VO2 Max: Your Key to Longevity and Athletic Success
VO2 max is not just a measure of athletic performance; it’s also one of the best indicators of longevity. For endurance sports enthusiasts, it’s a critical factor in achieving success in their sport. But here’s the catch: VO2 max tends to peak between the ages of 25 and 30. From that point, maintaining or increasing it becomes more difficult and a true game of consistency and effort—and the real challenge begins after age 40.
The Decline of VO2 Max
For a relatively sedentary individual, VO2 max can decline by about 10% per decade starting at 40. However, for those who exercise even a little quite regularly, studies show that decline can be reduced to 5%. While halving the rate of decline is significant, for many endurance athletes, this statistic can feel a bit disheartening. Why? The “exercisers” in these studies are training at much lower intensities and volumes than dedicated athletes, such as those in the RPG community, are accustomed to.
There Is Good Reason For Optimism
There’s good news for those who remain committed to high-level training. Numerous examples exist of athletes who maintained or even improved their VO2 max well into their early 50s. These individuals demonstrate that while age may be a factor, consistent and targeted training can defy the usual trends.
One of the RPG members Dudley Hoskin summarised it best:
"It is important to remember that you lose potential vo2 or potential fast twitch muscle as you age. i.e. if you were to train as an Olympian at 25 and reach your max potential then the decline to the same max potential at 35,45,55 would show these obvious declines. Apart from former pros like Liz and Reedy, I doubt anyone has been to their maximum potential. As such there is no real reason you can’t increase Vo2 or muscle mass as you get older if you train to a higher potential of your max ability.
I train a 72 yr old neighbour. The muscle, balance, and functionality gains he has made in 3 months takes him back to his 50s. Has he lost potential? Yes, but he has still gained muscle and improved his Vo2 max from where it was 3 months ago."
The Danger of Inconsistency
Here’s where things get tricky: after age 40, taking extended breaks from training can significantly accelerate VO2 max losses. A gap of just 3-4 months can result in declines far greater than what you’d experience with even light training. The moral of the story? Consistency matters more than ever as you age.
Consistency Over Craziness
This ties back to one of RPG’s favorite sayings: “Consistency over craziness.” For younger athletes, this mantra helps build an aerobic engine and improve VO2 max without risking injury. For older athletes, it’s the key to maintaining the fitness levels they’ve worked so hard to achieve over the years.
Final Thoughts
You can’t fight Father Time but can certainly slow his march. Building VO2 max is much harder than maintaining it, so staying consistent is your best defense. Whether you’re just starting your endurance journey or you’re decades into it, remember that consistency over craziness tends to prevail as the best strategy for staying fit and healthy for longer.
