Came across this article on VO2 Max that I thought was very interesting and one that attempts to dispel the myths behind what a lot of endurance athletes long for.
I became particularly interested because as I went back into training nearly two years ago the agony of not being able to go an hour without wheezing and trying to catch my breath was frightening. Even after a year I was still struggling with my lung capacity, or lack of, as it directly affected my endurance. I was at a point where I was trying just about any supplement on the market (legal of course) that would help me in that area. First Endurance Optygen had quickly become my best ally, but that commercial is for another time.
After almost two years back in training I still have some struggles even though my endurance is much greater now. But I thought that maybe my body or lungs or whatever was no longer capable..... getting older? Didn't make sense because there are 60 year old men running marathons everyday. Granted I did some things to my body in the past it could have done without, but we're on the straight and narrow now... for the most part.
Enough of my rambling. Here's my point and what may ultimately be the limiting factor for myself and others.
"Historically, exercise scientists have attributed a leveling out or a plateau to VO2 max and that at the point this occurs determines the value. Research by Noakes and colleagues indicate that half of athletes tested in laboratories fail to demonstrate a plateau and that their VO2 or oxygen consumption is still increasing when they cannot continue further. This poses a question as to why these runners stopped if their oxygen consumption (the supposed limiting factor) was still on the increase. Prof. Noakes feels and is continuing to search for evidence that some “central governor” regulates the power output to the exercising limbs to help protect the body from “running itself to death” via a heart attack (VO2 Max or the Brain?).
Truck on!
Recent Comments