VO2 Max... cannot be neglected.

"Study after study has found that regular exercisers live as much as a decade more than sedentary people." - Dr. Attia

Let's talk about why it is so important to improve our VO2 Max today.  

What is VO2 Max?  

Well it is the maximum rate at which a person can use oxygen.  

And what does that mean?  

Well if you have been training with us you have most definitely been in the position where you feel like you cannot get enough air in and you need to stop what you are doing to catch your breath.  This is because of our VO2 Max.  When our body is able to take in Oxygen and use it efficiently, we can work longer and harder at something.  We train our body to do this by pushing our comfort level to the point of failure, we just can't work anymore.  As we do this more consistently, we get better at using the Oxygen and our ability to work harder longer improves.  Think of the people at our gym that are pretty good at getting uncomfortable, the people who are willing to go into the dark place.  Those are the folks who most likely have the best VO2 Max numbers in our community.  

VO2 Max is measured in terms of the volume of oxygen a person can use per kilogram of body weight, per minute.  The test for it is brutal.  I have not ever done it but I remember watching the exercise physiology students in the lab performing it.  Let's just say there is a treadmill, a big ol' mask, and incline and speed buttons being pushed.  You go until failure... a little bit like the pictures 👆.  

The goal is to be able to perform a lot of work before tapping out.  If you can only run 100m hard before you need to rest then we have some work to do on that VO2 Max.... if you can push for 400m or even 800m you are in better shape.  Those folks that can run a mile hard... like 5-8 minutes... they have a very good VO2 Max relative to our community.  The same would apply in moving weight, or box jumps, or burpees... the more work you can do, the faster you can do it is all about your VO2 Max.  

So if we don't plan on sprinting a mile or cleaning and jerking barbells when we are in retirement, why is this important to us?  The answer is pretty simple... you are stock piling.  With each decade that passes you WILL lose all the things... VO2 Max, Muscle Mass, Flexibility, Power.... all of it...BUT if we stock pile these things and continue to work on them... we will lose them MUCH SLOWER... and delay the aging process SIGNIFICANTLY.  So you doing this sh*t now, hopefully consistently, will put you in a MUCH BETTER position physically than your peers who are taking Ozempic and sitting on their ass to lose weight.  The goal is when you are 60, you feel 40-45.  When you are 70, you feel 50-55.  Can you imagine?  Think about your friends and family.  Let's look at our very own L❤u.  How many of you are deciding what weight to use based on her numbers?  She is the oldest member in our community, a few weeks from completing her 65th trip around the sun (Si Dios quiere).  I have not met a peer in her life, nor my own that holds a candle to her fitness and health.  I know some of you 30-somethings use her as inspiration... AND YOU SHOULD!!!  This is what prioritizing your health looks like.  If you ask her should would not claim it is easy.  But I guarantee she will claim it was worth it!  

What you need to know is it is not too late to start giving a shit.  This is what I want ALL people to remember.  If you are on Instagram you will see that I started posting short "just start" workouts for those who feel overwhelmed with the process.  If you know someone who needs to move and they are on the gram have them follow us and JUST START!  

As for you, YOU HAVE TO get uncomfortable on our VO2 days to reap the benefits of it.  I am keeping them at only two days per week so find a way to make it happen.  Don't cherry pick your workouts.