Comments on: VO2Max And Race Performance

By: Kylie

Kylie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:14:30 +0000

I think you'll find weight was taken into account. Joe defined the dimensions of VO2max as “milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute”. This would mean that the 90kg tank with a VO2max of 70 is actually processing 50% more oxygen by volume per minute than the 60kg mouse with the same VO2max of 70.

I'm a total racing noob, just a happen to be a geek. Happy to be corrected.

By: MtbSkillsCoachPat

MtbSkillsCoachPat — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:34:53 +0000

Great read!
Off to work on all all of the above.

By: Rob Lynn

Rob Lynn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:01:56 +0000

I agree with JC on the last comment. My car is 1/2 his age and is struggling with that.

By: willrs

willrs — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:49:13 +0000

Thanks mate. Yep, the test I had included VO2 max, but I hear that power at VO2 is the important figure… also power at lactate threshold. Whats confusing is that a lot of articles talk about lactate threshold and power at LT, or HR at LT etc etc, but are they referring to LT1 or LT2? Seeing as my power at LT1 is a lot less than at LT2, its quite hard to intepret the numbers.

By: Juz

Juz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:45:46 +0000

The test protocols that people do vary, and the one that suits working out your lactate threshold usually has longer steps to reach equilibrium at each step before going onto the next. VO2max has the breathing apparatus (not just the finger pricks) and usually goes in shorter steps, 2-3 mins. You would probably know if you had had your VO2max done, and hopefully had it explained to you by the person who did it.

VO2 max is probably not as practical to know as your lactate threshold (or whatever you call it- there is no consistency of nomenclature in sports science. It is marginally more scientific than faith healing, but only just!). If you know your LT then you can calculate your training zones and guide your training. For most of us, knowing your VO2max is just disappointing, as very few of us will approach 70! Given it is largely determined by genetics and not especially trainable, it generally doesn't change what you do in a practical sense (unless it inspires you to give up cycling and pull the golf clubs out of the cupboard).

Power testing is really of no more than curiosity value unless you plan to use the information in the context of coaching, which can be external or self coached, a la Senor Friel. No one else cares if your VO2max is 80 if they can still whip you at the end of the race.

By: JC

JC — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:24:21 +0000

The bloke putting out a VO2 max of 520 watts at age 53 is an absolute animal.

By: willrs

willrs — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:26:47 +0000

So… I had a lab test done recently and I'm fairly confused about the results. The testing protocol was 5 minutes steps, with increasing power at each step. My report does not seem to give me a power at VO2 max reading… or is this the same as my peak power figure? It does give me my power reading at LT1 and LT2 and my watts/kg. But which of these numbers is most significant? I guess I need a coach to interpret this data properly, but in the meantime can any of you armchair boffins help?

By: modcon

modcon — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:17:02 +0000

i think it is simplifying the the complex number of variables to get a basic message across- which is that power is important in time trialling.

and maybe it was done to provoke such discussion ;)

By: mattcoop

mattcoop — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:52:27 +0000

I was thinking the same thing, that power and such alone can't predict a winner, with your example of weight being one of the key reasons why.

However, I am under the impression for the articles point that its more of a matter of holding all the other variables constant rather than worrying about differences in them.

By: Nick B

Nick B — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:15:58 +0000

It is impossible to pick the winner of a 40k time trial from power output at vo2max or vo2max alone.

Time trialling ability is based on watts vs drag (and occasionally watts vs drag + weight, but really only on rolling TT courses).

What if old mate with a 500w power output weighs 95kg and has a huge CdA? The perfect example of this is putting elite rowers on a bike. Huge capacity for oxygen uptake, relatively low vo2 max due to their weight, good lactate threshold, good power output but also a high coefficient of drag due to their highly developed upper bodies and overall weight.

Power at Vo2 max does not take into account any of these variables. Better metrics to use in predicting TT ability are: power at LT (~ FTP), CdA, weight and just as importantly, pacing ability.

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:36:33 +0000

Sensational article – I'm buying the book