We have discussed in detail about VO2 Max in our earlier blog. Briefly VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen used per unit of time which a person utilises at maximum exertion. In other words, it determines the body’s ability to transport & use oxygen during workout. The more oxygen you use the more energy or ATP can be generated in your cells enabling you to withstand long periods of workout without fatigue. Level of your VO2 max depends upon your genetic composition. So what if you genetically have a low VO2 max? How low VO2 max level will impact your training & fitness levels.
For long, VO2 max was considered a vital indicator of your performance in Aerobic exercise, fitness & sports performance. However VO2 is only one of those factors. Other factors also play an important role in determining our fitness performance. This is further understood by our growing knowledge about genetics.
Level & ability of VO2 max- the basis of aerobic exercise is 50% genetic. Your genetic insights can tell about your VO2 ability- how you can improve VO2 max, basis for aerobic fitness & whether you have high or low training ability with regards to VO2 max.
VO2 max is all about potential- those with low potential should focus on movement efficiency or lactate threshold training if they want to improve aerobic endurance performance. Those with high potential should focus on high intensity interval training. Those with medium potential should do a mix of both.
You must have experienced at some point of time in your life that your workout buddy can do aerobic training efficiently and easily while you struggle to keep up the pace- the reason is your VO2 max potential. So the question arises how should you train with low VO2 max potential?
It is important to note that having low, medium or high potential does not translate in bad, good & best training. Given that we have access to our genetic information from DNA testing we can structure our training plan to start witnessing positive results.
Does low VO2 max potential mean we cannot do cardiovascular training /exercise? If you have been participating in long marathons or doing long distance there is no reason you should stop only because you have low VO2 max potential . VO2 max is only one of the factors. You can use your genetic insights to adjust your training so that you can improve your training performance. We can improve our training performance by increasing the intensity & volume of training as well as increasing focus on anaerobic training & improving your biomechanics such as stride length rate. High intensity aerobic interval training can go a long way in increasing your VO2 max potential compared to slow distance & lactate threshold training intensities. The high intensity cardio training or commonly referred to as HIIT can go a long way in conditioning your body to use oxygen more efficiently. A low VO2 max potential does not mean that you should give up aerobic training.
Another way of improving VO2 max potential is to indulge in anaerobic training.
Anaerobic training is defined as a short duration high intensity workout lasting anywhere between from some seconds to two minutes. After 2 minutes aerobic training kicks in. Whether you focus on cardio or strength training, you can do so anaerobically. This includes heavy weight training, short distance running, cycling & jumping. You will witness that your muscles will build more efficiently through anaerobic training as compared to aerobic.
Besides genetics, other factors such as age, environment, gender & lifestyle also have impact on your VO2 max potential. For instance, people over 40 may experience a decrease in their genetic VO2 max trainability, however with regular cardio training & healthy eating & lifestyle, they can train their muscles effectively. Having genetic information about your VO2 max potential can help you gain insights about how you can make changes in your working & training schedule & lead a healthier life.
Discover your personal traits & learn about your specific genetic predisposition to VO2 max potential with our genetic based personalised fitness program. Whether you are a busy professional, homemaker or a sportsperson/athlete, by subscribing to our Transformation, Get that X-factor or Get Toned personalised fitness programs, you will not only receive information about genetic response to various aspects of nutrition & fitness but also be coached by an international fitness coach who will cover both genetic powered nutrition & exercise aspects of the program. Sign up here.
