Should I do VO2 max training?

Our read is that VO2 max training is a well-supported strategy for improving health and performance, with experts noting its association with increased post-exercise BDNF levels and enhanced muscle endurance.

However, the approach to VO2 max training requires careful consideration of different interval types, warm-up protocols, and recovery metrics to maximize benefits and mitigate risks.

While not strictly necessary for general health and longevity, targeted VO2 max training can significantly improve functional aerobic capacity and athletic capabilities.

A standardized warm-up protocol for a VO2 max test includes approximately 6 minutes of easy effort, 6 minutes of slightly more effort, a 3-minute threshold gauge, and 2-3 short 10-15 second efforts towards VO2 max, totaling around 20 minutes, as noted by Peter Attia. For outdoor testing with a VO2 Master device, Peter Attia suggests a 10-15 minute warm-up ride with short high-power climbs, followed by two to three full hill repeats at escalating power. Andrew Huberman indicates that combining high-intensity interval repeats and a 5-15 minute maximal effort session into the same week is feasible, ideally on separate days. Peter Attia also suggests integrating interval training into Zone 2 workouts by increasing treadmill slope for short bursts, with a minute on and a minute off. Rhonda Patrick advises varying exercise protocols like 4x4 intervals, 10x1 intervals, and Tabata to prevent stagnation and stress energetic systems differently. Andrew Huberman notes that aerobic high-intensity interval training can involve 3 to 12 sets with work-to-rest ratios such as 30 seconds on/10 seconds off, 20 seconds on/100 seconds off, or a 1:1 ratio.

• 01Peter Attia differentiates between high-intensity interval training (HIT), sprint interval training (SIT), and Tabata training due to their distinct metabolic effects, intensities, pros, and cons.
• 02Peter Attia and Rhonda Patrick state that a difference of 50 milliliters in VO2 and VCO2 measurements between portable and lab-based devices is negligible for most individuals, including recreational athletes.
• 03Peter Attia notes that recreational athletes can sustain exercise at the same blood lactate concentration (e.g., 4 millimolar) for approximately 30% longer than elite athletes because it is metabolically less taxing for them.
• 04Rhonda Patrick reports that improvements in VO2 max after 12 weeks of training are associated with greater increases in post-exercise BDNF levels.
• 05Peter Attia suggests that interval training can be integrated into Zone 2 workouts by increasing treadmill slope for short bursts, with a minute on and a minute off.
• 06Andrew Huberman indicates that anaerobic high-intensity interval training supports muscle endurance by enabling repeated, short-term, high-force generation.
• 07Peter Attia states that Zone 5 (VO2 max) training is not necessary for general health and longevity.
• 08Rhonda Patrick suggests that varying exercise protocols like 4x4 intervals, 10x1 intervals, and Tabata can prevent stagnation and stress energetic systems differently.
• 09Andrew Huberman notes that combining high-intensity interval repeats and a 5-15 minute maximal effort session into the same week is feasible, with each session ideally on a separate day.
• 10Peter Attia states that a heart rate recovery of 19-21 beats in one minute post-VO2 max interval indicates significant fatigue or poor recovery.
• 11Peter Attia suggests that training for a higher VO2 max using four to six minute all-out intervals combined with losing a couple of kilograms can raise VO2 max but penalizes efficiency.
• 12Andrew Huberman notes that endurance adaptations for activities like marathons primarily involve slow-twitch muscle fibers, capillaries, and mitochondria, which are not sufficient for high-intensity sports like MMA.
• 13Peter Attia describes a standardized warm-up protocol for a VO2 max test including ~6 minutes easy effort, 6 minutes slightly more effort, a 3-minute threshold gauge, and 2-3 short ~10-15 second efforts towards VO2 max, totaling ~20 minutes.
• 14Peter Attia describes a VO2 max test performed outdoors with a VO2 Master device involving a ~10-15 minute warm-up ride to the location, including short high-power climbs, followed by two to three full hill repeats at escalating power.

Our read is that certain approaches to VO2 max training carry risks or are suboptimal. Peter Attia warns that performing deadlift 'tatas' for VO2 max training carries a high risk of injury due to fatigue. He also suggests that an hour of hard VO2 max efforts on a bike with a 1:1 recovery ratio, increasing power by up to 10%, may not be optimal for maximizing VO2 max. Peter Attia states that a VO2 Max testing protocol that involves starting immediately on a treadmill without a warm-up is inadequate. He also finds the common definition of HIT as submaximal efforts (80-95% of maximum heart rate) not very helpful. Andrew Huberman notes that inducing extreme fatigue in athletes improves endurance but comes at a high cost of adaptation and potential injury. Peter Attia advises that to avoid crashing during high-intensity intervals, one should not go all out in the first minute. He also considers fixed blood lactate accumulation values an inaccurate metric for determining training intensity. Peter Attia states that restricting breathing during a VO2 max test manipulates the body and does not equate to actual fitness improvement. Rhonda Patrick suggests that strategies that additionally stress the pulmonary system are unlikely to potentiate training responses for VO2 max. Peter Attia also notes that maximum lactate steady state does not always equate to a respiratory exchange ratio of one.

Our read is that the verdict would change if new evidence emerged demonstrating significant long-term health detriments from VO2 max training, or if more precise, universally applicable metrics for optimal intensity and duration were established that contradicted current expert recommendations. Additionally, if portable devices for measuring VCO2 were found to be consistently inaccurate, it could impact the feasibility of at-home VO2 max assessment.