A VO2 max test is a maximal exercise test performed on a treadmill or bike while connected to a machine that measures your expired air. It provides data on how much oxygen you use as you exercise and determines the maximal oxygen you can consume during exercise. 

VO2 max testing is a way to determine cardiorespiratory fitness in anyone. Working to improve your VO2 max has been associated with better health and lower risk of death. 

VO2 max is measured in ml/kg/min (milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute). Two determining factors are used: how much blood the heart pumps to the muscles with each heartbeat (cardiac output) and how efficiently the muscles extract oxygen from blood and utilize it.

VO2 max will be affected by age, gender, altitude, and training. After age 30 your VO2 max will decline by about 1-2% a year. Men naturally have higher VO2 maxes than women due to increased muscle mass and higher hemoglobin levels. Higher altitude elevations will have lower oxygen content, with decreased aerobic capacity. As your training improves your VO2 max will not increase as drastically. 

Improving cardiovascular shape and losing excess body fat will improve VO2 max. 

We work with you to personalize an exercise prescription with specific heart rate zones that are targeted to burning fat and improving cardiometabolic fitness. 

For our tactical and performance athletes we use the Gerkin Protocol. For those that don't have a high fitness level we use the Balke Protocol. We make sure to personalize the testing for each client.

Results go from very low, low, fair, good, excellent, up to superior. A good VO2 max for a man between ages 30 and 39 is 41 to 44.9. For a woman of the same age, a good VO2 max is between 31.5 to 35.6.