Without modern knowledge about the work and functioning of the human body at maximum loads, it is impossible for any athlete to succeed in sports, especially in running.

Knowledge about VO2max is needed not only by athletes, but also by ordinary people, since this indicator reveals the secrets of the state of health of any person at the moment, the capabilities of the body, and its ability to live long.

What is vo2 max exponent?

VO2 Max is defined as maximum amount oxygen that your body can take in, deliver, and use within one minute. It is limited by the amount of oxygen in the blood that the lungs and the cardiovascular system can handle, and the amount of oxygen that muscles can extract from the blood.

The name means: V - volume, O 2 - oxygen, max - maximum. VO 2 max is expressed either as an absolute rate of liters of oxygen per minute (l / min) or as a relative rate in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body mass per minute (eg ml / (kg · min)). The latter expression is often used to compare the performance of endurance athletes.

What does it characterize?

VO2max is a measure of the maximum speed at which an athlete's body is able to absorb oxygen during a particular operation, adjusted for body weight.

It is estimated that VO2 Max decreases by about 1% per year.

A high VO2max is important because it is closely related to the distance traveled by the subject. Research has shown that VO2max accounts for roughly 70 percent of race performance success among individual runners.

Thus, if you are able to run 5000m one minute faster than I can, it is likely that your VO2max is higher than mine by an amount that is sufficient to account for 42 seconds of that minute.

There are two main factors that contribute to a high VO2max. One of these is strong oxygen saturation transport system which includes a powerful heart, blood hemoglobin, high blood volume, high capillary density in muscles, and high mitochondrial density in muscle cells.

The second speed is the ability to contract a large number of muscle fibers at the same time, since the more muscle tissue is active at any given time, the more oxygen is consumed by the muscles.

This makes VO2 Max a critical sign of aging, and we can measure and improve it by correct aerobic exercise... To do this, you must raise your heart rate to a temperature between 65 and 85 percent of your maximum through aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes, three or five times a week.

The difference in indicators between ordinary people and athletes

Ordinary men aged 20-39 have VO2max on average from 31.8 to 42.5 ml / kg / min, and athletes-runners of the same age have VO2max on average up to 77 ml / kg / min.

Untrained girls and women tend to have maximum oxygen absorption 20-25% lower than untrained men. However, when comparing elite athletes, the gap tends to be close to 10%.

Going further, VO2 Max is adjusted for lean mass in elite male and female athletes, differences disappear in some studies. Sex-specific significant stores of fat are thought to account for the majority of metabolic differences in running between men and women.

Typically, the decrease in age-related VO2 max can be attributed to a decrease in maximum heart rate, maximum blood volume and maximum a-VO2 difference, that is, the difference between the oxygen concentration of arterial blood and venous blood.

How is Vo2 max measured?

Accurate measurement of VO 2 max includes physical effort sufficient in duration and intensity to fully load the aerobic energy system.

In general clinical and athletic testing, this typically includes a differential exercise test (either on a treadmill or on a bicycle ergometer) in which exercise intensity is gradually increased by measuring: ventilation and oxygen, and carbon dioxide concentration in inhaled and exhaled air. ...

• VO 2 max is reached when oxygen consumption remains stable despite increased workload.
• VO 2 max is correctly determined by Fick's equation:
• VO2max = Q x (CaO2-CvO2)

these values ​​are obtained during exercise at maximum effort, where Q is the cardiac output of the heart, C O 2 is the arterial oxygen content and C V O 2 is the venous oxygen content.

• (C O 2 - C v O 2) is also known as arteriovenous oxygen difference.

In running, it is usually determined using a procedure known as a test. additional exercises, in which the athlete breathes into the tube, and the device with the tube collects and measures the exhaled gases while running on the treadmill, where

the belt speed or gradient gradually increases as the athlete achieves fatigue. The maximum oxygen consumption rate recorded in this test will be the runner's VO2max.

Calculation of VO 2 Max without a suitability test.

To determine your heart rate without a monitor, place two fingers against an artery on the side of your neck, just under your jaw. You should be able to feel your heartbeat on your fingers. Set a timer for 60 seconds and count the number of beats you feel

This is your heart rate (heart rate) in beats per minute (BPM). Calculate the maximum heart rate. The most common way to calculate your maximum heart rate is by subtracting your age from 220. If you are 25, your HR max = 220 -25 = 195 beats per minute (bpm).

Let's define VO 2 max by a simple formula. The simplest formula for calculating VO 2 Max VO 2 max = 15 x (HR max / HR rest). This method counts well when compared to other general formulas.

Calculate VO 2 max. The use of rest and maximum heart rate you have already determined, you can plug these values ​​into the formula and calculate VO 2 max. Let's say you have a resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute and your maximum heart rate is 195 beats per minute.

• Write the formula: VO 2 max = 15 x (HR max / HR rest)
• Connect values: VO 2 max = 15 x (195/80).
• Solve: VO 2 max = 15 x 2.44 = 36.56 ml / kg / min.

How to improve your VO2max

A quick way to improve VO2max is to run for about six minutes in the fast pace that you can withstand during this time. So you could do a VO2max workout that consisted of a 10-minute warm-up, a 6-minute run, and a 10-minute cool-down.

But this is not the most The best way training VO2max, as you can get very tired after six minutes of effort. Better to do a little less effort for the same or a little more high intensity separated by recovery periods, as this allows the athlete to use more of the total time of 100 percent VO2max before reaching exhaustion. Another option is to add intensity back just a little, and do slightly longer intervals.

Start at 30/30 intervals. After warming up for at least 10 minutes of light jogging, work 30 seconds hard, at the fastest pace. Then it will slow down to lung Good a way to introduce VO2max training into your program at 30/30 and 60/60 intervals. Continue alternating between fast and slow 30-second intervals until you have completed at least 12 and then 20 of each.

Now I have the Garmin Forerunner 630, another perfect running watch, just newer and in blue. They look a little more ... masculine (620s I had white and orange). The set of functions of this watch will satisfy a runner of any level of advancement (if you don’t believe, everything is the same in the new ones, only even better) and there will probably be a few features in reserve that few people will not get to. Today, just about such.

VO2 Max, aka IPC
It was like this with me: I lived calmly and did not pay attention to the new VO2 Max value that periodically pops up on the watch screen, and it appeared approximately every time the workout was faster and more difficult than all the previous ones performed with this watch. But to determine this figure, people put on masks and run on the track. How can a watch know how it really is? Now, when I did a real ANSP and IPC test with a gas analyzer and lactate sampling, I know everything about myself. This means that the results can be compared!

“VO2 Max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen (in milliliters) per kilogram of body weight that you can absorb in a minute during maximum exercise. In other words, VO2 Max is a measure of sports training that should increase as fitness improves ”- definition from Garmin manual.

On August 27, on a test in the clinic, it turned out that my VO2 max, aka VO2 Max, is equal - in order to find out, I had to run up to a heart rate of 206 beats per minute. Garmin Forerunner 630, with which I ran about all summer, all training and two dozens of nights - and, by that time, managed to fix the number 52.

In the clinic, of course, I did not wear a watch, so the maximum heart rate that they (the watch) had to see was 197 beats per minute. Perhaps the fact that the VO2 max recorded by Garmin turned out to be lower than the real maximum is precisely due to the fact that I did not reach the maximum with it? I decided to ask Dr. Mikhail Nasekin what he thinks about all this. And Doc thinks like this:

“You paid attention to the difference in heart rate correctly: if you had kept your heart rate at 206 beats per minute for any length of time, Garmin would have written the VO2 Max value closer to the real one. But I am a supporter of making a conclusion about the correct / incorrect calculation based on statistics. Two, three or even ten observations are not enough to draw a conclusion. In practice, for most of those who accurately record all runs, the readings coincide + -2 ml / kg / min. But, I repeat, it is possible to assert that it actually exists or not after a full-fledged research. Then it will be reliable and relevant, and before that - all our fantasies. On the other hand, you will not (and no one will) do the maximum test every month. This will disrupt all training. Therefore, Garmins are indispensable for assessing the dynamics of the VO2 max. ”

So-so, dynamics, you say? Let's see what happened there with VO2 Max before and after testing in the clinic.

On July 17, I reached the value of 52 ml / kg / min, after which for some time the indicator fluctuated between 51 and 52, and on September 25, at the satellite race of the Moscow Marathon, the clock recorded 53 ml / kg / min.

It was not possible to update the top ten record, but the watch recorded a new VO2 Max

In October, the figure changed twice (even without races) - first by 54, and then by 55. That's how the growth went! Isn't it time to get your IPC back on the gauges, Doc?

According to him, 55 for a girl of 20-29 years old is excellent, and even very even for a man. (This is me, like, bragging).

Such results are predicted by my watch. Ten and a marathon, I was already running faster!

Lactate threshold
Yes, Garmin Forerunner 630 guesses the lactate threshold. Sounds impressive, especially when the word lactate is associated with blood sampling. But clocks cannot scan blood, so in reality everything is much simpler.

The definition of the lactate threshold from the instructions looks like this:

“Lactate threshold is the intensity at which lactate (lactic acid) begins to build up in the bloodstream. When jogging, the lactate threshold indicates the level of effort. When the athlete exceeds this threshold, fatigue begins to arrive at an accelerated rate. For advanced runners, the lactate threshold corresponds to approximately 90% of your maximum heart rate at a pace between 10 km and a half marathon. For intermediate runners, the lactate threshold often corresponds to a heart rate below 90% of maximum heart rate. Knowing your lactate threshold will help you determine the intensity of your workout as well as timing your snatch in competition. ”

The watch tells the athlete two numbers - the pulse and the pace at which this threshold is reached. My Garmins decided that my heart rate was 180 and the pace was 4:29 min / km. Dr. Nasekin disagreed:

“The definition of the lactate threshold from the instructions is not bad: it describes the situation and the physiology of what happens after it is overcome quite fully. There is an inaccuracy: Garmin calculates it from the maximum heart rate, which is calculated either by the formula HR Max = 220 - age, or from the HR value Max that you set with your hands. In fact, your lactate threshold is where the ANSP is, that is, at 196 beats / min. ” Oops!

The clock has not guessed the lactate threshold. But! Firstly, they counted it from the maximum heart rate = 202, which I myself indicated once (I am already running to adjust the correct heart rate Max and see what comes of it). Secondly, my ANSP was somewhat closer to maximum heart rate(95%) than one might think. In any case, accuracy is not as important here as the ability to follow the dynamics. : at the same pulse of the lactate threshold, the watch periodically renews the pace. It's nice when he grows up.

The clock itself
The box contains this set of the device itself, the HRM-RUN4 chest heart rate monitor and the charging cord:

Sometimes there is a complete set without HRM - you can connect any other Garmin heart rate monitor, even an older model, to the watch. But this one is the newest and most accurate. It is he who collects information about the heart rate, as well as about the length and frequency of steps, about the time of contact with the ground (each leg! It turns out to be different for the left and right), about the height of vertical oscillations (how high you jump while running. By the way, I jump as much as 8 cm!). Running statistics are mega-detailed, they can be considered and analyzed for a long time if you understand what's what.

In the Indoor Run mode (for arenas, for the winter), GPS is disabled and the distance is determined using an accelerometer. I tried it twice, the numbers were very close to the truth.

In addition to all the data, the watch evaluates the effectiveness of the workout, gives recommendations for recovery and easily replaces the fitness bracelet: if you wear it during the day, it will count steps and periodically remind you that it is time to get up from the office chair and take the stairs, and if also do not take them off at night, they will show how much you managed to sleep. When you carry your phone somewhere in your pocket with Bluetooth turned on, the watch displays all sorts of notifications on the screen - well, there are calls or messages in Telegram. So, looking at your watch, you can decide whether to answer or it can wait until the end of the run.

A photo posted by Lena Kalashnikova (@ site) on Oct 25, 2016 at 11:03 am PDT

Forerunner 630 is not only accurate, but also fast: you just need to go outside and press the button with the runner - and the GPS is immediately captured, and the heart rate monitor is found. You don't have to stand still and wait for a signal, you can start training right away, which is especially important in cold autumn and winter. But most of all in Forerunner 630 I value independence, namely, syncing via wi-fi. What does it look like? And like this: I run home, do a hitch, and at this time the information about the run is sent to Garmin Connect itself, and at the same time to Strava and Nike +. You don't even need to do anything! I think I already wrote this ... Exactly, in.

And this is something else that is pleasant for owners of different Garmin devices: through the special Face-it application, you can put any photo on the watch's screensaver and walk around and rejoice at every glance at the screen. So that.

The cost of hours at the time of the release of the material: from 29 890 rubles. without HRM-Run4 sensor and from 33 670 rubles. bundled with HRM-Run4 at www.garmin.com

Photo: Andrey Morozov, Pyotr Tuchinsky, Marathon Photo

You've probably heard of such an indicator - VO 2 max, especially if you are fond of running or triathlon. Let's figure out what it is with the help of a chapter from the book "Cardio or Power".

VO 2 max - this term invariably pops up when it comes to some sporting event that requires enormous endurance, such as the Tour de France cycling race. VO 2 max is understood as maximum oxygen consumption... That is, VO 2 max means the greatest amount of oxygen that you are able to transfer to the muscles when you exercise extremely intensely. The logic is simple: the more oxygen your body can process, the faster you will run. Therefore, many athletes are looking for an opportunity to do a VO 2 max test in universities and laboratories, where it costs $ 100-150.

How to measure VO 2 max

Typically, this test takes place like this: a person begins to exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike at a moderate pace, and then gradually accelerates and after 10-12 minutes reaches the maximum level of intensity. The amount of oxygen that the subject consumes at the same time (it is measured using tubes in the mouth) increases as it accelerates, and, as a rule, levels out shortly before stopping: this is a signal that the individual level of VO2 max has been reached. ...

Some scientists believe that this happens when the heart transfers oxygen-rich blood to the muscles as quickly as possible; others believe that everything comes from the individual characteristics of the muscles. More modern theory suggests that these limits cannot be explained at all from the point of view of physiology, since in this case everything is dictated by the instinct of self-preservation and is regulated by the brain.

Undoubtedly, professional endurance athletes usually have a higher VO 2 max than so-called weekend fighters, but this is not for the reasons you might think. There is a common misconception that as a person gains a good physical fitness, his heart begins to beat faster, which means it pumps more oxygen. In fact, the professionals high level heart rate is usually lower than that of those who do not exercise. It's just that their heart muscles are larger and more flexible, capable of ejecting more blood with each powerful blow.

The volume of blood pumped by an athlete's heart can vary from 5 liters per minute at rest to 30 liters per minute at the limit physical activity- and this is twice the level that an untrained person can reach. (The highest documented figure was 42.3 liters per minute; it belongs to an international master of sports in orienteering.)

The differences in VO2 max are partly due to genetics, and partly due to intense training. On average, the average adult male will have a VO2 max between 30 and 40 ml / min / kg., and in an adult woman - from 25 to 35 ml / min / kg.

The VO 2 max of famed cyclist Lance Armstrong during his Tour de France victory was at least 85 ml / min / kg according to Edward Coyle, a sports physiologist at the University of Texas. “We estimate that even if Lance had been lying motionless on the couch in front of the TV all day long, his VO2 max would not have dropped below 60 ml / min / kg,” Coyle wrote in a study report. "At the same time, if an average university student trained intensively for two or more years, his VO2 max would still not rise above 60 ml / min / kg."

Despite the very impressive figure, it would be a mistake to conclude that Armstrong's victory was the result of a high VO2 max, since many of his competitors had the same figure. Coyle believes that Armstrong's success can be explained by the fact that his effectiveness increased by 8% between 1992 and 1999, although other scientists dispute this conclusion. Physiologists agree only that (fortunately for sports fans), based on laboratory measurements and calculations, even the most accurate, complete and comprehensive, it is impossible to predict who will win the competition.

So what does the VO 2 max measurement give, besides the basic satisfaction of curiosity? Comparing the results of several tests carried out over a long period of time allows you to track whether a person is improving their performance. However, as you understand, it is quite possible to notice this without any laboratories: it is quite enough, say, participation in competitions. Experts generally recommend that athletes measure their lactate threshold: this test provides much more useful practical information than determining VO 2 max.

What is lactate threshold and do I need to check mine?

Although scientists are still arguing about what the physiology of the lactate threshold is and how it should be correctly determined, the essence of the phenomenon in this case is very clear.

Running or cycling at a slow pace while in fairly good shape will feel like you can keep doing it for hours. If you run or go too fast, you will probably feel uncomfortable and want to stop or slow down within a few minutes. Somewhere between these two extremes, there is a point after which the body begins to burn energy (this happens at a rate that a person cannot withstand for a long time), and this point is characterized by a sharp jump in the rate of formation of lactate in the blood.

The lactate threshold corresponds to the pace at which you can work for about an hour, and is accompanied by other changes of a physiological nature: for example, you start to breathe heavily, and therefore, as a rough method to determine your threshold, you can use the "test by talking" (the pace at which you can also talk without gasping for breath). The pace at which you move when you hit a threshold is the most reliable parameter at the disposal of scientists today, by which they can predict how you will perform in competition.

In addition, it is a valuable clue with which you can calculate how fast you should run (ride) during exercise. This is why many athletes regularly do a lactate threshold test to track progress and regulate their training.

Scientists initially mistakenly believed that lactate is a harmful waste product that causes pain and fatigue. However, as it turned out, they confused the cause with the effect. Lactate levels rise when your muscles are deficient in oxygen or are forced to burn energy less efficiently because they are not getting enough oxygen; but lactate is actually more fuel than a metabolic product.

However, you can use the rise in blood lactate levels as a rough indicator of when your body stops relying primarily on aerobic metabolism (when your muscles are getting enough oxygen to keep moving) and goes to anaerobic (when your muscles are no longer getting enough oxygen). oxygen and you cannot continue to move without a time limit).

Like the VO 2 max test, the lactate threshold test (which usually lasts 20 minutes to an hour) is done on a treadmill or stationary bike. At the same time, the speed is constantly increasing, on average it happens every 5 minutes. At the end of each such period, blood is taken from the subject for analysis from a finger or earlobe. The absolute values ​​of the amount of lactate are not very significant and depend on many parameters (for example, they can fluctuate depending on what you ate before).

An important metric in this case is your speed (and heart rate) from the moment lactate levels begin to rise significantly. This will be your lactate (anaerobic) threshold.

In 2009, the journal Sports Medicine published a review of 32 studies on the relationship between lactate threshold and performance demonstrated by athletes in running, cycling, race walking and rowing.

The results showed that the lactate threshold test was much more accurate than the VO 2 max test in predicting results - from 55 to 85% of the variants of races at various distances (from 800 m to marathons).

Not only that, lactate threshold is just the perfect parameter for tracking workout performance. Adam Johnson, trainer and director of the Toronto Endurance Research Laboratory, recommends that athletes take lactate threshold tests every 4 months. “When a person sees significant changes after 4 months of training, it gives him confidence in his abilities,” he says. "In addition, the test helps to detect if something is not working, and to correct the situation."

Of course, there are many other ways to track your workout performance, starting with a humble stopwatch. Changing the lactate threshold is more likely to interest those who crave objectivity, have a weakness for advanced technologies and have always dreamed of catching up with Lance Armstrong. Such studies are widely available today.

“There is a misconception that only serious athletes, elite professionals, can take this test,” Johnson says. - However, in fact, many of the most different people who are going to achieve certain results in sports, and we are successfully helping all of them. "

Is an indicator of the body's ability to absorb oxygen obtained from the environment... In some cases, this indicator is interpreted as the degree of effectiveness of the work done in training or an indicator of aerobic physical performance.

For the first time, VO2 was measured by scientists Archibald Vivien Hill and George Lapton back in 1923.

During the experiment, a runner was used as a subject, who covered a distance with variable speed on a grass surface. As a result, with the help of special equipment of those times, it was discovered that the athlete reaches a maximum VO2 rate of 4,080 liters per minute at a speed of 243 meters per minute.

The indicator of 4,080 l / min was taken as the maximum for the reason that further increase in speed by the athlete did not lead to an increase in VO2.

As a result of the experiment, scientists made the following conclusion:

“While running, the oxygen demand steadily increases and reaches extreme values, while the true oxygen consumption cannot be exceeded.”

In fact, this was the first mention of the concept of oxygen debt or anaerobic running, which is often used in modern sports physiology.

How to determine VO2 max?

The indicator of maximum oxygen uptake is measured in every athlete who crosses the line of an amateur and becomes a professional. To measure VO2 max, special equipment is needed, which is installed in many centers of sports medicine and physiology.

There are 2 ways to measure this indicator: laboratory (accurate) and using fitness trackers.

Laboratory method of measurementVO2max.

Before the start of the study, the athlete is put on an oxygen mask with which he will breathe during the measurements. After that, the athlete gets on the treadmill and starts to run. During the exploration, the running speed gradually increases, as well as the angle of inclination of the treadmill.

At the moment when the athlete performs cyclic work, the researchers measure the amount of oxygen in the air that the athlete exhales. The measurement lasts until the athlete reaches the maximum level physical activity... Indicators of reaching the maximum load are:

• Speed;
• Breathing rate;
• Maximum heart rate.

When the subject can no longer continue the test, he shows the command to the doctor and treadmill stops. Thus, VO2 max is determined with high accuracy.

Measurement using fitness trackers fromGarmin andPolar.

The essence of this method comes down to simply following the instructions that are written specifically for measuring VO2 and only for a specific tracker model. This means that this method of measurement has nothing to do with the technique that is used in laboratory conditions.

When using a fitness tracker, all a test subject needs to do is buy a tracker and follow simple instructions.

To get results that will be as close as possible to laboratory ones, you must follow 5 rules:

1. The environment should be calm. Any distractions must be eliminated. You can't talk to anyone. Otherwise, the test can be done at home, in the workplace, or in a fitness club;
2. You must refrain from eating or smoking for 2-3 hours before testing;
3. Before starting the test, you must lie down and relax for 2-3 minutes;
4. If retesting is necessary, it is important that the setting and time of day are the same.

Based on numerous studies, the norm was determined for men - 45 ml / kg / min, and for women - 38 ml / kg / min. Interestingly, this figure for Ole Einar Bjoerndalen is 96 ml / kg / min. For example, a horse, like the most resilient animal, has 180 ml / kg / min.

After using one of the methods you get the test result, you need to use table below to determine your level of aerobic physical performance.

Table of indicators for men.

Age	Extremely low	Short	Normal	Average	Good	Very good	Excellent
20-24	< 32	32-37	38-43	44-50	51-56	57-62
	< 31	31-35	36-42	43-48	49-53	54-59	> 59
30-34	< 29	29-34	35-40	41-45	46-51	52-56
	< 28	28-32	33-38	39-43	44-48	49-54	> 54
40-44	< 26	26-31	32-35	36-41	42-46	47-51
	< 25	25-29	30-34	35-39	40-43	44-48	> 48
50-54	< 24	24-27	28-32	33-36	37-41	42-46
	< 22	22-26	27-30	31-34	35-39	40-43	> 43
60-65	< 21	21-24	25-28	29-32	33-36	37-40

Table of indicators for women.

Age	Extremely low	Short	Normal	Average	Good	Very good	Excellent
20-24	< 27	27-31	32-36	37-41	42-46	47-51
	< 26	26-30	31-35	36-40	41-44	45-49
	< 25	25-29	30-33	34-37	38-42	43-46	> 46
35-39	< 24	24-27	28-31	32-35	36-40	41-44
	< 22	22-25	26-29	30-33	34-37	38-41	> 41
45-49	< 21	21-23	24-27	28-31	32-35	36-38
	< 19	19-22	23-25	26-29	30-32	33-36	> 36
55-59	< 18	18-20	21-23	24-27	28-30	31-33
	< 16	16-18	19-21	22-24	25-27	28-30

VO2 is inherited, that is, passed from parent to child. It has a positive and negative side... On the one hand, it is good to have a high VO2 at birth, but on the other hand, people with a low VO2 at birth, even with prolonged grueling exercise, may not achieve the same value.

What physical qualities are affected by VO2 max?

The rate of assimilation of oxygen from the air plays an important, if not decisive, role in achieving success in all sports with a cyclical orientation and not only. The higher the VO2 score, the easier it is for the athlete to carry loads and recover faster. In other words, this indicator has become almost the most important when conducting a sports selection.

The main physical qualities, which depend on this indicator are speed and speed-strength endurance. The higher the VO2 max, the longer the athlete can maintain maximum speed... In addition to these two qualities, this indicator plays a key role in determining the overall endurance of an athlete. This is largely why the famous biathlete Bjoerndalen has such an impressive 96 ml / kg / min, which is 51 points more than an untrained young man.

How can I improve my VO2max?

Any system of the body and its components can be improved through the right action. In the case of the oxygen assimilation index, you can use different kinds exercises, among which can be distinguished:

• Jogging;
• Fast walk;
• A ride on the bicycle;
• Skiing;
• Swimming.

We use running as an example as the simplest and most accessible sport.

The best type of running that will effectively increase the metric we need is. Therefore, in order to properly influence VO2, use the following training option: 4-6 segments of 800 meters at a fast pace, followed by a transition to a slow run. Or jogging at a high pace for 20 minutes.

Also, studies were carried out that proved that this indicator develops more effectively in mountainous areas at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level.

There is a question about VO2max. This indicator is very high among elite cyclists, how to achieve higher oxygen consumption? Are there any specific workouts for developing VO2max? After all, the more oxygen I can consume, the faster I will go.

The IPC topic is very interesting and not so extensively described on this blog, I will be corrected. The title of this post is very embellished in the sense that I know very superficially about oxygen consumption in order to go deep into this issue. Just this superficial knowledge, now I will share with you.

For starters, for those who do not know - VO2max = IPC = Maximum oxygen consumption... Henceforth, I will use the term IPC. VO2 max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that the human body can use per unit of time. You can read the volume of IPC in ml / min, normal healthy person, not an athlete, is able to consume 3 - 3.5 liters / min., whereas for athletes the IPC sometimes reaches 6 liters / min. It would be more correct to consider the IPC not in ml / min, but in ml / min / kg, in this calculation the weight of a person will be taken into account, which can be very important, because if a 50-kg athlete has IPC X liters / min and he will be a high-class athlete, then for a 100-kilogram athlete X liters / min will no longer be enough to achieve the same results in his weight category... This is explained by the fact that the main consumer of oxygen in physical work are muscles. Of course, a "centner" person has more muscles than his lightweight counterpart.

How does a person consume oxygen? Of course, the main source of oxygen is the air we breathe. The air contains about 21% oxygen, the value may vary. For example, the IPC in the mountains will be lower than in the lowlands. With each breath, oxygen enters the lungs, where it binds to the protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen through the bloodstream throughout the body. Traveling through the body, hemoglobin brings oxygen to where it is needed - in muscle fiber... The final consumer of oxygen is the mitochondria, in the presence of a number of fats or glucose, the mitochondria destroys them (this process is impossible without the participation of oxygen), forming energy.

Now that we more or less understand what oxygen is needed for and how it is used in the body, we can ask the question: do we have enough oxygen, is oxygen a limiting factor in achieving the best athletic performance? There is no single answer for any person. If there are a lot of mitochondria, at the same time, the number of muscles simultaneously participating in the work is also large, and if these muscles are also large, then we can assume a situation for ourselves that there will be a lack of oxygen. What can you do in a situation like this to increase your VO2 max? There are two ways to increase the BMD - to increase hemoglobin, then it can bind more oxygen to itself in one breath; the second option is to stretch the heart, increasing blood flow. In other words, either increase the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood, or the speed of its transportation.

Now, as for the most IPC problems... For the majority, it is simply far-fetched, the average organism provides itself with oxygen with a reserve. And here lies one gigantic delusion inherent in many athletes and amateurs. They believe that during intense work, when an athlete begins to breathe heavily, the heart is to blame, which is allegedly already unable to provide his oxygen needs and call this moment - the moment of the onset of the IPC, which is another deep delusion. The moment when the athlete begins to breathe heavily, and his muscles begin to acidify, is called anaerobic threshold... This means that all the mitochondria of working muscles are already included in the work, there are no more “free” ones, at this moment the second way of energy generation is activated - anaerobic. Anaerobic energy generation does not require oxygen, however, “ side effect", If you can call it that, hydrogen ions become during anaerobic energy production. It is because of hydrogen ions that a person begins to breathe heavily, and not at all because he does not have enough oxygen, or his heart cannot cope. The heart really starts to work like crazy, it can contract up to 200 beats / min. and more, but only because it is trying to remove hydrogen ions, in the meantime, calcium pumps are blocked and the power drops rapidly.

There are people with hearts: outstanding, ordinary and bad. An outstanding heart is a heart with a huge stroke volume, a bad heart is a heart with a very small stroke volume. A bad and prominent heart is extremely rare. A person with an outstanding heart should choose a sport where a lot of muscles work at once, in this niche its advantages lie: running, swimming, ski race, skating... Cycling is not a sport where an outstanding heart is required to achieve high results. Therefore, for runners, swimmers and others, if their IPC begins to limit them, it makes sense to change the sport to cycling, or some other sport where a few muscles work at the same time.

Have I answered all the questions? In order not to miss anything, once again, in a nutshell: how to achieve a higher IPC? - Stretching the heart, but if it does not limit you, then the occupation is meaningless, in the distant future, you first approach it. Specific training for IPC? - Again, stretching the heart. You can also exercise in the mountains to increase hemoglobin levels. However, the VO2 max is just a bar, your limit of possibilities, to which you need to work long and painstakingly on muscles and mitochondrial accumulation in order to achieve VO2 max at the anaerobic threshold.