There are many pillars of exercise Science that have a direct implication to Performance in Cycling, few are more important than VO2max. Why? VO2max applies not only to the peak of your cycling performance but also has a direct relevance and performance to your biological health and performance physiology, but for the purposes of this blog, I’m focussing in the cycling performance aspects.
So what is VO2max?
VO2max refers to the maximum account of oxygen your body can utilize and implement during exercise and is referred to as a test of your aerobic endurance. It is measured as millilitres of oxygen consumed per minute, per kilogram of bodyweight and is identified as a number from the following equation (mL/kg/min). Now unless you are a competitive athlete under the coaching or support of your national cycling body, there is minimal access to testing equipment or a lab, and most amateurs opt for a wearable or head unit with access to a Power meter to calculate the figure, and in most cases as long as your setup is correct, these can be pretty accurate if your weight and heart rate numbers are correct.
In terms of Percentiles, your VO2max is between 110-120% of your power and 90% Heart Rate (NOTE: These figures are entirely subjective and if you look at different studies and scientific publications, there are no prolific standard formats for classification of zones, but in power and in HR.)
What number do I consider good or should I aim for?
Now here’s where it gets interesting. There isn’t a hard and fast guide, table or score chart that you should or can work off, only recommendations but, Hawley and Noakes produced the best nominal results based upon Peak Power back in 1992, and those results in my opinion still stand today as accurate and relevant.
You can read the full article and access the VO2max calculator here https://climbapedia.org/VO2
So how do you Train and Increase your VO2max?
Like muscular endurance and Strength it takes time to build up and exposure to a level of work that is challenging and hard. The same applies to VO2max.
- Interval Training
Spending times at High levels of your Aerobic Threshold and pushing past it builds the bodies ability to surpass and extend its anaerobic threshold for longer periods of time, before returning to its familiar aerobic state.
- Recovery and Zone 2
Now I’ve used and had the approach of “To go fast, first you need to go slow…” nailed into me since I started cycling at 8 years old at my old outdoor track and its true. More so now today that its supported by modern science and fact. Active recovery (Walking, Endurance running, etc) and Zone 2 (Endurance cycling, recovery rides, long base miles etc) is the absolute key and foundation to high Anaerobic efficiency.
- Strength and Conditioning
Now like Zone 2, Spending time in the Gym with weights or a TRX at home. Having good muscular strength is an immensely effective foundation of recovery and being able to generate power and process Lactate efficiently, as is having a good Bone density for recovery and general health. you don’t see top sprinters and world class Time Triallists and Pursuers skipping Leg Days or Weights…
- Sedentary Recovery
Now this aspect is critically important. First of all lets clarify, what is sedentary recovery? Answer is Sleep. You simply cannot operate above Zone 4 intensity (And even in Zone 4 for that matter) for prolonged and polarized amounts of time without proper sleep and recovery.
- Nutrition and Fuelling
Going into sessions like this or a program to improve VO2max and threshold capacity doe require some fuel. Now unlike Zone 2 or recovery rides, where you’ll operate on minimal fuel but max hydration when going above Zone 3 you’ll stop burning Carbs and start mainlining Glycogen stores directly. Fuelling is needed for sessions like this to achieve maximum performance.
When should I work on my VO2max?
Typically as a recommendation, Health and fitness professionals would recommend that you work regularly on your top echelons of your Heart Rate zones around once a week.
If you are training for sportive or endurance event, then typically (How I would approach or coach an athlete) in the last 3-4 weeks of a training plan.
As a time triallist or track pursuit specialist then this would be typically worked on at more regular intervals and/or as part of a training structure where Threshold and VO2max is focusses on in more compressed blocks in conjunction with tempo and TID work (Think 1:4:1 approach)
Personally and as a general rule I would work and be working on your Threshold and VO2max in some capacity and regularity all year round for its health and wellbeing benefits.