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<\/p>\nEver wonder how fit you really are? There are multiple ways to get an idea of your current fitness level \u2014 like tracking your reps, monitoring your heart rate, or measuring your body fat percentage.<\/p>\n
But one metric you may be less familiar with is aerobic capacity.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re new to exercising or consider yourself a workout pro, finding out your aerobic capacity can be a great way to gauge how fit you are and track your progress over time.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you need to know about aerobic capacity \u2014 and how to improve yours.<\/p>\n
Aerobic capacity is the point at which your body is using as much oxygen as it can, as efficiently as it can.<\/p>\n
\u201cAerobic capacity is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during intense exercise,\u201d explains Trevor Thieme, C.S.C.S. \u201cKnowing your aerobic capacity can give you an objective idea of your current cardiorespiratory fitness level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s go back to the basics: When you exercise, you breathe in oxygen, which is transferred via your lungs to your blood vessels.<\/p>\n
The now-oxygenated blood travels to the heart to be dispersed to your tissues and muscles, where the oxygen gets utilized.<\/p>\n
The oxygen works with glucose to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in order to fuel your muscles.<\/p>\n
The more you exercise, the more efficient your muscles get at using oxygen \u2014 and the higher your aerobic capacity is.<\/p>\n
Yes. The terms aerobic capacity and VO2 max are often used interchangeably \u2014 and they\u2019re essentially the same, Thieme says.<\/p>\n
VO2 max is the the maximum volume of oxygen your body can use in a given amount of time \u2014 in other words, it\u2019s a measurement of your aerobic capacity.<\/p>\n
VO2 max is typically measured in terms of milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml\/kg\/min).<\/p>\n
You may also see the terms aerobic power or maximal oxygen uptake when referring to aerobic capacity, but these all boil down to the same concept: the rate at which you consume and use oxygen.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Measuring your own VO2 max can help you get a baseline for your current fitness level and track improvements over time.<\/p>\n
Choose from the methods below to calculate yours.<\/p>\n
One easy option may be right on your wrist. Many fitness wearables \u2014 like Garmin, Jabra, and Fitbit \u2014 provide an estimated VO2 max calculation based on your heart rate, age, sex, and weight.<\/p>\n
But the key word with these is estimate, Thieme says: \u201cWearables can give you a rough estimate of your aerobic capacity, but for a truly accurate assessment, you need to visit a sports performance lab for an indirect calorimetry test.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the most precise measurement of aerobic capacity, you\u2019ll want to get an indirect calorimetry test performed.<\/p>\n
Even weekend warriors and average Joes can pay to get this test done at a sports lab. (Some hospitals, training centers, and universities offer it as well.)<\/p>\n
During the test, you\u2019ll be fitted with a mask that measures your breathing while you perform an increasingly hard workout on a treadmill or stationary bike.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s less convenient (and less comfortable) than checking your fitness tracker, but for individuals truly looking to improve their aerobic capacity, this test is the best way to get an accurate VO2 max measurement.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Once you have a baseline for your aerobic capacity, you can focus on improving it.<\/p>\n
\u201cResearch shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one of the best ways to increase aerobic capacity,\u201d Thieme says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key is to exercise at an intensity that\u2019s at or above your lactate threshold (the point where you start to feel your muscles burning), which you\u2019ll reach at about 80 percent of your max heart rate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here are a few more workouts that can help you boost your VO2 max.<\/p>\n
Short on time? Tabata allows you to improve your VO2 max while blasting through super-short, super-intense workout segments (like burpees, jump squats, or mountain climbers) followed by a brief rest period.<\/p>\n
This four-minute form of HIIT follows a pattern of 20 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest, for a total of eight sweat-inducing cycles.<\/p>\n
One study suggests sprint interval training can be an effective way to increase aerobic capacity.<\/p>\n
In just six sessions of sprint intervals, the trained athletes in the study improved their overall running time, time to exhaustion, and peak power.<\/p>\n
Even better, you can adapt almost any sport into an effective sprint interval workout.<\/p>\n
Love to swim? Instead of a slow-and-steady swim, do a 50-meter freestyle as fast as you can, with a recovery break between laps.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019d rather be biking, pedal hard at your maximum effort for 30 seconds, then go at an easy pace for up to 4 minutes while you catch your breath.<\/p>\n
(This recovery time is crucial for letting your body recuperate so you can continue to give your max effort for each interval.)<\/p>\n
Cross-training is simply mixing up your workouts \u2014 for example, doing a HIIT workout on Monday followed by low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
According to the American Council on Exercise, a LISS workout is a lower-stress way to improve aerobic capacity.<\/p>\n
Doing a grueling HIIT workout every single day may put you at risk for overtraining \u2014 especially if you\u2019re a fitness beginner.<\/p>\n
By adding lower-intensity workouts into your week, you can continue to improve your aerobic capacity while giving your body a chance to recover.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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