How to Increase V02 Max

Your parents are responsible for 50 percent of your VO2 max. Research shows that half of your maximum oxygen uptake, also know as VO2 max, is determined by genetics, which leaves the other half up to you to increase through hard, consistent training, according to Ed Eyestone, author of "How to Improve your VO2 Max." Although a high VO2 max will give you a foundation for athletic success, there are many factors, such as optimal nutrition and skill work, that should be coupled with it to create a winning strategy in sports.

Instructions

  1. Instructions

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      Increase your lung capacity. Make more room for air in your lungs by practicing yoga. Certain yoga postures, such as bridge pose, will open your chest area allowing more room for your lungs to expand when inhaling. Ben Greenfield, author of "10 Ways to Increase Your VO2 Max," suggests to expand your lungs by using a breathing device designed for this purpose such as a PowerLung Trainer.

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      Make your heart stronger. Add intensity to your weekly training regime. Exercise physiologist, Veronique Billat concluded from her research that you must perform intervals at the fastest speed you can hold for two to five minutes to increase the amount of blood pumped in and out, in a single beat. Increasing your weekly mileage will also make your heart stronger.

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      Drink enough fluids to stay properly hydrated. Consume enough fluids to replace those lost to sweat during training. Ben Greenfield explains that the heart rate of a dehydrated person is elevated thereby decreasing the amount of blood being pumped through your body for each heart beat cycle. Low blood volume means less oxygen to your muscles.

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      Augment the amount of oxygen in your blood. Sleep in an altitude tent for a minimum of one month or train at an altitude between 8,000 and 12,000 feet, suggests HigherPeak.com. Supplement your diet with iron and ferritin pills. Having your hemoglobin levels at the top of the legal range helps your blood cells carry more oxygen, according to Ben Greenfield.