VO₂max is one of the main indicators of an athlete’s aerobic capacity. It represents the maximum amount of oxygen the body can take in, transport, and use during intense exercise.
In endurance sports, this capacity is important because oxygen plays a role in producing the energy needed to sustain exercise. But there is an important detail: having a high VO₂max alone does not necessarily mean being faster or having better performance.
What Does VO₂max Show?
During exercise, muscles need oxygen to produce energy. For this to happen, the body must take in oxygen through the lungs, transport it through the blood, and deliver it to the muscles, where it can be used.
VO₂max represents the maximum capacity of this system. The greater the body’s ability to use oxygen, the greater the potential to sustain high-intensity aerobic exercise.
For this reason, VO₂max is often used to assess aerobic fitness and monitor adaptations to training.
But Performance Depends on More Than VO₂max
Two athletes can have similar VO₂max values and still perform very differently.
This happens because other characteristics also determine how much of that potential an athlete can convert into speed or power. Lactate threshold, running economy, movement efficiency, the ability to sustain a given intensity, and race strategy are also important.
In other words, having a powerful engine is not enough. You also need to use it efficiently.
A Practical Example
Imagine two runners with a VO₂max of 60 mL/kg/min.
The first can run at a high intensity while using a large percentage of their VO₂max, in addition to having good running economy. The second has the same VO₂max but needs to use more oxygen to maintain the same pace.
Even with the same VO₂max value, the first athlete may be able to sustain a higher speed and finish a race faster.
Therefore, looking only at VO₂max may not fully explain improvements or differences in performance between athletes.
Can VO₂max Improve With Training?
Yes. Training can increase the body’s ability to take in, transport, and use oxygen. Depending on the training stimulus, cardiovascular and muscular adaptations can occur that contribute to improved aerobic performance.
However, progress does not necessarily appear only as an increase in VO₂max. An athlete can also improve performance by sustaining a greater percentage of their VO₂max, running more efficiently, or tolerating a high intensity for longer.
VO₂max Is Potential, Not the Final Result
VO₂max helps us understand an athlete’s aerobic potential, but it does not tell the whole performance story.
To assess progress more comprehensively, it is necessary to consider how this potential is used during exercise and how other physiological characteristics contribute to performance.
A high VO₂max can create the potential for great performance. But the ability to turn that potential into speed, power, and endurance is what makes the difference on race day.
