From: praetzel@marconi.uwaterloo.ca (Eric Praetzel)
Subject: Re: VO2 max
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 12:02:16 GMT

In article <1992Aug28.165255.21944@bnrmtl.bnr.ca> bnrmtl!morris@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.ca writes:
>	In general, calculation of VO2 Max is done by *estimating*
>	certain key variables (max heart rate, anerobic threshold
>	heart rate) and *extrapolating* from measurements based on the
>	estimates.
  VO2 max is tested.  Every now and then they send a group of people across the
country to test VO2 max setups.  You have to be within 4% for your setup to be
considered accurate.  Basically you get on the ergometer and pedal for all that
you are worth against an increasing load.  The test is between 10 and 30 min.
depending upon how quickly they want to get it over and depending upon what they
actually want to get from the data.  My text book basically mentions some
precautions for older unfit people but generally you will hit your VO2 max
before you hit your max power and max pulse.  But as has been pointed out
before; that is not necessarily your absolute max VO2.

  Is Harry around?
>	For most amateur athletes, VO2 Max is little more meaningful
>	than one's horoscope sign.
  I want to push genetics some more.  VO2 max is usefull as an indicator of
your absolute max potential.  But again how close you can get to it depends a
lot on training and also upon genetics.  There was one runner who could
apparently maintain 98% of his VO2 max but generally olympic and pro caliber
people will sustain 85% to 90%.  Unfit people will be around 50%.  Training
to push yourself towards the 100% mark can take several years of work for some
people while others can achieve much faster results.
  If you can get a VO2 max test done and get a copy of the data you should be
able to get a measure of what you are good for.  If you are in good shape
already your VO2 max will not change with training (signif.).  But you will
be able to push yourself higher on the curve.  If you look at your power
output for a given oxygen comsumption you can guage your efficiency.  That is
done by treating the human body as an engine, assuming that you are buring
basically fat and that all power generation is aerobic.  A quick way to do 
that is to take your power output and divide by (oxygen consumption (ml/min)
/ 3.16).  
  From what I have gathered in the past few days; the average is 21% +/- 6%
but cyclists (caliber = ?) average around 25% while very good cyclists are
over 27%.  If your efficiency is low like mine (21%) you are not in danger
of becoming a Cat 1 or 2 or 3.  Unless you VO2 max is well above average and
you are one of the people that can achieve a high percentage of it at you AT.
Perhaps the efficiency is trainable but it seems very unlikely.  I don't know
what the mechanism (why) is but I do intent to investigate it.  The point of
this was driven home when I grabed a friends VO2 max test.  His power output
was much higher than mine even though he was using the same amount of O2
because of his 30% greater efficiency.  So even though he was not training
seriously and only rides once per month unless I am able to achieve 130% of
my VO2 max there is nothing I could do to keep up with him.  Another
consequence of this is energy used.  Even if just touring I will use 30% more
energy than him and will have to eat and drink more (this has become very clear
to me when my friends are along).  This 30% higher energy consumption holds
all the way down to just spinning the pedals against a very light load.
  So it seems that I can measure the difference between a pro and a non-pro just
with a VO2 max test.  While it is not an absolute indication of a persons 
potential it is probably very good in the majority of the cases.
  I am glad to hear that you have learned something from this.  I am still
picking up new stuff every day and thats what makes life interesting.
  - Eric 
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