It is one of the most valued values ​​in the endurance athlete's stress test., regardless of whether you are a cyclist, runner or triathlete.
In this article we delve into its location, its description and how it can influence our sports performance during the season.

Sometimes we do not understand why an athlete with the same anthropometric characteristics or biological age has different performance than another exactly the same., with the same workload.
One of the factors of this change is its genetic and technical conditions., but if we delve into the first, We will see the importance of Vo2max in our performance.

We will talk about Vo2max as the maximum capacity of our body to capture, transport and supply oxygen to the muscles. Therefore, In aerobic exercise, this transport and use of oxygen in the muscles is decisive.. We will agree then, that to calculate the aerobic physical fitness of an athlete will be to measure this Vo2max among other factors to see and quantify their performance.

There are several ways to determine this., from most reliable to least reliable described below:

• Stress test with gas analyzer: It is the easiest and most reliable way to determine Vo2max, always under medical supervision. It is a direct assessment of the athlete's real consumption and the gas exchange of the stress test is analyzed..
• Different field tests, for example: Course Navette, mile or 1000m test: there are some formulas that are not very applicable in cycling and by doing these tests we can indirectly obtain our Vo2max.
• Different cycle computers or pulse meters: there are different training intensity control devices that can give us an indirect value.

Once our Vo2max has been determined, we can place it in some percentiles within our age., size and maximum value mobilized, with which we can see our level and be able to compare the results in relation to other values.
The importance of obtaining this vo2max is given by the importance of being able to stand out more or not in a mostly aerobic activity., since in more anaerobic efforts (sprinters for example) this Vo2max is not so determining and if other genetic parameters.

In current scientific literature, values ​​close to 90 ml/kg/min in men and in girls around the 75 ml/kg/min.

The most normal thing is to find values ​​below 75 ml/kg/min. in boys and values ​​lower than 65 ml/kg/min. in girls, yet they stand out in their sports specialty.

This maximum oxygen consumption has a series of limiting factors or what is the same: elements that slow down its improvement..
What are these limiting factors?

• Circulatory factors: high or low hemoglobin values ​​in the blood can compromise our Vo2, since our hemoglobin is responsible for the reserves of red blood cells in our blood. Without the red blood cell, Oxygen will not reach the muscle as much or more slowly., therefore, Vo2 will be limited.
• Respiratory factors: You can see problems transporting oxygen from our lungs to the muscle that is involved in movement., These problems are already related to circulatory problems.

And the question we all ask ourselves is…how this Vo2max improves? What should we do to improve it?
As coaches we seek to improve this Vo2max. or what is the same, the improvement of oxygen transport to the muscles involved in movement and the use of this oxygen by the cells of said muscle.

To improve these parameters mentioned above we must work on the ejection volume, that will give us an improvement in blood volume and therefore, greater transport of red blood cells with consequent improvement in Vo2.
There are scientific studies that show that aerobic resistance training increases this ejection volume measured during submaximal or maximal exercise.

Therefore, it will be necessary to propose Work at submaximal intensities (80-90% of Vo2max) and even above this intensity, with the sole purpose of seeking the improvement of this value.

Many times with training we can modify this value between a 5 y 15% during some points of the sports season, therefore, It is important to have a well-adjusted planning with the relevant medical follow-up to have greater control of the parameter to improve..