Can strength training increase your VO2 max? Here’s what an expert says

Check out our complete guide to VO2 MAX

How does strength training affect VO2 max

“Historically, people thought of strength training as bodybuilding – compound movements with big, heavy weights,” says kate bairdCSCS, Running and Metabolic Testing Coordinator and Exercise Physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. But strength training It may also include circuit-based sessions with lighter weights.

When it comes to physical changes in the body, those differences matter.

If we’re talking about traditional lifting—heavy weights, explosive moves, and ample rest between sets—the effects on VO2 max are quite limited, primarily because of how the heart adapts to this type of strength training, says Baird.

Baird explains that during high-intensity aerobic-focused exercises like running, the heart undergoes a process known as eccentric remodeling. The chambers—especially the left ventricle—expand and become more elastic, allowing more blood to fill them. This increases stroke volume or how much blood the heart pumps with each beat. “This is important because we know that the number one thing that leads to an increase in VO2 max is an increase in stroke volume,” Baird continues.

Heavy strength training stresses the cardiovascular system differently. Blood pressure and heart rate increase under short, intense bursts of effort, but the heart adapts concentrically. the heart becomes better able to handle sudden, heavy The workload is still pumping blood efficiently. Baird says this type of adaptation does not substantially increase stroke volume, and therefore does not significantly affect VO2 max.

However, when it comes to more aerobic-focused Strength-building strategies – Light weight, high reps, short rest period approach – There is some room for VO2 max improvement.

If a sedentary person starts doing 30 minutes of continuous circuit-style strength training three times per week, “they will definitely see a change in their VO2 max within a few months,” says Baird. But, that’s largely because they’re moving from doing nothing to just doing something. This type of person has no fitness base, so virtually any activity will increase their VO2 max levels. For example, a 2013 study Shows that to see significant VO2 max benefits from resistance training, a subject’s initial VO2 max must be lower than the average for their age group.

Runners don’t necessarily see the same growth. Baird explains, “If you take a runner and give them a strength program and that’s the only thing that’s different (from their normal running routine), it’s very unlikely that they’re going to improve their VO2 max by adding it.”

In other words, if you’re already exercising your aerobic system. VO2 max workout And with regular mileage, your heart is already adapting in ways that affect VO2 max. “When you’re well trained you have to work really hard to go up (VO2 max),” says Baird. “That’s why not everyone is walking around with a VO2 max of 70.”

Improved capillary density, oxygen delivery, and muscle oxygen extraction (your muscles’ ability to efficiently use the oxygen delivered to it) also promote VO2 max, but these adaptations don’t dramatically alter adding a few days of weight lifting to an established running routine, Baird says. “For really fit people, the only thing (VO2 max booster) that’s really going to improve at a certain point is stroke volume,” explains Baird. And, as mentioned earlier, stroke volume needs to be increased. high intensity aerobic work.

The bottom line: Strength training isn’t a shortcut to a higher VO2 max, especially for established runners, but it can definitely help those who are starting an exercise routine. However, it’s important to remember: The benefits of strength training are rooted in other fitness metrics, making it important for runners to stick to their schedule.

Why does strength training still matter for run performance?

“If you put a good engine in a bad car, you’re not going to go very far,” says Baird.

Strength training builds the musculoskeletal frame that supports your strong aerobic engine. It helps eliminate biomechanical inefficiencies and weak links that can cause Injury. Leave strength training out of the picture, and you’ll find yourself at risk of injury and the inability to reach your full endurance potential.

what’s more: Research Shows that strength training promotes running economyWhich measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen at a given running speed, and is more important than VO2 max for long-distance running performance.

heavy lifting It also improves short-term force production, which is perfect for the demands of fast running. And plyometric training leads to greater energy storage and greater springiness, increasing overall running efficiency.

So, while strength training may not significantly boost your oxygen-processing threshold, it can do Increase your oxygen-use efficiency while helping you stay strong and injury-resistant throughout your training. And in the long run, that combination can lead you to your next PR.