Measuring your VO2max


Workout routines

Most aerobic workout routines are based on the relative stress they impose on your body. For example, the general rule for establishing a suitable training intensity is to measure your VO2max. To improve your aerobic fitness, you then follow a training program that corresponds to a percentage of this maximum.

However, most people don’t have access to the equipment needed to measure their VO2max. Instead, they use their heart rate to establish a suitable training intensity.

This is because during some forms of exercise, there’s a link between oxygen consumption and heart rate. During aerobic exercise, such as running or walking for example, oxygen consumption and heart rate tend to rise together. Yet the relationship doesn’t hold true for all forms of activity.

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