Factors Affecting VO2 Max/aerobic Power

Question 1

What are the factors?

Answer 1

Physiological 
Lifestyle 
Body composition 
Gender 
Age 
Genetics 
Training

Question 2

How does gender affect VO2 max?

Answer 2

Men generally have approx 20% higher VO2 max than women

Question 3

How does age affect VO2 max?

Answer 3

As we get older, our VO2 max declines as our body systems become less efficient.

Question 4

How do genetics affect VO2 max?

Answer 4

It’s genetically determined, which limits the impact of training improvement.

Question 5

How does training affect VO2 max?

Answer 5

VO2 max can be improved by up to 10-20% following a period of aeroib training

Question 6

How does body composition affect VO2 max?

Answer 6

Higher % of body fat decreases VO2 max

Question 7

How does lifestyle affect VO2 max?

Answer 7

Smoking, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet and poor fitness can all reduce VO2 max values.

Question 8

How does physiology affect VO2 max?

Answer 8

Increased maximum cardiac output.
Increased SV/ejection fraction/cardiac hypertrophy.
Greater HR range.
Less oxygen being used for heart muscle so more available to muscles.
Increased levels of haemoglobin and red blood cell count.
Increased stores of glycogen and triglycerides.
Increased myoglobin content.
Increased capillarisation around the muscles
Increased number and size of mitochondria
Increased surface area of alveoli
Increased lactate tolerance
Reduced body fat - VO2 max decreases as the % of body fat increases.
Slow twitch hypertrophy.