VO2 MAX AND TRIATHLON

In Medicine, if one does not know the consequences of knowing just a part of the equation related to the problem we are facing it could be pretty dangerous.  People actually die.  Regarding triathlon training is something different, but our training could not have the expected results.  VO2 max is a marker that tells us many things about training but we should know the whole equation in order to possess useful information.  VO2 max could have prognostic value if we know the whole equation.  We have spoken before regarding this subject: 26 févr. 2012 VO2 MAX IMPROVEMENT AND THE SECOND SIN. 

I will use Wikipedia to describe my wording.  What is VO2max?  VO2 max (also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake, peak oxygen uptake or maximal aerobic capacity) is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual. The name is derived from V - volume, O2 - oxygen, max - maximum. Whoa!  I have read that the value of VO2max does no predict who is going to win.

1)   VO2 max is specific to the muscles used during the process of evaluation.  There are different VO2 max depending on the sport we are practicing and the muscles employed.

2)   Then, we have different VO2 max depending on whether we are evaluating swimming, running or bicycling.

3)   Cadence when running, swimming or cycling is a big variable in the evaluation.

4)   Adaptation over the years to high or low cadence gives different results.

For instance, we have known athletes with high VO2 max, 67 for a female triathlete, who performs poorly due to low cadence training.  In the case mentioned above, we had the same athlete performing a minute a half faster for 5k in triathlon with 60 of VO2 max. Technique comes into play when we speak about performance and VO2 max in order to use the former as prognostic element.  Without evaluating technique the prognostic value of VO2 max is non-existent.

29 mars 2012

TRIATHLON PHYSIOLOGY FOR DUMMIES AND THE TENDENCY TOWARD THE MEAN

Athletes and coaches are afraid of increasing cadence because they think they could overtrain due to high heart rate, not knowing that heart rate is also related to increase cadence without interfering with recovery/fatigue.  They just need to increase the caloric intake.

It is said that increasing cadence increases oxygen consumption, reason why some coaches advocate low cadence.  This looks like a paradox because we do not take into consideration the type of fibers use and the neurological training needed to run or to cycle at a high cadence, above 220 running and above 105rpm cycling.  When we do a metabolic test, the more oxygen we use the fitter we are.  Increasing cadence augments oxygen consumption because the heart, lungs and legs use more oxygen.  The advantage is the type of fibers used while cycling or running, oxygen consuming fibers, the ones that fatigue until they die, or if there is an oxygen debt.  If we decrease cadence, e.g. to 180 running or 80rpm cycling keeping the same speed, involvement of the other fibers that do not use so much oxygen takes place and fatigue sits in or bonking is a consequence.  What to do with high oxygen consumption in the case of high cadence? Eat more in order to continue exercising.  How much? For a 70kg athlete, 450 calories per hour is the goal, in order to avoid the bonking.  Of course, we need to have a neurological training and anaerobic training to face the competition at a high cadence which I will explain later.  Empirical observations we have with Lance Armstrong and the athletes we have trained.  In some we have a before and an after when changing the cadence, a one subject experimentation. 11 mars 2012 TRIATHLON PHYSIOLOGY FOR DUMMIES AND THE TENDENCY TOWARD THE MEAN