25 May The Keys to Understanding VO2max and LT Testing.
Much has been made of recently of VO2max and Lactate Threshold as it pertains to athletic and human performance, particularly in endurance sports such as cycling, triathlon, and marathon. VO2 is simply a measure of the amount of oxygen the body can deliver to working muscles and it is measured in ml/kg/min, meaning the measures from testing tell you how many ml of O2 your body can deliver per kg per min. It is a measure of aerobic endurance fitness. It has been stated that Lance Armstrong has the ability to maintain a power output of about 6.8 watts per kilogram of body weight for 20 minutes. Lance Armstrong’s VO2max has been listed at 85 ml/kg/min. An anverage untrained person might have a VO2max of 40 ml/kg/min and with training might be aboe to get it to 60ml/kg/min. This article By Dr. Alexander Hutchison published on USAtriathlon.org details VO2max and lactate threshold testing and discusses the benefits of testing and who would benefit from testing.