Peak VO2 tests are so painful....

Which is part of the reason I punked out on mine yesterday…. I had the best intentions…. I just couldn’t bring myself to max out…. Too painful… I’d estimate I hit ~85% of my peak, but it clearly was not a max test… (this would be the third max test in a 12 month period and the first that I didn’t max out)

I’m ashamed to admit I quit early. No excuses…. I should have sucked it up and pushed through… In my defense, my body post-sci responds differently to exercise than those of you without a spinal cord injury.

When I have more time, I’ll discuss the differences, but essentially I exercise without the benefit of a sympathetic nervous system. It is not uncommon for a quad to exhibit a peak heart rate of 90 – 100 bpm, during a peak exercise test due to the lack of sympathetic stimulation. I can get my heart rate higher, perhaps up to the mid 140’s, but it is a slow acceleration as it relies on circulating factors rather than direct input from the nervous system. In addition, in response to exercise, my blood pressure drops, especially the diastolic pressure… this due to blood pooling in my lower extremities.. no active muscle pump to assist with venous return, no vasoconstriction… I know, just lovely… so blood pressure and cardiac output drops… especially as I hit the higher wattages…I bet you are jealous.

Ok.. so how did I do? Not bad for a less than max test... Not bad for a baseline test…. Not bad at all. My VO2 is similar to a group of “elite” quads, all men. (see below)

My stats

Height: 60 inches
Weight: 145 (65.6 kg) (yeah I know, I’m a bit heavy right now)
Age: 31

*all are the final 20 sec average during the 55 watt stage*
VO2 peak: 0.99 L/min
VO2 power: 55 watts
Watts/kg: 0.84
HR peak: 102


Here’s the best reference point I could find quickly:

Goosey-Tolfrey, Castle, Webborn. 2006. Aerobic capacity and peak power output of elite quadriplegic games players. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 40:684-687 Pubmed ID: 16611721

N = 8 men with Quadriplegia

Average mass: 71.6 kg
Average Age: 29

*all are 1 min averages of the last completed stage*
Average VO2 peak: 0.96 L/min,
Average VO2 power: 67.7 watts
Average Watts/kg: 0.94
Average HR peak: 134






I’ll retest in 8 weeks. ~April 15th. I’ll follow the same test protocol used in the above paper. My protocol was similar, but it was definitely a custom protocol. During the 90 seconds I completed of the 65 watt stage, all but one 20 second average was @ or above 1.0 L/min.