Why is testing important? | What is a VO₂ max test? | What’s normal for a triathlete?

Why is physiological testing important?

A physiological test can be used to assess an individual’s current level of fitness, establish training zones, monitor progress in training, and even determine athletic potential. Most aspects of fitness can be tested including aerobic fitness, anaerobic power, and strength endurance. For an elite triathlete, testing is hugely important to gauge the effectiveness of training and several tests are performed three or four times a year.

What is VO₂ max?

VO₂ max refers to the maximum volume of oxygen that can be transported and utilised during maximal exercise and is used as an indicator of aerobic fitness.  Generally, the higher your VO₂ max the greater your aerobic fitness. To compare VO₂ max scores between athletes, VO₂ max must be expressed in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body mass per minute (mL. kgˉ¹. minˉ¹). See below for a comparative table of VO₂ max scores.

Elite cyclists and cross country skiers tend to have the highest VO₂ scores with the record being 96 mL. kgˉ¹. minˉ¹ for men.

How to perform the test?

VO₂ max can be measured directly, by analysing the volume of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the exhaled gas or indirectly using heart rate. Below the protocol for directly measuring VO₂ max is described. Generally, the test is performed on a treadmill or a specialised bike called a cycle ergometer; either way the principles are the same. The treadmill test is described below.

1. The athlete completes a 10 minute warm up at 0% incline and running no quicker than 8 km. hˉ¹.
2. Then, the athlete puts on a mouthpiece, which covers the mouth and nose, so that inhaled and exhaled air can be measured with the gas analyser.
3. To begin the test the athlete runs on the treadmill at 8.0 km. hˉ¹ for 1 minute.
4. Then the speed is increased by 1 km. hˉ¹ every minute until the athlete reaches exhaustion.
5. Finally, the equipment is removed and the athlete performs a 5-minute cool down at a steady pace.

What’s normal for a triathlete?

A normal VO₂ max value is difficult to define for the simple fact that everyone is different. Each person has a different body, as well as different training volumes, intensities and race distances they are preparing for. This will all influence their current VO₂ max score. However, looking at the table below, most people that consider themselves a triathlete would likely be in a category above average.

Male	20-29	30-39	40-49	50-59	60+
Superior	≥ 57	≥ 53	≥ 49	≥ 45	≥ 42
Excellent	52-56	46-52	44-48	40-44	38-41
Good	46-51	42-47	39-43	35-39	33-37
Average	40-45	36-41	34-38	30-34	28-32
Low	35-39	32-35	29-33	26-29	23-27
Poor	≤ 34	≤ 31	≤ 29	≤ 25	≤ 22