into a routine. I love walking, although I don't consider that exercise, I do it to clear my head and it's my main form of transport :-) I quite like zumba and dance type exercises, but while I break a sweat, it's not a puffed-working-hard type of feeling.

Diet and exercise have previously always been for aesthetic reasons only, so it''s taking me a while to come to terms with the fact that I need to do some uncomfortable things to make my insides healthy, too. I definitely don't push myself when it comes to exercise, and I know it. I'm just wondering what it will take to help push through the pain/discomfort barrier as good intentions don't seem to carry me too far at the moment!

pcastagner

VO2 Max is not trainable. You have what you have. It is a genetic measurement of how well you can take oxygen from the air and put it in your blood stream. What you can do is train your body to spend longer periods of time at Threshold and at VO2 max efforts.

Ummm... No. Not afaik.

You can increase your vo2 max with training or even with drugs (EPO).

stefjc

Then zumba.... all that loud music and full body wiggling is great exercise and fun. I bought a heavy kickbox bag for the same reason, I LOVE boxing.

I HATE most aerobic activities.... but I know that whilst the HIIT stuff is good for body composition I still need to do the cardio for health reasons. But if you like zumba and you can cope with it then go for it.

Good luck.

stefjc

VO2 Max is not trainable. You have what you have. It is a genetic measurement of how well you can take oxygen from the air and put it in your blood stream. What you can do is train your body to spend longer periods of time at Threshold and at VO2 max efforts.

Ummm... No. Not afaik.

You can increase your vo2 max with training or even with drugs (EPO).

I was refraining from answering that one. I spluttered coffee over my keyboard

bwogilvie

If you've found activities like zumba that you like, do them! I really enjoy cycling and hiking, so I'm willing to put up with getting sweaty and icky to do them, and even to put up with the high-intensity intervals I do to improve my cycling. "Uncomfortable" is a relative term; if you're doing something you enjoy, your threshold for uncomfortableness will go up.

tracieangeletti

Thanks for the replies - unfortunately I'm one of those people that loves the idea of being fit and sporty, just no good at putting it into practice. My philosophy has always been no pain, no pain.

I think it's partially from previously losing weight by super low calories (i.e. no energy to work out) but otherwise it's just laziness. I think a psychological block is a great way to describe it, actually. I definitely do not like to be uncomfortable! (I do realise that makes me sound incredibly lazy, but it's true). I eat more now, so the feeling weak excuse is gone... I guess I just need to figure out how to get into a routine. I love walking, although I don't consider that exercise, I do it to clear my head and it's my main form of transport :-) I quite like zumba and dance type exercises, but while I break a sweat, it's not a puffed-working-hard type of feeling.

Diet and exercise have previously always been for aesthetic reasons only, so it''s taking me a while to come to terms with the fact that I need to do some uncomfortable things to make my insides healthy, too. I definitely don't push myself when it comes to exercise, and I know it. I'm just wondering what it will take to help push through the pain/discomfort barrier as good intentions don't seem to carry me too far at the moment!

I have spent most of my life avoiding exercise at all costs. It hurt, I was uncomfortable, sweaty, etc... But a year and a half ago I just decided that I was tired of being, at best chunky and more often than not just plain fat. So I started of slow. It was hard and uncomfortable but I just kept going. When I started to do a little better with whatever workout I was doing I added more to it or changed to something else. Start off SLOWLY but do push yourself as much as you can. In time it gets easier and you get to sort of enjoy it. I like working up a sweat now and will adjust my schedule however I can so I don't miss a workout. If you had told me two years ago that I would be doing this now I would have laughed in your face and probably scarfed down a pie.

You can do this. I'm 47, have MS, and am probably one of the laziest people on earth but I do it. Figure out what motivates you, find exercises you enjoy, and LIFT heavy things. You got this!!!

Doodlewhopper

"Exercise experts have found ways to make the most of the VO2 max number during your training, including ways to push that number higher. The most prominent of these approaches is high intensity interval training, or HIIT. Look for resources on how to develop the HIIT program that's right for you. The following are some HIIT workout formats you might try:

30/30 and 60/60 intervals -- alternating jogging and your fastest-paced runs
Hill intervals -- alternating runs uphill and jogging back down
Lactate intervals -- pushing muscles to their limits at your fastest pace [source: Fitzgerald]

Though VO2 max training can boost your running performance and your fitness level, exercise experts across the board say not to make it the only priority in your training.One reason to keep VO2 max in perspective is that there are many factors that you don't have control over, such as your genetics, age and even your altitude [sources: Daley, Mascarell]. In addition, note that some of the top distance runners in the world have had lower VO2 max numbers than some of their less-accomplished competitors, indicating that the VO2 max alone is not a clear predictor of success "

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/triathlons/training/vo2-max.htm

Andyxyz

Like getyourbeans who started this, I too recently had a load of tests including VO2 max. I came out at 25.4 which is pretty poor, considering I have been taking regular exercise for 4 years now. I'm doing 2 boot camp type classes and an hour of running in an elementary group each week. I got the test because my stamina is quite low and I run out of steam when running. I also yawn a lot. I'm 68 so maybe it's too late to correct this. I'm not really overweight though they suggested maybe 5 lbs loss wouldn't be a bad thing.

Just looking to compare notes.

yarwell

uboom wrote: »

VO2 Max is not trainable. You have what you have.

No. For a start it is usually expressed per kg of body weight, so less bodyweight for the same aerobic function automatically means a higher VO2max.

The whole concept of "training" is to improve things like aerobic fitness.

yarwell

getyourbeans wrote: »

1. Is a low V02 relative to BMR? (i.e. is this indicative that I have a low metabolism); and

Low VO2max does restrict your ability to "burn calories" but as far as I know doesn't reflect resting metabolism.

I was low too - 25 ml/min/kg which at 80kg means my max O2 is 2000 ml/min = 2 l/min = 10 cal/min = 600 cal/hour. So if my exercise is at 80% of VO2 max I'm capped at 480 calories/hour.