Today I’m coming back to the relevance of the protocol to determine the power corresponding to the VO2 max without resorting to a lab. We generally perform a 5-minute test on the ground or a +30w/2min level on a home trainer where you have to give everything until the end. Unfortunately, I realize with hindsight after several years of monitoring with the power, that none is good for determining a real How to best work zone to develop the VO2 max.
All these tests, where we are limited with the aerobic and anaerobic lactic system, overestimate the real PMA! Indeed, depending on the lactic capacities of each person, the tests can vary greatly. A runner/sprinter with a VO2 max of 65 ml/min/kg will have, for example, 380 watts over 5 minutes on the ground and a climber with the same VO2 max will push only 365w. The first will rely on his more developed lactic system to last longer and higher without oxygen.
Julien Pinot reminded us in our December seminar:
the Record Power Profile describes a decreasing line on a logarithmic industry email list time scale after 5 minutes and over several hours for everyone. But between 1 second and 5 minutes, it varies greatly depending on the runner.
I had the same problem recently with a follow-up. The 5-minute test gave 320 watts and could be improved to 330 watts given How to best the too-fast start (500W…) and the cp20 @263 watts.
Over the 8x intervals (40s @340w / 20s @160w), the runner manages to provide 290w average over 8 min.
However, over 3 min @ 305w intervals, he drops from the 3rd repetition to finish at 280w over 3min. Clearly, if his PMA at VO2max had been at 320w, he could have held 95% over 5*3 min. By finishing at 280w, we see benefits of automating your social media campaigns that he has exhausted all his maximum aerobic potential while still being well below his CP5.
For optimal development of VO2max
The intensity of the exercises must be between 95 and 100% and to a lesser extent 110% for short it like the 30/30. On his exercise like the 40/20 at 340w, it is very likely that we will develop his lactic capacities more than really his engine. The 20 min test also confirms the findings. A.Coggan recommends taking 120% of FTP to work on VO2max over intervals of 3 to 8 min. With 93% of CP20, we have a book your list theoretical FTP around 245w. Or 290w at 120% of FTP in our case. And indeed at 290w over the 5*3 min, he could have gone without weakening until the end, impacting his VO2max as much as possible and not his lactic capacities.