: the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during a specified period of usually intense exercise

Examples of VO2 max in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Runners with a higher VO2 max usually have better marathon times because their bodies are really good at using oxygen to keep going without getting tired too quickly.2 3. Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2025 Clark pushed his players hard with VO2 max tests and two-mile runs, among other conditioning drills. Jay King, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025 The wrong size can impair breathing and alter an athlete’s VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen an athlete’s body can effectively use during exercise) according to a study by the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia. Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 Your VO2 max is measured in several ways: Lab testing (gold standard) using a treadmill or stationary bike with a mask. Jesse Pines, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 In addition to VO2 max and cognitive testing, the subjects had MRIs to measure brain size and structure. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 28 Feb. 2025 Running a 10-minute mile requires a VO2 max of about 35. Jakob Roze, Health, 5 Feb. 2025 To assess VO2 max, participants were asked to perform a 20-meter shuttle run test. Julia Ries, Outside Online, 29 Jan. 2025 On the other hand, unfit people, those with lower VO2 max, had a two to three times higher risk of dying from any cause of heart disease, regardless of their weight. Alyssa Hui, Health, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

volume of O2 maximum

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of VO2 max was in 1970

Browse Nearby Words

vo
VOA

Cite this Entry

“VO2 max.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/VO2%20max. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

: the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during a specified period of usually intense exercise that depends on body weight and the strength of the lungs

called also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake, max VO2

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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