How VO2 max factors into longevity. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
| Someone wrote in after reading the Sunday with Sisson on the best longevity predictor with a question: what about VO2 max? VO2 max is the most basic and fundamental measure of how much oxygen you can utilize during an intense workout. It's a fantastic "single number" marker for how much cardiovascular fitness you possess—how powerful your engine is. How good are you at ripping through oxygen? How much can you burn? Elite athletes have very high VO2 maxes. And as it turns out, a higher VO2 max is also a good predictor of longevity for everyone. Athletes, sedentary people, moms, dads, grandparents. The higher, the better and the longer you'll live (all else being equal). Wouldn't VO2 max, then, be a better predictor of longevity than something like "The ability to roll with the punches that life throws at you"? After all, VO2 max is objective. It's an actual number rather than something more ephemeral and abstract like stress resilience. Sure. VO2 max is fine. Good, even. I am just mostly opposed to chasing numbers. Even if the numbers are important, effective, and predictive. Hell, especially. Living by the numbers kills the human spirit. Or rather, it kills my human spirit. The world is already trending toward automation, optimization, transhumanism, and an extinction of what makes humans so special. I refuse to hasten that trend and I think obsessing over numbers, gadgets, lab tests, biomarkers only gets us there faster. Just remember that you can raise your VO2 max by doing all the right things you should be doing anyway: Long slow aerobic activity like uphill walking, easy jogging, cycling, swimming, surfing, and general physical play. Intense interval training and maximal sprints. Lifting heavy things (which does increase VO2 max especially if mostly untrained or elderly). VO2 max is a measurement that indicates you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. That you're a physical being engaged with the physical world on a regular basis. But the obsession with the number can become another type of stressor you have to overcome. And if that obsession is always in the back (or forefront) of your mind informing everything you do, it can quickly become a chronic stressor. That's why stress resilience for me remains the very best longevity predictor and goal. |
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| Listen to Mark's episode of How I Built This where he shares his experience as a marathon runner, Ironman triathlete and coach, frozen yogurt proprietor, sports supplement founder, TV show host, and author. |
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| How do you recover after a hard workout? Hear from Mark on his routine and what he's learned over the years. Let us know how you recover in the comments! |
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