Terrible VO2Max, any suggestions?

[J.R.]

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Don't do endurance stuff, do HIIT.

HIIT basically = VO2max training

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Another recommendation for a completely out of shape beginner to start with HIIT. I wouldn't try it. HIIT programs require a base level of aerobic fitness and muscular endurance that it appears OP is sorely lacking.

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Why is it that you think an advanced athlete can benefit from interval training, but a beginner can't?

The notion that one can't/shouldn't do HIIT because they aren't in great shape is silly. They just don't do HIIT as intensely as a more well conditioned athlete (more rest, less resistance, less speed, flatter incline, etc.). What is high intensity for a noob is not high intensity for a great athlete.

HIIT is an excellent way to develop a base level of fitness. HIIT does not mean tabatas.

For example, a simple pattern of running till he feels short of breath, then walking to catch his breath, then running against and repeating is a HIIT program, and it is going to be more effective at boosting his VO2max that trying to get him to run the same distance at a continuous, slow pace.

[POKEROMGLOL]

in PE in 6th grade they make you run the straightaways and walk the curves right?............= beginner's HIIT

[theblackkeys]

I don't see why you'd have to stop starting strength completely, unless the only time you have is taken up by it. If you have time just do some sort of cardio after your workouts or on off days.

[cbloom]

Okay, this whole HIIT debate is pretty irrelevant here since for OP jogging for 1 minute would seem to be "high intensity". He just needs to get out there and do some jogging and when he can't any more just walk and then jog some more.

I've never read that HIIT is better at increasing VO2Max than steady-state training of equal difficulty. In fact, most of the cycling training methodology would seem to indicate the opposite. Perhaps you can point me to some references JR ?

[BreakfastBurrito]

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I've never read that HIIT is better at increasing VO2Max than steady-state training of equal difficulty. In fact, most of the cycling training methodology would seem to indicate the opposite. Perhaps you can point me to some references JR ?

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The gold standard source I've seen quoted time and time again regarding VO2max and HIIT is the Tabata study, which was done on well conditioned athletes and which JR is not recommending.

[J.R.]

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I've never read that HIIT is better at increasing VO2Max than steady-state training of equal difficulty. In fact, most of the cycling training methodology would seem to indicate the opposite. Perhaps you can point me to some references JR ?

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There's lots of stuff re: HIIT as opposed to moderate sustained exercise, like
this and this, but you get into equal difficulty. I dunno how to equate different forms but there is stuff about intense interval training to specifically to boost VO2 in endurance athletes like this or here
or Veronique Billat's work as discussed here. There are also all kinds of lay endurance programs that tout interval training for marathoners/swimmers etc.

As a beginner he will likely get rapid gains whatever he does. IMO Interval training (at whatever we want to call it, be it high or medium) is great for his goals but that does not mean it should be done to the exclusion of steady state endurance training.

[notfreemoney]

i dont disagree that HIIT is a great way to increase VO2max, but people need to get off the bandwagon sometimes. Right now, pretty much any aerobic activity is going to result in huge gains for you. Do an activity that you enjoy, that gets your heart rate up and you are happy doing 3-4 and later 5 times a week. HIIT is great, but not the end all problem solver.

[Alex-db]

Ty, the main points I was looking for is whether to do an HIIT type thing for 10 mins, or go for 25 or 40 mins however low the intensity, sound like the latter is probably more appropriate.

I think I may have made running difficulty sound worse than it is, but its definitely an unpleasant feeling - as opposed to lifting feeling really satisfying.

I used to be much more active, 10 years ago I played football regularly and 7 years ago I could kickbox sufficiently for a few full-contact fights. But then I went to uni - 1st year in catered halls (budgeted no extra cash for extra food, and no real kitchen facilities), that food couldn't sustain any activity (I lost 7lbs from about the build I am now.), and my fitness completely dropped off from there - obviously in conjunction with more drinking and even less activity.

I am better/more comfortable at HIIT type work - a kickboxing fight was only 3x 1 minute rounds at full intensity, and I wonder if then I could almost have been getting through it anaerobically (can that even make sense?), so thats why I think the steady longer sessions could hit what I am weaker at more accurately.

TY Breakfastburrito, your first post pretty explains what I had been thinking about.

Smiley, regarding 400m, I'd expect to be able to do that at a reasonable pace, I dont seem to mind pushing myself for a few minutes, and I can sprint fairly well, I think I can row 2k pretty fast for a non-rower (but it kills me!). Its 1500m jog at a steady pace thats more daunting - where I just feel all my energy has been drained after 600-800.

Sounds like I should probably do 5k on a running machine, however long it takes, and build up the speed till its a good jog all the way. Is it best to do that every day or are rest days good for cardio?

[qdmcg]

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Sounds like I should probably do 5k on a running machine, however long it takes, and build up the speed till its a good jog all the way. Is it best to do that every day or are rest days good for cardio?


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Listen to your body. Some people can handle training 12x a week, some can handle 6x, some can handle 3, etc. You probably wouldn't want to do more than 3-4x a week while getting started. I'd start with one good workout, take a few days off, do it again, then lower the amount of days off until you feel good doing it.

PS -- It's really hard for me to recommend stuff because I don't really have any idea how your body will respond. Test some stuff out and see how you feel while recovering.

[Alex-db]

Started today; decided to do 30 mins on a treadmill, as far as I could without making myself too uncomfortable.

A mixture of walking at 7kph and jogging at 8kph and I covered about 3.75km.

Allowing myself to walk was a big deal, previously when I tried to start cardio I'd consider myself too useless if I didn't keep jogging, so I could never do a proper session.

I checked heart rate whenever I started walking and found I generally got uncomfortable jogging when it reached about 165, and I started jogging again when it was down to 145. I think I have read that that is a reasonable range to exercise in.

Plan now is to work my way up to doing 4k at a continuous 8kph, then to gradually up the speed for the whole thing until running 30 mins at a proper pace. (I don't like the idea of being on a treadmill any length of time approaching an hour, hence 30 mins but with increasing speed.