By the end of this paragraph, I'm certain you'll think I'm bit of a jerk. If you've been following our previous post on our VO2Max Deep Dive, you would know I've made it a mission for me over the coming weeks to increase my VO2Max values, as it's dropped in recent years. This is the point where I tell you what I actually got for my most recent test. My VO2Max value for April 2019 was...59. A lot of you will know this is not a bad score, but this has come down from my peak of 65 a few years back. But how do you actually test your VO2Max. That's what this post is about. If you look through the scientific literature, it states the best methods for measuring VO2Max is by measuring the oxygen you consume while you exercise to exhaustion. With the second best method being to estimate the oxygen you consume it while exercising to exhaustion.
Usually a more expensive option and not always available to a lot people, but is considered the most accurate. The price is starting to come down a little as it becomes more common, but the actual testing unit to perform a laboratory test starts at about $5,000 USD, and is the main reason you don't see them in your local gym. You'll usually find them at a University science department and if you get the opportunity to use one, you'll be made to either ride a stationary bike or run on a treadmill as the speed or resistance increases. From the beginning of the test, oxygen levels consumed are measured via a face mask, up until you can't go any further. At this point oxygen your consumption is put through a series of calculations taking in the subjects weight and age to provide VO2Max value.
Below Are Charts For Men And Women Showing VO2Max Values By Age
Exercising To Exhaustion - Beep Test and Cooper Test
These tests are a lot more common and you may have performed something like this at your local gym, or if you have tried to apply for jobs in emergency or military services. Both tests have you perform a certain activity until failure and your results then provide a value corresponding to your VO2Max.
The first is the Beep Test. Created by Luc Léger from the University of Montreal in 1983 and has the participant running between markers placed 20 metres apart. Participants run between markers while the test is going and need to get to each marker before they hear a "Beep". The beep test will get progressively faster as each level in the test progresses, with the test ending when the participant can no longer continue, with the level they finish on corresponding to their VO2Max value. It's easy to find a relevant chart to provide you with your corresponding VO2Max value for the Beep Test Level you reach, but the calculations for determining VO2Max are as follows:
VO2Max = 3.46 * (L + SN / (L * 0.4325 + 7.0048)) + 12.2
L = level completed on the beep test
SN = shuttle number completed on the beep test
The Cooper Test, first developed by Kenneth Cooper for the US Army in 1968 and is based on the participant usually running around a track or on a treadmill and running as far as possible for 12 minutes. The distance traveled over the 12 minutes is added to the formula below to give you a VO2Max value.
VO2max = (22.351 x kilometres) - 11.288
This is the image of me getting a 65 VO2Max value, almost 5 years ago.
Other Estimates Via Smart Watches And Gym Equipment
Finally you may have noticed certain gym equipment like treadmills or spin bikes as well as your fitness watch might give you an estimated VO2Max score. It will usually do this by making sure you are exercising for at least 10 minutes while simultaneously measuring your pace and heart rate. This is usually not as accurate as the other tests mentioned above and research has suggested these results are usually an over estimate for your current fitness, especially if you're male. If you are using a devise like this to test your VO2Max, make sure you are at least using a chest strap to measure heart rate as this will give you the best accuracy.
Conclusion
So I've tried all of the above methods and even though it sounds fun to have a group of scientists fussing over you to get you VO2Max value, it can cost you a bit of money. Back when I did my first laboratory test, my personal trainer made me do a Beep Test a month or so after wards and we came up with the same results. On May the first this year, I actually performed a Cooper Test and got exactly the same result as my most recent lab test as well, which gives you a good idea that manual testing should give you some valid results. But that's still not all, in our next post, we'll go into the ways that I'll be trying to improve my VO2Max value as well as give you my final result to see if I have been able to improve my values at all.
About the Author
Hey I'm Vince, an Aussie living in New Zealand, trying my best to make the most of the time I have. I work as a Software Engineer but love to run and all aspects of it, including geeking out on the latest science to help get the most out of my body.
@runningproject please see the latest status report:
