Training & Nutrition - How to increase VO2 max to 96ml/kg/min

This guy is freakin' off the charts! I thought LeMond was off the charts at 92, but man!

http://www.fasterskier.com/training2310.html


- I was in the past very focused on separating the distance sessions from the hard workouts. The hard workouts were hard and the distance workouts were easy, says Bjerke.

Bjerke believes however that the distance sessions became too easy and this is where he made the biggest changes in his training. He is now doing more distance sessions that are pretty hard and is no longer so focused on controlling the heart rate during distance workouts.

- I looked at how the older generation skiers like Anders Aukland has trained and copied some of that.

Bjerke is doing 10-day cycles that are pretty similar both summer and fall. He is doing three “low threshold” or intensity “3” (82-87% of max heart-rate) workouts in each cycle. These workouts are each up to 1.5 hour long. He is in addition doing one hard session at intensity 4-5. The rest of the endurance training is distance sessions of varying intensity, often in tough terrain without a heart-rate monitor.

Nobody impressed? Doesn't this fly in the face of conventional training wisdom? Hard days should be harder than you think, easy days should be easier than you think?

I believe VO2Max has a ceiling determined by genetics and not by training. Sure, one can increase their VO2Max with training a few percent from what it may be when one is sedentary, but genetics will set the top limit--and age will steal some of that away.

Now, if we were to be talking about training LT... well, that's a different story.

I guess it's not really important is it? Still that number is impressive. Imagine what you could do with that kind of natural ability.

I guess it's not really important is it? Still that number is impressive. Imagine what you could do with that kind of natural ability.

It's an important attribute among many for world class endurance sport performance.

I believe VO2Max has a ceiling determined by genetics and not by training. Sure, one can increase their VO2Max with training a few percent from what it may be when one is sedentary, but genetics will set the top limit--and age will steal some of that away.

Now, if we were to be talking about training LT... well, that's a different story.

+1 Bang on.

Despite his gifts he still lost his position on the national team and got 'only' a 4th place in the world cup. (Not sure if this is in a single race or overall standings.)
Shows the importance of mental conditioning as well as physical conditioning and makes achievements such as 5 time tour winners and Lance's such standouts. There are perhaps a dozen cyclists each year with the physical wherewithal to win a major tour. For one cyclist to dominate such top level riders for 5-8yrs requires more than superb physical gifts.
Steve

I believe VO2Max has a ceiling determined by genetics and not by training. Sure, one can increase their VO2Max with training a few percent from what it may be when one is sedentary, but genetics will set the top limit--and age will steal some of that away.

You're correct in that there is a genetic ceiling on VO2 max, but people are generally arent anywhere close to it if they are not athletes, therefore it is possible to raise the VO2 max a fair amount by training. for example, lance's VO2 was in the low 60s after cancer, and a peroid of chillin, drinkin beer, and playing golf. he trained a lot, and his VO2 max was in the low 80s.

also VO2 max is measured in ml/kg/min. that kg is the kg of body weight you have, meaning that losing weight can increase your VO2 max.

lastly, VO2 max is simply a measure of how much oxygen you can take in in a given amount of time per kg of body weight. this doesnt automatically mean that you'd be a good cyclist, since you might not put out much power at your VO2 max. power is what makes you a good cyclist, not VO2, not even LT. If your LT HR is 99 percent of your max, but you only put our 100 watts, then you're gonna get dropped. conversely, you could have a LT thats only 40 percent of max HR, but if your putting out 1000 watts, you're gonna dominate.

nonetheless, it is clear that this particular skiier is exceptionally gifted genetically, and he would probably be a better cyclist than me if he decided to start riding. however, the point of my post was that VO2 max is just a small part of the equation that makes a good cyclist/athlete.