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.  

The long winter days are behind us and by now you should hopefully have built up a strong aerobic system and fat-burning base. You’ve spent some time in the hills to develop better strength and now you want to maximize the top end of your engine to propel to peak speeds at the races. It’s time to go fast!!

One of my main goals is to slash your learning curve and get you training with maximum efficiency right from the start. Training correctly for an endurance sport requires attention in many different areas. In addition to the cardio training that you do there’s recovery techniques, strength work, injury prevention, gear prep plus nutrition and fueling to consider. Use these tips to optimize all that you do and watch your performance soar.

Once every 4-8 weeks as part of your program, you will be asked to perform a test session for your main sport(s). The purpose of this test is to check progress and to see how your performance has changed and also to set up your heart-rate training zones.

All Coach Gareth workouts (aside from swimming) are based on Heart-rate (HR). Heart-rate is an excellent guide to the stress created by a workout and also the intensity of the workout…

Interval training is one of the best ways to increase performance across all endurance sports. It is therefore a regular staple in all of Coach Gareth’s training programs. Here’s why and how to do them better…

Over the years, my coaching practice has developed with input from some of the best athletes and coaches in the world. During this process, I established a key set of rules that will ensure that you not only get the results you desire but also become a …..

“Periodization” is a science based system of putting the building blocks of training in the correct order, so that you can maximize your gains as you progress. It applies to endurance training and strength training equally.