You would be forgiven for thinking that you need to do a VO2 max test in order to know your VO2 max so that you can then train it. This is logical but flawed thinking. The truth is that you do NOT need to know your VO2 max in order to improve it! As a man who has done hundreds of VO2 tests in my time and (with occasional exception) no longer does them, I’m happy to tell you why:

VO2 max and “Zone 2” are all the rage right now, with people like Peter Attia and Andrew Huberman podcasting about it and your training buddies dropping it in to every conversation! Since you want to be the fittest you can be, naturally you want to know the full scoop.

So this article is all about VO2 max, what it is, why it matters and how to develop it.  

Anyone training with science will be using a heartrate monitor and power/ pace to most accurately guide their training. However, “instinct” and a “sense of effort” are also key skills to bring to your training and race pacing. The more information you have to hand, the better the process. There are also those times when your damn HRM won’t work for some unknown reason and it’s usually when you want it the most!!! In these cases, “RPE” (which is the Rate of Perceived Exertion) is a really useful fall back option….

If you want to get stronger and faster there is nothing quite like HILL TRAINING to give you the biggest return on your training investment. Hill training offers great gains for relatively low injury risk. Furthermore, most races have hills in them and athletes who have not prepared for a hilly course will be at a significant disadvantage over those who’ve used the benefits of hill training to the full. Working in the hills allows you to include a variety of training stimuli in the same session and this allows you to develop not only your metabolic fitness but also your strength, technique and speed all at the same time. We like to think of hill work as “aerobic strength training” and it is a key part of every athlete’s development….

The “Norwegian Method” is all the rage right now due to the success of the nordic athletes especially at the IRONMAN distance. In truth, the top coaches in all endurance sports from Triathlon to Cycling, Running to Rowing and Cross Country Skiing to Swimming have all embraced and used LACTATE TESTING for decades. So what’s all the fuss about?