[Maximal Oxygen Consumption (Vo2 Max) Testing]

[Taylor Mann]
[October 8th, 2018]
[Lab Section 710]
Introduction:
This lab was performed in the kinesiology department of SUNY Cortland and tested a student’s
V02 max. The data was recorded at a certain time. The data collected was heart rate, rate of
perceived exertion and V02. The participant was to perform as long as capable.

Purpose and Background:

The purpose of this lab is to test a person’s maximum consumption and see how much oxygen
can be used per minute. By doing this, this will show a person’s upper limit of aerobic
metabolism. Aerobic metabolism is physiological process that requires oxygen to be available in
order to use carbohydrate, fat, or protein for energy production. This is known as their V02 Max.
V02 max is the volume of oxygen used by the muscles during an interval

Hypothesis:
This lab is going to show that the harder you have to work the more oxygen you are going to
need to produce. This lab will show how that will be done.

Materials used in this laboratory experiment:

 Treadmill
 Face mask
 Heart rate monitor
 Computer
 Spit tube
 Nose plug
 Participant
 Helpers
 Pencils

Procedure:
1. First the participant was selected to perform the test.
2. Second, the teacher hooked the student up to the heart rate monitor and the face mask
was attached.
3. The participant took their heart rate and gave their rate of perceived exertion.
4. The participant stood on the treadmill while one helper changed the incline and another
helper changed the speed when told to do so.
5. The participant will keep a steady speed either walking or running.
6. Every three minutes the teacher will give specifics to what the incline and speed should
increase to.
7. The participant will continue until he physically can’t anymore, the rate of perceived
exertion is equal or greater than 18, they hit their max V02, their respiratory exchange is
1.10 or greater, or they peak or plateau heart rate.
Data Table:
Data for V02 Max test

Time Heart Rate Rate of Perceived V02(ml/kg/min)

Exertion (RPE)
0:00 75 7 7.6
3:00 92 7 17.3
6:00 105 7 27.6
9:00 111 9 38.5
12:00 83 12 60.7
15:00 90 14 65.9
18:00
21:00

Graphs:
Questions:
1. Three of six requirements need to be met to determine if a person has reached their true
max during the V02 max test. Peak or plateau in VO2 max or heart rate, respiratory
exchange ratio value of 1.10 or greater, exhaustion, plasma blood lactate levels of 14 or
greater or a rate of perceived exertion of 18 or greater.
2. Three of the criteria must be present in the previous question for the VO2 max to be
considered a true max.
3. The average resting VO2 value in ml/kg/min for men and women is 3.5 mL/kg/min
4. The average resting VO2 value in ml/kg/min for college men is 42 mL/kg/min and 38
mL/kg/min for college women.
5. RER value represents the respiratory exchange ratio. The body will use fat primarily
when the RER is from 0.6-0.8 and the body uses carbohydrates when the body is at a
range from 0.9 to 1.0.
6. The RER value for an individual with a VCO2 value of 4233 ml and a VO2 value of
3500 ml is 1.2 ml.
7. The individual from the previous answer is working at high intensity and using
carbohydrates as an energy source.
8. When the student finished is when he reached his max VO2. He stopped at 13:38.
9. According to the data he reached his VO2 max because he could not go any longer, and
his VO2 plateaued. His heart rate monitor was malfunctioning and not accurate towards
the end, but his heart rate would have maxed out towards the end of his run. He also
admitted that he was at about a 19 of RPE when he was unhooked from the machine.
With these criteria presented, he would have met more than the three criteria needed for
the VO2 max to be met.
Discussion:
The student started on the treadmill and gave his numbers for his heart rate and his RPE. The
Computer took these measurements and he walked for the beginning. The speed and incline were
increased every three minutes and he started to run when he could not walk anymore. When he
was exhausted and could not run anymore he stopped the treadmill and detached from the
machine. The data showed that as the intensity increased, so did his heart rate and V02. The heart
rate monitor was slipping so his heart rate was not super accurate towards the end of the data.
This experiment ended with the student getting off of the treadmill and collecting the rest of the
data.