MEMORANDUM

TO:

AARON SCHAB

FROM:

KEATON ORR

SUBJECT:

EXTENDED TECHNICAL DEFINITION AND DEVELOPED TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

DATE:

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

This memo explains the targeted audience, problem, placement, and visuals used to
compose my extended technical definition and developed technical description. The topic
of these is the VO2 max test.
Audience
The audience for defining and describing the VO2max test includes people interested in
learning about efficient lung capacity and CO2/O2 exchange in their own body. The
education level will be low, so I will write to a low-level of expertise.
Purpose/Problem
VO2 max tests are expensive to run and athletes must have a baseline to know how to
improve, and are extremely uncomfortable and sometimes hard to breath. Each test costs
between $100 and $200 to complete. The extended definition and developed description
show how to run a test and the benefits of a VO2max test.
Placement
The placement for the definition and description would be in a scientific or sports
magazine, or an online forum like
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/VO2_max.htm. This helps
the interested party to learn about what it is and have them form their opinion.
The extended technical definition would be in the beginning of the article.
The developed description would follow the extended technical definition.

Technical Definition: VO2max test

VO2max is the maximal rate of oxygen consumption, it is considered reliable and a valid
measure of cardiovascular fitness. The test uses the Fick equation to illustrate the factors
that determine VO2max. These tests are ran on mostly on treadmills, occasionally
stationary bikes.
VO2- the volume of oxygen consumed by your body to convert food to adenosine
triphosphate (ATP), the bodys energy source.
ATP is the bodys primary energy source on a cellular level.
Ficks Equation- Illustrates the primary factors
which determine VO2. It uses the cardiac output
(volume of blood being pumped out of the heart
via the left and right ventricles in L/min) and a-v
O2 difference (arteriovenous oxygen difference,
the difference in oxygenated blood in arteries and
veins).
VO2 (ml/min) = [Cardiac output (ml/min) * a-v O2
difference (ml/100ml blood)]/100.
VO2max As stated, is the maximal rate of
oxygen consumption, at maximal exertion. It is the
amount of milliliters of oxygen used in one minute
per kilogram of body weight. It is a determinate of
aerobic endurance and capacity to perform
sustained exercises. Athletes tend to have a higher
VO2 max then normal persons.
VO2max tests- tests are always
in a laboratory setting due to all
the equipment necessary. The
participant wears an Oxygen
max to analyze O2/CO2 volume
of the expired air, which is used
to calculate the VO2. A heart
rate monitor is also attached to
you for data collection. A stop
watch is needed as well to
calculate results and knowing
when to increase exertion.

Technical Description and Problems Relating to VO2max

Pricing VO2 max tests are very expensive to run. They run $100-$300 depending on
the equipment and area.
Claustrophobic Using the mask,
nose plugs, and mouth piece
during the test makes it extremely
uncomfortable and awkward. This
can result in increased heart rate
flawing results, as well as
increased stress levels.
Lactate Threshold (LT) The
lactic threshold is when lactate
clearance cannot keep up with
lactate production. This correlates
with increased CO2 production and
fatigue during VO2max tests.
Often defined as the invisible
barrier that keeps you down, the
LT is sometimes known as the key
determinant in performance in
endurance events.
Protocols/Results There are multiple types of VO2 tests that all show different results
for the same person. People argue that with VO2 testing we are only getting feedback
from the respiratory system and the amount of oxygen our body can use. Some also argue
that with the short duration (6-12 min) that we cannot use this as sufficient data due to
lack of time studying it.