Improve VO2Max

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Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Given that my measurements are accurate, my reduced exercise program has REDUCED my VO2Max. Before falling off the wagon and then getting back on last month but doing 30 min of cardio per week instead of the 4 hours I did before.

    I was looking thru my exercise log on Polar Beat. On Aug 4 my VO2Max was 39 (very good). Then it went to 35 (good) on Sept 9th.

    I fell of the wagon for a while. On Dec 12th I was at 32 (moderate). Every week after that I've been at 32 with no improvement.

    In conclusion, if one does the minimum one can be in good shape. To be in better shape one must do more volume and intensity.

    Which measurements were correct? Did you say you used the 220-age to find your maximum HR? That's definitely not accurate for most people. Polar, while a nice company, isn't likely going to give you correct VO2 max measurements if only because the an accurate measurement is going to come from a laboratory a watch and wrist or chest based HR measurements.

    I mean let's be honest, even 4 hours of cardio a week wouldn't get you to an elite level for your age. This thread is now making me want to get my max HR and VO2max tested...though the place I would go doesn't have a rowing machine in their lab (just a stationary bike and a treadmill).

    You (with a helper, and a chest belt HRM with separate monitor or recording device, and an erg) can run a rowing machine HRmax testing protocol developed by a reasonably sound source. Google is your friend.

    Don't do it if you're not medically 100% certain you'll live. ;)
  • Vladimirnapkin
    Vladimirnapkin Posts: 299 Member
    I read (and posted) an article recently that compared different fitness watch based estimates with laboratory testing. They found the watches were pretty close, even though they used different algorithms to get there. If anything, the watches were conservative, if I remember correctly.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited January 2019
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Given that my measurements are accurate, my reduced exercise program has REDUCED my VO2Max. Before falling off the wagon and then getting back on last month but doing 30 min of cardio per week instead of the 4 hours I did before.

    I was looking thru my exercise log on Polar Beat. On Aug 4 my VO2Max was 39 (very good). Then it went to 35 (good) on Sept 9th.

    I fell of the wagon for a while. On Dec 12th I was at 32 (moderate). Every week after that I've been at 32 with no improvement.

    In conclusion, if one does the minimum one can be in good shape. To be in better shape one must do more volume and intensity.

    Which measurements were correct? Did you say you used the 220-age to find your maximum HR? That's definitely not accurate for most people. Polar, while a nice company, isn't likely going to give you correct VO2 max measurements if only because the an accurate measurement is going to come from a laboratory a watch and wrist or chest based HR measurements.

    I mean let's be honest, even 4 hours of cardio a week wouldn't get you to an elite level for your age. This thread is now making me want to get my max HR and VO2max tested...though the place I would go doesn't have a rowing machine in their lab (just a stationary bike and a treadmill).

    You (with a helper, and a chest belt HRM with separate monitor or recording device, and an erg) can run a rowing machine HRmax testing protocol developed by a reasonably sound source. Google is your friend.

    Don't do it if you're not medically 100% certain you'll live. ;)

    Just wanted to add if you do find a Concept2 rowing machine and do their VO2 Max estimator, that's been a subject of intense debate on the C2 forums. Despite some of our best attempts at telling the company this info, they seem to have "Well Trained" and "Untrained" reversed. If you're untrained (limited experience rowing or even relatively new), your 2K times will suffer from inefficiencies, so you'd be untrained. If you have a solid stroke and great form, you'd be trained and your times would be logically better with the same amount of effort.

    If I put my 2K times into C2's VO2 estimator, they come out in reverse of what they should. As an trained rower (I've been working on form for five years now and have been told, even by outdoor coaches, that my form is solid), my VO2 Max estimates (solely based on 2K times) are higher on the C2 website than if I entered it as an Untrained rower. This makes no sense. It should be the other way around.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    Also, keep in mind that while yoga is great for flexibility and overall strength, not all forms are vigorous enough to count towards the 150 minute per week exercise recommendation. Remember that those exercise recommendations are for the amount of time that you need to spend at an elevated effort. If you participate in an activity that is mostly dead easy but only occasionally becomes a challenge, then you'll need to assess whether you really should count all of that time as exercise.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    If that set of new challenges fits into your life, while maintaining good overall life balance, those sound like really excellent next steps.

    Speaking from the perspective of someone of similar age (I'm 63), it sounds like you are not giving in to "the tyranny of low expectations" that too many succumb to, as we age (to steal another MFPers phrae out of context).

    Kudos.

    Keep challenging yourself! :)
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Given that my measurements are accurate, my reduced exercise program has REDUCED my VO2Max. Before falling off the wagon and then getting back on last month but doing 30 min of cardio per week instead of the 4 hours I did before.

    I was looking thru my exercise log on Polar Beat. On Aug 4 my VO2Max was 39 (very good). Then it went to 35 (good) on Sept 9th.

    I fell of the wagon for a while. On Dec 12th I was at 32 (moderate). Every week after that I've been at 32 with no improvement.

    In conclusion, if one does the minimum one can be in good shape. To be in better shape one must do more volume and intensity.

    Which measurements were correct? Did you say you used the 220-age to find your maximum HR? That's definitely not accurate for most people. Polar, while a nice company, isn't likely going to give you correct VO2 max measurements if only because the an accurate measurement is going to come from a laboratory a watch and wrist or chest based HR measurements.

    I mean let's be honest, even 4 hours of cardio a week wouldn't get you to an elite level for your age. This thread is now making me want to get my max HR and VO2max tested...though the place I would go doesn't have a rowing machine in their lab (just a stationary bike and a treadmill).

    You (with a helper, and a chest belt HRM with separate monitor or recording device, and an erg) can run a rowing machine HRmax testing protocol developed by a reasonably sound source. Google is your friend.

    Don't do it if you're not medically 100% certain you'll live. ;)

    I actually might think about doing this with my coach watching over me some evening. I have a Garmin chest HRM somewhere. Or maybe one of the coxes. There's one in particular who would be perfect and lord knows I'd need someone's voice in my ear.

    I am 100% certain that I'll live my broadly, but given that currently sick with an impressively persistent chest cold (going to call my dr again Monday unless there's significant improvement over the weekend), this month is so not the month to do it.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Given that my measurements are accurate, my reduced exercise program has REDUCED my VO2Max. Before falling off the wagon and then getting back on last month but doing 30 min of cardio per week instead of the 4 hours I did before.

    I was looking thru my exercise log on Polar Beat. On Aug 4 my VO2Max was 39 (very good). Then it went to 35 (good) on Sept 9th.

    I fell of the wagon for a while. On Dec 12th I was at 32 (moderate). Every week after that I've been at 32 with no improvement.

    In conclusion, if one does the minimum one can be in good shape. To be in better shape one must do more volume and intensity.

    Which measurements were correct? Did you say you used the 220-age to find your maximum HR? That's definitely not accurate for most people. Polar, while a nice company, isn't likely going to give you correct VO2 max measurements if only because the an accurate measurement is going to come from a laboratory a watch and wrist or chest based HR measurements.

    I mean let's be honest, even 4 hours of cardio a week wouldn't get you to an elite level for your age. This thread is now making me want to get my max HR and VO2max tested...though the place I would go doesn't have a rowing machine in their lab (just a stationary bike and a treadmill).

    You (with a helper, and a chest belt HRM with separate monitor or recording device, and an erg) can run a rowing machine HRmax testing protocol developed by a reasonably sound source. Google is your friend.

    Don't do it if you're not medically 100% certain you'll live. ;)

    Just wanted to add if you do find a Concept2 rowing machine and do their VO2 Max estimator, that's been a subject of intense debate on the C2 forums. Despite some of our best attempts at telling the company this info, they seem to have "Well Trained" and "Untrained" reversed. If you're untrained (limited experience rowing or even relatively new), your 2K times will suffer from inefficiencies, so you'd be untrained. If you have a solid stroke and great form, you'd be trained and your times would be logically better with the same amount of effort.

    If I put my 2K times into C2's VO2 estimator, they come out in reverse of what they should. As an trained rower (I've been working on form for five years now and have been told, even by outdoor coaches, that my form is solid), my VO2 Max estimates (solely based on 2K times) are higher on the C2 website than if I entered it as an Untrained rower. This makes no sense. It should be the other way around.

    Thanks for this - anything I'd be doing would be on a Concept2.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Given that my measurements are accurate, my reduced exercise program has REDUCED my VO2Max. Before falling off the wagon and then getting back on last month but doing 30 min of cardio per week instead of the 4 hours I did before.

    I was looking thru my exercise log on Polar Beat. On Aug 4 my VO2Max was 39 (very good). Then it went to 35 (good) on Sept 9th.

    I fell of the wagon for a while. On Dec 12th I was at 32 (moderate). Every week after that I've been at 32 with no improvement.

    In conclusion, if one does the minimum one can be in good shape. To be in better shape one must do more volume and intensity.

    Which measurements were correct? Did you say you used the 220-age to find your maximum HR? That's definitely not accurate for most people. Polar, while a nice company, isn't likely going to give you correct VO2 max measurements if only because the an accurate measurement is going to come from a laboratory a watch and wrist or chest based HR measurements.

    I mean let's be honest, even 4 hours of cardio a week wouldn't get you to an elite level for your age. This thread is now making me want to get my max HR and VO2max tested...though the place I would go doesn't have a rowing machine in their lab (just a stationary bike and a treadmill).

    You (with a helper, and a chest belt HRM with separate monitor or recording device, and an erg) can run a rowing machine HRmax testing protocol developed by a reasonably sound source. Google is your friend.

    Don't do it if you're not medically 100% certain you'll live. ;)

    I actually might think about doing this with my coach watching over me some evening. I have a Garmin chest HRM somewhere. Or maybe one of the coxes. There's one in particular who would be perfect and lord knows I'd need someone's voice in my ear.

    I am 100% certain that I'll live my broadly, but given that currently sick with an impressively persistent chest cold (going to call my dr again Monday unless there's significant improvement over the weekend), this month is so not the month to do it.

    Def wait until you're well. Doubly so if it's a chest/head congestion thing. You're going to want 100% of your lungs. (I always get exercise-induced coughing for most of the rest of the day, after doing something like this, even in the best of health. Not everyone does. ;) ).

    Coxes are particularly good at this kind of evil project. ;)
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    Given that my measurements are accurate, my reduced exercise program has REDUCED my VO2Max. Before falling off the wagon and then getting back on last month but doing 30 min of cardio per week instead of the 4 hours I did before.

    I was looking thru my exercise log on Polar Beat. On Aug 4 my VO2Max was 39 (very good). Then it went to 35 (good) on Sept 9th.

    I fell of the wagon for a while. On Dec 12th I was at 32 (moderate). Every week after that I've been at 32 with no improvement.

    In conclusion, if one does the minimum one can be in good shape. To be in better shape one must do more volume and intensity.

    Which measurements were correct? Did you say you used the 220-age to find your maximum HR? That's definitely not accurate for most people. Polar, while a nice company, isn't likely going to give you correct VO2 max measurements if only because the an accurate measurement is going to come from a laboratory a watch and wrist or chest based HR measurements.

    I mean let's be honest, even 4 hours of cardio a week wouldn't get you to an elite level for your age. This thread is now making me want to get my max HR and VO2max tested...though the place I would go doesn't have a rowing machine in their lab (just a stationary bike and a treadmill).

    You (with a helper, and a chest belt HRM with separate monitor or recording device, and an erg) can run a rowing machine HRmax testing protocol developed by a reasonably sound source. Google is your friend.

    Don't do it if you're not medically 100% certain you'll live. ;)

    I actually might think about doing this with my coach watching over me some evening. I have a Garmin chest HRM somewhere. Or maybe one of the coxes. There's one in particular who would be perfect and lord knows I'd need someone's voice in my ear.

    I am 100% certain that I'll live my broadly, but given that currently sick with an impressively persistent chest cold (going to call my dr again Monday unless there's significant improvement over the weekend), this month is so not the month to do it.

    Def wait until you're well. Doubly so if it's a chest/head congestion thing. You're going to want 100% of your lungs. (I always get exercise-induced coughing for most of the rest of the day, after doing something like this, even in the best of health. Not everyone does. ;) ).

    Coxes are particularly good at this kind of evil project. ;)

    Yeah, I took the entire week off from erg'ing because I'm so done with whatever this festering virus is. The first time around the doctor thought was that it was just bronchitis. I got back to 90ish percent for 4 or 5 days and then last Friday I started getting worse. I am going out tomorrow, but I'm 95% sure I'm not contagious and days on the water right now are more about technique for me than how hard I can push myself.
  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,231 Member
    When I was a fun runner, I could care less about what my VO2 Max was, never understood it. All I wanted was to run a faster 5k or 10k and to be able to complete all rounds 8 rounds of a 400 meters repeats workout. That's how I got better, training faster to run faster. If you can do that, I'm sure a higher VO2 Max will follow.
  • AudreyJDuke
    AudreyJDuke Posts: 1,092 Member
    Great info!
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    I’ve been able to move mine up bit by bit every year. I get tested annually in a fitness lab at the university where I work.

    I do 20 minutes of interval training 1-2 times per week. Along with all the other stuff that doesn’t really affect it.
  • ssbbg
    ssbbg Posts: 153 Member
    tsazani wrote: »

    My recent "veganization" of my LCHF diet has bumped my blood sugars. Basically I added a cup of beans every day. The obvious solution is to cut or eliminate the beans. But I'm going to try to exercise it away. The fiber benefit of the beans is worth fighting for.

    Are you timing your beans around your exercise? Probably having beans immediately before your exercise session would minimize the impact on your blood sugar. My mom is type II and lucky enough to have the freestyle libre continuous glucose monitor, so we do all sorts of fun experiments without her having to do a million finger sticks. Exercise immediately following "too many carbs" is a miracle!