I TOOK A V02 MAX TEST | Is It Accurate?

I filmed this video a few months back just several weeks after running a 2:41 Marathon. I thought it would be a good time to test my fitness and see what my V02 max was. What is V02 Max? Vo2 max is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise. It's used by many endurance athletes to assess fitness levels. The results were not what I was expecting at all! Enjoy!

[alexrunning]

Hi Elijah, I have conducted numerous V'O2Max testing on my own subjects for a research project I completed over the summer, at least 14 tests overall. In all of them, our subjects were exhausted by the end; they required around 10 minutes of walking to get their breathing and heart rate back to a normal level. I can definitely say that you were no where near your max here! I'm quite surprised the test was conducted in this way.

The test can manipulate treadmill gradient and/or speed but the way I conducted my experiments was ramping up 1km/hr every minute, once the athlete was near their lactate threshold. It really is a test to exhaustion and heart rate should not be 'regulating'. Heart rate, V'O2 and rating of perceived exertion sky rocketed in all of our subjects whilst moving towards maximum speed. It seems to me here, that it was more a measure of your running economy, or your efficiency to utilise oxygen in the steady state, rather that than a max effort! I understand there is multiple ways to complete a max test, however, from my experience I'd predict you'd be in the 60's for VO2'Max, around mid 60's. :)

[andrewscocozza]

Hi Elijah, thanks for the video. I have a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and currently working on my Master's in Kinesiology. I have administered numerous VO2 max tests, in fact my job at my university is to teach undergraduate students what VO2 max is and how to administer VO2 max tests.

First of all, a VO2 max test should be a MAXIMAL effort test. In other words, by the end of the test you should feel as if you physically cannot run any longer. It seems to me that this definitely was not the case for you.

Secondly, even before I watched the video I would have guessed your VO2 max would be somewhere in the 60's. I've watched a lot of your videos before and knowing your history and experience of running, and the paces at which you run, I would have estimated your VO2 max to be around 60-65.

If a VO2 max test is administered correctly, most of the time, if not all the time these tests should be terminated by the participants, not the administrator. Meaning that the test is over when the participant feels like they cannot exercise any longer. Only the participant truly knows if this is the case.

I can almost guarantee you that your VO2 max is more than 44.

[TheZeurt]

Thank you for sharing this video. This proves that many places that run these tests aren't well prepared to do that. Lately I've seen lots of strange results from other runners who posts videos like yours. Some of them have incredible high results making themselves very happy and other get low values and are confused and disappointed.

[brooksbagley]

I’ve done this in a lab myself and I’ve never seen them increase the elevation of the treadmill. I’m an average runner and mine was tested at 48. My Garmin says I’m 44. Based on your speed and race times you are easily over 55

[jamesgogur]

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that your v02 max is higher than 44 hahaha. Great video!

[sisyphusruns]

If you want an accurate VO2, I can probably find you one in So Cal. There’s no way that was accurate. Honestly l, listening to her talk about RQ, she has no idea what she was doing. If I saw your printout, VO2, RQ, HR, each 15-20 sec I could tell more but I’ll promise you this, you ran 2:41, you’re Max VO2 is over 60, especially since you look pretty light. You won’t be penalized for extra kilos. Again, send me a message if you want to try to find you an accurate test in OC or San Fernando Valley area. (Or possibly elsewhere.)

[yoyoyooo]

That test was weird, i saw other VO2 Max test where the Athlets is basically sprinting. I could bet your VO2 Max is close to 60. Interesting would be a second test in a second labor.

[robertdaymouse]

Thank you for confirming what I suspected about VO2 testing, that some of the tests are done by hacks in poorly controlled environments. She probably has a schedule and cut your test short because she would have been there for another 10 minutes if she did it properly. Somewhat ironically the Cooper test is supposed to be a proxy for a VO2 max test, but since there is no operator error involved in the Cooper Test, it may be a more accurate metric than an actual VO2 max test.

[chadtouchberry]

Elijah, you got ripped off. You paid for a VO2 max test and were given a submaximal test. You should request your money back, as this dullard administering the test is incompetent. The ACSM has criteria for reaching a VO2 max, it appears none of these were achieved during the test. The ACSM criteria for a maximal effort VO2 test are as follows: 1) Failure of heart rate to increase with further increases in exercise intensity. 2) A plateau in oxygen uptake or a failure to increase oxygen uptake by 150 ml/min with increased workload 3) A respiratory exchange ratio > 1.1, 4) venous lactate concentrations > 8-10 mmol/L, and/or 5) an RPE (rating of perceived exertion) > 17 on a 20 point scale, or > 9 on a 10 point scale. I’d reach out to a university with an exercise physiology laboratory for such a test if you want an accurate assessment.

[ralzalychhoeng]

LOL so many things wrong with this test protocol/person. But having said that, 44 ml/kg/min at 7:30 pace is stellar. That might be accurate. What that test didnt tell you is your VO2 MAX. And to everyone's point...you should be pushed to exhaustion and hitting your max HR by the end.

So about that 44....that's you operating at 44 ml/kg/min in order to maintain 7:30 pace. If she let you finish the test lol and you maxed out at say 70 ml/kg/min then youd be operating at only 62.8% of your MAX which makes a hell of a lot more sense. So is the test accurate? Most likely as it intakes oxygen and its pretty cut and dry. Did you finish the test? Most likely not even close and thats not your fault at all. The lady has no idea what she was reading or doing.

I hope that clears some things up.

For example your chart should look like this:

VO2

10 - 10 min/mile
20 - 9 min/mile
30 - 8 min/mile
44 - 7:30 min/mile she stopped it here (for no reason)
55 - 6:30 min/mile
65 - 5:30 min/mile
70 - 5:15 min/mile (You might tap out here and might be dying) These numbers dont reflect your own effort just a random example.

^this is hypothetical but this is what the trend should look like though.

[TR-wmsg]

I've watched other VO2 Max videos where the subject was completely exhausted at the end of the test -- could barely stand, covered in sweat, etc. I would definitely try it again at another facility if I were you.

[CotswoldTrailRunner]

Great video and experience. However it sounds like she’s talking to someone who has no experience of running and I understand you can’t question the test facility during the test. Hope you manage to do another VO2 test again soon and have a full beasting! Stay strong! 💪🏼

[TheAkenno]

Nah bro 44 isn’t right. You ran a 2:40 marathon you’re in the 60’s easily.

[oscarsosa]

Lmao super got your money taken! Your definitely in the 60’s! You’re elite 💪🏼

[Jonny-bd]

She treated you like a normal person and not an athlete. What athlete doesn’t want to be pushed to their max? She should have done that to you. Push you as far as you wanted to go. Now you know for the future that you want to be pushed and to not let them tell you what your limits are. Only you know what they are!

[dominofuel]

Your maximum VO2 during the test might've been 44 but since you said the test was pretty easy, your true VO2 max is most definitely higher. I'm just confused about how they did the test. Normally I see these as gradually increasing intensity until you tap out, not just 8 minutes and done. If you had been able to reach some of the higher stages (you probably could've hit at least 10mph at 12.5% grade), the test hopefully would've shown you're capable of consuming and processing a lot more O2.

[troyhkilgore]

No way your Vo2 max is 44! I know it's nothing but a number but I suspect that you're somewhere between 62 and 65 for your Vo2 max. I'm curious of what your Coros Pace 2 watch says your Vo2 max is?
Nevertheless great video dude. I always look forward to your Friday videos! Bgh, dgt, and sfh....

[RunThePlanet]

Good video, I've never heard of a 2:41 marathoner with only 44 Vo2max, I'd guess your more like 64 (in my unprofessional opinion). It would be worth trying another couple of labs if you can, would make a good comparison video too

[datageek]

Can you do the cooper test. Would make a good video.

[m.r.]

I've only done this on a bike. But I remember having the tech having me go quite a bit longer and to do it twice. So you bike for a certain amount of time, basically until you feel like you can no longer go, cooldown (recover), then go again. Hopefully others who've done the test, and more specifically when running, can give you more details on their experience