What if one number could reveal how well your body performs today and how it will support you years from now? Your VO2 max influences everything from endurance on the trail to longterm health and independence. Josiah Middaugh, Vail Healthspan program director and lead exercise physiologist at Vail Health, breaks down what VO2 max really means, why it matters at every level and how targeted testing can help you train with purpose.
For those who may not be familiar, what exactly is VO2 max, and why does it matter for both elite athletes and everyday people?
VO2 max is widely regarded as the gold standard for your aerobic capacity. Simply, it is the maximal rate at which your body can consume oxygen. Think of it as the size of your engine. It has performance implications and also quality of life implications.
There’s a lot of talk about VO2 max as a marker of longevity. How do you see that connection between endurance fitness and long-term health?
Recently VO2 max has received a lot of attention as the single best predictor of all-cause mortality. As you age, your VO2 max determines the activities you are able to do and at what level. If VO2 max drops below 18 ml/kg/ min for men, or 16 ml/kg/min for women, then it becomes hard to live independently. A low VO2 max also affects your resiliency when illness or injury strikes and is the reason why a broken hip or major surgery can greatly increase risk of mortality.
How important is testing — like the kind offered through Vail Health — in dialing in performance versus just training by feel?
If you don’t test then you are just guessing. Testing is valuable to establish a baseline and more importantly to determine your individual training zones.
For someone new to endurance training, what’s one mistake you see people make when trying to build aerobic capacity?
The common mistake I see is going too hard too frequently. When you are new to endurance training then a small dose can be make a difference and you shouldn’t feel like you are suffering. A brisk walk is very underrated.
How do you personally balance pushing your limits with listening to your body?
There is a fine line when it comes to elite performance. Tracking training load and also listening to your body are both important. Willingness to train or push hard are good indicators for me as well as my performance.
Learn more at vailhealthspan.com.
