Would it be possible to create a training plan dedicated to improvements in VO2max?
VO2max is one of the metrics that are important for general health and longevity and it would be great to have a plan devoted to improvements in that area.
I know there are training plans for increase in FTP and for general fitness and there is a correlation between FTP and VO2max, but this correlation is not linear and not very straightforward, so a plan dedicated to increase in VO2max would be beneficial to people interested in this health parameter. I would guess, the approach would be somewhat different to increase in FTP plan?
For VO2max block, you can do it easily yourself (search forum topics for general guidance). With new TR functionality, it will automatically adjust: on every planned VO2max day place there “TrainerRoad AI workout” with your desired approach and duration (e.g. 1h30m Long Suprathreshold, etc) and TR will substitute them with actual workouts that adjust depending on your current fitness and fatigue.
Quick search shows that VO2max is beneficial, so I would definitely would want to try a TrainerRoad structured and hopefully supported by science training plan aiming at VO2max increase. My concern is that if I start just overpopulating my week uncontrollably with more than one VO2max workout a week, that could end up in overtraining and burn out.
PubMed publications strongly support a robust, inverse, and linear correlation between VO2max (cardiorespiratory fitness) and all-cause mortality, positioning it as one of the most potent, modifiable biomarkers for longevity. Higher VO2max levels are consistently linked to a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and age-related mortality.
Key Findings from PubMed Studies
Strongest Predictor: Multiple studies, including a 2018 JAMA study of 122,000+ patients, identified CRF (measured by VO2max) as a stronger predictor of longevity than traditional risk factors like hypertension, smoking, and diabetes.
Linear Relationship (No Upper Limit): Research suggests there is no upper limit to the benefit of higher fitness; moving from “low” to “above average” (50th to 75th percentile) can reduce mortality risk by ~70%, while “elite” performers have significantly lower risk than even “high” performers.
Longevity Gain: Studies indicate that each unit (1 mL/kg/min) increase in VO2max is associated with a 45-day increase in life expectancy. A 10-15% increase in VO2max can correspond to a similar reduction in cardiovascular mortality.
Midlife Fitness Impact: Midlife CRF is a powerful indicator of future survival. One study (Copenhagen Male Study) found that men with the highest VO2max had a 4.9-year longer life expectancy compared to those with the lowest.
Age-Related Decline: VO2max typically declines by roughly 10% per decade after age 25–30, accelerating to over 20% per decade after age 70. However, consistent exercise can significantly mitigate this decline.
Impact on Functional Longevity
Beyond extending lifespan, VO2max correlates with increased healthspan and reduced frailty:
Brain Health: Higher VO2max is associated with larger hippocampal volumes and lower dementia risk.
Functional Capacity: Improved aerobic capacity improves the ability to perform daily activities as one ages.
Cognitive Function: Studies indicate that HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) can improve cognitive function along with boosting VO2max.
Key PubMed Publications
“Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality” (JAMA Network Open, 2018): Found that elite vs. low performers had an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.20, and that the risk of death in the least fit group was 500% higher than in the highest group.
“Midlife Cardiorespiratory Fitness and the Long-Term Risk of Mortality” (JACC, 2018): Indicated that higher VO2max in midlife leads to a ~5-year increase in life expectancy.
“Survival of the fittest: VO2max, a key predictor of longevity?” (Frontiers of Bioscience, 2018): Concluded that VO2max is a superior, independent predictor of mortality.
“Greater physical fitness (Vo2Max) in healthy older adults associated with…” (PubMed, 2023): Linked higher VO2max to increased Locus Coeruleus (brain) integrity.
It’s a tricky ask because VO2max changes are very slow physiological changes, short of one physiological change that you can train and see improvements in a short period, but you can’t really train that way for very long.
If you’re looking for improvement in VO2max, there are really two things you can do (besides ask for better genes) …
Increase volume and be consistent. More volume season after season will improve aerobic capacity.
Short-term high dose, high density VO2 intervals discussed in other threads here at length.
So it’s tough to do a “plan” for that, when in reality it’s “ride lots consistently year after year” and then more like a 2-3 week block than a multi-month training plan. For most people, you’re only going to do the dense/intense block once per year simply because you need to train other things and the fatigue cost of that block is very very high.
Outside of that one focused block, I think the best approach is to train other things (like FTP, etc) and let the VO2max adaptations happen along the way. Like most other things, when you stop training for long periods, your adaptations that raised your VO2max (stroke volume, capillarization, etc.) will go away.
Keep in mind, VO2max is a lot like sprint power: you’ve got what you’ve got for the most part. It is trainable in my opinion, but not as trainable as endurance, FTP, TTE at threshold and sub-threshold powers, etc.
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EDIT: this post is addressing performance not health/longevity.
For longevity and “life” benefits, you literally just need to do aerobic exercise consistently throughout your life. Any trained functions I mentioned above aren’t going to sustain throughout your life without higher intensity training all the time, and that’s not ideal for health outcomes anyway.
Just ride your bike as much as you want to… that’s your training plan for VO2max benefits to longevity.
